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Hand Struck Stamps

COV-762

1818 Patna Cover

Back to census|Patna HG 5 · 2 covers recorded
COV-1145 →
Pre-stamp cover of India — 1818, Patna HG 5 handstruck folded letter (COV-762)

Scan or Photo Courtesy of Kishore Chandak

Date

1818

Description

1818: H.G.5: The letter was written by someone who lived in BHAUGALPUR, but was not posted to LONDON until the writer had traveled to PATNA, where the really astonishing " King's Postmark" was applied along with "P.O. Patna Sea Postage Paid" despatch stamp, for it is the first internal King's Postmark to have been discovered. The English Post Office had control of the sea postage between INDIA and ENGLAND and, the Company's post office being only allowed to collect the postage for the inland journey, if any. This wonderful postmark does not cover the Company's inland journey from PATNA to CALCUTTA, but indicates that the writer had exercised his option to pre-pay the sea postage [or King's postage] at the time of despatch. Previously, this facilities were available for the collection of King's Postage at the port G.P.O.'s of CALCUTTA, BOMBAY and MADRAS only and there was no indication that such facilities existed in up-country post offices. The single letter rate of 3/6d for a packet has been charged & marked in manuscript.

Provenance

Ex. Giles.

Same office

Other recorded marks at Patna

18 marks

18 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.

+12 more at this office.View all Patna marks and postal history →

About this Patna pre stamp cover

COV-762 is a Patna pre stamp cover of 1818 bearing the Patna HG 5 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Patna postal history, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?

1818: H.G.5: The letter was written by someone who lived in BHAUGALPUR, but was not posted to LONDON until the writer had traveled to PATNA, where the really astonishing " King's Postmark" was applied along with "P.O. Patna Sea Postage Paid" despatch stamp, for it is the first internal King's Postmark to have been discovered. The English Post Office had control of the sea postage between INDIA and ENGLAND and, the Company's post office being only allowed to collect the postage for the inland journey, if any. This wonderful postmark does not cover the Company's inland journey from PATNA to CALCUTTA, but indicates that the writer had exercised his option to pre-pay the sea postage [or King's postage] at the time of despatch. Previously, this facilities were available for the collection of King's Postage at the port G.P.O.'s of CALCUTTA, BOMBAY and MADRAS only and there was no indication that such facilities existed in up-country post offices. The single letter rate of 3/6d for a packet has been charged & marked in manuscript.

Ex. Giles.

1 image of COV-762 is recorded; the Patna HG 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1818.

Questions about COV-762

What is COV-762?
COV-762 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Patna, Bengal Presidency of 1818, bearing the Patna HG 5 handstamp in black. 1818: H.G.5: The letter was written by someone who lived in BHAUGALPUR, but was not posted to LONDON until the writer had traveled to PATNA, where the really astonishing " King's Postmark" was applied along with "P.O. Patna Sea Postage Paid" despatch stamp, for it is the first internal King's Postmark to have been discovered. The English Post Office had control of the sea postage between INDIA and ENGLAND and, the Company's post office being only allowed to collect the postage for the inland journey, if any. This wonderful postmark does not cover the Company's inland journey from PATNA to CALCUTTA, but indicates that the writer had exercised his option to pre-pay the sea postage [or King's postage] at the time of despatch. Previously, this facilities were available for the collection of King's Postage at the port G.P.O.'s of CALCUTTA, BOMBAY and MADRAS only and there was no indication that such facilities existed in up-country post offices. The single letter rate of 3/6d for a packet has been charged & marked in manuscript.
How scarce is the Patna HG 5 mark on this cover?
The census grades Patna HG 5 as 2 examples recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1818.
What is the provenance of COV-762?
Ex. Giles.
When was COV-762 posted?
COV-762 is dated 1818, within the recorded period of use of Patna HG 5 (1818).

About this record

This 1818 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Patna HG 5 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark with 2 examples recorded in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded.