27 March 1853 Waghorn Sidebottom 16 Cover

27 March 1853

1851, "ROBERT KNIGHT/OVERLAND AGENT/BOMBAY/Care WAGHORN & CO." (Unlisted in Sidebottom and Smith). Clear strike of oval handstamp across flaps of folded letter datelined Bombay Mar. 27, 1853, addressed to a wine merchant in Madeira, Portugal, lightly struck Bombay despatch and London transit datestamps, red "INDIA" and "Returned for Postage" handstamps, various rate markings VERY FINE STRIKE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS ROBERT KNIGHT WAGHORN OVERLAND AGENCY HANDSTAMP. Sidebottom and Smith do not list this marking in their books. Waghorn was out of the overland business by 1844, but the overland service continued through various competitors. Waghorn died in January 1850, a few years before this cover was mailed. The handstamp style is similar to other forwarder markings of the period.

"Magnolia" Dilip Shah