Scan or Photo Courtesy of David Feldman Auctions
Date
27 April 1845
Description
The Belgaum Post Office used two different All India Slide type of despatch stamps, "BELGAUM/date/Paid". The larger measured 38 × 27 mm, and the word "Belgaum" was in large letters 4 mm high. Here is an early example of this stamp, BELGAUM/1845 APR 27/Paid 6as on this letter, with inland postage of 6 as. prepaid to Bombay. The letter was endorsed: "Pr. Steamer via Southampton British Postage prepaid" and stamped "INDIA PAID", against which the British Postage of 1/- was written in red ink.
Auction
Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire, Lot 50707, (2025)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Belgaum
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Belgaum are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Belgaum HG 1handstampRed1829–1837
- Belgaum HG 2handstampOrange1832–1837
- Belgaum HG 3handstampRed1839–1854
- Belgaum HG 4handstampRed1838–1852
- Belgaum HG 4AhandstampRed1838–1843
- Belgaum HG 6handstampBlack1851–1858
+1 more at this office.View all Belgaum marks and postal history →
About this Belgaum pre stamp cover
COV-5011 is a Belgaum pre stamp cover of 27 April 1845 bearing the Belgaum HG 5 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Belgaum postal history — the office known today as Belagavi, Bombay Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
The Belgaum Post Office used two different All India Slide type of despatch stamps, "BELGAUM/date/Paid". The larger measured 38 × 27 mm, and the word "Belgaum" was in large letters 4 mm high. Here is an early example of this stamp, BELGAUM/1845 APR 27/Paid 6as on this letter, with inland postage of 6 as. prepaid to Bombay. The letter was endorsed: "Pr. Steamer via Southampton British Postage prepaid" and stamped "INDIA PAID", against which the British Postage of 1/- was written in red ink.
Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman SA Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire lot 50707 (2025).
1 image of COV-5011 is recorded; the Belgaum HG 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1840–1858.
Questions about COV-5011
- What is COV-5011?
- COV-5011 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Belgaum, Bombay Presidency of 27 April 1845, bearing the Belgaum HG 5 handstamp in red. The Belgaum Post Office used two different All India Slide type of despatch stamps, "BELGAUM/date/Paid". The larger measured 38 × 27 mm, and the word "Belgaum" was in large letters 4 mm high. Here is an early example of this stamp, BELGAUM/1845 APR 27/Paid 6as on this letter, with inland postage of 6 as. prepaid to Bombay. The letter was endorsed: "Pr. Steamer via Southampton British Postage prepaid" and stamped "INDIA PAID", against which the British Postage of 1/- was written in red ink.
- How scarce is the Belgaum HG 5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Belgaum HG 5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1840–1858.
- What is the provenance of COV-5011?
- Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman SA Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire lot 50707 (2025).
- When was COV-5011 posted?
- COV-5011 is dated 27 April 1845, within the recorded period of use of Belgaum HG 5 (1840–1858).
About this record
This 27 April 1845 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Belgaum HG 5 handstamp of the Bombay Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 13 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with David Feldman, Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire, lot 50707, (2025).