COV-4309
23 August 1839 Singapore Cover

Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
23 August 1839
Description
Penang 1839 (23 Aug.) entire letter to London, rated "1/4" and showing, on reverse, framed "penang/ship letter/Bearing" d.s. in red and framed "singapore/ship letter/Bearing" d.s. in black partly overstruck by arrival datestamp (11.1.40). Rare. (CJS). Photo
Auction
Same office
Other recorded marks at Singapore
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Singapore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Singapore FP 1handstampBlack1829–1831
- Singapore FP 2handstampBlack1840–1855
- Singapore FP 3handstampBlack1855
- Singapore FP 4handstampBlack1845–1854
- Singapore FP 5handstampBlack—
- Singapore FP 6handstampBlack1840–1844
+1 more at this office.View all Singapore marks and postal history →
About this Singapore pre stamp cover
COV-4309 is a Singapore pre stamp cover of 23 August 1839 bearing the Singapore FP 7 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Singapore postal history, Straits Settlements. What is a pre stamp cover?
Penang 1839 (23 Aug.) entire letter to London, rated "1/4" and showing, on reverse, framed "penang/ship letter/Bearing" d.s. in red and framed "singapore/ship letter/Bearing" d.s. in black partly overstruck by arrival datestamp (11.1.40). Rare. (CJS). Photo
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 18039 lot 20 (2018).
1 image of COV-4309 is recorded; the Singapore FP 7 mark itself is recorded in use 1839–1854.
Questions about COV-4309
- What is COV-4309?
- COV-4309 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Singapore, Straits Settlements of 23 August 1839, bearing the Singapore FP 7 handstamp in black. Penang 1839 (23 Aug.) entire letter to London, rated "1/4" and showing, on reverse, framed "penang/ship letter/Bearing" d.s. in red and framed "singapore/ship letter/Bearing" d.s. in black partly overstruck by arrival datestamp (11.1.40). Rare. (CJS). Photo
- How scarce is the Singapore FP 7 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Singapore FP 7 as rare, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1839–1854.
- What is the provenance of COV-4309?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 18039 lot 20 (2018).
- When was COV-4309 posted?
- COV-4309 is dated 23 August 1839, within the recorded period of use of Singapore FP 7 (1839–1854).
About this record
This 23 August 1839 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Singapore FP 7 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark graded “Rare” in this census — one of 7 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, 18039, lot 20, (2018).

