Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
8 November 1824
Description
Siegel - India, Ghazeepore, 1824, "GHAZEEPORE FULL POST Pd" Double-Circle Handstamp (Giles 2). Mostly complete handstamp with manuscript "10as" rate and "8 Nov. 1824" date marking on back of folded letter to London, England, framed "INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON" handstamp (Robertson In. 3a), Calcutta General Post Office (Nov. 24, Giles SD8a) transit and red London (Apr. 14, 1825) arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/-" rate marking, Very Fine, noted as "scarce" by Giles Cavendish - SOUTHAMPTON/GHAZEEPORE - BOXED INDIA LETTER & RARE 2-RING “FULL POST Pd” MARKS, ETC.; Fine 7 Nov. 1824 EL (long family letter; full typed transcript) from “Ghazipore” to London with a mostly fine large rare distinctive 2-ring “GHAZEEPORE FULL POST Pd” (HG2; “Scarce” - believed to be only one other example recorded!) on the top flap alongside a very fine boxed “INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON” (Rob. In.1); plus 5 Jan. 1822 EL (typed transcript) from “Nuseerabad” to London “Per Ship Fairlie” with a Calcutta c.d.s. (25 Jan.) and a very fine boxed “INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON” (Rob. In.1) both nicely placed on the front. Good pair; the Ghazeepore mark is an Important Indian Prestamp Exhibition Item. (2 covers) PHOTO - see opposite
Auction
Provenance
"Magnolia" Derek Hammond Giles 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-236 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 8 November 1824 bearing the Calcutta SD8 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?
Siegel - India, Ghazeepore, 1824, "GHAZEEPORE FULL POST Pd" Double-Circle Handstamp (Giles 2). Mostly complete handstamp with manuscript "10as" rate and "8 Nov. 1824" date marking on back of folded letter to London, England, framed "INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON" handstamp (Robertson In. 3a), Calcutta General Post Office (Nov. 24, Giles SD8a) transit and red London (Apr. 14, 1825) arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/-" rate marking, Very Fine, noted as "scarce" by Giles Cavendish - SOUTHAMPTON/GHAZEEPORE - BOXED INDIA LETTER & RARE 2-RING “FULL POST Pd” MARKS, ETC.; Fine 7 Nov. 1824 EL (long family letter; full typed transcript) from “Ghazipore” to London with a mostly fine large rare distinctive 2-ring “GHAZEEPORE FULL POST Pd” (HG2; “Scarce” - believed to be only one other example recorded!) on the top flap alongside a very fine boxed “INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON” (Rob. In.1); plus 5 Jan. 1822 EL (typed transcript) from “Nuseerabad” to London “Per Ship Fairlie” with a Calcutta c.d.s. (25 Jan.) and a very fine boxed “INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON” (Rob. In.1) both nicely placed on the front. Good pair; the Ghazeepore mark is an Important Indian Prestamp Exhibition Item. (2 covers) PHOTO - see opposite
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 176 (Oct. 2000); Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 197 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9020 lot 10043 (Mar. 2025).
2 images of COV-236 are recorded (front, back); the Calcutta SD8 mark itself is recorded in use 1820-24.
Questions about COV-236
- What is COV-236?
- COV-236 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 8 November 1824, bearing the Calcutta SD8 handstamp in black. Siegel - India, Ghazeepore, 1824, "GHAZEEPORE FULL POST Pd" Double-Circle Handstamp (Giles 2). Mostly complete handstamp with manuscript "10as" rate and "8 Nov. 1824" date marking on back of folded letter to London, England, framed "INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON" handstamp (Robertson In. 3a), Calcutta General Post Office (Nov. 24, Giles SD8a) transit and red London (Apr. 14, 1825) arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/-" rate marking, Very Fine, noted as "scarce" by Giles Cavendish - SOUTHAMPTON/GHAZEEPORE - BOXED INDIA LETTER & RARE 2-RING “FULL POST Pd” MARKS, ETC.; Fine 7 Nov. 1824 EL (long family letter; full typed transcript) from “Ghazipore” to London with a mostly fine large rare distinctive 2-ring “GHAZEEPORE FULL POST Pd” (HG2; “Scarce” - believed to be only one other example recorded!) on the top flap alongside a very fine boxed “INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON” (Rob. In.1); plus 5 Jan. 1822 EL (typed transcript) from “Nuseerabad” to London “Per Ship Fairlie” with a Calcutta c.d.s. (25 Jan.) and a very fine boxed “INDIA LETTER/SOUTHAMPTON” (Rob. In.1) both nicely placed on the front. Good pair; the Ghazeepore mark is an Important Indian Prestamp Exhibition Item. (2 covers) PHOTO - see opposite
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD8 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD8 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1820-24.
- What is the provenance of COV-236?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 176 (Oct. 2000); Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 197 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9020 lot 10043 (Mar. 2025).
- When was COV-236 posted?
- COV-236 is dated 8 November 1824, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD8 (1820-24).
About this record
This 8 November 1824 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD8 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 16 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, lot 176, (Oct. 2000); Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Manning, lot 197, (Sept. 2015); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 9020, lot 10043, (Mar. 2025).