La poste coloniale au Québec 1763-1851, vol. 2 : Les Cantons de l’Est et les environs

Cimon Morin
Published by the Société d’histoire postale du Québec, 2022.
529 pages.
ISBN: 978-2-920267-57-2.

This book is part 2 of a study of the postal system in Quebec from the year 1763 until the creation of Canada’s Post Office Department on 5 April 1851. This research mainly consists of identifying the localities in which a post office existed, and listing the successive postmasters who held office there, with their dates of service. Also identified are the agents responsible for carrying the mail on the various postal routes and the frequency of service.

A complete list of postmarks used during this period is included, along with illustrations of postal covers. There are more than 750 illustrations.

This volume covers the 69 post offices located in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. It includes the nine postal routes that crossed this territory of the province until 1851. Readers will discover short biographies of 200 postmasters of the area as well as the first two postmistresses, Abigail Johnson (née Wood) of West Shefford (1843) and Helene Penelope Jackson (née Lalanne) of Brome (1845-1846).

Details of postal routes and mail transportation are provided in the appendices, along with general printed instructions given to postmasters to enhance their understanding of postal operations for the years 1828 to 1843, and a directory of postal covers found in the archival documents of Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec in Quebec City. A cumulative index of the names of offices, postmasters, contractors, as well as all the place names and proper names used in this work is found at the end of the volume.

This is the second in a series of four volumes that will cover the entire territory of Quebec. Volume 1, covering the Ottawa River and post offices located south of Montreal, is still available from the SHPQ.

For more information or to order, send an email to the Société d’histoire postale du Québec at rfcote@gmail.com.

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La poste coloniale au Québec 1763-1851, vol. 2 : Les Cantons de l’Est et les environs

Cimon Morin
Publié par la Société d’histoire postale du Québec, 2022.
529 pages.
ISBN : 978-2-920267-57-2.

Cette étude de la poste sur le territoire québécois s’étend de l’année 1763 jusqu’à la création du ministère des Postes le 5 avril 1851. Cette recherche consiste principalement à identifier les localités dans lesquelles un bureau de poste a existé, et à répertorier les maitres de poste qui s’y sont succédé ainsi que les dates où ils ont été en fonction. Sont aussi identifiés les responsables qui ont transporté le courrier sur les différentes routes postales, et la fréquence des voyages. Une nomenclature complète des marques postales utilisées au cours de cette période s’ajoute à des illustrations de plis postaux.

Le présent volume couvre les 69 bureaux de poste se situant dans les Cantons de l’Est et les environs. Il comprend les neuf routes postales qui ont sillonné ce territoire de la province jusqu’en 1851.

Découvrez l’origine et les notes biographiques de près de 200 maitres de poste de la région et les deux premières maitresses de poste des Cantons soit Mme Abigail Johnson (née Wood) de West Shefford (1843) et Helene Penelope Jackson (née Lalanne) de Brome (1845-1846).

En annexe de cette étude, on trouvera le détail des routes postales et du transport des malles sur le territoire; les instructions générales imprimées remises aux maitres de poste afin de leur donner une meilleure connaissance des directives et opérations postales pour la période de 1828 à 1843; et un répertoire des plis postaux que l’on retrouve dans les documents d’archives de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada à Ottawa et de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec à Québec.

Un index cumulatif des noms de bureaux, maitres de poste, contractuels ainsi que de tous les noms de lieux et noms propres utilisés dans le présent ouvrage termine ce deuxième volume.

Cimon Morin est à la retraite depuis 2008. Il a travaillé pendant 30 ans au sein de la fonction publique fédérale comme gestionnaire des Archives postales canadiennes (Archives nationales du Canada) et des Collections philatéliques (Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) de 1988 jusqu’à sa retraite. Auparavant, il était bibliothécaire (1977-1985) et ensuite directeur du Musée national des Postes (1986-1988). Membre fondateur et ancien président de la Société d’histoire postale du Québec (1985-1988, 2008-2012), il est l’actuel président de l’Académie québécoise d’études philatéliques.

Pour de plus amples renseignements ou pour commander, veuillez contacter la Société d’histoire postale du Québec par courriel à rfcote@gmail.com.

La poste coloniale au Québec 1763-1851, vol. 1 : Le sud de Montréal et la rivière des Outaouais

Cimon Morin
Published by the Société d’histoire postale du Québec, 2020.
xiii + 528 pages.
ISBN: 978-2-920267-54-1.

