Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
1840
Description
(x) Straits Settlements Early Letters and Handstamps Singapore 1840 (12 June) entire letter from Lt. Col. Maitland Edwards (a member of the China Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the Opium War) in Singapore to Weston-super-Mare, marked "on board the ship "Allalevie" , rated "8" , showing framed "india letter/deal" and, o reverse, oval-framed "singapore/free" d.s. in red with London transit c.d.s. (8.11). Very rare, only four examples recorded. Photo provenance : David Springbett, Christie's Singapore, March 1994, Lot 630 Dr. Chua Eu Tiong, Spink Singapore, July 2005, Lot 43 Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. STRAITS SETTLEMENTS Early Letters and Handstamps Singapore 1840 (12 June) entire letter from Lt. Col. Maitland Edwards (a member of the China Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the Opium War) in Singapore to Weston-super-Mare, marked "on board the ship "Allalevie", rated "8", showing framed "india letter/deal" and, on reverse, oval-framed "singapore/free" d.s. in red (Type OPD1) with London transit d.s. (8.11) alongside. Very rare, only three examples recorded. Photo Estimate S$ 10,000-12,000provenance: Christie´s Singapore, March 1994
Auction
Same office
Other recorded marks at Singapore
9 marks9 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 2handstampBlack1834
- Singapore FP 3handstampBlack1855
- Singapore FP 4handstampBlack1845–1854
- Singapore FP 5handstampBlack1840–1855
- Singapore FP 6handstampBlack1854
+3 more at this office.View all Singapore marks and postal history →
About this Singapore pre stamp cover
COV-5507 is a Singapore pre stamp cover of 1840 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?
(x) Straits Settlements Early Letters and Handstamps Singapore 1840 (12 June) entire letter from Lt. Col. Maitland Edwards (a member of the China Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the Opium War) in Singapore to Weston-super-Mare, marked "on board the ship "Allalevie" , rated "8" , showing framed "india letter/deal" and, o reverse, oval-framed "singapore/free" d.s. in red with London transit c.d.s. (8.11). Very rare, only four examples recorded. Photo provenance : David Springbett, Christie's Singapore, March 1994, Lot 630 Dr. Chua Eu Tiong, Spink Singapore, July 2005, Lot 43 Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. STRAITS SETTLEMENTS Early Letters and Handstamps Singapore 1840 (12 June) entire letter from Lt. Col. Maitland Edwards (a member of the China Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the Opium War) in Singapore to Weston-super-Mare, marked "on board the ship "Allalevie", rated "8", showing framed "india letter/deal" and, on reverse, oval-framed "singapore/free" d.s. in red (Type OPD1) with London transit d.s. (8.11) alongside. Very rare, only three examples recorded. Photo Estimate S$ 10,000-12,000provenance: Christie´s Singapore, March 1994
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink Fine Stamps & Covers of South East Asia (Sale 5008) lot 43 (2 July 2005); and Spink Stamps and Covers of Asia (Sale 26014) lot 5260 (17 June 2026).
2 images of COV-5507 are recorded (front); the Singapore FP 7 mark itself is recorded in use 1840–1844.
Questions about COV-5507
- What is COV-5507?
- COV-5507 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Singapore, Straits Settlements of 1840, bearing the Singapore FP 7 handstamp in black. (x) Straits Settlements Early Letters and Handstamps Singapore 1840 (12 June) entire letter from Lt. Col. Maitland Edwards (a member of the China Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the Opium War) in Singapore to Weston-super-Mare, marked "on board the ship "Allalevie" , rated "8" , showing framed "india letter/deal" and, o reverse, oval-framed "singapore/free" d.s. in red with London transit c.d.s. (8.11). Very rare, only four examples recorded. Photo provenance : David Springbett, Christie's Singapore, March 1994, Lot 630 Dr. Chua Eu Tiong, Spink Singapore, July 2005, Lot 43 Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. STRAITS SETTLEMENTS Early Letters and Handstamps Singapore 1840 (12 June) entire letter from Lt. Col. Maitland Edwards (a member of the China Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the Opium War) in Singapore to Weston-super-Mare, marked "on board the ship "Allalevie", rated "8", showing framed "india letter/deal" and, on reverse, oval-framed "singapore/free" d.s. in red (Type OPD1) with London transit d.s. (8.11) alongside. Very rare, only three examples recorded. Photo Estimate S$ 10,000-12,000provenance: Christie´s Singapore, March 1994
- How scarce is the Singapore FP 7 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Singapore FP 7 as 3 examples recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1840–1844.
- What is the provenance of COV-5507?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink Fine Stamps & Covers of South East Asia (Sale 5008) lot 43 (2 July 2005); and Spink Stamps and Covers of Asia (Sale 26014) lot 5260 (17 June 2026).
- When was COV-5507 posted?
- COV-5507 is dated 1840, within the recorded period of use of Singapore FP 7 (1840–1844).
About this record
This 1840 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Singapore FP 7 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark with 3 examples recorded in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, Fine Stamps & Covers of South East Asia (Sale 5008), lot 43, (2 July 2005); Spink, Stamps and Covers of Asia (Sale 26014), lot 5260, (17 June 2026).