COV-3029
16 March 1836 Nepaul Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
16 March 1836
Description
Nepal, 1836 "Nipaul Post Office, Post Paid" Handstamp to Calcutta. Clear strike of boxed handstamp with manuscript "4as" and dated "16th March 1836" on back of folded letter written and signed by Brian H. Hodgson and addressed to James Prinsep in Calcutta, light strike of Calcutta arrival backstamp, Very Fine strike of this rare marking--the first British postal marking in Nepal--of which fewer than ten examples are thought to exist; the sender, Brian H. Hodgson (1800-94), was an early naturalist who lived in Nepal for ten years, serving as postmaster in Kathmandu (1824-25); the recipient, James Prinsep (1799-1840), was an English scholar and orientalist who is credited with deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India
Auction
The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History & Stamps Used Abroad, Part 1, Lot 226, (05/11/2023)
Provenance
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-3029 is a Nepaul pre stamp cover of 16 March 1836 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, 1836 "Nipaul Post Office, Post Paid" Handstamp to Calcutta. Clear strike of boxed handstamp with manuscript "4as" and dated "16th March 1836" on back of folded letter written and signed by Brian H. Hodgson and addressed to James Prinsep in Calcutta, light strike of Calcutta arrival backstamp, Very Fine strike of this rare marking--the first British postal marking in Nepal--of which fewer than ten examples are thought to exist; the sender, Brian H. Hodgson (1800-94), was an early naturalist who lived in Nepal for ten years, serving as postmaster in Kathmandu (1824-25); the recipient, James Prinsep (1799-1840), was an English scholar and orientalist who is credited with deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History & Stamps Used Abroad, Part 1 lot 226 (05/11/2023).
1 image of COV-3029 is recorded (front); the Nepaul HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1816–1836.
Questions about COV-3029
- What is COV-3029?
- COV-3029 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Nepaul, Bengal Presidency of 16 March 1836, bearing the Nepaul HG 1 handstamp in red. Nepal, 1836 "Nipaul Post Office, Post Paid" Handstamp to Calcutta. Clear strike of boxed handstamp with manuscript "4as" and dated "16th March 1836" on back of folded letter written and signed by Brian H. Hodgson and addressed to James Prinsep in Calcutta, light strike of Calcutta arrival backstamp, Very Fine strike of this rare marking--the first British postal marking in Nepal--of which fewer than ten examples are thought to exist; the sender, Brian H. Hodgson (1800-94), was an early naturalist who lived in Nepal for ten years, serving as postmaster in Kathmandu (1824-25); the recipient, James Prinsep (1799-1840), was an English scholar and orientalist who is credited with deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India
- 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-3029?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History & Stamps Used Abroad, Part 1 lot 226 (05/11/2023).
- When was COV-3029 posted?
- COV-3029 is dated 16 March 1836, within the recorded period of use of Nepaul HG 1 (1816–1836).
About this record
This 16 March 1836 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 226, (05/11/2023).