COV-2421
16 January 1836 Nepaul Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Corinphila Auctions
Date
16 January 1836
Description
Indian Post Office 1836 (Jan 16): Entire letter from Kathmandu to Calcutta written by the British Resident in Nepal, Brian H. Hodgson to Calcutta brilliantly struck on reverse with octagonal framed "NIPAUL / POST OFFICE / POST FREE" handstamp in brown with manuscript rate (9 annas) alongside and date (Jan 17) below. "Calcutta / GPO" arrival cds (Jan 24) in red below. Despite the period of use of this handstamp (1816-1836), examples are exceedingly rare. A magnificent entire - the latest recorded date of use of the first handstamp.rnrnNote: Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894) was initially the Postmaster (1824) and assistant British Resident in Nepal (1825) and British Resident from 1833-1843. An outstanding linguist, naturalist and scholar with many species of birds named after him, he also wrote at length on Buddhism of which there is a mention in this letter and authored "Essays on Language, Literature, and Religion of Nepal and Tibet" published in 1874.rnProvenance: Cavendish, Derby, 31 Oct 1995, lot 340.
Auction
Same office
Other recorded marks at Nepaul
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Nepaul are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Nepaul pre stamp cover
COV-2421 is a Nepaul pre stamp cover of 16 January 1836 bearing the Nepaul HG 1 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Nepaul postal history — the office known today as Kathmandu, Nepal. What is a pre stamp cover?
Indian Post Office 1836 (Jan 16): Entire letter from Kathmandu to Calcutta written by the British Resident in Nepal, Brian H. Hodgson to Calcutta brilliantly struck on reverse with octagonal framed "NIPAUL / POST OFFICE / POST FREE" handstamp in brown with manuscript rate (9 annas) alongside and date (Jan 17) below. "Calcutta / GPO" arrival cds (Jan 24) in red below. Despite the period of use of this handstamp (1816-1836), examples are exceedingly rare. A magnificent entire - the latest recorded date of use of the first handstamp.rnrnNote: Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894) was initially the Postmaster (1824) and assistant British Resident in Nepal (1825) and British Resident from 1833-1843. An outstanding linguist, naturalist and scholar with many species of birds named after him, he also wrote at length on Buddhism of which there is a mention in this letter and authored "Essays on Language, Literature, and Religion of Nepal and Tibet" published in 1874.rnProvenance: Cavendish, Derby, 31 Oct 1995, lot 340.
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd lot 340 (31 Oct 1995); and Corinphila Auctions Auctions 298-307 lot 1207.
2 images of COV-2421 are recorded (front, back); the Nepaul HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1816–1836.
Questions about COV-2421
- What is COV-2421?
- COV-2421 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Nepaul, Nepal of 16 January 1836, bearing the Nepaul HG 1 handstamp in red. Indian Post Office 1836 (Jan 16): Entire letter from Kathmandu to Calcutta written by the British Resident in Nepal, Brian H. Hodgson to Calcutta brilliantly struck on reverse with octagonal framed "NIPAUL / POST OFFICE / POST FREE" handstamp in brown with manuscript rate (9 annas) alongside and date (Jan 17) below. "Calcutta / GPO" arrival cds (Jan 24) in red below. Despite the period of use of this handstamp (1816-1836), examples are exceedingly rare. A magnificent entire - the latest recorded date of use of the first handstamp.rnrnNote: Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894) was initially the Postmaster (1824) and assistant British Resident in Nepal (1825) and British Resident from 1833-1843. An outstanding linguist, naturalist and scholar with many species of birds named after him, he also wrote at length on Buddhism of which there is a mention in this letter and authored "Essays on Language, Literature, and Religion of Nepal and Tibet" published in 1874.rnProvenance: Cavendish, Derby, 31 Oct 1995, lot 340.
- How scarce is the Nepaul HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Nepaul HG 1 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1816–1836.
- What is the provenance of COV-2421?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd lot 340 (31 Oct 1995); and Corinphila Auctions Auctions 298-307 lot 1207.
- When was COV-2421 posted?
- COV-2421 is dated 16 January 1836, within the recorded period of use of Nepaul HG 1 (1816–1836).
About this record
This 16 January 1836 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Nepaul HG 1 handstamp of the Nepal, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 9 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, lot 340, (31 Oct 1995); Corinphila Auctions, Auctions 298-307, lot 1207.