Sale 1281 — The Frank A. Lanza Collection of Canada and Newfoundland
Sale Date — Thursday, 30 March, 2023
Category — Newfoundland Air Post Issues, Balances
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1919, 3c Red Brown, Hawker Air Post (C1; SG 142). Mint N.H., manuscript initials "J.A.R." on reverse, excellent centering, extraordinarily fresh, with deep intense colorEXTREMELY FINE. AN IMMENSELY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED 1919 HAWKER AIR POST IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION.
This flight famously ended with a controlled crash landing in the ocean after about 13 hours of flying. Postmaster J. A. Robinson of St. John's overprinted 200 stamps for the special flight. No more than 87 unused stamps can still exist, though the actual number of surviving copies is probably quite lower. In addition to these, 95 were used and 18 were defective and subsequently destroyed. Only a miniscule number exist today in Mint Never-Hinged condition.
With 1968 Robson Lowe, 1968 R.P.S., and 2012 Greene Foundation certificates when it was the top stamp in a vertical pair. 2012 Greene Foundation certificate as a single. Scott $40,000.00, Unitrade C$70,000.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1919, 3c Red Brown, Hawker Air Post (C1; SG 142). Well-centered and with unusually deep intense color, tied by "St. John's Nfld. Apr. 12, 1919 2-PM" machine cancel on cover to London, England, manuscript "by Aeroplane"VERY FINE. A PARTICULARLY CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 1919 HAWKER AIR POST STAMP ON FLOWN COVER.
This flight famously ended with a controlled crash landing in the ocean after about 13 hours of flying. Postmaster J. A. Robinson of St. John's overprinted 200 stamps for the special flight. 95 were used and only a fraction of those still exist on cover.
With 2002 B.P.A. and 2016 Greene Foundation certificates. Scott $22,500.00. Unitrade C$35,000.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1919, $1.00 on 50c Scarlet, Air Post, Raised "E" of "ONE" (C2 var; SG 143 var). Mint N.H., bright color, Very Fine example of this unlisted but quite distinct variety, with 2015 Greene Foundation certificate
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1921, 35c Red, Halifax Air Post, 2-1/2mm Spacing, Period After "1921", Inverted Overprint (C3c; SG 148c). Original gum, very lightly hinged, outstanding centered and with wide margins, deeply rich colorEXTREMELY FINE. A HIGHLY SELECT EXAMPLE OF THIS AIR POST ERROR RARITY, SCOTT C3c. CERTAINLY ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE 28 PRINTED.
Ex Graham Cooper. With 1992 R.P.S. and 2012 Greene Foundation certificates. Scott $6,500.00. SG £6,000. Unitrade C$10,000.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1921, 35c Red, Halifax Air Post, 1-1/2mm Spacing (C3f; SG 148g). Mint N.H., excellent centering with wide margins, attractive color, mild gum bend, Extremely Fine, with clear 2013 Greene Foundation certificate, Scott $750.00, Unitrade C$900.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1927, 60c Black, De Pinedo Air Post (C4; SG 163). Position 33 in the setting, original gum, lightly hinged, remarkably well-centered and with the widest margins possible, rich shadeEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST CENTERED EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 1927 DE PINEDO AIR POST STAMP. ONE OF THE KEY AIR POST RARITIES OF THE WORLD WITH ONLY 33 UNUSED POSSIBLE OF THE 300 PRINTED.
Francesco de Pinedo was an Italian aristocrat who first served in the Italian military, and flew aerial reconnaissance missions in World War I. In 1924 he transferred to the newly-formed independent Italian Air Force. He soon requested a leave of absence, and flew 35,000 miles to Australia and the Far East before flying back. On his return he was appointed lieutenant colonel by Benito Mussolini for his achievement for Italian aviation.
In 1927 De Pinedo embarked on his next venture, with the backing of Mussolini and Italo Balbo, the minister of Italian aviation: a double crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. He selected a Savoia-Marchetti S.55 catamaran flying boat, named Santa Maria in honor of Columbus. He first flew down the west coast of Africa before crossing to Rio de Janeiro, where bad weather forced them down. After some time in South America, they headed north, landing in New Orleans on March 29. In early April they landed near Roosevelt Dam in Arizona, where a spectator threw a match into the water, igniting gasoline on the surface which consumed the plane in flames.
