Sale 1218 — The "Dubois" Collection of Important Prestamp Covers and Postal Markings of British North America, 1694-1861
Sale Date — Tuesday, 24 March, 2020
Category — Nova Scotia "Post Office" Double-Circles
Scarce “Post Office Annapolis” double-circle handstamp with manuscript date(Clements to Halifax, Jun. 28, 1830). Folded letter datelined “Clements June 28th, 1830” with clear strike of “Post Office Annapolis” double-circle handstamp with manuscript “28 June 30 Paid” (Jephcott 43, MacDonald 42) and addressed to Halifax, manuscript “Paid 9”, cover with edge tear at top of little consequence, otherwise Fine and scarce, this marking is usually found with a handstamped date rather than manuscript
A bold strike of the “Post Office Antigonish” double-circle handstamp(Tracadie to Halifax, Aug. 15, 1823). Folded letter datelined Tracadie Aug. 15, 1823 with clear strike of “Post Office Antigonish” double-circle handstamp without date (Jephcott 44, MacDonald 43) on folded letter to Halifax, manuscript “11 pd” rate, Very Fine and wonderfully bold strike of this scarce marking
Excellent strike of the “Post Office Antigonish” double-circle handstamp with manuscript date(Antigonish to Halifax, Jun. 22, 1825). Bold strike of “Post Office Antigonish” double-circle handstamp with manuscript “Jun. 22 25” (Jephcott 44, MacDonald 43) on small folded letter to Halifax, manuscript “Pd 11”, Very Fine, this is an early strike of this handstamp with the earliest recorded on Jan. 1, 1825
“Post Office Antigonish” double-circle handstamp with manuscript date(Antigonish to Halifax, Aug. 24, 1825). Clear strike of “Post Office Antigonish” double-circle handstamp with manuscript “Aug. 24 25” (Jephcott 44, MacDonald 43) on folded letter to Halifax, rated “11”, Very Fine and scarce, ex Young and Dr. Clark
“Post Office Antigonish” and “Post Office Pictou” double-circles on one cover(Antigonish to Halifax, Feb. 14, 1827). Clear strike of “Post Office Antigonish” double-circle with manuscript “Feby 14 27” (Jephcott 44, MacDonald 43) and “Post Office Pictou” double-circle with manuscript “16 Feby 27” (Jephcott 47, MacDonald 51) on folded letter to Halifax, manuscript “11 pd” rate, horizontal file fold thru Antigonish handstamp, Very Fine, a scarce combination of these two Post Office double-circles, ex Dr. Clark
“Post Office Antigonish” double-circle handstamp on cover to Shelbourne(Antigonish to Shelbourne, Jul. 7, 1832). Full strike of “Post Office Antigonish” double-circle with manuscript “July 7 32” (Jephcott 44, MacDonald 43) on folded letter to Gideon White in Shelbourne, manuscript “11 (+) 1N1-1/2 (=) 2N1-1/2” at top right, Halifax transit datestamp, Very Fine, the addressee, Gideon White (1753-1833), was a British loyalist in the Revolutionary War and became a merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia, ex Brigadier Gen. Robertson and Dr. Clark
Scarce “Post Office Arichat” double-circle on cover to Port Hood(Arichat to Port Hood, Jun. 14, 1833). Clear strike of “Post Office Arichat” double-circle with manuscript “June 14 33” (MacDonald 44) on folded letter to Port Hood, manuscript “Free” at top right, cover with minor edgewear and slight splitting along folds, otherwise Fine, ex Dr. Clark
Wonderful strike of scarce “Post Office Digby” double-circle(Digby to Halifax, Jul. 31, 1826). Bold strike of “Post Office Digby” double-circle with manuscript “31st July 26” (Jephcott 45, MacDonald 46) on folded cover to Halifax, manuscript “9 (+) 1 (=) 10”, cover with minor flap faults, otherwise Very Fine strike of this scarce marking, ex “Maritimus”
Bold strike of the “Post Office Digby” handstamp without inner circle(Weymouth to Halifax, Aug. 3, 1832). Wonderfully clear strike of “Post Office Digby” circular handstamp with manuscript “6th Aug. 32” (Jephcott 45, MacDonald 46) on folded letter datelined “Weymouth 3rd August 1832” and addressed to Provincial Secretary in Halifax, sent free with manuscript “On Road Service” at top, cover reinforced splitting, otherwise Very Fine strike, this strike does not show an inner circle as do all other known examples, the variety is not mentioned in either Jephcott or MacDonald, ex Sanderson
