Scan or Photo Courtesy of Grosvenor Auctions
Date
1818
Description
India: 1818 (Mar. 3) entire (partly cross-written, small piece missing from one page) to Edinburgh with double ring “CALCUTTA POST NOT PAID” c.d.s. (Giles SD6, date in manuscript) with London (on reverse) and Edinburgh arrival datestamps and a framed “1/2” Scottish turnpike charge mark, re-rated twice for a final total of ‘3/8’(d). Letter written by Major Herbert of the 23rd Regiment of foot (part of the Nagpoor Subsidiary Force) to his mother. “Only four regiments remained behind our force. One at the capital and the other three at Hussingbad. He [the Prince of Nagpoor] expected with his enumerable contingent he could easily cut us down in such small numbers. He had a force of 60,000 at the capital....after a very hard contest he was entirely defeated. He threw himself on our mercy and is again reinstated but we have taken the best part of his country from him”. Further reference to the battle of Serinagur. “They had advantageous ground....a heavy salute from all their cannon...they forced me to bow to save my head from a very ugly blow....shot passed me without 3 feet. I seized 4 beautiful hunting hawks which I have been allowed to keep” and the battle of Holkar “....[they] rose up against us with an army of 40,000 horse and 30,000 foot. He was attacked by an army of ours 12,000 strong commanded by Sir Thomas Hislop [1764-1843] our loss was 500 killed and wounded and 3 officers killed and 33 wounded. This is a glorous period in Indian history for the Marquiss of Hastings....the greater part of the Pindaris are also destroyed and they sue for mercy”. Exceptional insight into the Third Mahratta War. Photo.
Auction
GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries, Lot 1066, (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-4914 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1818 bearing the Calcutta SD6 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: 1818 (Mar. 3) entire (partly cross-written, small piece missing from one page) to Edinburgh with double ring “CALCUTTA POST NOT PAID” c.d.s. (Giles SD6, date in manuscript) with London (on reverse) and Edinburgh arrival datestamps and a framed “1/2” Scottish turnpike charge mark, re-rated twice for a final total of ‘3/8’(d). Letter written by Major Herbert of the 23rd Regiment of foot (part of the Nagpoor Subsidiary Force) to his mother. “Only four regiments remained behind our force. One at the capital and the other three at Hussingbad. He [the Prince of Nagpoor] expected with his enumerable contingent he could easily cut us down in such small numbers. He had a force of 60,000 at the capital....after a very hard contest he was entirely defeated. He threw himself on our mercy and is again reinstated but we have taken the best part of his country from him”. Further reference to the battle of Serinagur. “They had advantageous ground....a heavy salute from all their cannon...they forced me to bow to save my head from a very ugly blow....shot passed me without 3 feet. I seized 4 beautiful hunting hawks which I have been allowed to keep” and the battle of Holkar “....[they] rose up against us with an army of 40,000 horse and 30,000 foot. He was attacked by an army of ours 12,000 strong commanded by Sir Thomas Hislop [1764-1843] our loss was 500 killed and wounded and 3 officers killed and 33 wounded. This is a glorous period in Indian history for the Marquiss of Hastings....the greater part of the Pindaris are also destroyed and they sue for mercy”. Exceptional insight into the Third Mahratta War. Photo.
Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries lot 1066 (2026).
1 image of COV-4914 is recorded; the Calcutta SD6 mark itself is recorded in use 1816–1819.
Questions about COV-4914
- What is COV-4914?
- COV-4914 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1818, bearing the Calcutta SD6 handstamp in black. India: 1818 (Mar. 3) entire (partly cross-written, small piece missing from one page) to Edinburgh with double ring “CALCUTTA POST NOT PAID” c.d.s. (Giles SD6, date in manuscript) with London (on reverse) and Edinburgh arrival datestamps and a framed “1/2” Scottish turnpike charge mark, re-rated twice for a final total of ‘3/8’(d). Letter written by Major Herbert of the 23rd Regiment of foot (part of the Nagpoor Subsidiary Force) to his mother. “Only four regiments remained behind our force. One at the capital and the other three at Hussingbad. He [the Prince of Nagpoor] expected with his enumerable contingent he could easily cut us down in such small numbers. He had a force of 60,000 at the capital....after a very hard contest he was entirely defeated. He threw himself on our mercy and is again reinstated but we have taken the best part of his country from him”. Further reference to the battle of Serinagur. “They had advantageous ground....a heavy salute from all their cannon...they forced me to bow to save my head from a very ugly blow....shot passed me without 3 feet. I seized 4 beautiful hunting hawks which I have been allowed to keep” and the battle of Holkar “....[they] rose up against us with an army of 40,000 horse and 30,000 foot. He was attacked by an army of ours 12,000 strong commanded by Sir Thomas Hislop [1764-1843] our loss was 500 killed and wounded and 3 officers killed and 33 wounded. This is a glorous period in Indian history for the Marquiss of Hastings....the greater part of the Pindaris are also destroyed and they sue for mercy”. Exceptional insight into the Third Mahratta War. Photo.
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD6 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD6 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1816–1819.
- What is the provenance of COV-4914?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries lot 1066 (2026).
- When was COV-4914 posted?
- COV-4914 is dated 1818, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD6 (1816–1819).
About this record
This 1818 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD6 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 Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions, GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries, lot 1066, (2026).