COV-2463
6 March 1827 Chandernagore HG 1 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Santosh MS
Date
6 March 1827
Description
1827 Chandernagore – Uddak Khosalpore (now in Amta subdivision of Howrah district) inland entire, with Chandernagore Giles 1 "CHANDERNAGORE/POST/OFFICE/18.." despatch handstamp, date "6 March" & paid rate "৩০" (3A) written in the Bengali currency writing system (3A inland postage for a letter not exceeding 1 Tolah in weight, sent between 30 to 60 miles; Chandernagore–Uddak Khosalpore distance was around 40 miles) applied. No delivery mark applied.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Chandernagore
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Chandernagore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Chandernagore pre stamp cover
COV-2463 is a Chandernagore pre stamp cover of 6 March 1827 — a folded letter or entire carried through the post of British India before the first adhesive stamp of 1854, so its postage is shown entirely by hand-struck marks and manuscript rates. It bears the Chandernagore HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, and is recorded in the census of Chandernagore postal history — the office known today as Chandannagar, in the Bengal Presidency.
1827 Chandernagore – Uddak Khosalpore (now in Amta subdivision of Howrah district) inland entire, with Chandernagore Giles 1 "CHANDERNAGORE/POST/OFFICE/18.." despatch handstamp, date "6 March" & paid rate "৩০" (3A) written in the Bengali currency writing system (3A inland postage for a letter not exceeding 1 Tolah in weight, sent between 30 to 60 miles; Chandernagore–Uddak Khosalpore distance was around 40 miles) applied. No delivery mark applied.
1 image of this cover is recorded (front), so the strike can be compared directly against other examples. Each recorded cover of Chandernagore HG 1 adds to the evidence base for how the mark was used and how scarce it is — the census counts surviving examples rather than estimating them.
Questions about COV-2463
- What is COV-2463?
- COV-2463 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Chandernagore, Bengal Presidency, British India of 6 March 1827, bearing the Chandernagore HG 1 handstamp. It is catalogued in an open census of pre-1854 Indian postal history, with 1 image of the cover itself, its date and its provenance. 1827 Chandernagore – Uddak Khosalpore (now in Amta subdivision of Howrah district) inland entire, with Chandernagore Giles 1 "CHANDERNAGORE/POST/OFFICE/18.." despatch handstamp, date "6 March" & paid rate "৩০" (3A) written in the Bengali currency writing system (3A inland postage for a letter not exceeding 1 Tolah in weight, sent between 30 to 60 miles; Chandernagore–Uddak Khosalpore distance was around 40 miles) applied. No delivery mark applied.
- What postal marking does this Chandernagore cover bear?
- It carries the Chandernagore HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, a mark recorded in use 1823–1830. The census grades Chandernagore HG 1 as common, a rarity derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded rather than estimated. Postage on a cover of this period was shown entirely by hand-struck marks and manuscript rates — India's first adhesive stamp did not appear until 1854.
- When was COV-2463 posted?
- COV-2463 is dated 6 March 1827. Dating a pre-1854 Indian cover rests on its datestamp, any manuscript endorsement, and the recorded period of use of the Chandernagore HG 1 handstamp, which is recorded in use 1823–1830.
- How can I tell whether my Chandernagore cover matches this one?
- Compare the strike on your cover against the images recorded here — the shape, size and colour of the Chandernagore HG 1 handstamp, its position on the cover, and the date. Then check it against the other recorded examples of Chandernagore HG 1 and the other marks used at Chandernagore. If your cover is not already in the census you can submit it, and it will be reviewed before publication.
About this record
This 6 March 1827 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Chandernagore HG 1 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 21 surviving covers with this mark recorded.