This study of the postal system in Quebec extends from 1763 until the creation of the Post Office on 5 April 1851. It identifies post office locations, and lists the postmasters and the dates of their time in office. It also identifies those responsible for transporting the mail on the various postal routes, and the frequency of travel.

A complete nomenclature of postmarks used during this period is accompanied by illustrations of selected covers. In all, over 800 covers, postal markings, signatures, and photographs are illustrated.

This volume, the first of four that will cover all of Quebec, covers the 71 post offices located to the south and southeast of Montreal and in the Ottawa River and Pontiac regions. It includes the ten postal routes that crossed this territory of the province until 1851.

The appendices cover:

• Details of postal routes and transportation in the territory
• Biographies of the four Post Office administrators during the period studied
• Printed instructions given to postmasters to give them a better knowledge of postal operations - several documents are revealed here for the first time
• A list of covers found among the archival documents of Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa and Bibliothèque et archives nationales in Quebec City

There is also a cumulative index of the names of post offices, postmasters, contractors, as well as other people and places mentioned in the book.

For more information or to order, send an email to the Société d’histoire postale du Québec at rfcote@gmail.com.

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La poste coloniale au Québec 1763-1851, vol. 1 : Le sud de Montréal et la rivière des Outaouais

Cimon Morin
Publié par la Société d’histoire postale du Québec, 2020.
xiii + 528 pages.
ISBN : 978-2-920267-54-1.

Cette étude de la poste sur le territoire québécois s’étend de l’année 1763 jusqu’à la création du ministère des Postes le 5 avril 1851. La recherche identifie les localités dans lesquelles un bureau de poste a existé, répertorie les maitres de poste qui s’y sont succédé ainsi que les dates où ils ont été en fonction, les responsables qui ont transporté le courrier sur les différentes routes postales, et la fréquence des voyages. Une nomenclature complète des marques postales utilisées au cours de cette période s’ajoute de nombreux exemples de plis postaux. Au total plus de 800 illustrations de plis, marques postales, signatures, photographies, tableaux complètent ce premier volume.

La série La poste coloniale au Québec 1763-1851 comprendra quatre volumes qui seront publiés au cours des prochaines années. Ce volume couvre les 71 bureaux de poste se situant aux sud et sud-est de Montréal, en Outaouais et au Pontiac. Il comprend une description des 10 routes postales qui ont sillonné ce territoire de la province jusqu’en 1851.

En annexes :

• Détails des routes postales et du transport des malles sur le territoire
• Une biographie générale des quatre administrateurs de la poste au cours de la période étudiée
• Les instructions générales imprimées remises aux maitres de poste afin de leur donner une meilleure connaissance des opérations postales - plusieurs documents sont ici révélés pour la première fois
• Un répertoire des plis postaux que l’on retrouve dans les documents d’archives de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada à Ottawa et de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec à Québec

Un index cumulatif des noms de bureaux, maitres de poste, contractuels ainsi que de tous les noms de lieux et noms propres utilisés dans le présent ouvrage termine ce volume.

Pour de plus amples renseignements ou pour commander, veuillez contacter la Société d’histoire postale du Québec par courriel à rfcote@gmail.com.

Catalogue des marques postales du Québec – Type 20 : Cercle interrompu “PQ”

Ferdinand Bélanger
Published by the Société d’histoire postale du Québec, 2020.
134 pages.
ISBN 978-2-920267-53-4.

This publication records about 1,800 broken circle markings of Québec with “P.Q.” as the provincial designation. The catalogue is fully illustrated, and includes the probable dates of use of the markings found in philatelic collections. The instruments of this category of markings were produced by Pritchard & Andrews of Ottawa in the years 1912 to 1934.

This book is the fourth in the series Catalogue of Québec Postal Markings.

The catalogue is in French, but the tabular postmark data should be understandable by anyone. For more information or to order, send an email to the Société d’histoire postale du Québec at rfcote@gmail.com.

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Catalogue des marques postales du Québec – Type 20 : Cercle interrompu “PQ”

Ferdinand Bélanger
Publié par la Société d’histoire postale du Québec, 2020.
134 pages.
ISBN 978-2-920267-53-4.