Probably the earliest known example of the “Post Office Horton” double-circle(Horton to Pictou, Jan. 25, 1825). Clearly struck “Post Office Horton” double-circle with manuscript “25 Jany 1825” (Jephcott 46, MacDonald 47) on folded cover to Pictou, rated “7 (+) 7 (=) 1N2” for postage to Halifax and onward to Pictou, Halifax transit datestamp, Very Fine and choice strike of this scarce marking, likely the earliest privately-owned example (MacDonald records Feb. 15 as the earliest)
The finer of the two recorded examples of the “Kentville Post Office” double-circle(Kentville to London, England, Dec. 5, 1831). Wonderful strike of “Kentville Post Office” double-circle (MacDonald 48) with manuscript “Dated December 5” docketing on bottom flap of folded cover to London, England, rated “7” (crossed out) with reddish “PAID” in circle (likely applied in Halifax, MacDonald 265) then a further “2/2” from Halifax to London with light Halifax circular datestamp (Jephcott 24, MacDonald 11) in transit, London arrival backstamp, small tear at top of face panel of little significance, Very Fine, only two examples are recorded (other dated Mar. 19, 1831), ex Clark
Bold strike of the very rare “Post Office Lunenburg” double-circle(Lunenburg to London, England, Jun. 16, 1828). Bold strike of “Post Office Lunenburg” double-circle (MacDonald 49) with “PAID” handstamp in center, manuscript “Lunenburg, N.S. June 16, 1828” docketing on bottom flap of folded cover to London, England, rated “Post Paid 7” (crossed out) then a further “2/2” from Halifax to London with Halifax Jul. 9 circular datestamp (Jephcott 24, MacDonald 11) struck in transit, London arrival backstamp, small tear at top of face panel, Extremely Fine strike of this rare marking on a missionary letter to London
Scarce “Post Office Lunenburg” double-circle(LaHave to Halifax, Jan. 4, 1832). Faint but clear strike of “Post Office Lunenburg” double-circle with manuscript “4th Jany 1832” (MacDonald 49) on folded letter datelined “LaHave 4th Jany 1832” to Halifax, rated “7 (+) 1 (=) 8”, Fine and scarce marking which is recorded only in 1831-32, ex Young, Saint and Dr. Clark
The finer of the two known “Post Office Parrsborough” double-circle(Parrsborough to Halifax, Nov. 14, 1831). Clear strike of “Post Office Parrsborough” double-circle with manuscript “14 Nov. 1831” (MacDonald 50) on folded letter datelined to Halifax, manuscript “Paid 7d”, one file fold thru handstamp, Very Fine strike of this immensely rare marking, the finer of the two known examples, the other dated 1828 is only a part strike, a worthy addition to any major Nova Scotia collection, ex Young and Dr. Clark
Perfect strike of “Post Office Pictou” double-circle(Pictou to Willow Park [near Halifax], Jan. 21, 1825). Clear strike of “Post Office Pictou” double-circle with manuscript “21st Ja 25” (Jephcott 47, MacDonald 51) on folded cover “to Willow Park, near Halifax”, manuscript “7 (+) 1 (=) 8”, Extremely Fine strike, quite early use of this handstamp (MacDonald lists Jan. 14, 1825 as earliest)
Earliest recorded example of the rare “Post Office Shelbourne” double-circle(Shelbourne to St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Jan. 15, 1826). Well-struck “Post Office Shelbourne” double-circle with manuscript “15th Jany 1826” (MacDonald 52) on folded cover to St. Andrews, New Brunswick, manuscript “9 (+) 7 (=) 1N4” for the rate to St. John and onwards to St. Andrews, St. John transit datestamp, cover with small tear at top of little consequence, Very Fine strike of this rare marking, this is the earliest of the few known, illustrated in The Nova Scotia Post by J. J. MacDonald (p. 112), ex MacDonald and Dr. Clark
Scarce combination of the “Post Office” double-circles of Sydney and Arichat(Sydney to Halifax via Arichat, Sept. 18, 1832). Faint but clear strike of “Post Office Sydney” with manuscript “Sep 18 32” (MacDonald 53) on folded letter to Arichat, forwarded to Halifax with “Post Office Arichat” with manuscript “Sept 21 32” (MacDonald 44), manuscript “5d (+) 1N3 (=) 1N8 (+) 1 (=) 1N9” rate, Fine and scarce forwarded cover