Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
15 January 1838
Description
PRESTAMP & STAMPLESS POSTAL HISTORY - AJMERE/MADRAS/MEERUT/TEZPOORE (WITH GOWAHUTTY) OVAL/BOXED DATESTAMPS ON MAIL TO G.B.; 1831-44 E/ELs all to GB with mainly fine namestamps; 1831 ms-dated oval "MERUT/Pt.Pd." (overstruck by boxed "INDIA LETTER/LONDON"), spectacular 1838 E from "Assam" (mentions Burmese unrest) posted from "TEZPORE" (v. fine black boxed "Paid" - apparently not recorded by Hammond Giles - with ms date/15 as rate) across the join also having fair red boxed "GOWAHUTTY/Paid" (closed tear) with Calcutta ds and fair boxed "INDIA LETTER/EASTBOURNE" (2) all on the reverse, 1838 E (side-flaps removed) with partly fine red boxed "AJMERE/Paid" (part overstruck), and 1844 red boxed "MADRAS/Paid" ds. Good group. (4 covers) Cross Reference : SHIP LETTERS, SUSSEX
Auction
Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Lot Lot 1003
Provenance
Michael Caswell 2025
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-33 is a Gowahaty pre stamp cover of 15 January 1838 bearing the Gowahaty HG 3 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Gowahaty postal history — the office known today as Guwahati, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
PRESTAMP & STAMPLESS POSTAL HISTORY - AJMERE/MADRAS/MEERUT/TEZPOORE (WITH GOWAHUTTY) OVAL/BOXED DATESTAMPS ON MAIL TO G.B.; 1831-44 E/ELs all to GB with mainly fine namestamps; 1831 ms-dated oval "MERUT/Pt.Pd." (overstruck by boxed "INDIA LETTER/LONDON"), spectacular 1838 E from "Assam" (mentions Burmese unrest) posted from "TEZPORE" (v. fine black boxed "Paid" - apparently not recorded by Hammond Giles - with ms date/15 as rate) across the join also having fair red boxed "GOWAHUTTY/Paid" (closed tear) with Calcutta ds and fair boxed "INDIA LETTER/EASTBOURNE" (2) all on the reverse, 1838 E (side-flaps removed) with partly fine red boxed "AJMERE/Paid" (part overstruck), and 1844 red boxed "MADRAS/Paid" ds. Good group. (4 covers) Cross Reference : SHIP LETTERS, SUSSEX
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025 lot Lot 1003.
1 image of COV-33 is recorded (front); the Gowahaty HG 3 mark itself is recorded in use 1839–1854.
Questions about COV-33
- What is COV-33?
- COV-33 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Gowahaty, Bengal Presidency of 15 January 1838, bearing the Gowahaty HG 3 handstamp in red. PRESTAMP & STAMPLESS POSTAL HISTORY - AJMERE/MADRAS/MEERUT/TEZPOORE (WITH GOWAHUTTY) OVAL/BOXED DATESTAMPS ON MAIL TO G.B.; 1831-44 E/ELs all to GB with mainly fine namestamps; 1831 ms-dated oval "MERUT/Pt.Pd." (overstruck by boxed "INDIA LETTER/LONDON"), spectacular 1838 E from "Assam" (mentions Burmese unrest) posted from "TEZPORE" (v. fine black boxed "Paid" - apparently not recorded by Hammond Giles - with ms date/15 as rate) across the join also having fair red boxed "GOWAHUTTY/Paid" (closed tear) with Calcutta ds and fair boxed "INDIA LETTER/EASTBOURNE" (2) all on the reverse, 1838 E (side-flaps removed) with partly fine red boxed "AJMERE/Paid" (part overstruck), and 1844 red boxed "MADRAS/Paid" ds. Good group. (4 covers) Cross Reference : SHIP LETTERS, SUSSEX
- How scarce is the Gowahaty HG 3 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Gowahaty HG 3 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1839–1854.
- What is the provenance of COV-33?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025 lot Lot 1003.
- When was COV-33 posted?
- COV-33 is dated 15 January 1838, within the recorded period of use of Gowahaty HG 3 (1839–1854).
About this record
This 15 January 1838 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Gowahaty HG 3 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 7 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025, lot Lot 1003.