Scan or Photo Courtesy of Kishore Chandak
Date
20 April 1789
Description
1788: HG 8: Letter posted from LONDON [Apr. 15] to CALCUTTA [20 April 1789]. Transit time 370 day Postage due on arrival at CALCUTTA 1An.The postage levied in CALCUTTA is shown in manuscript against the hand struck mark as "1 An Bg. Pe"being one half of the postage on inland letters, which was levied on all letters coming by sea. [Consultation dated 17 Jan. 1774]This letter was carried from the U.K. on the "AIRLY CASTLE" ", a sailing ship, launched in 1787 and used on LONDON - INDIA run until 1813, and, in the present case, was on her Maiden voyage, taking about just more than one year to reach CALCUTTA. Her captain on this voyage was "Captain Charies Stewart". This handstamp: In two lines "GEN POST OFFICE / BEAR POS: APRIL 20 1789" was used at CALCUTTA G.P.O. as receipt stamp only for two years i.e. 1788..1789. The other stamp is exactly the same one but being clear one, also displayed.
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 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-738 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 20 April 1789 bearing the Calcutta HG 8 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?
1788: HG 8: Letter posted from LONDON [Apr. 15] to CALCUTTA [20 April 1789]. Transit time 370 day Postage due on arrival at CALCUTTA 1An.The postage levied in CALCUTTA is shown in manuscript against the hand struck mark as "1 An Bg. Pe"being one half of the postage on inland letters, which was levied on all letters coming by sea. [Consultation dated 17 Jan. 1774]This letter was carried from the U.K. on the "AIRLY CASTLE" ", a sailing ship, launched in 1787 and used on LONDON - INDIA run until 1813, and, in the present case, was on her Maiden voyage, taking about just more than one year to reach CALCUTTA. Her captain on this voyage was "Captain Charies Stewart". This handstamp: In two lines "GEN POST OFFICE / BEAR POS: APRIL 20 1789" was used at CALCUTTA G.P.O. as receipt stamp only for two years i.e. 1788..1789. The other stamp is exactly the same one but being clear one, also displayed.
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 11 (Oct. 2000).
1 image of COV-738 is recorded; the Calcutta HG 8 mark itself is recorded in use 1788–1789.
Questions about COV-738
- What is COV-738?
- COV-738 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 20 April 1789, bearing the Calcutta HG 8 handstamp in black. 1788: HG 8: Letter posted from LONDON [Apr. 15] to CALCUTTA [20 April 1789]. Transit time 370 day Postage due on arrival at CALCUTTA 1An.The postage levied in CALCUTTA is shown in manuscript against the hand struck mark as "1 An Bg. Pe"being one half of the postage on inland letters, which was levied on all letters coming by sea. [Consultation dated 17 Jan. 1774]This letter was carried from the U.K. on the "AIRLY CASTLE" ", a sailing ship, launched in 1787 and used on LONDON - INDIA run until 1813, and, in the present case, was on her Maiden voyage, taking about just more than one year to reach CALCUTTA. Her captain on this voyage was "Captain Charies Stewart". This handstamp: In two lines "GEN POST OFFICE / BEAR POS: APRIL 20 1789" was used at CALCUTTA G.P.O. as receipt stamp only for two years i.e. 1788..1789. The other stamp is exactly the same one but being clear one, also displayed.
- How scarce is the Calcutta HG 8 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta HG 8 as very scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1788–1789.
- What is the provenance of COV-738?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 11 (Oct. 2000).
- When was COV-738 posted?
- COV-738 is dated 20 April 1789, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta HG 8 (1788–1789).
About this record
This 20 April 1789 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta HG 8 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Very scarce” in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, lot 11, (Oct. 2000).