Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
27 March 1857
Description
INDIA, 1854, 2a Green (5; SG 31). Horizontal pair, large to ample margins, manuscript cancel and tied by "C/107" dotted cancel on folded cover to Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, red Cuddalore Paid Mar. 27, 1857 boxed despatch datestamp on back, sender's directive "per Steamer via Madras & Singapore", red "INDIA PAID" crescent and "Rg House No. 1" boxed handstamps, red Madras (Mar. 28) transit backstamp, pair with minor toning around edges, cover with ink erosion causing some holes, still a Fine and rare destination
Auction
Sale 1301 - The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History and Stamps Used Abroad, Part 2, Lot 6120
Provenance
Magnolia
Same office
Other recorded marks at Cuddalore
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Cuddalore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Cuddalore HG 1handstampMauve1818–1823
- Cuddalore HG 2handstampMauve1818
- Cuddalore HG 3handstampMauve1823
- Cuddalore HG 3Ahandstamp1827
- Cuddalore HG 3bhandstampBlack1828–1834
- Cuddalore HG 4handstampBlack1839-45
+1 more at this office.View all Cuddalore marks and postal history →
About this Cuddalore pre stamp cover
COV-3304 is a Cuddalore pre stamp cover of 27 March 1857 bearing the Cuddalore HG 5 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Cuddalore postal history, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
INDIA, 1854, 2a Green (5; SG 31). Horizontal pair, large to ample margins, manuscript cancel and tied by "C/107" dotted cancel on folded cover to Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, red Cuddalore Paid Mar. 27, 1857 boxed despatch datestamp on back, sender's directive "per Steamer via Madras & Singapore", red "INDIA PAID" crescent and "Rg House No. 1" boxed handstamps, red Madras (Mar. 28) transit backstamp, pair with minor toning around edges, cover with ink erosion causing some holes, still a Fine and rare destination
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 - The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History and Stamps Used Abroad, Part 2 lot 6120.
2 images of COV-3304 are recorded (front, back); the Cuddalore HG 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1841–1857.
Questions about COV-3304
- What is COV-3304?
- COV-3304 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Cuddalore, Madras Presidency of 27 March 1857, bearing the Cuddalore HG 5 handstamp in red. INDIA, 1854, 2a Green (5; SG 31). Horizontal pair, large to ample margins, manuscript cancel and tied by "C/107" dotted cancel on folded cover to Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, red Cuddalore Paid Mar. 27, 1857 boxed despatch datestamp on back, sender's directive "per Steamer via Madras & Singapore", red "INDIA PAID" crescent and "Rg House No. 1" boxed handstamps, red Madras (Mar. 28) transit backstamp, pair with minor toning around edges, cover with ink erosion causing some holes, still a Fine and rare destination
- How scarce is the Cuddalore HG 5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Cuddalore HG 5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1841–1857.
- What is the provenance of COV-3304?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 - The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History and Stamps Used Abroad, Part 2 lot 6120.
- When was COV-3304 posted?
- COV-3304 is dated 27 March 1857, within the recorded period of use of Cuddalore HG 5 (1841–1857).
About this record
This 27 March 1857 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Cuddalore HG 5 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 1301 - The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History and Stamps Used Abroad, Part 2, lot 6120.