Scan or Photo Courtesy of Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd
Date
1795
Description
CALCUTTA - RARE OVAL-FRAMED "No./OZ.D/Weight/B.P. St Rs. [3]" PREPAID SHIP LETTER MARK WITH "LONDON/SHIP LRE"; 1795 E to Bonaw (Argyllshire) with rare oval-framed Calcutta "No./OZ.D/Weight/B.P. St Rs." on the rear with a large "LONDON/SHIP-LRE" and s/l "BONAW" h.s. on the front; charged "1" and then '2/1'. The oval mark is H-Giles Fig. SD1 of which he only records three examples (all of 1794); this cover is unrecorded and the latest example believed extant. Carried on the Dart which landed at Torbay on 19 Aug. 1795 with London arrival d.s. and Edinburgh Bishop mark on rear. Example in the Manning Collection sold by us in Sep. 2015 for £2000. Important exhibition item. Cross Reference: SCOTLAND, ARGYLL, INCOMING OVERSEAS MAIL, SHIP LETTERS
Auction
Auction held on 2-3 March 2022, Lot Lot 743
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-529 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1795 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?
CALCUTTA - RARE OVAL-FRAMED "No./OZ.D/Weight/B.P. St Rs. [3]" PREPAID SHIP LETTER MARK WITH "LONDON/SHIP LRE"; 1795 E to Bonaw (Argyllshire) with rare oval-framed Calcutta "No./OZ.D/Weight/B.P. St Rs." on the rear with a large "LONDON/SHIP-LRE" and s/l "BONAW" h.s. on the front; charged "1" and then '2/1'. The oval mark is H-Giles Fig. SD1 of which he only records three examples (all of 1794); this cover is unrecorded and the latest example believed extant. Carried on the Dart which landed at Torbay on 19 Aug. 1795 with London arrival d.s. and Edinburgh Bishop mark on rear. Example in the Manning Collection sold by us in Sep. 2015 for £2000. Important exhibition item. Cross Reference: SCOTLAND, ARGYLL, INCOMING OVERSEAS MAIL, SHIP LETTERS
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Auction held on 2-3 March 2022 lot Lot 743.
1 image of COV-529 is recorded (front); the Calcutta SD1 mark itself is recorded in use 1794–1795.
Questions about COV-529
- What is COV-529?
- COV-529 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1795, bearing the Calcutta SD1 handstamp in black. CALCUTTA - RARE OVAL-FRAMED "No./OZ.D/Weight/B.P. St Rs. [3]" PREPAID SHIP LETTER MARK WITH "LONDON/SHIP LRE"; 1795 E to Bonaw (Argyllshire) with rare oval-framed Calcutta "No./OZ.D/Weight/B.P. St Rs." on the rear with a large "LONDON/SHIP-LRE" and s/l "BONAW" h.s. on the front; charged "1" and then '2/1'. The oval mark is H-Giles Fig. SD1 of which he only records three examples (all of 1794); this cover is unrecorded and the latest example believed extant. Carried on the Dart which landed at Torbay on 19 Aug. 1795 with London arrival d.s. and Edinburgh Bishop mark on rear. Example in the Manning Collection sold by us in Sep. 2015 for £2000. Important exhibition item. Cross Reference: SCOTLAND, ARGYLL, INCOMING OVERSEAS MAIL, SHIP LETTERS
- 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-529?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Auction held on 2-3 March 2022 lot Lot 743.
- When was COV-529 posted?
- COV-529 is dated 1795, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD1 (1794–1795).
About this record
This 1795 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 Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Auction held on 2-3 March 2022, lot Lot 743.