Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
16 April 1815
Description
Siegel - India, Camp, 1815, "CAMP/POSTPAID" Two-Line Handstamp (Giles 2). Clear red handstamp on long folded letter datelined "Camp, 16th April 1815" and addressed to Bangalore, manuscript "6f" rate marking, cover with some internal splitting and couple file folds (one which crosses handstamp), still Very Fine, a scarce marking used by the Grand Army during the Mysore Wars which had a postal department attached Cavendish - BUILD UP TO 3rd MARATHA WAR - RARE RED “CAMP/POST PAID” MARK ON COVER TO BANGALORE; 16 Apr. 1815 EL (one large sheet all cross-written; reinforced folds) from “Camp” (possibly in the Belgaum area) to Bangalore with a mainly very fine red “CAMP/POST PAID” (filing fold just affects “D”) endorsed “6 f[anam]s” nicely placed on the front. The long interesting letter includes; “This being Sunday...I paid my respects to the Commander in Chief...He told me that he had no idea when we should move northward or when we might return, that as for his own part he did not believe we should cross the Rivers at all, but move up & down this one until all was settled in Bengal...”! Sent during manoeuvres at the start of the 3rd Maratha War period. Rare early Military marking. PHOTO - see opposite.
Auction
Provenance
"Magnolia" Michael Manning
Same office
Other recorded marks at Camp
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Camp are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Camp HG 1handstampBlack1799
- Camp HG 2AhandstampBlack—
- Camp HG 3handstampBlack1815
- Camp HG 4handstampBlack1815
- Camp MN 1manuscript1792
- Camp MN 2manuscript1815
+1 more at this office.View all Camp marks and postal history →
About this Camp pre stamp cover
COV-223 is a Camp pre stamp cover of 16 April 1815 bearing the Camp HG 2 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Camp postal history, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
Siegel - India, Camp, 1815, "CAMP/POSTPAID" Two-Line Handstamp (Giles 2). Clear red handstamp on long folded letter datelined "Camp, 16th April 1815" and addressed to Bangalore, manuscript "6f" rate marking, cover with some internal splitting and couple file folds (one which crosses handstamp), still Very Fine, a scarce marking used by the Grand Army during the Mysore Wars which had a postal department attached Cavendish - BUILD UP TO 3rd MARATHA WAR - RARE RED “CAMP/POST PAID” MARK ON COVER TO BANGALORE; 16 Apr. 1815 EL (one large sheet all cross-written; reinforced folds) from “Camp” (possibly in the Belgaum area) to Bangalore with a mainly very fine red “CAMP/POST PAID” (filing fold just affects “D”) endorsed “6 f[anam]s” nicely placed on the front. The long interesting letter includes; “This being Sunday...I paid my respects to the Commander in Chief...He told me that he had no idea when we should move northward or when we might return, that as for his own part he did not believe we should cross the Rivers at all, but move up & down this one until all was settled in Bengal...”! Sent during manoeuvres at the start of the 3rd Maratha War period. Rare early Military marking. PHOTO - see opposite.
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 92 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9020 lot 10030 (Mar. 2025).
2 images of COV-223 are recorded (front, back); the Camp HG 2 mark itself is recorded in use 1803–1824.
Questions about COV-223
- What is COV-223?
- COV-223 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Camp, Madras Presidency of 16 April 1815, bearing the Camp HG 2 handstamp in black. Siegel - India, Camp, 1815, "CAMP/POSTPAID" Two-Line Handstamp (Giles 2). Clear red handstamp on long folded letter datelined "Camp, 16th April 1815" and addressed to Bangalore, manuscript "6f" rate marking, cover with some internal splitting and couple file folds (one which crosses handstamp), still Very Fine, a scarce marking used by the Grand Army during the Mysore Wars which had a postal department attached Cavendish - BUILD UP TO 3rd MARATHA WAR - RARE RED “CAMP/POST PAID” MARK ON COVER TO BANGALORE; 16 Apr. 1815 EL (one large sheet all cross-written; reinforced folds) from “Camp” (possibly in the Belgaum area) to Bangalore with a mainly very fine red “CAMP/POST PAID” (filing fold just affects “D”) endorsed “6 f[anam]s” nicely placed on the front. The long interesting letter includes; “This being Sunday...I paid my respects to the Commander in Chief...He told me that he had no idea when we should move northward or when we might return, that as for his own part he did not believe we should cross the Rivers at all, but move up & down this one until all was settled in Bengal...”! Sent during manoeuvres at the start of the 3rd Maratha War period. Rare early Military marking. PHOTO - see opposite.
- How scarce is the Camp HG 2 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Camp HG 2 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1803–1824.
- What is the provenance of COV-223?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 92 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9020 lot 10030 (Mar. 2025).
- When was COV-223 posted?
- COV-223 is dated 16 April 1815, within the recorded period of use of Camp HG 2 (1803–1824).
About this record
This 16 April 1815 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Camp HG 2 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 13 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Manning, lot 92, (Sept. 2015); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 9020, lot 10030, (Mar. 2025).