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
4 marks4 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 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.