by catpaw | 23 Jul, 2017 | Espresso fueled mumblings, Stamps
I look forward to ogling the latest auction catalogue from Vance Auctions. Their Aug 23, 2017 offering is now online and hosts the usual excellent offerings. Some items are beyond my reach, but in previous auctions, I’ve managed to snag a few bargains that scratched specific itches, so I enjoy paging through their catalogue.
Something a bit different caught my eye this time. If you are a salvaged mail collector, they have a gem – stampless, but a gem, nonetheless. Check out item #4446 – “Salved from the sea” RMS Nascopie. The stamp floated off into the ocean somewhere but doesn’t detract from this cover:
RMS Nascopie salvaged mail cover
R.M.S. Nascopie WRECK cover with 2 Eastern Arctic Patrol / R.M.S. / Canada 1 Aug 1947 violet oval cancel to Richmond Hill, Ont. Has s/l “SALVED FROM THE SEA” violet h/s. Has lovely multi-colour World Map design. Salvaged from the wreck of the R.M.S. “Nascopie” lost at Cape Dorset, July 1947. F-VF, stamp floated off …. Est 500.00+ (from Vance Auction catalogue)
RMS Nascopie in the Canadian arctic
This is a must see for anyone interested in Canadian and maritime history, Hudson’s Bay Company, maritime mail, and salvaged/wreck mail. The RMS Nascopie went down near Baffin Island, in the Canadian arctic while on a regular run. This is the Nascopie, somewhere in the Canadian north:
And docked in Montreal a few years before it sank:
RMS Nascopie docked in Montreal
The ship had a fascinating life starting in 1911. The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC)1 sailed the ship, plying a trade route along the Hudson Straight, stopping at HBC outposts along the way. That’s that the bit between Nunavut and Baffin Island way north in Canada in case you’re curious:
Map indicating Hudson Strait Nunavut Canada
During WW1, the ship was leased to the French government who ran wheat to Murmansk, Russia and supplies back to France. It was a dangerous run, which saw the Nascopie exchanging fire with a German sub during one of the trips.
After the war, it returned to the Hudson’s Bay Company control and returned to the familiar waters of the Canadian arctic. It pushed deep into the north waters dropping off scientists and surveyors, rescued passengers from sinking ships, moved supplies to and from HBC posts, transported reindeer from Norway to the Canadian arctic (an odd story in itself2) and carried tourists to the north. One of the most well-known tourists was Fredrick Varley of the Group of Seven3. Check out the link below for the Torontoists’ fabulous write up of the trip he took. In 1935, it received the designation RMS – Royal Mail Steamer and was designated to carry mail to and from HBC outposts. You can find covers with the RMS Nascopie cancel at auctions occasionally. Check out Postal History Corner’s page on the Nascopie (link below) for more images of Nascopie cancels4.
When WW2 broke out, the Nascopie returned to war duties, fitted with both anti-aircraft and naval guns, running raw materials from Greenland and Canada. It survived it’s second tour of duty, only to hit an uncharted reef off Cape Dorset, on the southern tip of Baffin Island five years later.
Part of its last mail cargo was salvaged. The cover above was one such item. The original Eastern Arctic Patrol hand cancels applied after the ship sank are still crisp and clear, as is the “salved from the sea” mark. It’s worth a look. Estimated to go for about $500, but who knows. Auctions are quirky beasts. Have to keep an eye on it.
___________________
Readmore:
1 The Hudson’s Bay Company webpage on the Nascopie http://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/technology/rms-nascopie
2 CBC article on the HBC’s attempt to import reindeer to the Canadian north http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/norwegian-researches-baffin-island-reindeer-experiment-1.718885
3 The Torontoist rarely lets me down when it comes to stories about Canadian history. Check out their tale of Varley aboard the Nascopie – http://torontoist.com/2013/02/historicist-north-aboard-the-nascopie/ (no longer available)
4 Postal History Corner is one of my favourite sites when it comes to stamps. They have a good page showing various cancels from the Nascopie. http://postalhistorycorner.blogspot.ca/search?q=nascopie
by catpaw | 7 May, 2017 | Catpaw's Picks, Espresso fueled mumblings, Stamps
Canadian collectors had a rare chance to see a rare stamp, the first British Columbia & Vancouver Island stamp, go to auction last week. Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions, a US house, handled the sale of 21/2 pence imperforate stamp. The catalogue price lists it for $25,000 Cdn. It was described as F to VF condition with “brilliant, deep color”. Kelleher Auctions estimates were far more conservative than the catalogue price – placing estimates between $10,00 to $15,000.
