COV-2359
August 1819 Calcutta Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd
Date
August 1819
Description
LIVERPOOL/MADRAS - RARE CORRECT USAGE OF “LIVERPOOL/INDIA SHIP LR” (WITH RARE LINED “KINGS.POSTAGE/COMPYs. INLAND Do.”); Remarkable 12 Feb. 1819 EL (minor toning) - possibly written in Dublin (full typed transcript of long family contents) to Madras “P the [Ship] Bengal via Calcutta”, but most unusually not posted in London (as per regulations) and so with a very fine boxed “LIVERPOOL/INDIA SHIP LR” (Rob.In.1; rare prior to 1819 - use prior to 12 July 1819 were for outgoing mails, from that date it was used, very commonly, for incoming India Letters to GB); charged “1¼ oz 5/10” (5 times the regular 1s-2d rate as if from London); exceptionally also having the “KINGS POSTAGE” marks of both Calcutta (HG SR7; 14 July 1819) and Madras (rare HG SR2; “Very Scarce” - only used June-Aug. 1819) across join, or on lower flap, respectively. There is also a very fine oval “MADRAS” d.s. (1 Aug.) on the front with a fair matching Madras boxed “Post not Paid”. Rare correct usage of the Liverpool India Ship Letter mark for outgoing mail and a rare example of the short-lived lined Madras “KINGS POSTAGE...” mark. [Ex Hammond Giles; with long PHS Bulletin 1970 article by Alan Robertson illustrating and explaining this cover.] Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see below.
Auction
Manning, Lot 220, (Sept. 2015)
Provenance
Michael Manning Derek Hammond Giles
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-2359 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of August 1819 bearing the Calcutta SR7 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?
LIVERPOOL/MADRAS - RARE CORRECT USAGE OF “LIVERPOOL/INDIA SHIP LR” (WITH RARE LINED “KINGS.POSTAGE/COMPYs. INLAND Do.”); Remarkable 12 Feb. 1819 EL (minor toning) - possibly written in Dublin (full typed transcript of long family contents) to Madras “P the [Ship] Bengal via Calcutta”, but most unusually not posted in London (as per regulations) and so with a very fine boxed “LIVERPOOL/INDIA SHIP LR” (Rob.In.1; rare prior to 1819 - use prior to 12 July 1819 were for outgoing mails, from that date it was used, very commonly, for incoming India Letters to GB); charged “1¼ oz 5/10” (5 times the regular 1s-2d rate as if from London); exceptionally also having the “KINGS POSTAGE” marks of both Calcutta (HG SR7; 14 July 1819) and Madras (rare HG SR2; “Very Scarce” - only used June-Aug. 1819) across join, or on lower flap, respectively. There is also a very fine oval “MADRAS” d.s. (1 Aug.) on the front with a fair matching Madras boxed “Post not Paid”. Rare correct usage of the Liverpool India Ship Letter mark for outgoing mail and a rare example of the short-lived lined Madras “KINGS POSTAGE...” mark. [Ex Hammond Giles; with long PHS Bulletin 1970 article by Alan Robertson illustrating and explaining this cover.] Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see below.
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 220 (Sept. 2015).
2 images of COV-2359 are recorded (front); the Calcutta SR7 mark itself is recorded in use 1815–1819.
Questions about COV-2359
- What is COV-2359?
- COV-2359 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of August 1819, bearing the Calcutta SR7 handstamp in black. LIVERPOOL/MADRAS - RARE CORRECT USAGE OF “LIVERPOOL/INDIA SHIP LR” (WITH RARE LINED “KINGS.POSTAGE/COMPYs. INLAND Do.”); Remarkable 12 Feb. 1819 EL (minor toning) - possibly written in Dublin (full typed transcript of long family contents) to Madras “P the [Ship] Bengal via Calcutta”, but most unusually not posted in London (as per regulations) and so with a very fine boxed “LIVERPOOL/INDIA SHIP LR” (Rob.In.1; rare prior to 1819 - use prior to 12 July 1819 were for outgoing mails, from that date it was used, very commonly, for incoming India Letters to GB); charged “1¼ oz 5/10” (5 times the regular 1s-2d rate as if from London); exceptionally also having the “KINGS POSTAGE” marks of both Calcutta (HG SR7; 14 July 1819) and Madras (rare HG SR2; “Very Scarce” - only used June-Aug. 1819) across join, or on lower flap, respectively. There is also a very fine oval “MADRAS” d.s. (1 Aug.) on the front with a fair matching Madras boxed “Post not Paid”. Rare correct usage of the Liverpool India Ship Letter mark for outgoing mail and a rare example of the short-lived lined Madras “KINGS POSTAGE...” mark. [Ex Hammond Giles; with long PHS Bulletin 1970 article by Alan Robertson illustrating and explaining this cover.] Exhibition Item. PHOTO - see below.
- How scarce is the Calcutta SR7 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Calcutta SR7 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1815–1819.
- What is the provenance of COV-2359?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 220 (Sept. 2015).
- When was COV-2359 posted?
- COV-2359 is dated August 1819, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SR7 (1815–1819).
About this record
This August 1819 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Calcutta SR7 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 27 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Manning, lot 220, (Sept. 2015).