1824 Horatio Hardy MN 1 Cover

1824

** RARE "HORATIO HARDY" SIGNED (FORWARDED FROM LONDON's JERUSALEM COFFEE HOUSE) COVER TO INDIA; 5 Jan. 1824 EL (small tears; cross-written contents, datelined at Peckham, addressed to Hezekiah Clark [1792-1868]) ex London to Calcutta [from the Jerusalem Coffee House signed by its famous proprietor in London] with the distinctive flourished "Horatio Hardy" Forwarding Agent's signature on the top flap; forwarded by another Agent (Messrs Mackintosh & Co.) from Calcutta to "Guruhkpore" with "Inld Ptge/Ship/Do" (Giles type G5) and "CALCUTTA/4 MAY/1824/GENL POST OFFICE" (Giles type G5) arrival cds on rear. Hardy was proprietor of the famous Jerusalem Coffee House from c.1815 - 1840, but his signed Forwarded letters (always to India) are only recorded occasionally from 1823 to 1837. In his way he was as important a character in Anglo-Indian Postal History as Thomas Waghorn. We have only recorded six other "Horatio Hardy" covers. Similar 1833/37 examples were sold by us for £2600 or £2400 in our Sept. 2009 sale. Exhibition Item. 2019 BPA Cert. Cross Reference: FORWARDING AGENTS, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS