Imperial to Provincial

The item we show at left is a stampless folded letter. It was mailed from Longueil on April 4, 1851 (where it was rated 9 pence - a rate based on the mileage to be travelled) and was routed through the Montreal Post Office on the same day which was a Friday. By Monday April 7 the letter passed through the Bytown Post Office and the same day was received at its destination across the river in Aylmer. On that day (or soon after) the recipient picked up this letter at the Aylmer Post Office and paid the nine pence due.

Sunday, April 6, 1851 is perhaps the most important date in Canadian postal history. On that date the four colonies who joined in Confederation had control of the post transferred from British (Imperial) to Canadian (provincial - or colonial) control. Also on that date postal rates were dramatically changed.

This letter was mailed when the post was under Imperial control; during the voyage from Lower Canada to Upper Canada and back to Lower Canada, control of the post was transferred AND the rates were changed. As of April 6, 1851 the rate for this letter would have been reduced from 9 pence to three pence (a huge difference in those days). The first Canadian stamps were issued two weeks later and the first recorded use of stamps is May 1, 1851.

I was shown two stampless covers by a dealer who asked if they had any philatelic significance. The first and more attractive one did not and I suggested a retail value of about $20; but this cover caught my eye immediately and I suggested a figure which astounded my friend. He suggested that I put it into the store on approval which I was happy to do. I told him it might take a long time to sell because I priced it at a very hefty figure but when the right person came along the sale would be made.

The next day the first person to look at this under the counter is a noted postal historian and even though the letter had no write-up or price he immediately recognized the importance of the cover. He gulped at the price but after a few minutes of thinking about it (and my offer of a ten percent reduction) quite readily agreed to buy it.

Items like these we like to keep around for a while to show off to our customers. However they often sell as quickly as this one did.