Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
31 December 1851
Description
Penang Early Letters and Handstamps 1851 (31 Dec.) printed "Prices Current" to Canton, showing very fine light strike of framed "penang/free" h.s. in red (Type PD22). The only recorded example of this marking. It is surmised that, as part of the circular gives details of shipping movements, it could be registered as a newspaper and, therefore, be carried free. Photo Estimate S$ 25,000-30,000 provenance: Sidney Harris, April 1968 Charles Taylor, May 1981 Christie´s sale, March 1994 Spink sale, June 2000
Auction
Provenance
"Stolz" Sidney Harris Charles Taylor David Springbett 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 1handstampBlack1806–1817
- Penang FP 2handstampBlack1820–1821
- Penang FP 3handstampBlack1826–1836
- Penang FP 4handstampRed1836–1846
- Penang FP 5handstampBlack1840–1850
- Penang FP 6handstampBlack1849–1855
+5 more at this office.View all Penang marks and postal history →
About this Penang pre stamp cover
COV-4335 is a Penang pre stamp cover of 31 December 1851 bearing the Penang FP 11 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Penang postal history, Straits Settlements. What is a pre stamp cover?
Penang Early Letters and Handstamps 1851 (31 Dec.) printed "Prices Current" to Canton, showing very fine light strike of framed "penang/free" h.s. in red (Type PD22). The only recorded example of this marking. It is surmised that, as part of the circular gives details of shipping movements, it could be registered as a newspaper and, therefore, be carried free. Photo Estimate S$ 25,000-30,000 provenance: Sidney Harris, April 1968 Charles Taylor, May 1981 Christie´s sale, March 1994 Spink sale, June 2000
Its recorded auction history runs through Stanley Gibbons Harris lot 34 (Apr. 1968); London and Brighton Stamp Auctions lot 25 (May 1981); Christie's Robson Lowe Springbett lot 620 (Mar. 1994); Spink 1015 lot 1031 (2001); and Spink 26014 lot 5257 (2026).
1 image of COV-4335 is recorded; the Penang FP 11 mark itself is recorded in use 1851.
Questions about COV-4335
- What is COV-4335?
- COV-4335 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Penang, Straits Settlements of 31 December 1851, bearing the Penang FP 11 handstamp in black. Penang Early Letters and Handstamps 1851 (31 Dec.) printed "Prices Current" to Canton, showing very fine light strike of framed "penang/free" h.s. in red (Type PD22). The only recorded example of this marking. It is surmised that, as part of the circular gives details of shipping movements, it could be registered as a newspaper and, therefore, be carried free. Photo Estimate S$ 25,000-30,000 provenance: Sidney Harris, April 1968 Charles Taylor, May 1981 Christie´s sale, March 1994 Spink sale, June 2000
- How scarce is the Penang FP 11 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Penang FP 11 as rare, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1851.
- What is the provenance of COV-4335?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Stanley Gibbons Harris lot 34 (Apr. 1968); London and Brighton Stamp Auctions lot 25 (May 1981); Christie's Robson Lowe Springbett lot 620 (Mar. 1994); Spink 1015 lot 1031 (2001); and Spink 26014 lot 5257 (2026).
- When was COV-4335 posted?
- COV-4335 is dated 31 December 1851, within the recorded period of use of Penang FP 11 (1851).
About this record
This 31 December 1851 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Penang FP 11 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark graded “Rare” in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with Stanley Gibbons, Harris, lot 34, (Apr. 1968); London and Brighton Stamp Auctions, lot 25, (May 1981); Christie's Robson Lowe, Springbett, lot 620, (Mar. 1994); Spink, 1015, lot 1031, (2001); Spink, 26014, lot 5257, (2026).