Scan or Photo Courtesy of Grosvenor Auctions
Date
26 June 1775
Description
India: The Charles William Boughton Rous Dacca Archive (1770–1782): 1775 (June 26) entire letter (two vertical file folds) to Dacca with “POSTPAID” mark at top of the address panel with manuscript ‘3’ (annas) alongside. Reverse with very fine “CALCUTTA” straight line mark and segmented circular “JUNE” Bishop mark endorsed ‘26’ in the lower segment. Compelling contents concerning the trial and execution in the Nandakumar conspiracy referring to him as a “Capital Villain” with the writer, Samuel Burges expressing relief as to the East India Company’s elite establishment, “It is expected that Monday evening will be the day of the execution”. Very rare example of an Indian Bishop mark of which perhaps a dozen, including institutional examples, are believed to exist. This thought to be the third earliest example of this pioneering example of Indian marcophily. Exhibition centrepiece and an important foundation item for a major postal history collection. Photo.
Auction
GPA 176: British Empire & Foreign Countries (3 December 2026), Lot 1017, (2026)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Calcutta
184 marks184 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
+178 more at this office.View all Calcutta marks and postal history →
About this Calcutta pre stamp cover
COV-5772 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 26 June 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?
India: The Charles William Boughton Rous Dacca Archive (1770–1782): 1775 (June 26) entire letter (two vertical file folds) to Dacca with “POSTPAID” mark at top of the address panel with manuscript ‘3’ (annas) alongside. Reverse with very fine “CALCUTTA” straight line mark and segmented circular “JUNE” Bishop mark endorsed ‘26’ in the lower segment. Compelling contents concerning the trial and execution in the Nandakumar conspiracy referring to him as a “Capital Villain” with the writer, Samuel Burges expressing relief as to the East India Company’s elite establishment, “It is expected that Monday evening will be the day of the execution”. Very rare example of an Indian Bishop mark of which perhaps a dozen, including institutional examples, are believed to exist. This thought to be the third earliest example of this pioneering example of Indian marcophily. Exhibition centrepiece and an important foundation item for a major postal history collection. Photo.
Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 176: British Empire & Foreign Countries (3 December 2026) lot 1017 (2026).
4 images of COV-5772 are recorded (front); the Calcutta HG 2 mark itself is recorded in use 1775–1787.
Questions about COV-5772
- What is COV-5772?
- COV-5772 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 26 June 1775, bearing the Calcutta HG 2 handstamp in black. India: The Charles William Boughton Rous Dacca Archive (1770–1782): 1775 (June 26) entire letter (two vertical file folds) to Dacca with “POSTPAID” mark at top of the address panel with manuscript ‘3’ (annas) alongside. Reverse with very fine “CALCUTTA” straight line mark and segmented circular “JUNE” Bishop mark endorsed ‘26’ in the lower segment. Compelling contents concerning the trial and execution in the Nandakumar conspiracy referring to him as a “Capital Villain” with the writer, Samuel Burges expressing relief as to the East India Company’s elite establishment, “It is expected that Monday evening will be the day of the execution”. Very rare example of an Indian Bishop mark of which perhaps a dozen, including institutional examples, are believed to exist. This thought to be the third earliest example of this pioneering example of Indian marcophily. Exhibition centrepiece and an important foundation item for a major postal history collection. Photo.
- 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-5772?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 176: British Empire & Foreign Countries (3 December 2026) lot 1017 (2026).
- When was COV-5772 posted?
- COV-5772 is dated 26 June 1775, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta HG 2 (1775–1787).
About this record
This 26 June 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 6 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions, GPA 176: British Empire & Foreign Countries (3 December 2026), lot 1017, (2026).