Cette publication répertorie environ 1 800 marques postales du Québec du type cercle interrompu avec « P.Q. » comme désignation provinciale. Le catalogue est entièrement illustré et comprend les dates probables d’utilisation et des marques observées dans les collections philatéliques. Les instruments de cette catégorie de marques ont été fabriqués par la compagnie Pritchard & Andrews d’Ottawa au cours des années 1912 à 1934.

Cet ouvrage est le quatrième de la série Catalogue des marques postales du Québec.

Pour de plus amples renseignements ou pour commander, veuillez contacter la Société d’histoire postale du Québec par courriel à rfcote@gmail.com.

Catalogue des marques postales du Québec 1763-1867, 1st edition

Cimon Morin and Jacques Poitras
Published by the Société d’histoire postale du Québec, April 2016.
169 pages, 18 x 22 cm, spiral bound.
ISBN 978-92067-50-3.

The goal of the Catalogue des marques postales du Québec 1763-1867 (CMPQ) is to list and illustrate all the hand cancels used by post offices in the province of Quebec from the beginnings of the postal service in Canada to Confederation in 1867. Over 1,200 postmarks are listed. The postmarks are listed by type (e.g.: straight-line, 2-ring, etc.) in a tabular format. The tables contain the following data: post office name, illustration of the postmark, dates the postmark was in use, ink colours, and CMPQ catalogue number. Also included is a note specifying the years seen on cover by the authors.

The authors consulted Archives documents containing a large number of covers that had never before been examined from a philatelic perspective. The authors also benefited from collectors’ reproductions of their postal history collections. They referenced catalogues of numerous collections sold at auction over the years and price lists from postal history dealers, published in hard copy format and more recently online on the web. Comments and advice from numerous philatelists allowed the authors to validate and augment the catalogue listing. In total, over 13,000 covers from Lower Canada and Canada East were surveyed for the period covered by the catalogue, and confirm many early dates of usage.

At the end of the 170-page catalogue will be found an index of all the post offices opened before 1 July 1867 along with the types of postmarks they used during the period covered in the CMPQ.

The authors believe that the CMPQ will provide collectors and specialists of Quebec and Canadian postal history a better understanding to the postmarks used in Quebec during the first 100 years of postal service.

The catalogue is in French, but the tabular postmark data should be understandable by anyone. For more information or to order, send an email to the Société d’histoire postale du Québec at rfcote@gmail.com.

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Catalogue des marques postales du Québec 1763-1867 1ère édition

Cimon Morin et Jacques Poitras
Publié par la Société d’histoire postale du Québec, avril 2016.
169 pages, 18 x 22 cm, reliure spirale.
ISBN 978-92067-50-3.

Le Catalogue des marques postales du Québec 1763-1867 (CMPQ) a pour but de rassembler, inventorier et illustrer les marques postales apposées au tampon et utilisées par les bureaux de poste du Québec du début de la poste jusqu’à la Confédération canadienne. Plus de 1 200 marques postales sont ainsi identifiées. La présentation des marques postales du CMPQcite> se fait par catégories (exemple : rectiligne, double cercle, etc.) et sous forme de tableau. Les éléments suivants font partie du tableau : Nom du bureau de poste, illustration, dates d’utilisation, couleur des encres et classification. Une note est ajoutée pour chacune des marques et identifie les années vues par les auteurs.

Les auteurs ont consulté les documents d’archives où sont conservés un grand nombre de plis postaux qui n’avaient jamais fait l’objet d’un examen philatélique. Ils ont aussi bénéficié des reproductions de collections de philatélistes en histoire postale. Il en va de même pour les nombreuses collections que l’on retrouve dans les catalogues de vente aux enchères au fil des années, ainsi que les listes de négociants en histoire postale que l’on retrouve sous formes imprimées pour ceux du passé et maintenant sur la toile du web. Les remarques et conseils de nombreux philatélistes ont permis de valider et d’ajouter à ce répertoire. Au total plus de 13 000 plis postaux du Bas-Canada et du Canada-Est ont été recensés pour cette période et confirment plusieurs dates hâtives de marques postales.

À la fin de ce volume de 170 pages, l’on retrouve un index de tous les bureaux de poste ouverts avant le 1er juillet 1867 avec la catégorie de marques postales répertoriée dans le CMPQ.

Nous croyons que le CMPQ permettra aux collectionneurs ainsi qu’aux spécialistes de l’histoire postale québécoise et canadienne de mieux connaître les marques postales utilisées au Québec au cours des cent premières années de la poste.

