COV-3028
7 December 1816 Nepaul Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
7 December 1816
Description
Nepal, 1816 "Nipaul Post Office, Post Paid" Handstamp to Calcutta. Clear strike of boxed handstamp and manuscript "2Rs." on folded cover dated "7th Dec. 16", addressed to Sir W. Humboldt in Calcutta and forwarded to Cawnpore, additional origin docketing "J. Wellesley, Dec. 6th, 1816", Calcutta "G.P.O., DEC 23, Pt. Pd." oval (Giles 15 despite earliest date as 1817) and red "Calcutta Gen. Post Office, 23 DEC, 1816" (Giles G3) arrival datestamps on back, cover silked due to faults along folds and wear along edges FINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED COVER FROM THE BRITISH RESIDENCY IN NEPAL, SENT JUST MONTHS AFTER THE REOPENING OF THE BRITISH OFFICE IN KATHMANDU FOLLOWING THE ANGLO-NEPALESE WAR OF 1814-1816. LESS THAN TEN COVERS ARE THOUGHT TO EXIST. A KEY ITEM FOR ANY INDIA USED ABROAD OR NEPAL COLLECTION. The Anglo-Nepalese War (Gurkha War) between the East India Company and Kingdom of Nepal lasted from November 1, 1814 to March 4, 1816. By this time, the British influence in India had rapidly expanded past the port cities of Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay into the northern trade routes in the Himalayas. Heavy resistance from the Nepalese to the British East India company eventually led to the outbreak of war. In April 1816, shortly after the war ended in March, a British Residency was set up in Kathmandu. This cover was sent about eight months after the opening of that office. We presume this cover is the item briefly mentioned in Haverbeck's book on p. 120. Ex Singer.
Auction
The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History & Stamps Used Abroad, Part 1, Lot 225, (05/11/2023)
Provenance
Ex Singer Magnolia
Same office
Other recorded marks at Nepaul
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Nepaul are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Nepaul pre stamp cover
COV-3028 is a Nepaul pre stamp cover of 7 December 1816 bearing the Nepaul HG 1 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Nepaul postal history — the office known today as Kathmandu, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
Nepal, 1816 "Nipaul Post Office, Post Paid" Handstamp to Calcutta. Clear strike of boxed handstamp and manuscript "2Rs." on folded cover dated "7th Dec. 16", addressed to Sir W. Humboldt in Calcutta and forwarded to Cawnpore, additional origin docketing "J. Wellesley, Dec. 6th, 1816", Calcutta "G.P.O., DEC 23, Pt. Pd." oval (Giles 15 despite earliest date as 1817) and red "Calcutta Gen. Post Office, 23 DEC, 1816" (Giles G3) arrival datestamps on back, cover silked due to faults along folds and wear along edges FINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED COVER FROM THE BRITISH RESIDENCY IN NEPAL, SENT JUST MONTHS AFTER THE REOPENING OF THE BRITISH OFFICE IN KATHMANDU FOLLOWING THE ANGLO-NEPALESE WAR OF 1814-1816. LESS THAN TEN COVERS ARE THOUGHT TO EXIST. A KEY ITEM FOR ANY INDIA USED ABROAD OR NEPAL COLLECTION. The Anglo-Nepalese War (Gurkha War) between the East India Company and Kingdom of Nepal lasted from November 1, 1814 to March 4, 1816. By this time, the British influence in India had rapidly expanded past the port cities of Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay into the northern trade routes in the Himalayas. Heavy resistance from the Nepalese to the British East India company eventually led to the outbreak of war. In April 1816, shortly after the war ended in March, a British Residency was set up in Kathmandu. This cover was sent about eight months after the opening of that office. We presume this cover is the item briefly mentioned in Haverbeck's book on p. 120. Ex Singer.
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History & Stamps Used Abroad, Part 1 lot 225 (05/11/2023).
1 image of COV-3028 is recorded (front); the Nepaul HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1816–1836.
Questions about COV-3028
- What is COV-3028?
- COV-3028 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Nepaul, Bengal Presidency of 7 December 1816, bearing the Nepaul HG 1 handstamp in red. Nepal, 1816 "Nipaul Post Office, Post Paid" Handstamp to Calcutta. Clear strike of boxed handstamp and manuscript "2Rs." on folded cover dated "7th Dec. 16", addressed to Sir W. Humboldt in Calcutta and forwarded to Cawnpore, additional origin docketing "J. Wellesley, Dec. 6th, 1816", Calcutta "G.P.O., DEC 23, Pt. Pd." oval (Giles 15 despite earliest date as 1817) and red "Calcutta Gen. Post Office, 23 DEC, 1816" (Giles G3) arrival datestamps on back, cover silked due to faults along folds and wear along edges FINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED COVER FROM THE BRITISH RESIDENCY IN NEPAL, SENT JUST MONTHS AFTER THE REOPENING OF THE BRITISH OFFICE IN KATHMANDU FOLLOWING THE ANGLO-NEPALESE WAR OF 1814-1816. LESS THAN TEN COVERS ARE THOUGHT TO EXIST. A KEY ITEM FOR ANY INDIA USED ABROAD OR NEPAL COLLECTION. The Anglo-Nepalese War (Gurkha War) between the East India Company and Kingdom of Nepal lasted from November 1, 1814 to March 4, 1816. By this time, the British influence in India had rapidly expanded past the port cities of Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay into the northern trade routes in the Himalayas. Heavy resistance from the Nepalese to the British East India company eventually led to the outbreak of war. In April 1816, shortly after the war ended in March, a British Residency was set up in Kathmandu. This cover was sent about eight months after the opening of that office. We presume this cover is the item briefly mentioned in Haverbeck's book on p. 120. Ex Singer.
- How scarce is the Nepaul HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Nepaul HG 1 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1816–1836.
- What is the provenance of COV-3028?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History & Stamps Used Abroad, Part 1 lot 225 (05/11/2023).
- When was COV-3028 posted?
- COV-3028 is dated 7 December 1816, within the recorded period of use of Nepaul HG 1 (1816–1836).
About this record
This 7 December 1816 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Nepaul HG 1 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 9 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History & Stamps Used Abroad, Part 1, lot 225, (05/11/2023).