Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
25 January 1813
Description
India, Sewarah, 1813, "SEWARAH/POST PAID" Fancy Oval Handstamp (Giles 1). Faint and poor strike though clearly showing town name with manuscript "25 Jany" date added on back of folded outer lettersheet to England, forwarded to Benhall, London Ship Letter (Aug. 11) and other transit or arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/6", "3", and "8" rate markings, cover with some edgewear and minor soiling, Fine strike of this exceptionally rare handstamp, Giles only records two examples, he provided a date range of 1806-1813, as Giles owned the 1806 example, we presume this is the second cover he was referring to
Auction
The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026), Lot 10119, (2026)
About this Sewarah pre stamp cover
COV-5312 is a Sewarah pre stamp cover of 25 January 1813 bearing the Sewarah HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Sewarah postal history — the office known today as Mymensingh, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
India, Sewarah, 1813, "SEWARAH/POST PAID" Fancy Oval Handstamp (Giles 1). Faint and poor strike though clearly showing town name with manuscript "25 Jany" date added on back of folded outer lettersheet to England, forwarded to Benhall, London Ship Letter (Aug. 11) and other transit or arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/6", "3", and "8" rate markings, cover with some edgewear and minor soiling, Fine strike of this exceptionally rare handstamp, Giles only records two examples, he provided a date range of 1806-1813, as Giles owned the 1806 example, we presume this is the second cover he was referring to
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026) lot 10119 (2026).
2 images of COV-5312 are recorded; the Sewarah HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1806–1813.
Questions about COV-5312
- What is COV-5312?
- COV-5312 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Sewarah, Bengal Presidency of 25 January 1813, bearing the Sewarah HG 1 handstamp in black. India, Sewarah, 1813, "SEWARAH/POST PAID" Fancy Oval Handstamp (Giles 1). Faint and poor strike though clearly showing town name with manuscript "25 Jany" date added on back of folded outer lettersheet to England, forwarded to Benhall, London Ship Letter (Aug. 11) and other transit or arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/6", "3", and "8" rate markings, cover with some edgewear and minor soiling, Fine strike of this exceptionally rare handstamp, Giles only records two examples, he provided a date range of 1806-1813, as Giles owned the 1806 example, we presume this is the second cover he was referring to
- How scarce is the Sewarah HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Sewarah HG 1 as 2 examples recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1806–1813.
- What is the provenance of COV-5312?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026) lot 10119 (2026).
- When was COV-5312 posted?
- COV-5312 is dated 25 January 1813, within the recorded period of use of Sewarah HG 1 (1806–1813).
About this record
This 25 January 1813 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Sewarah HG 1 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark with 2 examples recorded in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026), lot 10119, (2026).