Scan or Photo Courtesy of Luiz & Eduardo Barreiros
Date
3 July 1860
Description
Margão, 3 July 1860 from the President of the Administration Council of the city of Salcete, to the Viscount of Torres Novas, the General-Governor of Portuguese India, in Nova-Goa. MARGÃO/LIVRE in red as official mail (S.N.R.) free of postage granted by Noronha, the court clerk of the District of Salcete (Escrivão da Comarca de Salcete). Siegel - "Margao Livre" Handstamp. Well-struck strike of two-line handstamp in red on back of 1860 official folded cover to the Governor General of India, internal docketing with manuscript "To the very Reverend A. Goiran, Vicar Apostalic at Calcutta", properly marked "S.N.R." on front, dated Jul. 3, 1860, and signed by sender, no other postal markings as usual for official mail VERY FINE STRIKE OF THIS RARE OFFICIAL HANDSTAMP. ONLY TWO EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED. The word "Livre" indicates that the letter was exempt from postal charges within Portuguese territories. Official letters were identified by writing "S.N.R." (stands for "Servico Nacional e Real"), the date and signature of the sender. The interior name is in reference to Auguste Goiran, who was the Administrator of the Apostolic vicars of West Bengal, a position he held when the vicar post remained vacant from 1858 to 1864.
Auction
1286, Lot 290, (May 2023)
Provenance
"Magnolia"
Same office
Other recorded marks at Margao
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Margao are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Margao pre stamp cover
COV-3139 is a Margao pre stamp cover of 3 July 1860 bearing the Margao FP 1 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Margao postal history, Goa (Portuguese India). What is a pre stamp cover?
Margão, 3 July 1860 from the President of the Administration Council of the city of Salcete, to the Viscount of Torres Novas, the General-Governor of Portuguese India, in Nova-Goa. MARGÃO/LIVRE in red as official mail (S.N.R.) free of postage granted by Noronha, the court clerk of the District of Salcete (Escrivão da Comarca de Salcete). Siegel - "Margao Livre" Handstamp. Well-struck strike of two-line handstamp in red on back of 1860 official folded cover to the Governor General of India, internal docketing with manuscript "To the very Reverend A. Goiran, Vicar Apostalic at Calcutta", properly marked "S.N.R." on front, dated Jul. 3, 1860, and signed by sender, no other postal markings as usual for official mail VERY FINE STRIKE OF THIS RARE OFFICIAL HANDSTAMP. ONLY TWO EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED. The word "Livre" indicates that the letter was exempt from postal charges within Portuguese territories. Official letters were identified by writing "S.N.R." (stands for "Servico Nacional e Real"), the date and signature of the sender. The interior name is in reference to Auguste Goiran, who was the Administrator of the Apostolic vicars of West Bengal, a position he held when the vicar post remained vacant from 1858 to 1864.
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries 1286 lot 290 (May 2023).
3 images of COV-3139 are recorded (front, back, detail); the Margao FP 1 mark itself is recorded in use —.
Questions about COV-3139
- What is COV-3139?
- COV-3139 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Margao, Goa (Portuguese India) of 3 July 1860, bearing the Margao FP 1 handstamp in red. Margão, 3 July 1860 from the President of the Administration Council of the city of Salcete, to the Viscount of Torres Novas, the General-Governor of Portuguese India, in Nova-Goa. MARGÃO/LIVRE in red as official mail (S.N.R.) free of postage granted by Noronha, the court clerk of the District of Salcete (Escrivão da Comarca de Salcete). Siegel - "Margao Livre" Handstamp. Well-struck strike of two-line handstamp in red on back of 1860 official folded cover to the Governor General of India, internal docketing with manuscript "To the very Reverend A. Goiran, Vicar Apostalic at Calcutta", properly marked "S.N.R." on front, dated Jul. 3, 1860, and signed by sender, no other postal markings as usual for official mail VERY FINE STRIKE OF THIS RARE OFFICIAL HANDSTAMP. ONLY TWO EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED. The word "Livre" indicates that the letter was exempt from postal charges within Portuguese territories. Official letters were identified by writing "S.N.R." (stands for "Servico Nacional e Real"), the date and signature of the sender. The interior name is in reference to Auguste Goiran, who was the Administrator of the Apostolic vicars of West Bengal, a position he held when the vicar post remained vacant from 1858 to 1864.
- How scarce is the Margao FP 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Margao FP 1 as rare, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use —.
- What is the provenance of COV-3139?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries 1286 lot 290 (May 2023).
- When was COV-3139 posted?
- COV-3139 is dated 3 July 1860, within the recorded period of use of Margao FP 1 (—).
About this record
This 3 July 1860 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Margao FP 1 handstamp of the Goa (Portuguese India), a mark graded “Rare” in this census — one of 9 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, 1286, lot 290, (May 2023).