Scan or Photo Courtesy of Argyll Etkin Auctions
Date
1812
Description
India. 1812 (June 1) Entire from London to "Dr Roxburgh, Botanist to Hon. Company, Botanic Gardens near Calcutta, p. H.M.S Stirling Castle", sent free of British postage, backstamped boxed "Inld Ptge (15) / Ship Do (8)"; and 1825 (July 21) entire letter from Madras to London "p. H.M.S Tees" with oval "MADRAS / SHIP LETTER" datestamp and red boxed India Letter Portsmouth, file folds. (2).
Auction
Worldwide Stamps and Postal History, Lot 406, (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-4937 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 1812 bearing the Calcutta SR6 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. 1812 (June 1) Entire from London to "Dr Roxburgh, Botanist to Hon. Company, Botanic Gardens near Calcutta, p. H.M.S Stirling Castle", sent free of British postage, backstamped boxed "Inld Ptge (15) / Ship Do (8)"; and 1825 (July 21) entire letter from Madras to London "p. H.M.S Tees" with oval "MADRAS / SHIP LETTER" datestamp and red boxed India Letter Portsmouth, file folds. (2).
Its recorded auction history runs through Argyll Etkin Limited Worldwide Stamps and Postal History lot 406 (2026).
1 image of COV-4937 is recorded; the Calcutta SR6 mark itself is recorded in use 1807-16.
Questions about COV-4937
- What is COV-4937?
- COV-4937 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 1812, bearing the Calcutta SR6 handstamp in black. India. 1812 (June 1) Entire from London to "Dr Roxburgh, Botanist to Hon. Company, Botanic Gardens near Calcutta, p. H.M.S Stirling Castle", sent free of British postage, backstamped boxed "Inld Ptge (15) / Ship Do (8)"; and 1825 (July 21) entire letter from Madras to London "p. H.M.S Tees" with oval "MADRAS / SHIP LETTER" datestamp and red boxed India Letter Portsmouth, file folds. (2).
- How scarce is the Calcutta SR6 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SR6 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1807-16.
- What is the provenance of COV-4937?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Argyll Etkin Limited Worldwide Stamps and Postal History lot 406 (2026).
- When was COV-4937 posted?
- COV-4937 is dated 1812, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SR6 (1807-16).
About this record
This 1812 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SR6 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 5 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Argyll Etkin, Worldwide Stamps and Postal History, lot 406, (2026).