Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
2 February 1775
Description
Calcutta: 1775 (7 Feb.) entire letter from Croftes and Johnson to William Boughton Rous, Chief of the Provincial Council of Revenue at Dacca, showing "POST PAID" (HG 2) and, on reverse, a superb strike of the India Bishop mark for "7/FE" (HG X2) alongside an equally fine "CALCUTTA" (HG 1). A remarkable cover, being the earliest of the four India Bishop marks recorded in private hands. Note: It can now be established with certainty that the Bishop mark was introduced in the Calcutta General Post Office. The authority for its use in Calcutta is Bye-Rule 7 of the consultations dated 17 January 1774, reading "That all letters shall be stamped with the day of the month on which they are delivered into any chief office". The system was adopted on 31 March 1774. The Bishop mark was reproduced on a 2Rs. commemorative stamp issued by India Posts and Telegraphs in connection with the 1975 INPEX National Stamp Exhibition in Calcutta.
Auction
Provenance
Derek Hammond Giles
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 3handstampBlack1776–1789
- Calcutta HG 4handstampBlack1787
- Calcutta HG 5handstampBlack1788
- Calcutta HG 6handstampBlack1788
+177 more at this office.View all Calcutta marks and postal history →
About this Calcutta pre stamp cover
COV-1647 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 2 February 1775 bearing the Calcutta HG 2 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Calcutta postal history — the office known today as Kolkata, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
Calcutta: 1775 (7 Feb.) entire letter from Croftes and Johnson to William Boughton Rous, Chief of the Provincial Council of Revenue at Dacca, showing "POST PAID" (HG 2) and, on reverse, a superb strike of the India Bishop mark for "7/FE" (HG X2) alongside an equally fine "CALCUTTA" (HG 1). A remarkable cover, being the earliest of the four India Bishop marks recorded in private hands. Note: It can now be established with certainty that the Bishop mark was introduced in the Calcutta General Post Office. The authority for its use in Calcutta is Bye-Rule 7 of the consultations dated 17 January 1774, reading "That all letters shall be stamped with the day of the month on which they are delivered into any chief office". The system was adopted on 31 March 1774. The Bishop mark was reproduced on a 2Rs. commemorative stamp issued by India Posts and Telegraphs in connection with the 1975 INPEX National Stamp Exhibition in Calcutta.
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 8.
2 images of COV-1647 are recorded; the Calcutta HG 2 mark itself is recorded in use 1775–1787.
Questions about COV-1647
- What is COV-1647?
- COV-1647 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 2 February 1775, bearing the Calcutta HG 2 handstamp in black. Calcutta: 1775 (7 Feb.) entire letter from Croftes and Johnson to William Boughton Rous, Chief of the Provincial Council of Revenue at Dacca, showing "POST PAID" (HG 2) and, on reverse, a superb strike of the India Bishop mark for "7/FE" (HG X2) alongside an equally fine "CALCUTTA" (HG 1). A remarkable cover, being the earliest of the four India Bishop marks recorded in private hands. Note: It can now be established with certainty that the Bishop mark was introduced in the Calcutta General Post Office. The authority for its use in Calcutta is Bye-Rule 7 of the consultations dated 17 January 1774, reading "That all letters shall be stamped with the day of the month on which they are delivered into any chief office". The system was adopted on 31 March 1774. The Bishop mark was reproduced on a 2Rs. commemorative stamp issued by India Posts and Telegraphs in connection with the 1975 INPEX National Stamp Exhibition in Calcutta.
- How scarce is the Calcutta HG 2 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta HG 2 as very scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1775–1787.
- What is the provenance of COV-1647?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 8.
- When was COV-1647 posted?
- COV-1647 is dated 2 February 1775, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta HG 2 (1775–1787).
About this record
This 2 February 1775 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta HG 2 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Very scarce” in this census — one of 5 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, lot 8.