We are thrilled to announce a forthcoming series of auctions beginning this autumn featuring the Camellia PLC collections of Canada and Newfoundland. They are, in our opinion, the finest of their kind ever formed.
The Canada collection is entirely devoted to the classic era from Pence to Large Queens. The Newfoundland collection spans the entire spectrum from the stampless era to the first issue of 1857, to the last stamps issued during the King George VI reign, including extensive coverage of the world-famous pioneer airmails. Collectors will find a mesmerizing array of proofs and essays, a formidable offering of classic stamps in the finest quality attainable, largest existing multiples and a breathtaking and unmatched assembly of postal history, the most extensive ever to appear at auction.
Built quietly by dedicated philatelic professionals over six decades with essentially limitless resources, the collection was rarely available for viewing and was never entered in competitive exhibits. Numerous philatelic treasures of Canadian and Newfoundland philately were acquired from illustrious collections of the past, both at auction and privately. Among the private acquisitions are large intact portions of the late Frank Laycock, Geoffrey Whitworth and H.E. Duckworth collections, further fueling the collection’s legendary status. The latter two philatelists were well known in their respective philatelic circles, respectively publishing the seminal works: “The First Decimal Issue of Canada 1859-1868” in 1966 and “The Large Queen Stamps of Canada and Their Use” by the Vincent Graves Greene Foundation, in two editions 1986 and 2008.
Knowledgeable collectors will be astounded by the breadth of this holding and the number of truly important items it contains. With each auction the Camellia collection will take its place alongside legendary collections of the past, such as Dale-Lichtenstein and Ron Brigham. We invite you to participate in what will be a very exciting moment in British North America philately. A real treasure trove of philatelic rarities which has not seen the light of day in decades, now awaits in a not-to-be-missed series of events!
Please check our website regularly for further announcements.
The Eastern Auctions Team
Upcoming schedule
Late August: Launching “From the Camellia PLC Vault”, a series of articles via email from our marketing platform sent to all subscribers. Twice a month, we will unveil an item with a compelling background that has captured our attention. We will mainly focus on items that are not necessarily highlights of the collection but deserve equal attention for their significance or interesting story.
September: An auction preview brochure will be mailed after Labour Weekend and will be posted exclusively on our website on Friday, September 19.
November: The first sale – Camellia PLC Collections, Canada Part I will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Catalogues will be mailed around the third week of October and posted on our site starting Friday October 17, 2025.