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| Item # |
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US$ | Never Hinged  US$ |
Canceled US$ |
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400132 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
1855 (ca.) Julianehaab to the Royal Greenland Trade Company (KGH) office in København. A folded cover (no contents) from the Greenlandic administration office in JULIANEHAAB to the KGH office in København. The reverse bears a SUPERB example of the red wax letter seal used in Julianehaab, bearing text around the circle "INSPECTEURENS SEGL FOR DE SYDLIGE COLLONIER" [Inspectors Seal For The Southern Colonies] and in the central coat of arms "DEN KONGEL GRØNL HANDEL" [The Royal Greenland Trade Company]. The only handwriting present is very neat and attractive script for the destination address (preceded by "Til" [To]) and with a letter-listing number "No. 3." in the upper right corner. Letters to and from Greenland, most of which were official mail related to the administration of Greenland, were transported (to/from Greenland) mostly by KGH ships without postage charge, all passing from/to/through the KGH office in København. [Letters from elsewhere in Denmark to Greenland required normal postage to take them as far as the KGH office in København. Letters from Greenland to points beyond the KGH office in København required normal postage (probably affixed by the KGH office) to their final destination.] The Julianehaab district, which constituted from 61 degrees and south to the southern extent of Greenland at Cape Farewell (Farvel), was founded in 1775; it was the last of the Greenland colonies to be founded and it was the only one founded by royal order. From 1853-1857, the "Bestyrer" (manager, administrator) of the KGH in Southern Greenland (Godthaab and Julianehaab) was H.J. (Hinrich Johannes) Rink. From 1857-1868 Rink was the Royal Inspector For South Greenland -- the highest ranking Danish representative in Greenland. After leaving Greenland for health reasons, Rink went on to be the top administrator of Greenland (KGH), and operated out of the København office. The previous owner(s) and researcher(s) of this cover have stated that it was sent by Rink around 1855. Rink was the preeminent Greenlandic expert and scholar of the era. A geologist and expert in glaciers, Rink become the preeminent (non-native) expert in Greenlandic history and culture. He also published and printed books and journals within Greenland and later in Denmark. Rink founded institutions to ensure the independence and quality of life of the native Greenlandic people. Though he was a European, he was a key, early figure in laying the foundations of what eventually developed into Greenlandic Home Rule. Such covers -- especially in such extraordinarily nice quality with a superb seal -- are "extremely scarce" or "rare"; if this had its original letter contents (which would be "extremely rare" in private hands), this would surely be a museum piece. [Accompanied by text clipped from a previous album page and research comments.] ACTUAL item. |
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400133 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
1910 (ca.) "JULIANEHAAB" RED WAX POSTAL SEAL on piece. This postal seal, which was used for sealing parcels, postal sacks, and any documents which required sealing, bears only the text "JULIANEHAAB" at top and below that an ornate crowned coat of arms with a POLAR BEAR in the center. The seal is quite thick and strong, thus has survived in SUPERB quality. The seal was originally applied to a piece of thick card stock which was later cut to shape around the seal. The piece of card stock was subsequently mounted (I do not know when or by whom) on a piece of similar-colored brownish heavy paper. Though this particular letter seal device has NOT (to my knowledge) been recorded used as a canceler, examples of a couple other seals, from other villages, used as cancelers, have been recorded (and are "extremely scarce"). In 52 years, I have never had an example of any Greenlandic postal seal that was used for sealing parcels, etc. The previous owner of this seal had placed it in his collection alongside an example of the 2 øre Pakke-Porto stamp (Scott Classic #Q2b [the printing on brownish-gray paper]) bearing an impression of the similar-design RED CANCELLATION (not a seal impression) picturing a Polar Bear, with the text "KOLONIEN JULIANEHAAB" (in RED is Wowern 1988 cancellation #01.08). The stamp has a crease, but has Superb centering. The 1988 Wowern value has a DKK 700 premium for this cancellation (plus the value of the stamp), but I do not have a record of ever (in 52 years) having an example of this cancellation. A remarkable and very attractive pair of items. ACTUAL item. |
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265.00 |
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400134 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
