Scan or Photo Courtesy of Grosvenor Auctions
Date
1840
Description
India: Pre-Stamp Mail with 1840 (Feb.) entire letter “pr Steamer via Bombay” to London rated ‘2/8’(d) with framed “CALCUTTA/STEAMER LETTER” Paid mark, London arrival datestamp and framed “INDIA” mark and 1853 (Apr.) entire letter “p Steamer Madras” to Marseilles rated ‘2/-’ with framed red “INDIA PAID” (Giles type SD20), red G.P.O mark (Giles type G14) and “INDES OR./1/MARSEILLE” (Salles type 730) datestamp. (2) Photo.
Auction
GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries, Lot 1807
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-5401 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1840 bearing the Calcutta SD16 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?
India: Pre-Stamp Mail with 1840 (Feb.) entire letter “pr Steamer via Bombay” to London rated ‘2/8’(d) with framed “CALCUTTA/STEAMER LETTER” Paid mark, London arrival datestamp and framed “INDIA” mark and 1853 (Apr.) entire letter “p Steamer Madras” to Marseilles rated ‘2/-’ with framed red “INDIA PAID” (Giles type SD20), red G.P.O mark (Giles type G14) and “INDES OR./1/MARSEILLE” (Salles type 730) datestamp. (2) Photo.
Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries lot 1807.
1 image of COV-5401 is recorded; the Calcutta SD16 mark itself is recorded in use 1838–1846.
Questions about COV-5401
- What is COV-5401?
- COV-5401 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1840, bearing the Calcutta SD16 handstamp in red. India: Pre-Stamp Mail with 1840 (Feb.) entire letter “pr Steamer via Bombay” to London rated ‘2/8’(d) with framed “CALCUTTA/STEAMER LETTER” Paid mark, London arrival datestamp and framed “INDIA” mark and 1853 (Apr.) entire letter “p Steamer Madras” to Marseilles rated ‘2/-’ with framed red “INDIA PAID” (Giles type SD20), red G.P.O mark (Giles type G14) and “INDES OR./1/MARSEILLE” (Salles type 730) datestamp. (2) Photo.
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD16 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD16 as very common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1838–1846.
- What is the provenance of COV-5401?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries lot 1807.
- When was COV-5401 posted?
- COV-5401 is dated 1840, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD16 (1838–1846).
About this record
This 1840 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD16 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Very common” in this census — one of 16 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions, GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries, lot 1807.