A substitute plane was shipped from Italy to New York. The ever-fastidious De Pinedo returned to New Orleans to restart his flight, going to Chicago, Montreal and Trepassy, Newfoundland, which was the final stop before recrossing the Atlantic.
De Pinedo departed Newfoundland for the Azores on May 30, 1927. Strong headwinds caused the Santa Maria II to run out of fuel and land in the ocean 200 miles short of the Azores. Towed by passing ships to the Azores, they refueled and then backtracked to the point of their ocean landing to resume their trip, traveling to Lisbon, Barcelona and finally Rome, where Mussolini promoted him to General. In 1933, De Pinedo was killed on takeoff when attempting a non-stop 6,000-mile flight from New York to Baghdad.
This stamp was issued for use on mail carried aboard the De Pinedo return flight to Europe. A total of 300 stamps were overprinted for this special flight. Of those, four were damaged and destroyed. 66 copies were presented to de Pinedo and government officials with between 225-255 used on covers. It is believed that only 33 unused are possible. Attesting to its rarity, we have offered only three other unused examples in the last 25 years (Passano Collection, Sale 778, "Scarsdale" Collection, Sale 1243, and the Porter Venn Collection, Sale 1259).
Signed Bloch and Holcombe. With 1973 Friedl, 1993 Holcombe, and 2014 Greene Foundation certificates. Scott $45,000.00. SG £42,000. Unitrade C$70,000.00.
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1927, 60c Black, De Pinedo Air Post (C4; SG 163). Well-centered and rich shade, tied by "St. Johns, N'Fld. May 21, 1927" machine cancel on local cover, Trepassy May 20, 1927 datestamp at bottom left and usual faint datestamp of May 20 at top, machine postmark at top left, St. John's receiver of May 25 at bottom leftVERY FINE. A HANDSOME AND UNUSUAL USE OF THE RARE 1927 DE PINEDO STAMP. ABOUT 100 STILL EXIST ON COVER.
This cover was postmarked at St. John's on May 21. All the mail carried on the actual flight was postmarked May 20. This specific cover was noted by V.G. Greene as being the only one known to him bearing the De Pinedo stamp but not the May 20 date postmark.
Signed Champion. With 1976 A. Diena and 2015 Greene Foundation certificates. Scott $20,000.00. Unitrade C$30,000.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1930, 50c on 36c Olive Green, Columbia Air Post (C5; SG 191). Mint N.H., position 2, beautifully centered, deeply rich color and highly detailed impressionEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1930 COLUMBIA AIR POST STAMP. ONE OF THE VERY FINEST KNOWN.
The Newfoundland government overprinted 300 copies of the 36c "Caribou" issue for use on this flight. Only 100 were actually used: 65 from St. John's and 35 from Harbour Grace. After flying 2,650 miles, the plane was forced down at Tresco Island, off the coast of England. The "Columbia" was able to finish the flight, landing at Croydon Airport on October 13.
With 1968 R.P.S., 2008 P.F., and 2009 Greene Foundation certificates. Scott $13,000.00. Unitrade C$24,000.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1930, 50c on 36c Olive Green, Columbia Air Post (C5; SG 191). Well-centered and with deeply rich color, tied by Harbour Grace Oct. 9, 1930 circular datestamp on cover to Dumfries, Scotland, ms. "Airmail via aeroplane Columbia." at top, cover with faint vertical bend and small repair to backflap (neither mentioned on certificate)VERY FINE. A HIGHLY DESRIABLE EXAMPLE OF THE 1930 COLUMBIA AIR POST STAMP ON COVER. ESPECIALLY SCARCE POSTED FROM HARBOUR GRACE.