Scott Classic #Q1b PAIR [1919 Wowern #18, Facit #P4II, Grayish Brown Paper], #Q2b [1919 Wowern #19, Facit #P5II, Perf 11.5 Grayish Brown Paper], #Q4d [1918 Wowern #17, Facit #P7I, Perf 11.5, THICK PAPER] on 1922 parcel card from KGH office in København to Julianehaab. The left 1 øre stamp has the sought-after "WHITE SOCCER BALL AT BEARS FEET" variety, Wowern variety Ab, which on this printing is from plate position 24, thus the pair is from positions 24-25. The 1 øre stamps have a couple of blunted perforation teeth. The parcel card is Wowern Type 4. (In his 1988 catalog, Wowern stated approximate period of use 1912-1915, but later it was determined that this card type was used into the early 1920s). The cancellations are Wowern #14.01. The parcel label (numbered tracking label; one was put on the card and a larger version was placed on the parcel) is Wowern Type B, with handstamped "GRØNLAND" -- this is the only type/version of the parcel labels that included the country name text. Accompanied by a Wowern 1995 certificate stating "The card and the stamps and the cancellations are genuine and without any faults or repairs." AND a Carl Aage Møller AIEP color images certificate stating "The parcel card is perfectly fresh and in very fine condition..." and "Stamps, postmark and label are genuine and belonging to the parcel card." Møller states that the 14 øre franking is "correctly franked" for a weight of 14 half-kilos at the "1905-rate" (which did not change until 1930) of 1 øre per half-kilo (with a 10 øre minimum). Møller apparently had access to postal/ship records because he states that "The parcel was sent from Copenhagen [København] 10.06.1922 by vessel "Fox", second voyage." A very attractive card with the 1 øre stamps placed on the reverse which was the common practice when more than two stamps were need to pay the total postage amount. Valuation of such multi-stamp parcel cards uses the method of the card value for the most costly stamp-on-card, plus the used stamp values of all additional stamps, plus the value of the cancellation (if the cancel has a premium value), plus any unusual factors. In this case, Facit 2014 values both the 1 and 2 øre stamps at SEK 8000 on a card, so 8000 for a 1 øre on card + 550 for the additional 1 øre Print 2 (not including the "footing soccer ball" variety) + 900 for the 2 øre Print 2 + 1800 for the 10 øre Print 1 EQUALS a total Facit 2014 catalog value of around SEK 11,250 or around US$1100.00 as of July 2025. It is quite unusual to find the 1 and 2 øre Print 2 stamps on a card, and it is even more unusual to find the 10 øre Print 1 on a card. A handsome example of the Pakke-Porto stamps on cover -- this is how they were intended to be used -- with some unusual features and extremely useful 1922 date and ship attribution done by Carl Aage Møller. ACTUAL item. |
775.00 |
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248338 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
226a INVERTED OVERPRINT [1996 4.25 overprint on 0.25 Queen; Slania-engraved underlying stamp]. NH example with XF centering (tremendously better than usual for this major error; about as good as they get) with top margin selvage showing a sheet-margin position dot which can locate this stamp position in the sheet. Accompanied by a 2024 Jay Smith color image certificate with "lifetime guarantee". These errors were first discovered by Thorkild Jakobsen who purchased error stamps at the post office in Ilulissat, Greenland. Approximately 750 total examples exist. Scott 2024 value $1100, Facit 2022 (most recent edition) value SEK 9000. It has now been almost 30 years since the time of issue and the existing examples have been widely distributed. Because most of the stamps only had F-VF or sometimes VF centering, it is challenging to a find such a nicely centered XF example. From the Margaret Morris collection. Beautiful and fresh! ACTUAL item. |
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950.00 |
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248355 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
Scott #10-18 [1945 "American Issue"] Complete set with red "SPECIMEN" overprint and punch hole. These Greenlandic stamps were ordered printed during WWII by the from the American Banknote Company in New York. The printing company maintained an extensive archive of their work. As was their custom, archived stamps were overprinted SPECIMEN and received a punch hole. When the company was dissolved, the stamp archives were sold at auction ca.1987-1990 by the Christies auction firm. Three sets of sheets (of 100) of this 1945 issue with SPECIMEN overprints were discovered in the archives, but one set was badly damaged, and parts of the others were not fully broken up, leaving around 200 sets on the market. The sets were quickly widely dispersed (I personally sold around 40 sets in the 1990s at $1200 per set) and quickly became extremely difficult to obtain. These specimen overprints (maximum 300 each, but more likely around 200 individual sets) are scarcer than the inverted overprints (of which there are not more than 400 each); and never hinged examples of those inverted overprints sell for around $800-1000 PER STAMP. This particular set is NEVER HINGED and in extraordinarily nice quality. The 7 øre and 5 kr are F-VF+ centered, while all the others are VF or XF or Superb. This set has come from the Margaret Morris collection. All are wonderfully fresh. Accompanied by a Jay Smith color image certificate with "lifetime guarantee". ACTUAL item. |