Some interesting things about the stamp:
It was designed before Vancouver adopted decimal currency, hence the pence value. The first decimal issues for BC were issued in 1865.
According to the Canada Post Archives, the stamp was “probably” based on a design by William Driscoll Gosset and “probably” engraved by Jean-Ferdinand Joubert de la Ferté. A lot of probables, but that’s the problem with history, sometimes information is misplaced. Or, what we consider important now, wasn’t at the time. Archives can be such a crapshoot.
It’s suspected, Gosset based his sketch on renowned engraver William Wyon’s famous 1937 engraving of a young Queen Victoria, the image that graced coins for years and was the model for the Penny Black. The engraver, Joubert de la Ferté worked for De La Rue, the printers of the Vancouver stamp, so it isn’t much of a stretch to think Joubert de la Ferté was the engraver.
Gosset’s involvement is a bit more straight forward. He was an officer in the British Army’s Royal Engineers, so was trained in sketching. At the time of the stamp’s inception, Gosset was both Colonial Treasurer and Post Master for the colony of British Columbia. It’s not difficult to believe he was deeply involved in the overall design.
There are two version of this stamp – imperforate (the first printing) and the 14-perf version. The imperforate version was never officially used for mail and it’s unknown how many exist. Most sites generally agree that #1 was as a proof and never released in the wild.
So how did the stamp do? It sold for $11,400 US so the estimates were pretty spot on.
_
Interested in more information? Check out the following sites:
by catpaw | 13 Sep, 2016 | Catpaw's Picks, Espresso fueled mumblings, Stamps
Parcel post mail is still here, despite constant chatter about replacing it with drones. Forecasters see the skies filled with drones dropping off orders. Back in the heyday of the big super malls, people crowed home delivery was dead, there’s no need for it. Just close the parcel post mail outlets and hop down the road to the nearest mall and everything will be there – one stop shopping. Mail order catalogues, a staple in every house, struggled to find a niche, with many folding by the end of the 1970s.
Mail order parcel post given a boost by catalogue shoppers
Funny how things didn’t work out the way people envisioned. It’s also surprising how many malls are now abandoned and rotting away Parcel post mail is having a resurgence driven by companies like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay. Online shopping has ushered in a second life for mail order shopping and the demand for catalogues. Along the way the internet changed how we look at catalogues and the convenience of shopping. Until there are enough drones to fill the gap, old fashioned parcel post mail delivery will remain alive and well.
Eaton’s Christmas mail order catalogue cover 1903
Automation may have sped up delivery over the years, but the basics remain the same – fill out the order, send in your payment and wait anxiously for it to be delivered by the local post office. Here in Canada, one of the big names in department stores was Eaton’s and their mail order section was kept hopping.
Eaton’s opened its doors in 1869 and issued their first catalogue in 1884. It was 34 pages, offering basics items to a largely rural market via parcel post mail:
“This catalogue is destined to go wherever the maple leaf grows, throughout the vast Dominion. We have the facilities for filling mail orders satisfactorily, no matter how far the letter has to come and the goods have to go.”
Timothy Eaton – Eaton’s Fall/Winter Catalogue, 1884 (Museum of Civilization, Canada)
Within 15 years, Eaton’s was shipping135,000 parcels by mail and nearly 74,000 parcels via express mail. To offer a bit of perspective, Canada’s population at the time was slightly over 5 million people. That was just one company’s deliveries. Combine this with Sears, Simpsons and a host of other companies and you get a better picture of the staggering number of parcels being shipped by mail across the country.
