Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1816
Description
INDIA, Calcutta, 1817, "KING'S SEA/POSTE. PAID./CALCUTTA" Handstamp in Red (Giles SD5). Clear strike in red on folded letter with docketing indicating Apr. 12, 1817 despatch to Inverness, Scotland, sender's directive "Shipping postage paid, per Waterloo", faint strike of "Ship Letter London", "More to Pay", and "Add 1/2d" handstamps, erroneously rated "6" and corrected to "1/2" and then "1/5", London Oct. 29 arrival backstamp, Very Fine, a scarce strike of this King's Sea Post marking, this was in use from April 1816 to December 1818, ex Fox
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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-79 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 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?
INDIA, Calcutta, 1817, "KING'S SEA/POSTE. PAID./CALCUTTA" Handstamp in Red (Giles SD5). Clear strike in red on folded letter with docketing indicating Apr. 12, 1817 despatch to Inverness, Scotland, sender's directive "Shipping postage paid, per Waterloo", faint strike of "Ship Letter London", "More to Pay", and "Add 1/2d" handstamps, erroneously rated "6" and corrected to "1/2" and then "1/5", London Oct. 29 arrival backstamp, Very Fine, a scarce strike of this King's Sea Post marking, this was in use from April 1816 to December 1818, ex Fox
Its recorded auction history runs through Auktionen Gaertner Asia Auction No.21 lot 1039 (6 February 2012); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6010.
2 images of COV-79 are recorded (front, back); the Calcutta SD5 mark itself is recorded in use 1816–1818.
Questions about COV-79
- What is COV-79?
- COV-79 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1816, bearing the Calcutta SD5 handstamp in red. INDIA, Calcutta, 1817, "KING'S SEA/POSTE. PAID./CALCUTTA" Handstamp in Red (Giles SD5). Clear strike in red on folded letter with docketing indicating Apr. 12, 1817 despatch to Inverness, Scotland, sender's directive "Shipping postage paid, per Waterloo", faint strike of "Ship Letter London", "More to Pay", and "Add 1/2d" handstamps, erroneously rated "6" and corrected to "1/2" and then "1/5", London Oct. 29 arrival backstamp, Very Fine, a scarce strike of this King's Sea Post marking, this was in use from April 1816 to December 1818, ex Fox
- 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-79?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Auktionen Gaertner Asia Auction No.21 lot 1039 (6 February 2012); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6010.
- When was COV-79 posted?
- COV-79 is dated 1816, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD5 (1816–1818).
About this record
This 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 Auktionen Gaertner, Asia Auction No.21, lot 1039, (6 February 2012); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 1301, lot 6010.