COV-2106
31 December 1816 Calcutta Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd
Date
31 December 1816
Description
CALCUTTA - “KING’S SEA/POST PAID./CALCUTTA” IN RED (COVER WITH “MORE TO PAY”) OR RARE BLACK INK (FRONT); 31 Dec. 1816 EL from “Calcutta” to London with a very fine red octagon-boxed “KING’S SEA/POSTAGE PAID./CALCUTTA” (HG SD5; early usage in red) on the front unusually along with a mainly very fine rare boxed London “MORE TO PAY” mark with “9[d]” charge (overweight?); plus a 1 June 1816 front with a very fine octagon-boxed “KING’S SEA/POSTAGE PAID./CALCUTTA” (HG SD5 - “Rare” in black; only known Mar. to July 1816) beside a framed step-type “LIVERPOOL/SHIP LETTER”. Good pair. (2 items) PHOTO - see below
Auction
Lot 55, (Sept. 2015)
Provenance
Michael Manning
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-2106 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 31 December 1816 bearing the Calcutta SD5 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 - “KING’S SEA/POST PAID./CALCUTTA” IN RED (COVER WITH “MORE TO PAY”) OR RARE BLACK INK (FRONT); 31 Dec. 1816 EL from “Calcutta” to London with a very fine red octagon-boxed “KING’S SEA/POSTAGE PAID./CALCUTTA” (HG SD5; early usage in red) on the front unusually along with a mainly very fine rare boxed London “MORE TO PAY” mark with “9[d]” charge (overweight?); plus a 1 June 1816 front with a very fine octagon-boxed “KING’S SEA/POSTAGE PAID./CALCUTTA” (HG SD5 - “Rare” in black; only known Mar. to July 1816) beside a framed step-type “LIVERPOOL/SHIP LETTER”. Good pair. (2 items) PHOTO - see below
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd lot 55 (Sept. 2015).
1 image of COV-2106 is recorded; the Calcutta SD5 mark itself is recorded in use 1816–1818.
Questions about COV-2106
- What is COV-2106?
- COV-2106 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 31 December 1816, bearing the Calcutta SD5 handstamp in red. CALCUTTA - “KING’S SEA/POST PAID./CALCUTTA” IN RED (COVER WITH “MORE TO PAY”) OR RARE BLACK INK (FRONT); 31 Dec. 1816 EL from “Calcutta” to London with a very fine red octagon-boxed “KING’S SEA/POSTAGE PAID./CALCUTTA” (HG SD5; early usage in red) on the front unusually along with a mainly very fine rare boxed London “MORE TO PAY” mark with “9[d]” charge (overweight?); plus a 1 June 1816 front with a very fine octagon-boxed “KING’S SEA/POSTAGE PAID./CALCUTTA” (HG SD5 - “Rare” in black; only known Mar. to July 1816) beside a framed step-type “LIVERPOOL/SHIP LETTER”. Good pair. (2 items) PHOTO - see below
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1816–1818.
- What is the provenance of COV-2106?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd lot 55 (Sept. 2015).
- When was COV-2106 posted?
- COV-2106 is dated 31 December 1816, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD5 (1816–1818).
About this record
This 31 December 1816 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD5 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 27 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, lot 55, (Sept. 2015).