Hundreds of pages of merchandise to satisfy every need
By 1913, customers had over 600 pages of shopping glory – everything from patent medicines, to horse feed & plows, tents, music & the latest fashions delivered by mail.
Ad from Eaton’s catalogue 1913
 1913 ad from the Eaton’s catalogue for elixir by parcel post mail |
 Ad from Eaton’s catalogue 1913 |
 |
Here’s an interesting photo from the Toronto Archives. Eaton’s department store in Toronto with a long line of mail order horse carts and two truck ready for loading. The photo was taken at the back entrance on Albert Street February 19, 1913.
Horse carts lined up outside Eaton’s store 1913 – oat driven parcel post mail!
Nostalgic stamps for the Eaton’s Department store
Single stamp Scott #1510, booklet pane 1510a and BK169 which held 10 x .43c stamps.
By the 1970s, demand for mail order dwindled and Eaton’s ceased the service in 1976. Canada Post issued a commemorative booklet on March 1994, celebrating the storied business and its founder on the 125th anniversary. Included was an insert describing a bit about the history of the company. The booklet and stamp were heavy with nostalgia for the company’s glory days. In reality, the store was tired, dowdy, and dying. By 1997, Eaton’s was bankrupt.
Single stamp Scott #1510, booklet pane 1510a and BK169 which held 10 x .43c stamps. Perf 13.3 x 13, GT4 tagging on all edges of each stamp. Paper was Harrison and Sons Inc (with greenish gum). Inside was a 10 page insert that described the history of Eaton’s
The stamp was colourful and ripe with nostalgia. Timothy Eaton (the founder) was front and centre on the stamps. Stamps were sold, as usual, at any post office branch or directly from Eaton’s itself. Those sold at Eaton’s included a foldout insert about the company, not available in the regular issues. I remember wandering down to Eaton’s one afternoon to buy the special edition. I used to have the receipt kicking around, but after numerous apartments moves, it’s done a vanishing act. The booklet and stamp shown on this page were the last things I purchased from Eaton’s.
Booklet insert, available only from Eaton’s stores.
Louis Fishauf designed the stamp. The booklet, by Louis Fishauf, Stephanie Power and Reactor Art & Design. Reactor Art & Design are still producing interesting work. Check them out here https://www.reactorart.com/ I recommend spending time looking at Fishauf’s website. It’s a masterclass in design http://fishauf.com/ You might recognise his style from other stamps he designed over the years, including the Superhero series and a classic Chinese New Year’s Dragon stamp.
Eaton’s collapsed few short years after the stamp was issued, through corporate indifference and changing demographics. Eaton’s didn’t live to see a second century turn. After 130 years serving the Canadian public, Timothy Eaton’s department store empire closed in 1999.
NOTE: This article was edited Oct. 16, 2020. Formatting was corrected, new headers added, and a new link included. Small edits to make sentences concise were done. Info about the designer of the stamp included in the update.
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Read more:
Enjoy paging through Eaton’s catalogues, courtesy Ontario gov archives: http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/eatons/catalogues.aspx and the Canadian History Museum http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/cpm/catalog/cat2403e.shtml
by catpaw | 26 Jul, 2016 | Airmail & Aviation, Catpaw's Picks, Espresso fueled mumblings, Stamps
Canadian stamp: First Transatlantic flight celebration 1919 issued June 13, 1969
.15c Scotts #494 / SG #636 #494i (dull florescent paper)
Perf. 12 X 12.5
No watermarks
Designer: Robert William Bradford
Printer: British American Banknote Co.
The scramble to be the first transatlantic flight
In the early days of flight, there was a mad scramble to be the first at everything – first across the English Channel, fastest, highest, longest flight. You name it, pilots pushed the limits. After Bleriot’s successful crossing of the English Channel in 1909, the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK offered £10,000 to the first person(s) to fly the Atlantic nonstop. That was the sticky part – it had to be nonstop in under 72hrs. No serious attempt was made until after WW1 which produced big advancements in air technology making the possibility of an ocean crossing feasible.
