COV-656
2 January 1817 Calcutta Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
2 January 1817
Description
Siegel - India, 1816 Partial Folded Letter from London to Madras via Calcutta, Forwarded to Pondicherry. Large part of folded letter (missing side flaps) with "London 29 July 1816" along top and bold "India Ship Letter, London 29 JY 29, 1816" crowned circular datestamp, addressed to Madras, then forwarded to Pondicherry, French India, sender's directive "p Ship via Bombay, Bengal", subsequently crossed out as this cover went via Calcutta instead, well-struck framed "KING'S POST" handstamp (Giles SR7) with manuscript "2d (181)7 Jany" added of Calcutta in transit, "KINGS POSTAGE/INLAND POSTAGE" two-line handstamp (Giles SR1) with manuscript "from Calcutta" below on arrival and framed "Post not Paid" handstamp (Giles 15), forwarded to Pondicherry with "Post Paid/Fort St. George" handstamp (Giles 4) and "19/Jan" handstamp, various rate markings, cover with some minor wear, still Very Fine, an exceptional use and likely a unique combination of markings Cavendish - MADRAS/CALCUTTA/LONDON - RARE COVER WITH TWO DIFFERENT P.O.s’ “KINGS POSTAGE” MARKS; 29 July 1816 E (side-flaps removed) to Madras “P. [Ship] Lord Cathcart” (on flap) charged “1/2” with a very fine “INDIA SHIP LETTER/[Crown]/G.P.O/LONDON” c.d.s. (slight fold) on the front with a remarkably fine Calcutta boxed “KING’S POSTe/Cos. INLd. do./[8an]” d.s. (2 Jan. 1817) nicely placed on the flap; then redirected to Pondicherry and so with Madras mainly v. fine oval-framed “Post Paid/Fort St George” with “19/Jan” on the front, but also with very fine matching Handstruck “KINGS POSTAGE [f6 45]” with “INLAND POSTAGE [from Calcutta fs 16]” (HG SR1) nicely placed on the flap and so then also having a very fine small boxed Madras “Post.not.Paid” on the front. Possibly a Unique combination of markings - exceptional to have the Kings Postage marks of two POs on one cover. Exhibition Item. Madras finally got its own Handstruck King’s Postage marks. PHOTO - see opposite.
Auction
Provenance
"Magnolia" Michael Manning
- •2025, Robert A. Siegel Sale No. 1325, Lot 3031
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-656 is a Calcutta pre stamp cover of 2 January 1817 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?
Siegel - India, 1816 Partial Folded Letter from London to Madras via Calcutta, Forwarded to Pondicherry. Large part of folded letter (missing side flaps) with "London 29 July 1816" along top and bold "India Ship Letter, London 29 JY 29, 1816" crowned circular datestamp, addressed to Madras, then forwarded to Pondicherry, French India, sender's directive "p Ship via Bombay, Bengal", subsequently crossed out as this cover went via Calcutta instead, well-struck framed "KING'S POST" handstamp (Giles SR7) with manuscript "2d (181)7 Jany" added of Calcutta in transit, "KINGS POSTAGE/INLAND POSTAGE" two-line handstamp (Giles SR1) with manuscript "from Calcutta" below on arrival and framed "Post not Paid" handstamp (Giles 15), forwarded to Pondicherry with "Post Paid/Fort St. George" handstamp (Giles 4) and "19/Jan" handstamp, various rate markings, cover with some minor wear, still Very Fine, an exceptional use and likely a unique combination of markings Cavendish - MADRAS/CALCUTTA/LONDON - RARE COVER WITH TWO DIFFERENT P.O.s’ “KINGS POSTAGE” MARKS; 29 July 1816 E (side-flaps removed) to Madras “P. [Ship] Lord Cathcart” (on flap) charged “1/2” with a very fine “INDIA SHIP LETTER/[Crown]/G.P.O/LONDON” c.d.s. (slight fold) on the front with a remarkably fine Calcutta boxed “KING’S POSTe/Cos. INLd. do./[8an]” d.s. (2 Jan. 1817) nicely placed on the flap; then redirected to Pondicherry and so with Madras mainly v. fine oval-framed “Post Paid/Fort St George” with “19/Jan” on the front, but also with very fine matching Handstruck “KINGS POSTAGE [f6 45]” with “INLAND POSTAGE [from Calcutta fs 16]” (HG SR1) nicely placed on the flap and so then also having a very fine small boxed Madras “Post.not.Paid” on the front. Possibly a Unique combination of markings - exceptional to have the Kings Postage marks of two POs on one cover. Exhibition Item. Madras finally got its own Handstruck King’s Postage marks. PHOTO - see opposite.
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 216 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale No. 1325 lot 3031 (Jun. 2024).
2 images of COV-656 are recorded (back, front); the Calcutta SR7 mark itself is recorded in use 1815–1819.
Questions about COV-656
- What is COV-656?
- COV-656 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Calcutta, Bengal Presidency of 2 January 1817, bearing the Calcutta SR7 handstamp in black. Siegel - India, 1816 Partial Folded Letter from London to Madras via Calcutta, Forwarded to Pondicherry. Large part of folded letter (missing side flaps) with "London 29 July 1816" along top and bold "India Ship Letter, London 29 JY 29, 1816" crowned circular datestamp, addressed to Madras, then forwarded to Pondicherry, French India, sender's directive "p Ship via Bombay, Bengal", subsequently crossed out as this cover went via Calcutta instead, well-struck framed "KING'S POST" handstamp (Giles SR7) with manuscript "2d (181)7 Jany" added of Calcutta in transit, "KINGS POSTAGE/INLAND POSTAGE" two-line handstamp (Giles SR1) with manuscript "from Calcutta" below on arrival and framed "Post not Paid" handstamp (Giles 15), forwarded to Pondicherry with "Post Paid/Fort St. George" handstamp (Giles 4) and "19/Jan" handstamp, various rate markings, cover with some minor wear, still Very Fine, an exceptional use and likely a unique combination of markings Cavendish - MADRAS/CALCUTTA/LONDON - RARE COVER WITH TWO DIFFERENT P.O.s’ “KINGS POSTAGE” MARKS; 29 July 1816 E (side-flaps removed) to Madras “P. [Ship] Lord Cathcart” (on flap) charged “1/2” with a very fine “INDIA SHIP LETTER/[Crown]/G.P.O/LONDON” c.d.s. (slight fold) on the front with a remarkably fine Calcutta boxed “KING’S POSTe/Cos. INLd. do./[8an]” d.s. (2 Jan. 1817) nicely placed on the flap; then redirected to Pondicherry and so with Madras mainly v. fine oval-framed “Post Paid/Fort St George” with “19/Jan” on the front, but also with very fine matching Handstruck “KINGS POSTAGE [f6 45]” with “INLAND POSTAGE [from Calcutta fs 16]” (HG SR1) nicely placed on the flap and so then also having a very fine small boxed Madras “Post.not.Paid” on the front. Possibly a Unique combination of markings - exceptional to have the Kings Postage marks of two POs on one cover. Exhibition Item. Madras finally got its own Handstruck King’s Postage marks. PHOTO - see opposite.
- 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-656?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 216 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale No. 1325 lot 3031 (Jun. 2024).
- When was COV-656 posted?
- COV-656 is dated 2 January 1817, within the recorded period of use of Calcutta SR7 (1815–1819).
About this record
This 2 January 1817 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 216, (Sept. 2015); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale No. 1325, lot 3031, (Jun. 2024).