Pour de plus amples renseignements ou pour commander le CMPQ, veuillez contacter la Société d’histoire postale du Québec en écrivant à rfcote@gmail.com.

Newfoundland Air Mails

Jean-Claude Vasseur
Two volumes. Vol. 1: 128 pp. Vol. 2: 129 pp. A4 format (29.7 x 21.0 cm)
ISBN 978-2-9555361-0-0

This two-volume work is the result of more than 15 years of study on Newfoundland air mails.

Volume I consists of a 128-page exhibit shown at Europhilex 2015 (London, UK), where it won a Large Gold Medal and Best in Class Award, covering the period from 1919 to 1939. The exhibit is divided into two areas:

1. Transatlantic Air Mail from the 1919 “Challenge” to the first commercial Northern Route flight (84 pages)
2. Internal and continental flights (44 pages)

Volume II presents a 129-page study, historical as well philatelic, of Newfoundland air mails with theories and opinions on most of the flights, such as:

1. More than 80 covers franked with the stamp surcharged for the “Hawker” flight
2. More than 25 covers on the 2nd supplementary mail of the Martinsyde
3. The “London E. C.” back stamp on the Vimy flight explained
4. The various mails of the Handley-Page explained
5. The “De Pinedo” stamp plated (in collaboration with Peter Motson)
6. The story of the Columbia
7. A complete overview of General Balbo’s Armada flight with significance of the numbering system and numerous curiosities
8. An Appendix listing 616 items relating to Transatlantic Air Mail known by the author to the end 2015

For more information or to order, contact the author by email at jcbvasseur@orange.fr. Mention “Newfoundland Air Mails Book” in the subject line.

The Standard Canada Precancel Catalogue, 7th edition

David Marasco and Bruce Field
Published by the Unitrade Press, 2015.
108 pages, 6" x 9", spiral bound.
ISBN-13 978-1-894763-56-1

The latest edition of the Standard Canada Precancel Catalogue continues to enhance and broaden the study of Canadian precancels. Specializing in an area of stamp collecting that continues to grow in popularity, this latest edition is an essential reference book for the serious collector of Canadian precancels.

Building on the information from the Standard Canada Precancel Catalogue, 6th edition (Unitrade Press, 2010), the editors have refined and expanded the content to incorporate additional reference material and previously unidentified Canadian precancel varieties that have come to light since the last edition.

As noted in its table of contents, the catalogue is practically organized into what I would term an “introductory section” and four main parts, each part dealing with specific types of precancels.

The introductory section incorporates reference material and pertinent information for the collector to refer to while using the catalogue. New in this edition is the inclusion of an illustrated Guide to Bar Precancels, prepared by the BNAPS Precancel Study Group, and a listing of the Montreal “21” forerunner precancels. Part I provides a listing of all known styles of Bar Precancels. Part II provides a listing of all known Town and City Precancels. Part III lists known Canada precancels with perforated initials. Part IV lists Canada constant precancel varieties, introducing with this edition a refined numbering system and expanding by 15 pages since the last edition to include previously unidentified constant precancel varieties. The catalogue finishes with the inclusion of a practical illustrated Addendum of hard to identify Precancel types, a welcome addition to assist collectors in their determination of type.

In closing, the editors have once again been able to maintain the precancel pricing guide relevancy through continual comparison of current market value realized at auctions. The consolidation and further expansion of reference material from other sources into this latest edition benefits both novice and serious collectors alike. The spiral binding format lends well to allowing the catalogue to lay flat for a double page view. The compact size chosen and reference material included makes this catalogue an easy companion for travel. The editors should be commended for their efforts.

Review submitted by Kyle Taylor.

A Canadian Postal History 1897-1911. The Maple Leaf, Numeral, and King Edward Era

George B. Arfken and William S. Pawluk
Published by the British North America Philatelic Society, 2006.
314 pages, 8.5" x 11" inches, spiral bound.
Available from the BNAPS Book Agent:
Bill Longley
Longley Auctions
PO Box 620
Waterdown, ON L0R 2H0
CANADA

The Arfken series of postal histories (including the Duckworth and Duckworth Large Queen book) now fully spans the period from the Pence Issue up to the Admiral Issue. The books in this series are essential reference material for all Canadian postal historians and for collectors of the stamps issued by Canada between 1851 and 1911.