Alcock and Brown in front of Vickers airplane 1919 credit: Library and Archives Canada
Several attempts were made but Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, flying a Vickers Vimy, claimed the prize.
The Vimy airplane
The Vimy was a big beast of a plane for its time. It was developed as a heavy bomber during the war. With a maximum speed of 160.93 km/h (100 mph), the flight took 16 hrs and 12 min, with a few heart stopping moments along the way.1
Alcock and Brown’s Vickers Vimy getting ready for flight
They took off June 14, 1919 from Lester’s Field, St. John’s Nfld and landed in the Derrygimla bog in Connemara, Ireland on June 15, 1919. The airplane was pulled out of the bog and is now stored at the London Science Museum in London, along with (be still my beating heart) my all-time favourite airplane, an Antoinette Flyer.
Canadian stamp Scott’s #494 / SG #636
Canada didn’t issue a stamp celebrating the flight for decades. The flight departed from the colony of Newfoundland, which wasn’t part of Canada until 1949. It wasn’t until the 50th anniversary of the flight that Canada finally issued a stamp honoring the event:
Canada’s sad little stamp celebrating the transatlantic flight
I’ve never particularly liked this stamp. I know I write about loving so many stamps, but this is one I’ve never been able to warm to. I love the flight, the airplane, the exhilaration of the trip, everything and feel terribly let down by this dull stamp. There’s no sense of motion or excitement. The engraving of the Vickers is nice, but the rest of the stamp sucks life out of it.
Newfoundland’s beautiful airmail stamp
1929 Newfoundland stamp – 1st Airplane to Cross Atlantic (non-stop)
Newfoundland issued a number of stamps commemorating the flight – including a number in 1919, although these are strictly overprints. Their spectacular 1928 dark blue .15c issue still outshines Canada’s bland little offering. If you are a first flight collector, that’s the one you should look for. This one has a sense of motion and beauty so sorely lacking in the 1969 Canadian stamp:
15,170,000 copies of the 1969 #494 were printed – mint goes for $2.50, usually much less if you are at a stamp show or auction. and can be found in any sales lots. Used fetches upwards to $2 and a plate block $12.50, although, again, that’s the catalogue price and a terribly optimistic. I don’t know of any errors or flaws in this issue. The 494i on florescent paper is catalogued at $10 for a single mint and about $5 used however you’d be hard put to get that much. I generally see the mint flogged for as low as $1.50. Plate blocks seem to have kept their value; with the last block I saw sold for around $10 per block.
Not the most beautiful nor memorable stamp issued by Canada. Ranks up there as forgettable unless you want to fill that hole in your collection.
All photos credit: Library and Archives Canada.
by catpaw | 23 May, 2016 | Catpaw's Picks, country Stamps, Espresso fueled mumblings, Stamps
July 1859 – pre-Confederation Canadian 5c beaver stamp
5 cent beaver stamp
Cat #15 Scott’s & Unitrade Specialized Canadian and SG #31 (listed under Colony of Canada) American Bank Note Company – New York – wove papers Perforations: 11.75, 12 x 11.75, 11.75 x 12, 12 | Designed by Sir Sandford Fleming This has to be one of my all-time favourite Canadian stamps, the 5c beaver stamp. It’s the one I coveted the most when I began collecting. I’d look at it, through the case in the local hobby store and wonder what it would be like to own it. I grew up with stories of the fur trade in Canada, the Coureurs des bois and the Hudson’s Bay Company, so the history that tiny piece of coloured paper represented was deeply ingrained. I often think it’s a slightly wonky, stoned beaver with Godzilla proportions on that small waterfall but still … it was THE STAMP, as far as my young collector self was concerned.
