COV-4307
12 February 1842 Penang Cover

Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
12 February 1842
Description
x Early Letters and Handstamps Penang 1842 (12 Feb.) entire (small faults) to London, marked "overland mail via Falmouth, Paid to Bombay", rated "1/-", showing very fine framed "penang/Paid" datestamp in red with manuscript "2 Annas" inserted, oval-framed "india" with, on reverse, clear arrival datestamp (10.6). Photo Estimate £ 250-300
Auction
Provenance
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 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-4307 is a Penang pre stamp cover of 12 February 1842 bearing the Penang FP 5 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Penang postal history, Straits Settlements. What is a pre stamp cover?
x Early Letters and Handstamps Penang 1842 (12 Feb.) entire (small faults) to London, marked "overland mail via Falmouth, Paid to Bombay", rated "1/-", showing very fine framed "penang/Paid" datestamp in red with manuscript "2 Annas" inserted, oval-framed "india" with, on reverse, clear arrival datestamp (10.6). Photo Estimate £ 250-300
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 9023 lot 13 (2009).
1 image of COV-4307 is recorded; the Penang FP 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1840–1850.
Questions about COV-4307
- What is COV-4307?
- COV-4307 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Penang, Straits Settlements of 12 February 1842, bearing the Penang FP 5 handstamp in black. x Early Letters and Handstamps Penang 1842 (12 Feb.) entire (small faults) to London, marked "overland mail via Falmouth, Paid to Bombay", rated "1/-", showing very fine framed "penang/Paid" datestamp in red with manuscript "2 Annas" inserted, oval-framed "india" with, on reverse, clear arrival datestamp (10.6). Photo Estimate £ 250-300
- How scarce is the Penang FP 5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Penang FP 5 as very scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1840–1850.
- What is the provenance of COV-4307?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 9023 lot 13 (2009).
- When was COV-4307 posted?
- COV-4307 is dated 12 February 1842, within the recorded period of use of Penang FP 5 (1840–1850).
About this record
This 12 February 1842 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Penang FP 5 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark graded “Very scarce” in this census — one of 14 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, 9023, lot 13, (2009).

