Our tale begins with a Swiss-born portrait painter, who settled in London and caught the eye of the Queen of Great Britain. This led to some of the most celebrated stamps in Canada, as well as many other British colonies.
Alfred Chalon (1780–1860), was commissioned in July 1837 by the then newly installed, but yet to be officially crowned, Queen of Great Britain to paint a picture of her as a gift for her mother. Although the painting was a full length affair with state robes, the Garter sash and the George IV State Diadem, the head was the basis for the Chalon Head used on the colony postage we all know and love today.
These distinctive emblems present a rather delicate 18-year-old young lady. Looking at the profile of this teenage Queen it is hard to believe she became one of the most powerful and influential women of all time.
The stamps certainly stand out, but there is one that perhaps takes more of the headlines: the so-called ‘Black Empress’. The Canada 1851 12d black (SG 4) is both elusive and valuable. In any condition they fetch ‘big bucks’, as our Canadian cousins might say. Even used examples are listed at £100k in the SG Commonwealth catalogue, and mint is double that figure.
But what about on cover? Well, the Scott catalogue, published in the USA, lists the ‘Twelve-Penny Black’
