Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1846
Description
India, Calcutta, 1846, "INDI_" Framed Handstamp (Giles SD 16a). Bold strike in red on 1846 blue folded cover to London, England, sender's directive "p Steamer Bentnick via Marseilles", red "Calcutta G.P.O. Ship Letter, 2 JU 2, 1846" despatch datestamp on back (Giles SD11), London (Jul. 23) arrival backstamp, manuscript "1/10" rate marking, Very Fine strike of this defective handstamp
Auction
Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026), Lot 338, (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-5628 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 SD 16a). Bold strike in red on 1846 blue folded cover to London, England, sender's directive "p Steamer Bentnick via Marseilles", red "Calcutta G.P.O. Ship Letter, 2 JU 2, 1846" despatch datestamp on back (Giles SD11), London (Jul. 23) arrival backstamp, manuscript "1/10" rate marking, Very Fine strike of this defective handstamp
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026) lot 338 (2026).
2 images of COV-5628 are recorded; the Calcutta SD16a mark itself is recorded in use 1846–1851.
Questions about COV-5628
- What is COV-5628?
- COV-5628 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 SD 16a). Bold strike in red on 1846 blue folded cover to London, England, sender's directive "p Steamer Bentnick via Marseilles", red "Calcutta G.P.O. Ship Letter, 2 JU 2, 1846" despatch datestamp on back (Giles SD11), London (Jul. 23) arrival backstamp, manuscript "1/10" rate marking, Very Fine strike of this defective handstamp
- 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-5628?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026) lot 338 (2026).
- When was COV-5628 posted?
- COV-5628 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 20 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026), lot 338, (2026).