The Small Queens

Further Reading

For a general appreciation to the background of Canadian stamps up to the Second World War, W.S. Boggs The Postage Stamps and Postal History of Canada has much valuable information and although some of the opinions expressed on the Small Queens have been superseded by later research the basic structure remains sound.

Catalogues. Scott/Unitrade is an excellent guide to the market but the Small Queens listing is confusing and in my view is long overdue for a revamp. Gibbons Part One is less reliable from the market point of view, but since the revamp in 1988, based almost entirely, I have to confess, on my recommendations, is more logical than Scott/Unitrade, and one hopes easier to follow whether tyro or more advanced.

Small Queens. In 1979 I wrote The Small Queens of Canada published by Robson Lowe. If one pretty well ignores the chapter on the Six Cents and the statement that there are only two ‘Strands of Hair’ it is a reasonably inexpensive introduction to the subject, particularly if read in conjunction with the recently published Small Queens Reappraised, which likewise is not too pricey and has illustrations of many of the major varieties drawn ‘from life’. That work was written to update and correct where necessary the hardback Second Edition Small Queens of Canada, which apparently can only be obtained now on the second hand market, and at prices above its issue cost. None of these books was intended to tell one everything there is to know about Small Queens; there are areas of uncertainty and controversy still, some of which may never be resolved; but to point one in the right direction so that one can have the fun of exploring for oneself.

For Postal Historians there is George B. Arfken’s Canada’s Small Queen Era 1870-1897, which covers the subject exhaustively and David M. Lacelle has recently produced Fancy Cancels on Canadian Stamps 1855 to 1950, which is an excellent guide to those interested in that field.

For those bothered by colour Richard M. Morris has produced an excellent Color Guide System for all the issues of postage stamps printed by the British American Bank Note Company, which really does work.  My one criticism of the book is that the author has fallen for the myth that because the office was moved to Montreal in 1871, so must have been the printing. It should be remembered that if one agrees to a contract, one really has to abide by all its conditions, even the ones one doesn’t particularly like. From the evidence of the stamps it took the printers far longer to persuade the Post Office to allow them, doubtless as a temporary measure, to move operations. It was a temporary measure that lasted 14 years but in due course the original terms were insisted upon and back to Ottawa the company had to go.

Plate Varieties. Constant Plate Varieties of the Canada Small Queens published in 1991 by Hans Reiche & Mike Sendbuehler lists many of the varieties to be found, both well known and less well known.  It suffers in some respects from inaccuracies both in the drawing of some of the major varieties, and of the narrative which in places is plain wrong. Nevertheless it should be on your bookshelf if you are interested in this field.

While not strictly concerned with Small Queens, the following are well worth the expense: The Postal History of the Post Card in Canada 1871-1911 by the late Allan L.Steinhart; The Early Rapid Cancelling Machines of Canada By David F. Sessions F.R.P.S.L. F.C.P.S. and The Canadian Flag Cancellation Handbook 1896-1973 by Ed Richardson F.R.P.S.C. complement each other. Early duplex cancels are covered in Canadian Duplex Cancellations of the Victorian Era 1860-1902 by the late E.A.Smythies C.I.E. F.R.P.S.L. is unfortunately long out of print but Robert A. Lee’s Catalogue of Canadian Duplex Cancellations  covers the field up to modern times. Travelling post office enthusiasts are catered for by the late Lew Ludlow’s Catalogue of Canadian Railway Cancellations and Related Transportation Postmarks, which updates T.P.G.Shaw’s The Handbook and Catalogue of Canadian Transportation Postmarks, which also covers historical aspects of the rail companies involved as does A History of Canadian R.P.O.s 1853-1967  by L.F.Gillam F.C.P.S.

Finally Squared Circles are comprehensively dealt with in Dr. W.G.Moffat & Glenn Hansen’s The Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada.

That should be enough to be going on with!