COV-2082
11 January 1838 Calcutta Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
11 January 1838
Description
Calcutta: 1838 (11 Jan.) entire letter from Calcutta to London, marked "pr Steamer via Bombay" and showing rare deep oval "INDIA" (HG 7) in black (four examples recorded), superb oval-framed "Care of Mr Waghorn Suez", Alexandria c.d.s., boxed "INDES ORIEN/PAR/ALEXANDRIE", "BRITISH/FOREIGN" and, on reverse, Calcutta Steam Letter Paid datestamp (HG SD12), oval-framed "PURIFIE AU LAZARET/MALTE" and arrival c.d.s. Photo. Corinphila - 1838 (Jan 11): Entire letter from Calcutta to Morrison Cryder & Co. in London endorsed "pr. Steamer via Bombay", with reverse showing framed "CALCUTTA / STEAM LETTER / PAID" in red (Jan 11) and rated in manuscript "1 rupee 15 annas" (1 rupee Red Sea Postage + 15 annas Indian internal postage); struck with superb oval framed "Care of / Mr. Waghorn / Suez" in black (Sidebottom type 3), signed and annotated "577", struck in Bombay with extremely rare usage of large oval "INDIA" in black. Carried on the EIC "Hugh Lindsay" from Bombay (Jan 26) arriving Suez (Feb 20) and placed in the French P.O. with "Alexandrie / Egypte" cds in black (Feb 27) and framed "INDES ORIEN / PAR / ALEXANDRIE" in black, thence via the French Packet "Mentor" to Syra (March 5) to Malta where disinfected by fumigation against Cholera with rare oval "PURIFIÉ AU LAZARET / MALTE" in black and the "Rhamses" to Marseille. London arrival cds (March 22) in black on reverse. Framed "BRITISH / FOREIGN" handstamp showing charge due of 1s. 10 d. British Postage + 1s 10½d. French Postage in manuscript for a letter under ¼ ounce, with total charge of "3/8½d." due to pay upon arrival. A superb and rare entire In delightful quality. Signed Todd AIEP
Auction
375, Lot 5077, (2026)
Provenance
Derek Hammond Giles "Camellia"
Same office
Other recorded marks at Calcutta
184 marks184 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
+178 more at this office.View all Calcutta marks and postal history →
About this Calcutta pre stamp cover
COV-2082 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 11 January 1838 bearing the Calcutta SD12 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?
Calcutta: 1838 (11 Jan.) entire letter from Calcutta to London, marked "pr Steamer via Bombay" and showing rare deep oval "INDIA" (HG 7) in black (four examples recorded), superb oval-framed "Care of Mr Waghorn Suez", Alexandria c.d.s., boxed "INDES ORIEN/PAR/ALEXANDRIE", "BRITISH/FOREIGN" and, on reverse, Calcutta Steam Letter Paid datestamp (HG SD12), oval-framed "PURIFIE AU LAZARET/MALTE" and arrival c.d.s. Photo. Corinphila - 1838 (Jan 11): Entire letter from Calcutta to Morrison Cryder & Co. in London endorsed "pr. Steamer via Bombay", with reverse showing framed "CALCUTTA / STEAM LETTER / PAID" in red (Jan 11) and rated in manuscript "1 rupee 15 annas" (1 rupee Red Sea Postage + 15 annas Indian internal postage); struck with superb oval framed "Care of / Mr. Waghorn / Suez" in black (Sidebottom type 3), signed and annotated "577", struck in Bombay with extremely rare usage of large oval "INDIA" in black. Carried on the EIC "Hugh Lindsay" from Bombay (Jan 26) arriving Suez (Feb 20) and placed in the French P.O. with "Alexandrie / Egypte" cds in black (Feb 27) and framed "INDES ORIEN / PAR / ALEXANDRIE" in black, thence via the French Packet "Mentor" to Syra (March 5) to Malta where disinfected by fumigation against Cholera with rare oval "PURIFIÉ AU LAZARET / MALTE" in black and the "Rhamses" to Marseille. London arrival cds (March 22) in black on reverse. Framed "BRITISH / FOREIGN" handstamp showing charge due of 1s. 10 d. British Postage + 1s 10½d. French Postage in manuscript for a letter under ¼ ounce, with total charge of "3/8½d." due to pay upon arrival. A superb and rare entire In delightful quality. Signed Todd AIEP
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink The Derek Hammond Giles Collection (Sale 1267) lot 414 (25 October 2000); and Corinphila Auctions 375 lot 5077 (2026).
1 image of COV-2082 is recorded; the Calcutta SD12 mark itself is recorded in use 1837–1851.
Questions about COV-2082
- What is COV-2082?
- COV-2082 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 11 January 1838, bearing the Calcutta SD12 handstamp in red. Calcutta: 1838 (11 Jan.) entire letter from Calcutta to London, marked "pr Steamer via Bombay" and showing rare deep oval "INDIA" (HG 7) in black (four examples recorded), superb oval-framed "Care of Mr Waghorn Suez", Alexandria c.d.s., boxed "INDES ORIEN/PAR/ALEXANDRIE", "BRITISH/FOREIGN" and, on reverse, Calcutta Steam Letter Paid datestamp (HG SD12), oval-framed "PURIFIE AU LAZARET/MALTE" and arrival c.d.s. Photo. Corinphila - 1838 (Jan 11): Entire letter from Calcutta to Morrison Cryder & Co. in London endorsed "pr. Steamer via Bombay", with reverse showing framed "CALCUTTA / STEAM LETTER / PAID" in red (Jan 11) and rated in manuscript "1 rupee 15 annas" (1 rupee Red Sea Postage + 15 annas Indian internal postage); struck with superb oval framed "Care of / Mr. Waghorn / Suez" in black (Sidebottom type 3), signed and annotated "577", struck in Bombay with extremely rare usage of large oval "INDIA" in black. Carried on the EIC "Hugh Lindsay" from Bombay (Jan 26) arriving Suez (Feb 20) and placed in the French P.O. with "Alexandrie / Egypte" cds in black (Feb 27) and framed "INDES ORIEN / PAR / ALEXANDRIE" in black, thence via the French Packet "Mentor" to Syra (March 5) to Malta where disinfected by fumigation against Cholera with rare oval "PURIFIÉ AU LAZARET / MALTE" in black and the "Rhamses" to Marseille. London arrival cds (March 22) in black on reverse. Framed "BRITISH / FOREIGN" handstamp showing charge due of 1s. 10 d. British Postage + 1s 10½d. French Postage in manuscript for a letter under ¼ ounce, with total charge of "3/8½d." due to pay upon arrival. A superb and rare entire In delightful quality. Signed Todd AIEP
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD12 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD12 as very common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1837–1851.
- What is the provenance of COV-2082?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink The Derek Hammond Giles Collection (Sale 1267) lot 414 (25 October 2000); and Corinphila Auctions 375 lot 5077 (2026).
- When was COV-2082 posted?
- COV-2082 is dated 11 January 1838, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD12 (1837–1851).
About this record
This 11 January 1838 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD12 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Very common” in this census — one of 31 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, The Derek Hammond Giles Collection (Sale 1267), lot 414, (25 October 2000); Corinphila Auctions, 375, lot 5077, (2026).