Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
21 January 1838
Description
Spink - Calcutta: 1838 (21 Jan.) entire letter from Birmingham to Calcutta, rated "1/-" and showing a very good strike of the scarce "CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/FREE" c.d.s. (HG SR46), also framed "PAID/AT BIRMINGHAM", London tombstone datestamp and oval "SHIP LETTER" datestamp, all struck in red. Fine and attractive. Cavendish - CALCUTTA - INGOING MAIL WITH BOXED SINGLE/DOUBLE “Tolas” MARKS, “SHIP LETTER/FREE” C.D.S., ETC.; 5 Dec. 1836 EL from “LImerick” with v. fine rare boxed double-rate “Ship Postage ‘3/Inland do. ‘6/An. 9/2 Tolas” (HG SR43; “Scarce” - only recorded 1837-38), Sept. 1837/May 1838 pair of ELs ex London with very fine strikes of the similar “1 Tolas” type (HG 42a; 1837-39 only), fine 21 Jan. 1838 EL prepaid from Birmingham with red oval London SL d.s. but addressed to the “Advocate General” and so with mainly very fine red encircled “CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/FREE” d.s. (HG SR46; 14 June 1838 - rare pre-1840) on the flap, and prepaid June 1840 EL from Limerick with red oval London SL d.s. and v. fine black boxed “CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/Bearing” d.s. (5 covers) PHOTO page 67
Auction
Manning, Lot 226, (Sept. 2015)
Provenance
Dr. Soli Contractor 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-1048 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 21 January 1838 bearing the Calcutta SR46 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?
Spink - Calcutta: 1838 (21 Jan.) entire letter from Birmingham to Calcutta, rated "1/-" and showing a very good strike of the scarce "CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/FREE" c.d.s. (HG SR46), also framed "PAID/AT BIRMINGHAM", London tombstone datestamp and oval "SHIP LETTER" datestamp, all struck in red. Fine and attractive. Cavendish - CALCUTTA - INGOING MAIL WITH BOXED SINGLE/DOUBLE “Tolas” MARKS, “SHIP LETTER/FREE” C.D.S., ETC.; 5 Dec. 1836 EL from “LImerick” with v. fine rare boxed double-rate “Ship Postage ‘3/Inland do. ‘6/An. 9/2 Tolas” (HG SR43; “Scarce” - only recorded 1837-38), Sept. 1837/May 1838 pair of ELs ex London with very fine strikes of the similar “1 Tolas” type (HG 42a; 1837-39 only), fine 21 Jan. 1838 EL prepaid from Birmingham with red oval London SL d.s. but addressed to the “Advocate General” and so with mainly very fine red encircled “CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/FREE” d.s. (HG SR46; 14 June 1838 - rare pre-1840) on the flap, and prepaid June 1840 EL from Limerick with red oval London SL d.s. and v. fine black boxed “CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/Bearing” d.s. (5 covers) PHOTO page 67
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 59 (Dec. 1999); and Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 226 (Sept. 2015).
2 images of COV-1048 are recorded (back); the Calcutta SR46 mark itself is recorded in use 1838–1855.
Questions about COV-1048
- What is COV-1048?
- COV-1048 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 21 January 1838, bearing the Calcutta SR46 handstamp in red. Spink - Calcutta: 1838 (21 Jan.) entire letter from Birmingham to Calcutta, rated "1/-" and showing a very good strike of the scarce "CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/FREE" c.d.s. (HG SR46), also framed "PAID/AT BIRMINGHAM", London tombstone datestamp and oval "SHIP LETTER" datestamp, all struck in red. Fine and attractive. Cavendish - CALCUTTA - INGOING MAIL WITH BOXED SINGLE/DOUBLE “Tolas” MARKS, “SHIP LETTER/FREE” C.D.S., ETC.; 5 Dec. 1836 EL from “LImerick” with v. fine rare boxed double-rate “Ship Postage ‘3/Inland do. ‘6/An. 9/2 Tolas” (HG SR43; “Scarce” - only recorded 1837-38), Sept. 1837/May 1838 pair of ELs ex London with very fine strikes of the similar “1 Tolas” type (HG 42a; 1837-39 only), fine 21 Jan. 1838 EL prepaid from Birmingham with red oval London SL d.s. but addressed to the “Advocate General” and so with mainly very fine red encircled “CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/FREE” d.s. (HG SR46; 14 June 1838 - rare pre-1840) on the flap, and prepaid June 1840 EL from Limerick with red oval London SL d.s. and v. fine black boxed “CALCUTTA/SHIP LETTER/Bearing” d.s. (5 covers) PHOTO page 67
- How scarce is the Calcutta SR46 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SR46 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1838–1855.
- What is the provenance of COV-1048?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 59 (Dec. 1999); and Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 226 (Sept. 2015).
- When was COV-1048 posted?
- COV-1048 is dated 21 January 1838, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SR46 (1838–1855).
About this record
This 21 January 1838 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SR46 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, lot 59, (Dec. 1999); Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Manning, lot 226, (Sept. 2015).