This volume differs from those published by the Greene Foundation in several ways. First, it is in a larger format. Second, it is available in either colour or black-and-white versions. Third, George Arfken has a new co-author. The black-and-white version is much more affordable than any of the Greene publications; thus it is available to many more collectors. It is similar to the Greene books in style. The issue and use of the definitive stamps of the period (1897 to 1911) are described, with suitable excerpts from government publications to explain the rates and routes of covers and cards. The three commemorative issues of this period appear on some covers, but the emphasis - as it should be - is on the definitive adhesives: the Maple Leaves, the Numerals, and the Edwards.

The basis of this book is Bill Pawluk's award-winning collection of postal history. Bill built his collection around the operation and development of the postal system of the time, including a detailed study with examples of the Post Office's rules and regulations. It was an eventful era that included the Boer War, the introduction of the Imperial Penny Post, the development of the picture post card, the start of the special delivery, postage due, and insurance services, decentralization of the Dead Letter Office, and many important postage rate changes. Above all, Canadian covers to many foreign destinations are available in this period, and many are shown here.

The book is organized as seven chapters plus 18 appendices. Chapter 1 is a very useful introduction. Chapter 2 describes the basics of domestic mail delivery. Chapter 3 discusses domestically used letter cards and post cards. Chapter 4 is devoted to all of the other classes of domestic mail. Chapters 5 through 7 present Canadian mail to foreign countries: mail to the United States and Mexico, mail to the British Empire, and mail to the rest of the world. Each chapter has a table of contents and there is an index for the entire text. Perhaps the greatest strength of the book is the bank of almost 400 illustrations. Most illustrations are from Bill's collection but there are contributions from 18 other collectors and 4 dealers.

This is a full monograph, not a book in the BNAPS exhibit series. With its many illustrations, one could also consider it a coffee-table book, but almost all of the covers shown have extra features that require examination, not just a quick glance.

As expected, the text is well organized and well and accurately written. Here are a few minor points. There are a few covers that I would not have chosen as examples, but they each fit their topic; the vast majority of illustrations are suitable and spectacular. As with any general text, there are condensations and thus minor omissions. For example, in Table 25 (Mail Routes to Overseas Destinations), the routes to East Asia include mails via Vancouver and San Francisco but not via either Tacoma or Seattle (about a fifth of the Canadian mail was carried on these latter routes). The colour rendition is much better than that of the BNAPS's publication of the Wilkinson BC collection. The choice of the sans serif typeface for captions is fine, but its use in the text for quotations from government documents is distracting. The cover is sturdy but it would have been nice if the binding spiral was sealed at the ends.

This volume will be the seminal reference about this postal era for many years. It is an excellent effort, and as I said previously, it is an essential item for all of our libraries.

Review submitted by Gray Scrimgeour. It is in the September 2006 issue of the PHSC Journal.

Letters From the Far West
Topics in Alberta philatelic history in recognition of the province's centennial 1905-2005

Co-edited by Edmund Harris and Hugh Delaney
Published by the BNAPS Calgary Regional Group and Goodbook Communications Group, Calgary.
272 pages, 8.5" x 11", spiral bound.
Available from "Hugh Delaney in Trust," 105 Pump Hill Landing SW, Calgary AB T2V 5C4.

The Calgary Regional Group of BNAPS has published, as a group project, an anthology based on philatelic events of the Province of Alberta. Two dozen Albertans have contributed material to this book. The book is organized into six sections: Philately in Alberta, Images of Alberta, Alberta Postal History (early times and modern times), Aviation, and Places and People. Postal history takes up the largest amount of space. Because this was a group project, seemingly based on each collector's interests, the range of topics is wide and the depth and treatment of their coverage varies. There are novel topics covered (such as the history of BNAPS in Alberta, the Fur Wars in Southern Alberta, and Alberta POs along the CPR mainline) as well as applications to Alberta of perfins, precancels, special order envelopes, and registration handstamps. The seven articles about aviation and air mail in Alberta point out possibilities for developing some interesting exhibits. In total, the work is a useful look at a province's philatelic history and could give other provinces some good ideas for their celebrations.

The book has many suitable black-and-white illustrations, with an eight-page section repeating some of the most attractive covers and cards in colour. The layout is open (sufficient white space) and the text is easy to read. The group should be commended for their effort.

Review submitted by Gray Scrimgeour.