Some News and Views. . .

During the 40 years that we have been running our auction sales, one of the most noticeable changes in collecting interests is the upsurge in the popularity of covers and postal history. All types of covers are in demand these days, including pre-stamp, rates, airmail, advertising, military, censored, usages, different cancels, multiple frankings, and First Day. At stamp shows 40 years ago it was unusual to see a dealer who sold only postal history. Now at the larger stamp shows there are always a number of dealers who specialize in covers, and many others who carry good stocks.

In response to this demand, our auctions always feature a good array of covers, postal history, and postcards. The cover illustrated here has an interesting story to tell. Albert Burton Gresham was born in Australia in 1905, and came to Canada with his family in 1911. He became a successful reporter and photographer, working for a long time at the Winnipeg Free Press. He became a soldier, and World War II changed the course of his life.

At the end of 1941, Major Gresham was stationed in Hong Kong with the Winnipeg Grenadiers, and he wrote home on December 8th. Unfortunately he was killed on December 19th defending the colony, and when Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on December 25th, outgoing mail was trapped in the Post Office. When the British re-occupied Hong Kong in 1945, the mail from 1941 was found and put into the postal system with a special boxed handstamp “DETAINED IN HONG KONG BY JAPANESE FROM DECEMBER 1941 TO SEPTEMBER 1945”. Major Gresham’s last letter finally reached home. Lots 47, 4740-49, 6363, and 6365 contain this historic cover and other covers from Major Gresham’s military career.

In 1927, the 60th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation saw the release of Canada’s only commemorative Special Delivery issue. The designer of this beautiful engraved stamp managed to depict five methods of mail transportation in a very small area - air, ship, train, horseback, and dog sled!

Canada #E3 is unusual for a number of reasons. No other Canadian stamp up to that time had depicted a dog, an airplane, an ocean liner, or a horse. It is the only vertical Special Delivery stamp, and the only one without the word ‘Delivery’. If you get out your magnifying glass and look very closely at the horseman’s mail bag, you can see that it reads “Canada P.O.”, perhaps the tiniest lettering on any Canadian stamp.

This auction contains a mammoth amount of material in over 7,300 lots. We have been very busy breaking down numerous bulky estate lots that have come in over the past months. You will find all kinds of interesting singles, sets, varieties, cancels, postal history, large lots, and collections to choose from.

The auction has excellent sections of Canada and Provinces, United States, Germany, Cyprus, France and Colonies, Tanganyika, Italy and States, and Saudi Arabia. There is a particularly strong section of Canadian Semi-Official Airmails primarily on cover. We hope that you will find just what you are looking for. Bids can be submitted by mail, telephone, email, and fax. Good luck!