Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
4 February 1806
Description
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS Early Letters and Handstamps Penang 1806 (4 Feb.) entire letter from Canton to Penang showing, on reverse, a good strike of the very rare oval "p.o./p.w.i." h.s. in black (Type P2; earliest recorded date); the cover with some minor re-inforcement along folds. One of five recorded examples and the only one known struck in black. Photo Estimate S$ 12,000-15,000provenance: Lt. Col. L.T. Rose-Hutchinson, 1949 Dr. F.E. Wood, 1964 Sidney Harris, 1968 Charles Taylor, 1981 Spink Singapore, 2000
Auction
Provenance
Lt. Col. L.T. Rose-Hutchinson Dr. F.E. Wood Sidney Harris Charles S. Taylor Pichai Buranasombati
Same office
Other recorded marks at Penang
11 marks11 other pre-1854 postal markings of Penang are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Penang FP 2handstampBlack1820–1821
- Penang FP 3handstampBlack1826–1836
- Penang FP 4handstampRed1836–1846
- Penang FP 5handstampBlack1840–1850
- Penang FP 6handstampBlack1849–1855
- Penang FP 7handstampBlack1854–1858
+5 more at this office.View all Penang marks and postal history →
About this Penang pre stamp cover
COV-4109 is a Penang pre stamp cover of 4 February 1806 bearing the Penang FP 1 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Penang postal history, Straits Settlements. What is a pre stamp cover?
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS Early Letters and Handstamps Penang 1806 (4 Feb.) entire letter from Canton to Penang showing, on reverse, a good strike of the very rare oval "p.o./p.w.i." h.s. in black (Type P2; earliest recorded date); the cover with some minor re-inforcement along folds. One of five recorded examples and the only one known struck in black. Photo Estimate S$ 12,000-15,000provenance: Lt. Col. L.T. Rose-Hutchinson, 1949 Dr. F.E. Wood, 1964 Sidney Harris, 1968 Charles Taylor, 1981 Spink Singapore, 2000
Its recorded auction history runs through Robson Lowe Rose-Hutchinson lot 621 (Oct. 1949); Robson Lowe Wood lot 36 (Dec. 1964); Stanley Gibbons Harris lot 21 (Apr. 1968); London and Brighton Stamp Auctions lot 15 (May 1981); Spink 5008 lot 12 (2 July 2005); and Spink 26014 lot 5250 (17 June 2026).
2 images of COV-4109 are recorded (front); the Penang FP 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1806–1817.
Questions about COV-4109
- What is COV-4109?
- COV-4109 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Penang, Straits Settlements of 4 February 1806, bearing the Penang FP 1 handstamp in black. STRAITS SETTLEMENTS Early Letters and Handstamps Penang 1806 (4 Feb.) entire letter from Canton to Penang showing, on reverse, a good strike of the very rare oval "p.o./p.w.i." h.s. in black (Type P2; earliest recorded date); the cover with some minor re-inforcement along folds. One of five recorded examples and the only one known struck in black. Photo Estimate S$ 12,000-15,000provenance: Lt. Col. L.T. Rose-Hutchinson, 1949 Dr. F.E. Wood, 1964 Sidney Harris, 1968 Charles Taylor, 1981 Spink Singapore, 2000
- How scarce is the Penang FP 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Penang FP 1 as rare, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1806–1817.
- What is the provenance of COV-4109?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robson Lowe Rose-Hutchinson lot 621 (Oct. 1949); Robson Lowe Wood lot 36 (Dec. 1964); Stanley Gibbons Harris lot 21 (Apr. 1968); London and Brighton Stamp Auctions lot 15 (May 1981); Spink 5008 lot 12 (2 July 2005); and Spink 26014 lot 5250 (17 June 2026).
- When was COV-4109 posted?
- COV-4109 is dated 4 February 1806, within the recorded period of use of Penang FP 1 (1806–1817).
About this record
This 4 February 1806 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Penang FP 1 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark graded “Rare” in this census — one of 4 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robson Lowe, Rose-Hutchinson, lot 621, (Oct. 1949); Robson Lowe, Wood, lot 36, (Dec. 1964); Stanley Gibbons, Harris, lot 21, (Apr. 1968); London and Brighton Stamp Auctions, lot 15, (May 1981); Spink, 5008, lot 12, (2 July 2005); Spink, 26014, lot 5250, (17 June 2026).