Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
2 June 1794
Description
INDIA: 1794 entire letter, dated within "Calcutta, 2nd June 1794" per East Indiaman "Boddington" to London, bearing two strikes of "LONDON/SHIP LRE" handstamp (Robertson Type S5), with manuscript "2" London charge mark alongside, backstamped Calcutta oval-framed "No. /oz. d/ Weight./B.P.SaRs." (Hammond Giles No. SD1) with manuscript "5" within, and circular (London) "A. AU/3/95" arrival mark (RL Type 6) - the ship having been delayed by storm damage in Penang
Auction
Certificates
Bpa 87,353
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-527 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 2 June 1794 bearing the Calcutta SD1 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: 1794 entire letter, dated within "Calcutta, 2nd June 1794" per East Indiaman "Boddington" to London, bearing two strikes of "LONDON/SHIP LRE" handstamp (Robertson Type S5), with manuscript "2" London charge mark alongside, backstamped Calcutta oval-framed "No. /oz. d/ Weight./B.P.SaRs." (Hammond Giles No. SD1) with manuscript "5" within, and circular (London) "A. AU/3/95" arrival mark (RL Type 6) - the ship having been delayed by storm damage in Penang
Its recorded auction history runs through Private.
1 image of COV-527 is recorded (front); the Calcutta SD1 mark itself is recorded in use 1794–1795.
Questions about COV-527
- What is COV-527?
- COV-527 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 2 June 1794, bearing the Calcutta SD1 handstamp in black. INDIA: 1794 entire letter, dated within "Calcutta, 2nd June 1794" per East Indiaman "Boddington" to London, bearing two strikes of "LONDON/SHIP LRE" handstamp (Robertson Type S5), with manuscript "2" London charge mark alongside, backstamped Calcutta oval-framed "No. /oz. d/ Weight./B.P.SaRs." (Hammond Giles No. SD1) with manuscript "5" within, and circular (London) "A. AU/3/95" arrival mark (RL Type 6) - the ship having been delayed by storm damage in Penang
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD1 as rare, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1794–1795.
- What is the provenance of COV-527?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Private. Certificate: Bpa 87,353.
- When was COV-527 posted?
- COV-527 is dated 2 June 1794, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD1 (1794–1795).
About this record
This 2 June 1794 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD1 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Rare” in this census — one of 6 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Private. Certified: Bpa 87,353.