Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1854
Description
India, 1854, 1a Deep Red, Die II (4Ba; SG 13). Horizontal pair, margins to touching, used with 1856, 4a Black (16; SG 45), horizontal strip of three, all tied by barred "54" cancels with red framed "KIRKEE/1858 MAR 17/Paid" datestamp on cover to Bristol, England, sender's directive "Via Marseilles" , red framed "INDIA PAID" handstamp, Bombay and London (Apr. 12) transit (the latter also ties the 4a strip) and blue Bristol (Apr. 13) arrival datestamps, cover with slight overall soiling and wrinkling, otherwise Fine and scarce issue combination use between the 1854 Lithographs and the 1865 De la Rue
Auction
Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026), Lot 390, (2026)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Kirkee
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Kirkee are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Kirkee pre stamp cover
COV-5664 is a Kirkee pre stamp cover of 1854 bearing the Kirkee HG 5 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Kirkee postal history — the office known today as Khadki, Bombay Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
India, 1854, 1a Deep Red, Die II (4Ba; SG 13). Horizontal pair, margins to touching, used with 1856, 4a Black (16; SG 45), horizontal strip of three, all tied by barred "54" cancels with red framed "KIRKEE/1858 MAR 17/Paid" datestamp on cover to Bristol, England, sender's directive "Via Marseilles" , red framed "INDIA PAID" handstamp, Bombay and London (Apr. 12) transit (the latter also ties the 4a strip) and blue Bristol (Apr. 13) arrival datestamps, cover with slight overall soiling and wrinkling, otherwise Fine and scarce issue combination use between the 1854 Lithographs and the 1865 De la Rue
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026) lot 390 (2026).
2 images of COV-5664 are recorded; the Kirkee HG 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1854–1857.
Questions about COV-5664
- What is COV-5664?
- COV-5664 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Kirkee, Bombay Presidency of 1854, bearing the Kirkee HG 5 handstamp in red. India, 1854, 1a Deep Red, Die II (4Ba; SG 13). Horizontal pair, margins to touching, used with 1856, 4a Black (16; SG 45), horizontal strip of three, all tied by barred "54" cancels with red framed "KIRKEE/1858 MAR 17/Paid" datestamp on cover to Bristol, England, sender's directive "Via Marseilles" , red framed "INDIA PAID" handstamp, Bombay and London (Apr. 12) transit (the latter also ties the 4a strip) and blue Bristol (Apr. 13) arrival datestamps, cover with slight overall soiling and wrinkling, otherwise Fine and scarce issue combination use between the 1854 Lithographs and the 1865 De la Rue
- How scarce is the Kirkee HG 5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Kirkee HG 5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1854–1857.
- What is the provenance of COV-5664?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026) lot 390 (2026).
- When was COV-5664 posted?
- COV-5664 is dated 1854, within the recorded period of use of Kirkee HG 5 (1854–1857).
About this record
This 1854 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Kirkee HG 5 handstamp of the Bombay Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Worldwide Stamps and Postal History (Sale 1392, 10 November 2026), lot 390, (2026).