Scan or Photo Courtesy of Grosvenor Auctions
Date
1825
Description
India: 1825 (June 30) entire (a few faults) to London headed “From James Brewer Private 2nd B Company 1st Ea(European) Regiment/Soldiers Letter” and countersigned by commanding officer at lower left. Double ring “CALCUTTA GENERAL POST OFFICE/18” c.d.s. (Giles type SD8b, date in manuscript), sent unpaid and with circular “INDIA SOLDIERS/3/LONDON” mark and very unusually “In All” mark applied at top left. Reverse with London c.d.s. and oval evening datestamp and framed “TOO LATE for.MORNG POST” mark. Contents, datelined at Ghazeepore, are to the writer’s uncle with reference to very arduous marches in bad weather, impassable roads, extensive jungles, turbulent rivers, enormous mountains and the death of 1500 Englishmen since their arrival, mentioning he has three years left of service when he intends to return to England and that it has been discovered much of the regiments correspondence was not being sent in a regular manner. Photo.
Auction
GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries, Lot 1067, (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-4915 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1825 bearing the Calcutta SD8b 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: 1825 (June 30) entire (a few faults) to London headed “From James Brewer Private 2nd B Company 1st Ea(European) Regiment/Soldiers Letter” and countersigned by commanding officer at lower left. Double ring “CALCUTTA GENERAL POST OFFICE/18” c.d.s. (Giles type SD8b, date in manuscript), sent unpaid and with circular “INDIA SOLDIERS/3/LONDON” mark and very unusually “In All” mark applied at top left. Reverse with London c.d.s. and oval evening datestamp and framed “TOO LATE for.MORNG POST” mark. Contents, datelined at Ghazeepore, are to the writer’s uncle with reference to very arduous marches in bad weather, impassable roads, extensive jungles, turbulent rivers, enormous mountains and the death of 1500 Englishmen since their arrival, mentioning he has three years left of service when he intends to return to England and that it has been discovered much of the regiments correspondence was not being sent in a regular manner. Photo.
Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries lot 1067 (2026).
1 image of COV-4915 is recorded; the Calcutta SD8b mark itself is recorded in use 1825–1828.
Questions about COV-4915
- What is COV-4915?
- COV-4915 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1825, bearing the Calcutta SD8b handstamp in black. India: 1825 (June 30) entire (a few faults) to London headed “From James Brewer Private 2nd B Company 1st Ea(European) Regiment/Soldiers Letter” and countersigned by commanding officer at lower left. Double ring “CALCUTTA GENERAL POST OFFICE/18” c.d.s. (Giles type SD8b, date in manuscript), sent unpaid and with circular “INDIA SOLDIERS/3/LONDON” mark and very unusually “In All” mark applied at top left. Reverse with London c.d.s. and oval evening datestamp and framed “TOO LATE for.MORNG POST” mark. Contents, datelined at Ghazeepore, are to the writer’s uncle with reference to very arduous marches in bad weather, impassable roads, extensive jungles, turbulent rivers, enormous mountains and the death of 1500 Englishmen since their arrival, mentioning he has three years left of service when he intends to return to England and that it has been discovered much of the regiments correspondence was not being sent in a regular manner. Photo.
- How scarce is the Calcutta SD8b mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SD8b as very common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1825–1828.
- What is the provenance of COV-4915?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries lot 1067 (2026).
- When was COV-4915 posted?
- COV-4915 is dated 1825, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SD8b (1825–1828).
About this record
This 1825 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SD8b handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Very common” in this census — one of 11 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions, GPA 174: British Empire & Foreign Countries, lot 1067, (2026).