Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
12 March 1844
Description
Spink - x Early Letters and Handstamps Malacca 1844 (12 Mar.) entire letter from Bangalore to "Captain Rochfort, 27th Regt, Malacca" showing, on reverse, framed "bangalore/Paid" d.s. in red, double-lined oval "out station/madras/ship letter" d.s. (14.3), framed "malacca/ship letter/April/Bearing" d.s. in red and "penang/ship letter/May 4/Bearing" d.s. in black. Very rare, one of four recorded examples, all struck in 1844. Photo Estimate £ 3,500-4,500 provenance: Comdt. Smith Charles S. Taylor, May 1981 Tay Peng Hian, November 1986 Christie´´s Singapore, March 1994 Siegel - Straits Settlements--Malacca, 1844 "Malacca Ship Letter, (?) April, Bearing" Handstamp on Incoming Letter. Folded letter datelined Banglaore Mar. 12, 1844 with red "Bangalore, 1844 March 12, Paid" boxed despatch datestamp on back, addressed to "Captain Rochfort, 27th Regt, Malacca", Madras "Out Station Ship Letter" (Giles SD11) and "Penang Ship Letter" datestamps applied in transit, Malacca Ship Letter handstamp applied on arrival, minor edgewear including small tear into Penang handstamp FINE STRIKE OF THE INCREDIBLY RARE MALACCA SHIP LETTER MARKING. ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED, ALL USED DURING 1844--THIS QUITE POSSIBLY THE EARLIEST. The Proud book mentions this marking is known used from Apr. 30 to Aug. 1, 1844. Ex Comdt. Smith, Taylor, Tay Peng Hian, and Nathan.
Auction
Provenance
"Magnolia" Comdt. Smith Charles Taylor Tay Peng Hian V.T. Nathan
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-3048 is a Penang pre stamp cover of 12 March 1844 bearing the Penang FP 12 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Penang postal history, Straits Settlements. What is a pre stamp cover?
Spink - x Early Letters and Handstamps Malacca 1844 (12 Mar.) entire letter from Bangalore to "Captain Rochfort, 27th Regt, Malacca" showing, on reverse, framed "bangalore/Paid" d.s. in red, double-lined oval "out station/madras/ship letter" d.s. (14.3), framed "malacca/ship letter/April/Bearing" d.s. in red and "penang/ship letter/May 4/Bearing" d.s. in black. Very rare, one of four recorded examples, all struck in 1844. Photo Estimate £ 3,500-4,500 provenance: Comdt. Smith Charles S. Taylor, May 1981 Tay Peng Hian, November 1986 Christie´´s Singapore, March 1994 Siegel - Straits Settlements--Malacca, 1844 "Malacca Ship Letter, (?) April, Bearing" Handstamp on Incoming Letter. Folded letter datelined Banglaore Mar. 12, 1844 with red "Bangalore, 1844 March 12, Paid" boxed despatch datestamp on back, addressed to "Captain Rochfort, 27th Regt, Malacca", Madras "Out Station Ship Letter" (Giles SD11) and "Penang Ship Letter" datestamps applied in transit, Malacca Ship Letter handstamp applied on arrival, minor edgewear including small tear into Penang handstamp FINE STRIKE OF THE INCREDIBLY RARE MALACCA SHIP LETTER MARKING. ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED, ALL USED DURING 1844--THIS QUITE POSSIBLY THE EARLIEST. The Proud book mentions this marking is known used from Apr. 30 to Aug. 1, 1844. Ex Comdt. Smith, Taylor, Tay Peng Hian, and Nathan.
Its recorded auction history runs through London and Brighton Stamp Auctions lot 63 (May 1981); David Feldman 46 lot 60007 (Nov. 1986); Spink Auction: 9023 - The V T Nathan Collection of Straits Settlements lot 9023 (2009); Spink 18039 lot 2 (2018); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries 1286 lot 238 (May 2023).
1 image of COV-3048 is recorded (front); the Penang FP 12 mark itself is recorded in use 1838–1847.
Questions about COV-3048
- What is COV-3048?
- COV-3048 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Penang, Straits Settlements of 12 March 1844, bearing the Penang FP 12 handstamp in black. Spink - x Early Letters and Handstamps Malacca 1844 (12 Mar.) entire letter from Bangalore to "Captain Rochfort, 27th Regt, Malacca" showing, on reverse, framed "bangalore/Paid" d.s. in red, double-lined oval "out station/madras/ship letter" d.s. (14.3), framed "malacca/ship letter/April/Bearing" d.s. in red and "penang/ship letter/May 4/Bearing" d.s. in black. Very rare, one of four recorded examples, all struck in 1844. Photo Estimate £ 3,500-4,500 provenance: Comdt. Smith Charles S. Taylor, May 1981 Tay Peng Hian, November 1986 Christie´´s Singapore, March 1994 Siegel - Straits Settlements--Malacca, 1844 "Malacca Ship Letter, (?) April, Bearing" Handstamp on Incoming Letter. Folded letter datelined Banglaore Mar. 12, 1844 with red "Bangalore, 1844 March 12, Paid" boxed despatch datestamp on back, addressed to "Captain Rochfort, 27th Regt, Malacca", Madras "Out Station Ship Letter" (Giles SD11) and "Penang Ship Letter" datestamps applied in transit, Malacca Ship Letter handstamp applied on arrival, minor edgewear including small tear into Penang handstamp FINE STRIKE OF THE INCREDIBLY RARE MALACCA SHIP LETTER MARKING. ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED, ALL USED DURING 1844--THIS QUITE POSSIBLY THE EARLIEST. The Proud book mentions this marking is known used from Apr. 30 to Aug. 1, 1844. Ex Comdt. Smith, Taylor, Tay Peng Hian, and Nathan.
- How scarce is the Penang FP 12 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Penang FP 12 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1838–1847.
- What is the provenance of COV-3048?
- Its recorded auction history runs through London and Brighton Stamp Auctions lot 63 (May 1981); David Feldman 46 lot 60007 (Nov. 1986); Spink Auction: 9023 - The V T Nathan Collection of Straits Settlements lot 9023 (2009); Spink 18039 lot 2 (2018); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries 1286 lot 238 (May 2023).
- When was COV-3048 posted?
- COV-3048 is dated 12 March 1844, within the recorded period of use of Penang FP 12 (1838–1847).
About this record
This 12 March 1844 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Penang FP 12 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 16 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with London and Brighton Stamp Auctions, lot 63, (May 1981); David Feldman, 46, lot 60007, (Nov. 1986); Spink, Auction: 9023 - The V T Nathan Collection of Straits Settlements, lot 9023, (2009); Spink, 18039, lot 2, (2018); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, 1286, lot 238, (May 2023).