Auction #345 from

Welcome to Auction #345, featuring the following exciting highlights:
"The Black Queen" - Canada 12 d. Black 1851 can be considered as one of the Legends of Philately. Only about 1450 copies were sold at the post offices, but most of these stamps perished over the period of 163 years since this stamp was issued. Today many experts consider a number of approximately 50 copies as a realistic figure when it comes to the question of how many stamps may still exist (unused, used copies and some on letters in total).
The item we are able offer in our April 11-12, 2014 sale was considered to be lost and now turned up - after generations. It has some paper faults (creases, thin at right) but is of a fresh and attractive appearance with close to full margins all around. It comes with a brand new RPS, London certificate stating that the stamp is genuine but an unused status cannot be certified. SG quotes 180.000 GBP for an unused stamp and 100.000 GPB for a used copy. Our estimate of 3000 Euros offers an opportunity to aquire the scarcest stamp of Canada, a major world rarity.
If it comes to rarities we would like to "introduce" a fabulous copy of the British Guyana 1856 "Four Cent magenta" - this one being eventually the copy with the broadest margins. The very sensitive glaze paper has some cracks as can be seen in the photo (leaving some white spots on the surface) but Sergio Sismondo`s certificate let this item range among the finest examples of this issue. (Est. 4000 Euros).
Philatelic Literature will be again on the agenda in our 345th auction of April 11-12, 2014.
A main section deals with bibliographies among some very rare items are worth being mentioned: "Die Philatelistische Litteratur" of 1895-96, 24 cpl. issues - these were supplements to the philatelic magazine "Die Post" (€ 60), "Verzeichnis der wichtigsten Werke..." by Rommel (1907) (€ 40), "Bibliographie der deutschsprachigen philatelistischen Literatur" (1925) (€ 40), Harris "Standard Index to Philatelic Literature" 1926-1932 (€ 80), a complete run (!) 1942-2012 of "The Philatelic Literature Review" (€ 400) or Manfred Amrhein`s "Philatelic Literature. A history and select. 1861-1991", 4 vols. cpl. (€ 350.-), just to name a few.
Many bibliophiles know the name of Sylvester Colby of New York, who`s company conducted 14 auctions of philatelic literature in the years between 1950 and 1972. A complete run of these auction catalogues is on offer (€ 300).