Signed A. Diena. With clear 2013 Greene Foundation certificate. Scott $15,000.00. Unitrade C$18,000.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1931, 15c-$1.00 Air Post, Die Proofs on Wove Paper (C6P-C8P). In issued colors on unwatermarked paper, 15c and 50c with guideline, 15c with portion of die number at top right, wonderfully fresh, Extremely Fine and handsome set, ex "Highlands"
View PDF of contents of this lot
CANADA, 1931, 15c-$1.00 Air Post, Unwatermarked, Imperforate (C6c-C8c; SG 192c-194c). Horizontal or vertical pair, $1.00 Mint N.H., other two unhinged, but 15c with slight gum flaking and 50c with small spot of gum missing (both catalogued as hinged), large margins, Very Fine, each with 2013 Greene Foundation certificate, Scott $2,450.00, Unitrade C$3,600.00
View PDF of contents of this lot
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1932, $1.50 on $1.00 Blue, DO-X Air Post (C12; SG 221). Mint N.H., choice centering, uncharacteristically wide margins, deep color on immaculate white paper, Extremely Fine, with 2007 Greene Foundation certificate, Scott $350.00, Unitrade C$800.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1932, $1.50 on $1.00 Dornier DO-X, Inverted Surcharge (C12a; SG 221a). Mint N.H.. impeccable centering, remarkably fresh, with rich color and crisp impression on immaculate white paper, the gum is also very fresh, without any notations or handstampsEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUSTANDING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE DORNIER DO-X AIR POST WITH INVERTED SURCHARGE. THIS IS PERHAPS THE FINEST OF THE SMALL NUMBER EXTANT.
It is believed only 40 stamps (ten sheets of four) received the inverted surcharge and none were used on the flight (there are no recorded used or on cover). While we are aware of a few others in Mint N.H. condition, none of these possess the centering or freshness of the Lanza copy.
With 2010 Greene Foundation certificate. Scott $25,000.00. Unitrade C$60,000.00. The discrepancy in catalogue value can be attributed to the fact that Scott has the Mint N.H. price only 20% higher than hinged, while Unitrade assigns a 100% premium, the latter reflecting more on the scarcity and desirability of never-hinged examples
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1933, 5c-75c Air Post, Trial Color Die Proofs in Black (C13P-C17P). Each approximately 58 x 46mm, on watermarked paper with guide line at topVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE SET OF THE 1933 AIR POST SET IN BLACK TRIAL COLOR PROOFS.
Ex Cyril Harmer and "Highlands".
View PDF of contents of this lot
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1933, 5c-75c Air Post, Imperforate (C13a-C17a). Horizontal pairs with right or left sheet margin, original gum, lightly hinged, Extremely Fine, Scott $2,530.00, Unitrade C$3,000.00
View PDF of contents of this lot
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1933, 5c-75c Air Post, Imperforate (C13a-C17a). Corner sheet-margin blocks of four, original gum, lightly hinged, exceedingly freshEXTREMELY FINE. A STRIKING SET OF IMPERFORATE CORNER-MARGIN BLOCKS OF FOUR OF THE 1933 AIR POST.
Catalogue values as two sets of pairs. Scott $5,060.00. Unitrade C$6,000.00
View PDF of contents of this lot
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1933, $4.50 Balbo Air Post, Perf 13.8 (C18b; SG 235 var). Mint N.H., wide and exceptionally well-balanced margins all around, wonderfully fresh, Extremely Fine Gem, signed A. Diena and with 2007 Greene Foundation certificate (old Unitrade C18iv designation), Scott $360.00 (as C18), Unitrade C$1,000.00
NEWFOUNDLAND, 1933, $4.50 Balbo Air Post (C18). Position 3, exceptionally well-centered and with rich color, tied by "St. John's, Newf'd, 26 Jul. 33" circular datestamp on registered first day flown cover to Rome, Italian and Newfoundland backstamps, Extremely Fine, Scott $800.00, Unitrade C$1,100.00
View PDF of contents of this lot
NEWFOUNDLAND, Air Post Cover Group. No. C3 on cover to Philadelphia, No. C12 on May 20 cover to England, and set of Nos. C13-C17 on four first day covers, Fine-Very Fine, first two with 2015 Greene Foundation certificates
View PDF of contents of this lot
View PDF of contents of this lot
View PDF of highlights of this lot
View PDF of contents of this lot