Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Description
Gowalpara: 1830 (1 June) entire letter from Captain A. Davidson to M. Burrough at Calcutta, the reverse with good to fine strike of the very rare oval negative seal type "GOWALPARA/POST OFFICE" datestamp (HG 1) completed in manuscript, showing Calcutta arrival mark adjacent; fine. One of two recorded examples. Fascinating content including reference to the sender's trade in exotic animals: "Your Rhinocerus is about 3 to 3½ years of age... he was caught by my own men and elephants... he will require less water in the cold weather, I suppose throwing sea water over him would also lessen his desire for it". Photo.
Auction
Provenance
Derek Hammond Giles
Same office
Other recorded marks at Gowahaty
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Gowahaty are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Gowahaty pre stamp cover
COV-1862 is a Gowahaty pre stamp cover bearing the Gowahaty HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Gowahaty postal history — the office known today as Guwahati, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
Gowalpara: 1830 (1 June) entire letter from Captain A. Davidson to M. Burrough at Calcutta, the reverse with good to fine strike of the very rare oval negative seal type "GOWALPARA/POST OFFICE" datestamp (HG 1) completed in manuscript, showing Calcutta arrival mark adjacent; fine. One of two recorded examples. Fascinating content including reference to the sender's trade in exotic animals: "Your Rhinocerus is about 3 to 3½ years of age... he was caught by my own men and elephants... he will require less water in the cold weather, I suppose throwing sea water over him would also lessen his desire for it". Photo.
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 113.
1 image of COV-1862 is recorded (front); the Gowahaty HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1829–1830.
Questions about COV-1862
- What is COV-1862?
- COV-1862 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Gowahaty, Bengal Presidency, bearing the Gowahaty HG 1 handstamp in black. Gowalpara: 1830 (1 June) entire letter from Captain A. Davidson to M. Burrough at Calcutta, the reverse with good to fine strike of the very rare oval negative seal type "GOWALPARA/POST OFFICE" datestamp (HG 1) completed in manuscript, showing Calcutta arrival mark adjacent; fine. One of two recorded examples. Fascinating content including reference to the sender's trade in exotic animals: "Your Rhinocerus is about 3 to 3½ years of age... he was caught by my own men and elephants... he will require less water in the cold weather, I suppose throwing sea water over him would also lessen his desire for it". Photo.
- How scarce is the Gowahaty HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Gowahaty HG 1 as 3 examples recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1829–1830.
- What is the provenance of COV-1862?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 113.
About this record
This pre-1854 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Gowahaty HG 1 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark with 3 examples recorded in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, lot 113.