Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1846
Description
India, Calcutta, 1846, "INDI_" Framed Handstamp (Giles SD16a). Bold strike in red on greenish 1846 folded partially printed letter to Wrexham, England, sender's directive "p Hindustan Steamer via Southampton" , red Calcutta Jul. 3 despatch datestamp on back, London (Aug. 25) transit and Wrexham (Aug. 26) arrival backstamps, manuscript "1/-" rate marking, Very Fine strike of this defective marking
Auction
The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026), Lot 10060, (2026)
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-5273 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1846 bearing the Calcutta SD16a 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, Calcutta, 1846, "INDI_" Framed Handstamp (Giles SD16a). Bold strike in red on greenish 1846 folded partially printed letter to Wrexham, England, sender's directive "p Hindustan Steamer via Southampton" , red Calcutta Jul. 3 despatch datestamp on back, London (Aug. 25) transit and Wrexham (Aug. 26) arrival backstamps, manuscript "1/-" rate marking, Very Fine strike of this defective marking
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026) lot 10060 (2026).
2 images of COV-5273 are recorded; the Calcutta SD16a mark itself is recorded in use 1846–1851.
Questions about COV-5273
- What is COV-5273?
- COV-5273 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1846, bearing the Calcutta SD16a handstamp in red. India, Calcutta, 1846, "INDI_" Framed Handstamp (Giles SD16a). Bold strike in red on greenish 1846 folded partially printed letter to Wrexham, England, sender's directive "p Hindustan Steamer via Southampton" , red Calcutta Jul. 3 despatch datestamp on back, London (Aug. 25) transit and Wrexham (Aug. 26) arrival backstamps, manuscript "1/-" rate marking, Very Fine strike of this defective marking
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD16a mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD16a as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1846–1851.
- What is the provenance of COV-5273?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026) lot 10060 (2026).
- When was COV-5273 posted?
- COV-5273 is dated 1846, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD16a (1846–1851).
About this record
This 1846 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD16a handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 19 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026), lot 10060, (2026).