COV-216
18 March 1808 Calcutta Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
18 March 1808
Description
India, Calcutta, 1808, "Bengal/G.PO./MARCH/Post Paid" Oval Handstamp (Giles SD2). Clearly struck over flap on back of 1808 folded letter to London, England, datelined Calcutta Mar. 18, 1808, Very Fine strike, with the absence of additional postal markings or rated charges due, we presume this was carried outside the mails to London
Auction
Sale 9020, Lot 10023, — The Magnolia Collection Part 5
Provenance
"Magnolia"
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-216 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 18 March 1808 bearing the Calcutta SD2 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?
India, Calcutta, 1808, "Bengal/G.PO./MARCH/Post Paid" Oval Handstamp (Giles SD2). Clearly struck over flap on back of 1808 folded letter to London, England, datelined Calcutta Mar. 18, 1808, Very Fine strike, with the absence of additional postal markings or rated charges due, we presume this was carried outside the mails to London
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9020 lot 10023.
2 images of COV-216 are recorded (front, back); the Calcutta SD2 mark itself is recorded in use 1799–1816.
Questions about COV-216
- What is COV-216?
- COV-216 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 18 March 1808, bearing the Calcutta SD2 handstamp in black. India, Calcutta, 1808, "Bengal/G.PO./MARCH/Post Paid" Oval Handstamp (Giles SD2). Clearly struck over flap on back of 1808 folded letter to London, England, datelined Calcutta Mar. 18, 1808, Very Fine strike, with the absence of additional postal markings or rated charges due, we presume this was carried outside the mails to London
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD2 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD2 as very common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1799–1816.
- What is the provenance of COV-216?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9020 lot 10023.
- When was COV-216 posted?
- COV-216 is dated 18 March 1808, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD2 (1799–1816).
About this record
This 18 March 1808 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD2 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Very common” in this census — one of 26 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 9020, lot 10023.