COV-4472
20 August 1840 Patna Cover
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 "Candahar July 26th/40." Dateline on eight-page folded letter from Lt. R.A. Trotter of the 43rd Bengal Native Infantry, to his father at Patna: "For the last two months I have been out with General Nott and rthe right wing of our Regt., knocking about the country after adventurers...without seeing a shot fired, as the whole insurrection had been put down...to give the Ghlizecs their due, they stood well. Shah Soojah, or `Our King' as Macnaghaten calls him, would be back in Lodianah long before the Regulars...It is a well known fact that the Dooranee Chiefs, although nominally friends of the Shah;s, detest him most thoroughly, so you may suppose the country is not in usch a settled state as some people would make us believe. Had I the power put into my hands I would blow away from a gun every morning a few of these sadid Dooranee Chiefs, I would continue the practice till the remainder were brought to their senses." etc. Trotter also discusses the war in China, and is severely critical of the "politicals' in Hyderabad and Afghanistan and describes how the Baloochees robbed the mails for Quetta. He adds in some cross-writing: "Captain Lewis of the 42nd took my likeness the other day, and although he has made me look rather fierce, yet all here say it is one of the best he has taken." Lettersheet with clear "PATNA" boxed datestamp and ms. "Candahar" on back, ms. "10 as By" , Very Fine; the pencil drawing of the lieutenan, kept by his father with the letter, accompanies this lot
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
+12 more at this office.View all Patna marks and postal history →
About this Patna pre stamp cover
COV-4472 is a Patna pre stamp cover of 20 August 1840 bearing the Patna HG 15 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Patna postal history, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
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 "Candahar July 26th/40." Dateline on eight-page folded letter from Lt. R.A. Trotter of the 43rd Bengal Native Infantry, to his father at Patna: "For the last two months I have been out with General Nott and rthe right wing of our Regt., knocking about the country after adventurers...without seeing a shot fired, as the whole insurrection had been put down...to give the Ghlizecs their due, they stood well. Shah Soojah, or `Our King' as Macnaghaten calls him, would be back in Lodianah long before the Regulars...It is a well known fact that the Dooranee Chiefs, although nominally friends of the Shah;s, detest him most thoroughly, so you may suppose the country is not in usch a settled state as some people would make us believe. Had I the power put into my hands I would blow away from a gun every morning a few of these sadid Dooranee Chiefs, I would continue the practice till the remainder were brought to their senses." etc. Trotter also discusses the war in China, and is severely critical of the "politicals' in Hyderabad and Afghanistan and describes how the Baloochees robbed the mails for Quetta. He adds in some cross-writing: "Captain Lewis of the 42nd took my likeness the other day, and although he has made me look rather fierce, yet all here say it is one of the best he has taken." Lettersheet with clear "PATNA" boxed datestamp and ms. "Candahar" on back, ms. "10 as By" , Very Fine; the pencil drawing of the lieutenan, kept by his father with the letter, accompanies this lot
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries lot 2260 (30 Oct 1996); and Corinphila Auctions 367th - 371st Corinphila Auction lot 6011 (2026).
3 images of COV-4472 are recorded (front, back); the Patna HG 15 mark itself is recorded in use 1839–1847.
Questions about COV-4472
- What is COV-4472?
- COV-4472 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Patna, Bengal Presidency of 20 August 1840, bearing the Patna HG 15 handstamp in black. 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 "Candahar July 26th/40." Dateline on eight-page folded letter from Lt. R.A. Trotter of the 43rd Bengal Native Infantry, to his father at Patna: "For the last two months I have been out with General Nott and rthe right wing of our Regt., knocking about the country after adventurers...without seeing a shot fired, as the whole insurrection had been put down...to give the Ghlizecs their due, they stood well. Shah Soojah, or `Our King' as Macnaghaten calls him, would be back in Lodianah long before the Regulars...It is a well known fact that the Dooranee Chiefs, although nominally friends of the Shah;s, detest him most thoroughly, so you may suppose the country is not in usch a settled state as some people would make us believe. Had I the power put into my hands I would blow away from a gun every morning a few of these sadid Dooranee Chiefs, I would continue the practice till the remainder were brought to their senses." etc. Trotter also discusses the war in China, and is severely critical of the "politicals' in Hyderabad and Afghanistan and describes how the Baloochees robbed the mails for Quetta. He adds in some cross-writing: "Captain Lewis of the 42nd took my likeness the other day, and although he has made me look rather fierce, yet all here say it is one of the best he has taken." Lettersheet with clear "PATNA" boxed datestamp and ms. "Candahar" on back, ms. "10 as By" , Very Fine; the pencil drawing of the lieutenan, kept by his father with the letter, accompanies this lot
- How scarce is the Patna HG 15 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Patna HG 15 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1839–1847.
- What is the provenance of COV-4472?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries lot 2260 (30 Oct 1996); and Corinphila Auctions 367th - 371st Corinphila Auction lot 6011 (2026).
- When was COV-4472 posted?
- COV-4472 is dated 20 August 1840, within the recorded period of use of Patna HG 15 (1839–1847).
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 4 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).