Updated Schedule for Our 2020 Auctions

At H.R. Harmer, the wellbeing of our customers is our greatest priority. Therefore, in light of the rapid worldwide spread of COVID-19 over the past several months, we feel it is necessary to postpone our next series of auctions, which were to be held from May 13-16, 2020. The new schedule is as follows:

 

  • The Bill Byerley Collection of Nicaragua Part II: June 16, 2020 at 10AM EDT
  • The Julian Cabarrus Collection of the Philippines: June 16, 2020 at 1PM EDT
  • General Sale of US and Worldwide Stamps, Covers, and Collections: August 6-8, 2020
  • "Erivan" Collection of United and Confederate States Postal History Part 3: August 7, 2020

 

We will post more information as soon as we have it available. We are very proud of the catalogues we have put together, and look forward to sending them to all of our clients. In the meantime, we at H.R. Harmer wish all of you good health!

Browse Catalogue's From H.R. Harmer's Rich History

Select catalogues from H.R. Harmer’s rich history, including the collections of Alfred H. Caspary, Alfred F. Lichtenstein, Louise Boyd Dale, and Maurice Burrus, are now available to read online and download via Issuu.com.

 

 

Announcing Our Spring Sale - Seeking Consignments

Erivan United States Sale #2 Now Online

After a successful slate of Fall sales, H.R. Harmer is excited to announce the Erivan Collection of United and Confederate States Postal History - 2nd Auction, to be held at the Collectors Club in New York City on the evening of December 10, 2019 at 6pm Eastern. The catalogue is now available on our website and will be arriving in the mail in the coming days.

The PDF of the catalogue can be downloaded here, while the online catalogue is accessible at this link.

 

Spectacular Realizations at the First United States "ERIVAN" Sale

This past Saturday, June 22, H.R. Harmer conducted the sale of the first part of the “ERIVAN” Collection of United States Postal History, widely considered to be one of the greatest such collections ever assembled. Amongst the 148 lots offered were many rare and iconic items, some of which have not been available on the public market for decades. Over the course of four exciting hours there was scarcely a lull in the spirited participation from the floor, the phones, and the internet.  

 

 

The night started off on a positive note when the Alexandria “Blue Boy” fetched our opening price of $1,000,000, one of only a few American stamps to ever break the seven-figure mark. This remarkable cover, which once contained the wistful words of a star-crossed lover, has been celebrated since its entry into the philatelic marketplace in 1907. Its realization of such a strong hammer price solidifies its reputation as a veritable gem of worldwide philately.

 

 

The “Blue Boy” was far from the only highlight of the evening, with a great many covers well exceeding our modest start prices. It is our philosophy that low prices attract buyers, and it was not uncommon on Saturday night for items to increase ten-or-twentyfold before bidding finally subsided. After the hammer had fallen for the last time, each and every one of the 148 lots in the sale had found a new home.

 

 

The “Grove Hill” Cover, considered by some experts to be amongst the greatest items in all of Confederate philately, well-exceeded its outdated Scott catalogue value when it sold for $110,000. A cover carried on the inaugural eastbound trip of the Pony Express on April 3, 1860, brought $250,000, while a more modest cover that was mailed several months later soared to $70,000. Two fancy cancellations from Waterbury, Connecticut—an elephant and the famous “Running Chicken”—realized $50,000 each.

 

 

As exciting as the first “ERIVAN” Sale was, we at H.R. Harmer are already looking forward to our Fall 2019 offerings. Anchored by the second part of the “ERIVAN” Collection, we will also feature the first parts of both the Eldon Mohler Collection of United States Cacheted First Day Covers and the Bill Byerley Collection of Nicaragua. Additionally, H.R. Harmer’s biannual general sale will include the wide array of American and foreign stamps, postal history, and collections that our customers have come to anticipate.

 

If you would like for your material to be included in our Fall 2019 sale, please contact a member of our staff today to discuss consignment. No matter the size or scope of the material, one of our experts would be happy to discuss the best course of action to make sure that your collection is treated properly, professionally, and profitably.