Scan or Photo Courtesy of Corinphila Auctions
Date
20 August 1840
Description
1st Afghan War / Occupation of Kandahar 1840 (Aug 20): Entire letter written by Lt. R.A. Trotter of 43rd Bengal N.I. from Mehi Mundul, some 50 miles south of Kandahar on the way to Quetta to Patna; endorsed "via Cabul" at top and further endorsed "Bg 10 as." in manuscript, struck on reverse with framed "PATNA / October 8 / Bearing 10 as." manuscript filled datestamp in brownish ink. Fascinating contents (transcript with the lot) concerning the force returning to face the Baluchi's who had threatened Quetta: "we left Candahar on the evening of the 13th (Aug)...with orders to make Quetta in 12 marches without a halt...we have again to cross the Kojuck Pass - worse than all. If the Belooches will only wait till we get to Quettah our own force, with what is present there, ought to give about 8'000 of them as pretty a thrashing as one can imagine...". Provenance: R.A. Siegel, New York, 30 Oct 1996, lot 2260
Auction
Provenance
R.A. Siegel, New York, 30 Oct 1996, lot 2260
Same office
Other recorded marks at Patna
18 marks18 other pre-1854 postal markings of Patna are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Patna HG 1handstampBlack1785
- Patna HG 2handstampRed1795–1814
- Patna HG 3handstampBlack1797
- Patna HG 4handstampBlack1816
- Patna HG 5handstampBlack1818
- Patna HG 6handstampBlack1823–1829
- Patna HG 7handstampBlack1824–1829
- Patna HG 8handstampBlack1830–1835
- Patna HG 9handstampMauve1830
- Patna HG 10handstampBlack1831–1835
- Patna HG 10ahandstampRed1832
- Patna HG 11handstampBlack1834–1837
- Patna HG 12handstampBlack1835
- Patna HG 13handstampRed1837
- Patna HG 14handstampRed1838–1852
- Patna HG 14ahandstampRed1844
- Patna HG 15ahandstampBlack1840
- Patna HG 16handstampRed1847-49
About this record
This 20 August 1840 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Patna HG 15 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, lot 2260, (30 Oct 1996); Corinphila Auctions, 367th - 371st Corinphila Auction, lot 6011, (2026).