Sir Sanford Fleming
Sir Sanford Fleming
The #15 beaver stamp re-used the original Sir Sandford design from the first stamp issued, pre-Confederation (pre independence) 23 April 1851 for the Province of Canada. Sir Sandford Fleming (yes, he of railroad and Standard Time fame) designed the original 3 pence beaver, in collaboration with Canada’s first post master general, the Honourable James Morris. The stamp is notable because it was the first official stamp issued, anywhere, with an animal on it. Stamps normally depicted coat of arms, royalty, presidents, not tree gnawing rodents. The Right Honourable Rodent, known by his formal name Castor Canadensis or North American beaver, played a crucial part in the development of Canada and is one of the country’s national symbols. How important? This important:
Looking out over Ottawa & protecting Parliament
That angry, noble looking fellow can be found over the Centre Block entrance on Parliament Hill. And here:
The iconic 5c nickel
And finally:
Beaver tails!
Ok, the last one not so much. It’s a sugary, delicious snack made of deep fried dough and lots of .. well .. sugar. If you come to Canada, try you have to try a Beaver Tail, it’s the law… trust me
Of beaver hats and fur trading posts
Deep fried snacks aside … the demand for beaver pelts and cod drove the economic engine of early Canada. Beaver hats were all the fashion in Europe for 250 yrs. Canada was a rich source of the must have fur, pushing exploration and later settlements across the continent. One of the great fur trading companies still exists (although as a department store, rather than trading post) – the HBC, or Hudson’s Bay Company, founded May 2, 1670. At one point, it was the single largest land over in the world – owning rights to about 15% of Canadian territory. The history of the fur trade and the role beavers played in it, is sewn into the fabric of Canada’s identity. So much so, that in March 24, 1975, the beaver was finally given official recognition as an emblem of Canada, although most of us grew up believing it already was.
Alfred Jones, engraver
In 1851, Sir Sandford picked the beaver for the first stamp of the Province of Canada because of it’s importance. It’s also meshed nicely with the symbolism of a young country busily building itself. It’s believed the engraver was Alfred Jones (1819-1900) (see photo to the right) of the American Bank Note company. He was a renowned engraver and later president of ABN. The engraving was used on 4 stamps over the next 8-9 years. Using the Scott’s numbering they are:
- #1 issued April 23, 1851, imperforate (250,200 printed by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson)
- #4 issued April 17, 1852, imperforate (2,850,300 printed by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson)
- #12 issued January 1859 with 11.75 perfs (449,900 printed by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson)
- And finally July 1859, #15 with a variety of perfs 11.75, 12 x 11.75, 11.75 x 12, 12 (39,792,172 printed by American Bank Note Company)
Quick note: Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson merged with 8 other printing firms in 1858 to form the American Bank Note Company.
1859 – 1864 series
Today’s article focuses on the 4th printing. The 1859-1864 series (stamps 14 through to 20) were the first cent issues printed in Canada. In 1857, the Currency Act changed provincial money to the decimal system, hence the change from pence to penny. The new stamps reflected the change. This stamp is eminently affordable for the novice collector, but still offers interesting challenges to experts. There are many variations in shades, paper types, re-entries and errors. Here are the better known ones:
- Colours – vermillion, brick red, deep red and orange red
- Paper – very thick, very thin, ribbed
Re-entry – so many, it’s hard to list them. 2 types of major re-entries are well known. According to Unitrade, plate 100 was reused (touched up and re-entered) 10 times which resulted in 11 separate identifiable plate entries, which calculates to a possible 1100 different re-entries to collect.
