Scan or Photo Courtesy of Corinphila Auctions
Date
2 August 1838
Description
Mail via Cape of Good Hope 1838 (Aug 2): Entire letter from Philadelphia, USA to Thomas N. Richards in Calcutta, India being the duplicate letter to the previous lot, but sent from Philadelphia and carried outside the Mails on the ship "Eben Prebble" via Cape of Good Hope. Backstamped upon arrival with fine framed "KEDGEREE / POST OFFICE / SHIP LETTER" and framed "Ship Postage 3 / Inland do. 3 / Annas 6 / 1 Tolas" in black and smudged Calcutta "G.P.O." arrival in red (Dec 10). Full transcript enclosed with the lot. Note: Journey time 136 days. Over a month later than via London & Suez. Provenance: Collection Frederick Rowland Hill, Christie's, London, 5 Dec 1989, ex lot 480.
Auction
Corinphila Auktion, Lot 5056
Provenance
Collection Frederick Rowland Hill, Christie's, London, 5 Dec 1989, ex lot 480.
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-5756 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 2 August 1838 bearing the Calcutta SR42a 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?
Mail via Cape of Good Hope 1838 (Aug 2): Entire letter from Philadelphia, USA to Thomas N. Richards in Calcutta, India being the duplicate letter to the previous lot, but sent from Philadelphia and carried outside the Mails on the ship "Eben Prebble" via Cape of Good Hope. Backstamped upon arrival with fine framed "KEDGEREE / POST OFFICE / SHIP LETTER" and framed "Ship Postage 3 / Inland do. 3 / Annas 6 / 1 Tolas" in black and smudged Calcutta "G.P.O." arrival in red (Dec 10). Full transcript enclosed with the lot. Note: Journey time 136 days. Over a month later than via London & Suez. Provenance: Collection Frederick Rowland Hill, Christie's, London, 5 Dec 1989, ex lot 480.
Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Corinphila Auktion lot 5056.
3 images of COV-5756 are recorded; the Calcutta SR42a mark itself is recorded in use 1837–1839.
Questions about COV-5756
- What is COV-5756?
- COV-5756 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 2 August 1838, bearing the Calcutta SR42a handstamp in black. Mail via Cape of Good Hope 1838 (Aug 2): Entire letter from Philadelphia, USA to Thomas N. Richards in Calcutta, India being the duplicate letter to the previous lot, but sent from Philadelphia and carried outside the Mails on the ship "Eben Prebble" via Cape of Good Hope. Backstamped upon arrival with fine framed "KEDGEREE / POST OFFICE / SHIP LETTER" and framed "Ship Postage 3 / Inland do. 3 / Annas 6 / 1 Tolas" in black and smudged Calcutta "G.P.O." arrival in red (Dec 10). Full transcript enclosed with the lot. Note: Journey time 136 days. Over a month later than via London & Suez. Provenance: Collection Frederick Rowland Hill, Christie's, London, 5 Dec 1989, ex lot 480.
- How scarce is the Calcutta SR42a mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SR42a as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1837–1839.
- What is the provenance of COV-5756?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Corinphila Auktion lot 5056.
- When was COV-5756 posted?
- COV-5756 is dated 2 August 1838, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SR42a (1837–1839).
About this record
This 2 August 1838 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SR42a handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 8 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Corinphila Auctions, Corinphila Auktion, lot 5056.