Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
22 December 1776
Description
Calcutta, 1776, Calcutta Bishop Mark (Giles X4). Folded letter datelined Calcutta Dec. 22, 1776, from Claud Alexander to his brother Boyd Alexander in Moorshedabad (Murshidabad, about 200km north of Calcutta), clear strikes of "CALCUTTA" and "POSTPAID" straightline handstamps (Giles 1a, 2a), well-struck "22/DEC" Bishop Mark datestamp with manuscript numeral date (Giles X4) on bottom flap, wax seal removed VERY FINE. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST SOUGHT-AFTER PRE-STAMP POSTAL MARKINGS OF INDIA--THE CALCUTTA BISHOP MARK--OF WHICH ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES ARE THOUGHT TO EXIST IN PRIVATE HANDS. The Calcutta Bishop mark was first introduced in 1775 and is based upon the design of the Henry Bishop marks of London. Despite a rule stating that all letters were to be stamped with the date and month received, the datestamp was evidently infrequently applied to letters. The sender, Claud Alexander, was a member of the East India Company for 15 years from 1771 to 1786. He eventually rose to Senior Merchant and Military Paymaster General for the company in Bengal. His brother, the recipient of the letter, joined him in India in 1776. He served as the East India Company Deputy Paymaster to the garrisons at Patna. Ex Frenkle.
Auction
Provenance
H.H. Frenkle "Magnolia" Dilip Shah
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-1839 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 22 December 1776 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, 1776, Calcutta Bishop Mark (Giles X4). Folded letter datelined Calcutta Dec. 22, 1776, from Claud Alexander to his brother Boyd Alexander in Moorshedabad (Murshidabad, about 200km north of Calcutta), clear strikes of "CALCUTTA" and "POSTPAID" straightline handstamps (Giles 1a, 2a), well-struck "22/DEC" Bishop Mark datestamp with manuscript numeral date (Giles X4) on bottom flap, wax seal removed VERY FINE. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST SOUGHT-AFTER PRE-STAMP POSTAL MARKINGS OF INDIA--THE CALCUTTA BISHOP MARK--OF WHICH ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES ARE THOUGHT TO EXIST IN PRIVATE HANDS. The Calcutta Bishop mark was first introduced in 1775 and is based upon the design of the Henry Bishop marks of London. Despite a rule stating that all letters were to be stamped with the date and month received, the datestamp was evidently infrequently applied to letters. The sender, Claud Alexander, was a member of the East India Company for 15 years from 1771 to 1786. He eventually rose to Senior Merchant and Military Paymaster General for the company in Bengal. His brother, the recipient of the letter, joined him in India in 1776. He served as the East India Company Deputy Paymaster to the garrisons at Patna. Ex Frenkle.
Its recorded auction history runs through Robson Lowe Frenkle lot 15 (Jan. 1977); Spink Dilip Shah lot 4 (Oct. 2001); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries 1286 lot 11 (May 2023).
1 image of COV-1839 is recorded (front); the Calcutta HG 2 mark itself is recorded in use 1775–1787.
Questions about COV-1839
- What is COV-1839?
- COV-1839 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 22 December 1776, bearing the Calcutta HG 2 handstamp in black. Calcutta, 1776, Calcutta Bishop Mark (Giles X4). Folded letter datelined Calcutta Dec. 22, 1776, from Claud Alexander to his brother Boyd Alexander in Moorshedabad (Murshidabad, about 200km north of Calcutta), clear strikes of "CALCUTTA" and "POSTPAID" straightline handstamps (Giles 1a, 2a), well-struck "22/DEC" Bishop Mark datestamp with manuscript numeral date (Giles X4) on bottom flap, wax seal removed VERY FINE. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST SOUGHT-AFTER PRE-STAMP POSTAL MARKINGS OF INDIA--THE CALCUTTA BISHOP MARK--OF WHICH ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES ARE THOUGHT TO EXIST IN PRIVATE HANDS. The Calcutta Bishop mark was first introduced in 1775 and is based upon the design of the Henry Bishop marks of London. Despite a rule stating that all letters were to be stamped with the date and month received, the datestamp was evidently infrequently applied to letters. The sender, Claud Alexander, was a member of the East India Company for 15 years from 1771 to 1786. He eventually rose to Senior Merchant and Military Paymaster General for the company in Bengal. His brother, the recipient of the letter, joined him in India in 1776. He served as the East India Company Deputy Paymaster to the garrisons at Patna. Ex Frenkle.
- 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-1839?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robson Lowe Frenkle lot 15 (Jan. 1977); Spink Dilip Shah lot 4 (Oct. 2001); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries 1286 lot 11 (May 2023).
- When was COV-1839 posted?
- COV-1839 is dated 22 December 1776, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta HG 2 (1775–1787).
About this record
This 22 December 1776 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 Robson Lowe, Frenkle, lot 15, (Jan. 1977); Spink, Dilip Shah, lot 4, (Oct. 2001); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, 1286, lot 11, (May 2023).