Errors – as with re-entries, there are many errors to collect:
- Rock in the waterfall
- Log in waterfall
- Leaping fish in the waterfall
- Split beaver
- Low moon
- Comet over the sun
- High moon
- Broken antenna
- Trembling pines
To further complicate things, an imperforate sheet was issued (100 stamps), with no gum (#15a). These are the unicorns of the Canadian stamp world. Very rare and tons of fakes. An authenticated #15a could potentially fetch up to $17,000 if it came up at auction. However, only 2 blocks and two pairs are known to exist. It’s pretty easy to fake a single copy so avoid any offerings unless you get it authenticated. High price variations aside, this is an early pre-Confederation stamp you could spend years researching while on a budget. A mint, Fine with original gum will cost around $600. Be careful who you buy it from. Regummed stamps are not unusual. If you simply want to own one (or more) you can get them for as little as $3 or $4 for used or $40 mint space filler. They have defects but are attractive and fun to collect. If you are a cancel hound, you will have a wealth of choice for very little investment. To me, used issues present far more of a challenge and much more fun. I’ve bought a handful over the years, picked because of the interesting cancels, like these ones:
Lovely row of 5c beaver stamps
Bullseye cancel
My favourite is the one on the far right with the bullseye cancel:
Bullseye
Now here’s the funny thing about this stamp. #15 was printed 31 times producing 39,100,000 stamps. Ponder that for a moment. When Canada became independent in 1867, the entire population of the new found country was just shy of 3.5 million people. Right now, the population of the country is hovering around 35 million. More stamps were issued than the entire population of Canada now. That means a rich field to pick from, regardless your budget.
Where to find information on the 5c beaver stamp
If you decide to expand your collection into the #15, you might want to invest in a few catalogues or see if your local library has any of these: Unitrade Specialized Canadian Catalogue – an older copy will do. The prices don’t change much to make it imperative to have the latest catalogue. It has a decent selection of the variations. Stanley Gibbons Commonwealth & Empire Stamps – excellent catalogue and breaks Canada down nicely for the pre-Confederation stamps. Just look under Colony of Canada for this issue. It’s #31. Specialized Edition Canadian Philatelic E.F.O.’s – for sheer number of variations listed, this is the go to book. It has excellent full colour blow ups of the errors and variations, helping with identification. However, the catalogue is seriously irritating if you think linearly. You’ll have to hopscotch all around the book because each type of variation has it’s own section. Re-entries are on one part, then you’ll have to flip over to colour variations and again flip around to find plate errors and so on. I’d prefer to see the book lay out the errors stamp by stamp so there’s far less page skipping to be done. Another irritant is the numbering system. They use neither the Scott’s nor Stanley Gibbons numbering.
The Five Cent Beaver Stamp of Canada by Geoffrey Whitworth ISBN-10: 0900631120 and ISBN-13: 978-0900631122. ) – speaking of unicorns. Very hard to come by now. It was published by London : Royal Philatelic Society, 1985, sold for 7 pounds 50 and is incredibly difficult to find. I’m still looking for my own copy. It’s extensive and the definitive study for any collector. If you see it, grab it. You can post a bragging comment below and I’ll be suitably jealous. It’s a slim book, 90 pages but chocked full of invaluable details.
Read more:
- As always, there are many resources online if you want to chase up information. Start with Collections Canada’s archived site on the
.05c Beaver Stamp The article is no longer available. Collections Canada has moved the page and I haven’t been able to locate it.
- The Bank of Canada has a pdf on the history of Canada’s switch from pence to pennies titled Currency Reform. It’s well written, entertaining and free so don’t let the dry as dust name put you off.
- A short bio of engraver Alfred Jones can be found courtesy of
Collections Canada The article is no longer available. Collections Canada has moved the page and I haven’t been able to locate it.
- And of course Sir Sanford Fleming could fill a book but the Canadian Encyclopedia is a good starting point
- The Canadian Encyclopedia has brief history of the fur trade in Canada
- Canada’s First People has a super page on both the fur trade and the role the First Nations people played in it
- Photo of beaver over Centre Block by By D. Gordon E. Robertson – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15734547
- Portrait of Alfred Jones, engraved by Robert Savage. Courtesy of Gene Hessler
FINAL NOTE: I’m a bit gobsmacked at how many photos of ferets, muskrats, pack rats, otters and prairie dogs on the internet are labeled “Beaver”. Here’s a tip – beavers don’t have fluffy tails. Nor do they float around the water on their backs or amble about in deserts nibbling seeds. In case you are momentarily confused, this is a beaver: 
