7 December 1816 Nepaul HG 1 Cover

7 December 1816

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.

Ex Singer Magnolia