Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1854
Description
India, 1854, 2a Green (5; SG 31). Vertical strip of three, mostly large margins to just touching top stamp at bottom right, tied by diamond of dots cancels on mostly complete 1854 folded cover originating in Bordeaux, France, addressed to Akyab, Burma, red Bordeaux Aug. 23, 1854 double-circle despatch datestamp, red framed "P.P." and blue company cachet handstamps, ½a strip applied in Calcutta for inland forwarding postage with slightly blurry red Calcutta Oct. 1854 datestamp on back, date is clearly single digit indicating use within the first week of issue use (Oct. 4 was first day), cover with fairly heavy edgewear and some flaws to flaps on back FINE AND UNUSUAL USE OF THE 1854 2-ANNAS TYPOGRAPH USED AS FORWARDING POSTAGE IN CALCUTTA ON COVER FROM FRANCE TO AKYAB, BURMA. ALSO A VERY EARLY FIRST WEEK OF USE IN OCTOBER 1854. Signed Calves.
Auction
The Magnolia Collection: India Stamps and Postal History, Part 5, Lot 175, (09/30/2025)
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-4713 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1854 bearing the Calcutta HG 27 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?
India, 1854, 2a Green (5; SG 31). Vertical strip of three, mostly large margins to just touching top stamp at bottom right, tied by diamond of dots cancels on mostly complete 1854 folded cover originating in Bordeaux, France, addressed to Akyab, Burma, red Bordeaux Aug. 23, 1854 double-circle despatch datestamp, red framed "P.P." and blue company cachet handstamps, ½a strip applied in Calcutta for inland forwarding postage with slightly blurry red Calcutta Oct. 1854 datestamp on back, date is clearly single digit indicating use within the first week of issue use (Oct. 4 was first day), cover with fairly heavy edgewear and some flaws to flaps on back FINE AND UNUSUAL USE OF THE 1854 2-ANNAS TYPOGRAPH USED AS FORWARDING POSTAGE IN CALCUTTA ON COVER FROM FRANCE TO AKYAB, BURMA. ALSO A VERY EARLY FIRST WEEK OF USE IN OCTOBER 1854. Signed Calves.
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Stamps and Postal History, Part 5 lot 175 (09/30/2025).
2 images of COV-4713 are recorded (front, back); the Calcutta HG 27 mark itself is recorded in use 1847–1854.
Questions about COV-4713
- What is COV-4713?
- COV-4713 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1854, bearing the Calcutta HG 27 handstamp in red. India, 1854, 2a Green (5; SG 31). Vertical strip of three, mostly large margins to just touching top stamp at bottom right, tied by diamond of dots cancels on mostly complete 1854 folded cover originating in Bordeaux, France, addressed to Akyab, Burma, red Bordeaux Aug. 23, 1854 double-circle despatch datestamp, red framed "P.P." and blue company cachet handstamps, ½a strip applied in Calcutta for inland forwarding postage with slightly blurry red Calcutta Oct. 1854 datestamp on back, date is clearly single digit indicating use within the first week of issue use (Oct. 4 was first day), cover with fairly heavy edgewear and some flaws to flaps on back FINE AND UNUSUAL USE OF THE 1854 2-ANNAS TYPOGRAPH USED AS FORWARDING POSTAGE IN CALCUTTA ON COVER FROM FRANCE TO AKYAB, BURMA. ALSO A VERY EARLY FIRST WEEK OF USE IN OCTOBER 1854. Signed Calves.
- How scarce is the Calcutta HG 27 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta HG 27 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1847–1854.
- What is the provenance of COV-4713?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Stamps and Postal History, Part 5 lot 175 (09/30/2025).
- When was COV-4713 posted?
- COV-4713 is dated 1854, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta HG 27 (1847–1854).
About this record
This 1854 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta HG 27 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 14 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, The Magnolia Collection: India Stamps and Postal History, Part 5, lot 175, (09/30/2025).