Scan or Photo Courtesy of David Feldman Auctions
Date
1838
Description
Dublin/India Ship Letter – 1838 (May 23) Entire letter from the Calcutta, India to The London Missionary Society, endorsed pr.”Lady Clifford” and noted insided that “as there will be no steamer going to the Red Sea for a month or two, this is forwarded by the Cape Route” land at Dublin and showing on face the very rare Dublin mixed type face Ship Letter/from/INDIA in black, struck to denote the lower rate of fourpence applicable to incoming India Letters, Calcutta and London bs. Rated 4d India and 15d Dublin to London, plus 2d London local rate paying a total of “1/9”. An extremely rare usage with only a hndful recorded. Provenance: Brian Wallas and Robertson. Mounted on the original Robertson part page with his notations.
Auction
Autumn 2025 Auction Series — Ireland, Lot 60082A, (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-4947 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1838 bearing the Calcutta SD11 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?
Dublin/India Ship Letter – 1838 (May 23) Entire letter from the Calcutta, India to The London Missionary Society, endorsed pr.”Lady Clifford” and noted insided that “as there will be no steamer going to the Red Sea for a month or two, this is forwarded by the Cape Route” land at Dublin and showing on face the very rare Dublin mixed type face Ship Letter/from/INDIA in black, struck to denote the lower rate of fourpence applicable to incoming India Letters, Calcutta and London bs. Rated 4d India and 15d Dublin to London, plus 2d London local rate paying a total of “1/9”. An extremely rare usage with only a hndful recorded. Provenance: Brian Wallas and Robertson. Mounted on the original Robertson part page with his notations.
Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman SA Autumn 2025 Auction Series — Ireland lot 60082A (2025).
1 image of COV-4947 is recorded; the Calcutta SD11 mark itself is recorded in use 1837–1855.
Questions about COV-4947
- What is COV-4947?
- COV-4947 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1838, bearing the Calcutta SD11 handstamp in black. Dublin/India Ship Letter – 1838 (May 23) Entire letter from the Calcutta, India to The London Missionary Society, endorsed pr.”Lady Clifford” and noted insided that “as there will be no steamer going to the Red Sea for a month or two, this is forwarded by the Cape Route” land at Dublin and showing on face the very rare Dublin mixed type face Ship Letter/from/INDIA in black, struck to denote the lower rate of fourpence applicable to incoming India Letters, Calcutta and London bs. Rated 4d India and 15d Dublin to London, plus 2d London local rate paying a total of “1/9”. An extremely rare usage with only a hndful recorded. Provenance: Brian Wallas and Robertson. Mounted on the original Robertson part page with his notations.
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD11 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD11 as very common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1837–1855.
- What is the provenance of COV-4947?
- Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman SA Autumn 2025 Auction Series — Ireland lot 60082A (2025).
- When was COV-4947 posted?
- COV-4947 is dated 1838, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD11 (1837–1855).
About this record
This 1838 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD11 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Very common” in this census — one of 22 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with David Feldman, Autumn 2025 Auction Series — Ireland, lot 60082A, (2025).