Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
15 January 1838
Description
PRESTAMP & STAMPLESS POSTAL HISTORY - AJMERE/MADRAS/MEERUT/TEZPOORE (WITH GOWAHUTTY) OVAL/BOXED DATESTAMPS ON MAIL TO G.B.; 1831-44 E/ELs all to GB with mainly fine namestamps; 1831 ms-dated oval "MERUT/Pt.Pd." (overstruck by boxed "INDIA LETTER/LONDON"), spectacular 1838 E from "Assam" (mentions Burmese unrest) posted from "TEZPORE" (v. fine black boxed "Paid" - apparently not recorded by Hammond Giles - with ms date/15 as rate) across the join also having fair red boxed "GOWAHUTTY/Paid" (closed tear) with Calcutta ds and fair boxed "INDIA LETTER/EASTBOURNE" (2) all on the reverse, 1838 E (side-flaps removed) with partly fine red boxed "AJMERE/Paid" (part overstruck), and 1844 red boxed "MADRAS/Paid" ds. Good group. (4 covers) Cross Reference : SHIP LETTERS, SUSSEX
Auction
Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Lot Lot 1003
Provenance
Michael Caswell 2025
Same office
Other recorded marks at Tezpore
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of Tezpore is recorded in the census. Compare it against this mark to place your cover.
About this Tezpore pre stamp cover
COV-33 is a Tezpore pre stamp cover of 15 January 1838 bearing the Tezpore HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Tezpore postal history — the office known today as Tezpur, Bengal Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
PRESTAMP & STAMPLESS POSTAL HISTORY - AJMERE/MADRAS/MEERUT/TEZPOORE (WITH GOWAHUTTY) OVAL/BOXED DATESTAMPS ON MAIL TO G.B.; 1831-44 E/ELs all to GB with mainly fine namestamps; 1831 ms-dated oval "MERUT/Pt.Pd." (overstruck by boxed "INDIA LETTER/LONDON"), spectacular 1838 E from "Assam" (mentions Burmese unrest) posted from "TEZPORE" (v. fine black boxed "Paid" - apparently not recorded by Hammond Giles - with ms date/15 as rate) across the join also having fair red boxed "GOWAHUTTY/Paid" (closed tear) with Calcutta ds and fair boxed "INDIA LETTER/EASTBOURNE" (2) all on the reverse, 1838 E (side-flaps removed) with partly fine red boxed "AJMERE/Paid" (part overstruck), and 1844 red boxed "MADRAS/Paid" ds. Good group. (4 covers) Cross Reference : SHIP LETTERS, SUSSEX
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025 lot Lot 1003.
1 image of COV-33 is recorded (front); the Tezpore HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1838.
Questions about COV-33
- What is COV-33?
- COV-33 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Tezpore, Bengal Presidency of 15 January 1838, bearing the Tezpore HG 1 handstamp in black. PRESTAMP & STAMPLESS POSTAL HISTORY - AJMERE/MADRAS/MEERUT/TEZPOORE (WITH GOWAHUTTY) OVAL/BOXED DATESTAMPS ON MAIL TO G.B.; 1831-44 E/ELs all to GB with mainly fine namestamps; 1831 ms-dated oval "MERUT/Pt.Pd." (overstruck by boxed "INDIA LETTER/LONDON"), spectacular 1838 E from "Assam" (mentions Burmese unrest) posted from "TEZPORE" (v. fine black boxed "Paid" - apparently not recorded by Hammond Giles - with ms date/15 as rate) across the join also having fair red boxed "GOWAHUTTY/Paid" (closed tear) with Calcutta ds and fair boxed "INDIA LETTER/EASTBOURNE" (2) all on the reverse, 1838 E (side-flaps removed) with partly fine red boxed "AJMERE/Paid" (part overstruck), and 1844 red boxed "MADRAS/Paid" ds. Good group. (4 covers) Cross Reference : SHIP LETTERS, SUSSEX
- How scarce is the Tezpore HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Tezpore HG 1 as 1 example recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1838.
- What is the provenance of COV-33?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025 lot Lot 1003.
- When was COV-33 posted?
- COV-33 is dated 15 January 1838, within the recorded period of use of Tezpore HG 1 (1838).
About this record
This 15 January 1838 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Tezpore HG 1 handstamp of the Bengal Presidency, a mark with 1 example recorded in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Michael Caswell India (part 2) Tuesday, May 13, 2025, lot Lot 1003.