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201939 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
The famous Rockwell Kent private airmail stamp MINT SUPERB ORIGINAL ISSUE MADE BY KENT IN GREENLAND while on a film-making expedition. Kent made a very small quantity of crude woodblock-printed original stamps that were used on letters flown from the expeditions base camp to a working camp. It is said that Kent made only about 50 original stamps (they had no gum). Quite a few (most?) of the stamps were used on covers. Only a few mint examples remain in existance. This example is Mint, Superb, and without gum as issued. Accompanied by a 1995 Wowern certificate and a 2002 Lasse Nielsen certificate. The color and appearance is typical for this issue -- the orangish color and rough texture is correct and proper (remember that these stamps were made in the field under difficult conditions). Certainly the key stamp for any Greenland collection and in extremely nice condition. ACTUAL item. |
WANTED |
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231693 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
The famous Rockwell Kent private airmail stamp Second Printing made by Kent upon his return from a film-making expedition to Greenland. While in Greenland, he made a very small quantity of crude woodblock-printed stamps that were used on letters flown from the expeditions base camp to a working camp. It is said that Kent only made a few hundred (a quantity between 200 and 400 is the range that I have heard several times) of the Second Printing and only signed a fraction of those. This example is SIGNED and is in Superb NH (ungummed as issued) condition. A wonderful example! ACTUAL item. |
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231694 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
The famous Rockwell Kent private airmail stamp Second Printing made by Kent upon his return from a film-making expedition to Greenland. While in Greenland, he made a very small quantity of crude woodblock-printed stamps that were used on letters flown from the expeditions base camp to a working camp. It is said that Kent only made a few hundred (a quantity between 200 and 400 is the range that I have heard several times) of the Second Printing and only signed a fraction of those. This example is UNSIGNED and is in Superb NH (ungummed as issued) condition. A wonderful example! ACTUAL item. |
WANTED |
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201851 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
The famous Rockwell Kent private airmail stamp Reprint made by Kent upon his return from a film-making expedition to Greenland. While in Greenland, he made a very small quantity of crude woodblock-printed stamps that were used on letters flown from the expeditions base camp to a working camp. It is said that Kent only made a few hundred (a quantity between 200 and 400 is the range that I have heard several times) of the reprints and only signed a fraction of those. This example is SIGNED, but has a serious thin in the top margin. Normally signed copies sell for $600-750. This is an outstanding opportunity at a great price. ACTUAL item. |
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246787 "View EXACT ACTUAL Image"){kind=small} |
This appears to be related to the famous Rockwell Kent private airmail stamp Second Printing (i.e. the reprint) made by Kent upon his return to the U.S. from his 1931-1932 time Greenland. While in Greenland, he made a very small quantity of crude woodblock-printed stamps that were used on letters flown from the expeditions base camp to a working camp. It is said that Kent only made a few hundred (a quantity between 200 and 400 is the range that is seen in the literature) of the Second Printing, in bright carmine red on thick, ungummed paper. This appears to be the identical design and printing characteristics of the reprint, but this is in black on grayish green, thin, gummed paper. NH and Superb in every way. Last sold in a Danish auction in 2016, this is the first such example I have seen or heard of in 49 years. This may be a proof for the "issued" reprint, or it may be a subsequent reprint also printed by Kent, or it may be something else. I do not see any aspects of this -- other than I have not previously seen it or any mention of it in the literature, but that is not unusual for such esoteric items -- which suggest that this is not a genuine Kent item. However, at the same time, while I believe this item to be genuine, I am not able to state unequivocally, that I know it to be genuine. If I could prove that this was printed by Kent, the price would be much higher! ACTUAL item. |
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