Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
1837
Description
1837-38 Military Postmaster's postal record of letters posted with postmarks impressed within the notebook reflecting addressee, place of posting and cost of postage; the postmarks comprise unframed "chicacole/post paid" in red (unlisted by Hammond Giles), unframed "chicacole/post not paid" in black (unlisted), "chicacole/Bearing" (unlisted), "chicacole/Paid" in red, "vizianagram/Paid" in red (unlisted), "payakerowpet/Paid" in red-black (unlisted), "rajamundry/Paid", oval-framed "rajamundry/free" in red, "ellore/Paid", "comercolly/Paid", "monigalah/Paid" (unlisted), "secunderabad/Paid" d.s. in red, "secunderabad/Bearing" d.s. and "jaulnah/Paid" d.s. in red, most with multiple strikes ranging from poor to fine. A most remarkable record.
Auction
Same office
Other recorded marks at Ellore
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Ellore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Ellore pre stamp cover
COV-546 is an Ellore pre stamp cover of 1837 bearing the Ellore HG 2 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Ellore postal history — the office known today as Eluru, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
1837-38 Military Postmaster's postal record of letters posted with postmarks impressed within the notebook reflecting addressee, place of posting and cost of postage; the postmarks comprise unframed "chicacole/post paid" in red (unlisted by Hammond Giles), unframed "chicacole/post not paid" in black (unlisted), "chicacole/Bearing" (unlisted), "chicacole/Paid" in red, "vizianagram/Paid" in red (unlisted), "payakerowpet/Paid" in red-black (unlisted), "rajamundry/Paid", oval-framed "rajamundry/free" in red, "ellore/Paid", "comercolly/Paid", "monigalah/Paid" (unlisted), "secunderabad/Paid" d.s. in red, "secunderabad/Bearing" d.s. and "jaulnah/Paid" d.s. in red, most with multiple strikes ranging from poor to fine. A most remarkable record.
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink Stamps and Covers of Asia lot 5120 (2026).
1 image of COV-546 is recorded (front); the Ellore HG 2 mark itself is recorded in use 1851.
Questions about COV-546
- What is COV-546?
- COV-546 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Ellore, Madras Presidency of 1837, bearing the Ellore HG 2 handstamp in red. 1837-38 Military Postmaster's postal record of letters posted with postmarks impressed within the notebook reflecting addressee, place of posting and cost of postage; the postmarks comprise unframed "chicacole/post paid" in red (unlisted by Hammond Giles), unframed "chicacole/post not paid" in black (unlisted), "chicacole/Bearing" (unlisted), "chicacole/Paid" in red, "vizianagram/Paid" in red (unlisted), "payakerowpet/Paid" in red-black (unlisted), "rajamundry/Paid", oval-framed "rajamundry/free" in red, "ellore/Paid", "comercolly/Paid", "monigalah/Paid" (unlisted), "secunderabad/Paid" d.s. in red, "secunderabad/Bearing" d.s. and "jaulnah/Paid" d.s. in red, most with multiple strikes ranging from poor to fine. A most remarkable record.
- How scarce is the Ellore HG 2 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Ellore HG 2 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1851.
- What is the provenance of COV-546?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink Stamps and Covers of Asia lot 5120 (2026).
- When was COV-546 posted?
- COV-546 is dated 1837, within the recorded period of use of Ellore HG 2 (1851).
About this record
This 1837 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Ellore HG 2 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 Spink, Stamps and Covers of Asia, lot 5120, (2026).