Surat HG 3

1838

India: 1838 (Sept. 19) entire to Moulmein endorsed “C.H.” and “Post paid” at lower left with framed “SURAT/Bearing” (Giles type 4) ...

9 July 1845

Postal cover from surat (bombay), bearing HG 3 handstamp in Red. Dated 9 July 1845. Scarce example of postal history from this office.

14 October 1851

India 1851 prestamp cover from Surat via Southampton to Surrey, England w/ red tombstone "PAID" h/s

14 April 1852

Postal cover from surat (bombay), bearing HG 3 handstamp in Red. Scarce example of postal history from this office.

28 August 1852

An entire letter from Surat District in the Bombay Presidency. Once the chief commercial city of India. Addressed to Lincolns Inn London. The postal instructions are “Paid to Bombay” and to go “via Marseilles”. The letter was written on the 28th August 1852. Posted in the Post Office SURAT and the handstamp Type HG 3 with the date 28-8-52 and paid 2 As. HG states in use 1841-47 in red, later amended to 1853. On the reverse is the handstamp of the Bombay G.P.O. HG Type G4 in use from 1850-55. There is an oval INDIA in Black 37 x 26mm which may be an error. The mail was loaded into the “Ajdaha” an E.I.C. regular steamer and sailed on the 1st September arriving in Suez on the 16th September. It was sent overland to Alexandria and sailed in the “Medina”, an H.M. Packet and arrived in Marseilles via Malta on the 3rd October. It arrived in London on the 4th October 1852. Transit time 37 days. The postage shown from Bombay to London via Marseilles is Sh2/3.

1854

1854: ½ a. blue, Die I, a fine example with large margins all round, used on 1856 cover from Surat to Bombay tied by manuscript "Stamped" and ...

28 August 1855

India, 1854, ½a Blue, Die I, Serrated Perfs (2 var; SG 27). Stone "A", two singles both clearly showing serrated perfs, Positions 28, 27, each example with the entire right side visible, traces on the left side of right stamp, used with 1a Dull Red, Die II (4B; SG 14), mostly large margins to clear at bottom, and 4a Red & Blue, 2nd Printing, Head Die II, Frame Die I (6D; SG 19), two examples, cut to shape, margins to touching, each tied by barred "17" cancel on 1855 cover to Castlecomer, Ireland, faint red framed "SURAT/Paid" despatch datestamp on back, red framed "INDIA PAID" handstamp, Bombay (Aug. 28), London (Oct. 5), greenish Oct. 6, and Ballyragget (Oct. 7) transit and faint Castlecomer arrival datestamps, red manuscript rate marking, cover extensively soiled and excessive gum use on 1a causing toning at bottom, green arrow stickers affixed highlighting serrations FINE AND TRULY SPECTACULAR USE OF TWO EXAMPLES OF THE HALF-ANNA BLUE FROM DIE I WITH THE SERRATED PERFS ON COVER WITH THE ONE-ANNA AND TWO FOUR-ANNAS. THIS EASILY RANKING AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INDIA 1854 LITHOGRAPH POSTAL HISTORY ARTIFACTS IN EXISTENCE. we doubt many -- if any -- other covers exist with thiESs half-anna serrated perforations.. With so few examples recorded among all 1⁄2a, 1a, and 4a stamps, it is uncertain if this was an unofficial private perforation or if it was a government trial. According to Jatia, it is documented in a contemporary letter from the Director General Post Office in 1854 that their perforating machines were not capable of large production. Given the time constraints to produce the 1854 stamps, it is understandable why this issue was imperforate despite the benefits demonstrated by Great Britain’s perforated stamps. Of note, most certified examples are recorded used in the Madras Presidency (C122-C126). This is one of those rare exceptions used in Bombay (as noted in Stanley Gibbons). Pencil note on back "Masson-Sale, 6-7 March 12917, Glendenning & Co.". Unlisted in Scott. SG £40,000 as two off-cover singles. Undervalued as an off-cover single recently sold in Magnolia, Part 3 in Jun. 2024 (Lot 3199) for $35,000. With 2002 B.P.A. certificate.

13 October 1855

Postal cover from damaun (bombay), bearing HG 1 handstamp in Mauve. Dated 13 October 1855. Scarce example of postal history from this office.

1856

India: Cancellations and Covers: 1856 (Jan. 18) native wrapper to Surat franked 1/2a. (Die I) with diamond shaped lined “I” cancellation. Reverse with framed “Bombay/1856 Jan. 18/Paid” (Giles type 18) mark and a similar arrival mark for “SURAT” also in red - unrecorded by Giles - and scarce. Photo.

1857

DIFFERENT BARRED DIAMOND CANCELS ON ½a BLUE/INDIGO COVERS EX "GOOJRAT", JAULNAH & BOMBAY; 19 Mar. 1857 env. to Lahore (fair green cds) ex "GOOJRAT/+" (fine red 2-ring cds) with 4m ½a Blue (corner crease) tied by a rare very fine 9-bar barred diamond with lines parallel to long diagonal (Renouf 2d; few known on cover); plus 4 Feb. 1856 & c.1856 envs. ex Bombay/Jaulnah to Surat/Ballapore each with fine ½a (the first a good shade of Indigo, and Die 1, B stone, pos. 23) - both with good to wide margins - tied by 10 or 9 bar regular diamonds. Good trio. (3 covers)

1857