Scan or Photo Courtesy of Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd
Date
1824
Description
** RARE "HORATIO HARDY" SIGNED (FORWARDED FROM LONDON's JERUSALEM COFFEE HOUSE) COVER TO INDIA; 5 Jan. 1824 EL (small tears; cross-written contents, datelined at Peckham, addressed to Hezekiah Clark [1792-1868]) ex London to Calcutta [from the Jerusalem Coffee House signed by its famous proprietor in London] with the distinctive flourished "Horatio Hardy" Forwarding Agent's signature on the top flap; forwarded by another Agent (Messrs Mackintosh & Co.) from Calcutta to "Guruhkpore" with "Inld Ptge/Ship/Do" (Giles type G5) and "CALCUTTA/4 MAY/1824/GENL POST OFFICE" (Giles type G5) arrival cds on rear. Hardy was proprietor of the famous Jerusalem Coffee House from c.1815 - 1840, but his signed Forwarded letters (always to India) are only recorded occasionally from 1823 to 1837. In his way he was as important a character in Anglo-Indian Postal History as Thomas Waghorn. We have only recorded six other "Horatio Hardy" covers. Similar 1833/37 examples were sold by us for £2600 or £2400 in our Sept. 2009 sale. Exhibition Item. 2019 BPA Cert. Cross Reference: FORWARDING AGENTS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS
Auction
Worldwide & Great Britain Stamps & Postal History, Lot 748
Certificates
Same office
Other recorded marks at Calcutta
183 marks183 other pre-1854 postal markings of Calcutta are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Calcutta HG 1handstampBlack1775–1787
- Calcutta HG 1ahandstampBlack1775–1786
- Calcutta HG 2handstampBlack1775–1787
- Calcutta HG 3handstampBlack1776–1789
- Calcutta HG 4handstampBlack1787
- Calcutta HG 5handstampBlack1788
+177 more at this office.View all Calcutta marks and postal history →
About this Calcutta pre stamp cover
COV-1632 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1824 bearing the Calcutta G5 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Calcutta postal history — the office known today as Kolkata, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
** RARE "HORATIO HARDY" SIGNED (FORWARDED FROM LONDON's JERUSALEM COFFEE HOUSE) COVER TO INDIA; 5 Jan. 1824 EL (small tears; cross-written contents, datelined at Peckham, addressed to Hezekiah Clark [1792-1868]) ex London to Calcutta [from the Jerusalem Coffee House signed by its famous proprietor in London] with the distinctive flourished "Horatio Hardy" Forwarding Agent's signature on the top flap; forwarded by another Agent (Messrs Mackintosh & Co.) from Calcutta to "Guruhkpore" with "Inld Ptge/Ship/Do" (Giles type G5) and "CALCUTTA/4 MAY/1824/GENL POST OFFICE" (Giles type G5) arrival cds on rear. Hardy was proprietor of the famous Jerusalem Coffee House from c.1815 - 1840, but his signed Forwarded letters (always to India) are only recorded occasionally from 1823 to 1837. In his way he was as important a character in Anglo-Indian Postal History as Thomas Waghorn. We have only recorded six other "Horatio Hardy" covers. Similar 1833/37 examples were sold by us for £2600 or £2400 in our Sept. 2009 sale. Exhibition Item. 2019 BPA Cert. Cross Reference: FORWARDING AGENTS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Worldwide & Great Britain Stamps & Postal History lot 748.
2 images of COV-1632 are recorded (front); the Calcutta G5 mark itself is recorded in use 1818-24.
Questions about COV-1632
- What is COV-1632?
- COV-1632 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1824, bearing the Calcutta G5 handstamp in red. ** RARE "HORATIO HARDY" SIGNED (FORWARDED FROM LONDON's JERUSALEM COFFEE HOUSE) COVER TO INDIA; 5 Jan. 1824 EL (small tears; cross-written contents, datelined at Peckham, addressed to Hezekiah Clark [1792-1868]) ex London to Calcutta [from the Jerusalem Coffee House signed by its famous proprietor in London] with the distinctive flourished "Horatio Hardy" Forwarding Agent's signature on the top flap; forwarded by another Agent (Messrs Mackintosh & Co.) from Calcutta to "Guruhkpore" with "Inld Ptge/Ship/Do" (Giles type G5) and "CALCUTTA/4 MAY/1824/GENL POST OFFICE" (Giles type G5) arrival cds on rear. Hardy was proprietor of the famous Jerusalem Coffee House from c.1815 - 1840, but his signed Forwarded letters (always to India) are only recorded occasionally from 1823 to 1837. In his way he was as important a character in Anglo-Indian Postal History as Thomas Waghorn. We have only recorded six other "Horatio Hardy" covers. Similar 1833/37 examples were sold by us for £2600 or £2400 in our Sept. 2009 sale. Exhibition Item. 2019 BPA Cert. Cross Reference: FORWARDING AGENTS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS
- How scarce is the Calcutta G5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta G5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1818-24.
- What is the provenance of COV-1632?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Worldwide & Great Britain Stamps & Postal History lot 748.
- When was COV-1632 posted?
- COV-1632 is dated 1824, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta G5 (1818-24).
About this record
This 1824 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta G5 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 7 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Worldwide & Great Britain Stamps & Postal History, lot 748.