CANADIAN SEMI-OFFICIAL STAMPS, VIGNETTES
AND FIRST AND SPECIAL FLIGHT COVERS
Edited by Murray Heifetz
Contributors; Don Amos, Robert H. Jamieson, Richard K. Malott and Derek C. Rance
Between 1924 and 1932 the Canadian Post Office Department authorized a number of airline
companies to print their own stamps and charge a fee for carriage of mail between points in a
number of mining areas in the northern parts of Canada. At the time, aviation was the only effective
means of transportation to these areas. Regular Canadian postage was required in addition to the
airline surcharge.
The study of the stamps themselves, as well as the individual airline histories, are subjects
beyond the scope of this introduction. The Volume lists each airline listing with a brief historical summary; further
airline information can be located in some excellent airline history volumes (see the Bibliography in preparation!).
Valuation of covers in this catalogue are based on the most common of the airline stamps for a
particular flight; such values also assume the cover to be in fine to very fine condition.
Additional values must be added for true commercial usage, use of scarcer stamps, or for errors or varieties of
a stamp. These supplemental values can be found in The Specialized Catalogue of Canadian Stamps,
published by Unitrade. The latest edition of this catalogue also lists the essays and proofs of the
stamps.
Examples of Covers and Stamps are displayed in the several Selections from the Menu on the left. These are a restoration of archives
of the original postings by Steven Johnson sourced from his personal collection and from contribution to his site from the David G. Brown Collection.
The exemplars of period Aircraft is presently under construction.
