About
Rooted in Ottawa. Reaching the world
Founded in 2007 on one of Ottawa's most historic commercial streets, Sparks International has grown into a leading Canadian specialist in fine postal history, stamps, and historic documents, with bidders from around the world and a team that brings together deep collector knowledge, philatelic expertise, and international reach.
"Combining established expertise with global reach and a curatorial approach, serving long-standing collectors and engaging a new generation drawn by the stories, context, and historical significance of the objects themselves."
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Sales
2007
Founded
The Business
A name with deep roots in Ottawa's history
Sparks Auctions was founded in 2007 at 62 Sparks Street, the former offices of the Imperial Bank, on one of Ottawa's most historic commercial thoroughfares. Named after Nicholas Sparks, an early settler whose landholdings formed much of the city's downtown core, Sparks Street was long home to stamp shops, dealers, and Ottawa's main Post Office.
The firm was established by a group of advanced collectors and philatelic professionals, led by noted Canadian philatelist and dealer Ian Kimmerly. From the outset, Sparks combined professional auction management with deep collector knowledge, emphasising accurate cataloguing, integrity in handling material, and strong relationships with consignors and buyers.
The firm developed particular strength in Canadian and British North America material, presenting such notable holdings as the Outaouais Collection, Comox Valley Collection, Athena Collection, and the Daniel Cantor collections.
In 2024, Sparks entered a new phase when it was acquired by Chris Green and Eliseo Temprano. Chris began his philatelic career as a student in Ian Kimmerly's shop on Sparks Street. He is a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London, one of the few Canadian members of l'Association Internationale des Experts en Philatelie (AIEP), and his firm Christopher Green Ltd. was named by Linn's Stamp News in 2024 among the most influential companies in philately. Eliseo brought decades of global experience, a distinctive focus on worldwide postal history, and an early pioneering role in the digital transformation of the philatelic marketplace.
With a seasoned team, some with the company since its founding, Kate Morrow, Peter MacDonald, David Giles, Olivia Xie, Brett Boudreau, and Matt Johnston bring their expertise to every sale. Sparks International is built to serve long-standing specialists and a new generation of collectors drawn to the stories these objects carry.
The Business
.Stamps and postal history from around the world - quality material at every level, at auction and retail.
Scholarship
Every lot is carefully described by one of our specialists - because an informed buyer is a confident one.
Accessibility
Stamps and covers shouldn't be intimidating. We're here to help anyone who's curious find something they'll love collecting.
Upcoming Sale
Stamps & Postal History of the World — Jun 18–19, 2026
Fine Postal History, Stamps & Historical Documents. Register to bid online, by telephone, or in person in Ottawa.
Sell with Us
Your material, the right audience.
We welcome consignments of philatelic material and historical documents. Start a conversation - no obligation, no rush.