COV-1257
15 July 1818 Madras SD5 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
15 July 1818
Description
Madras: 1818 (15 July) entire letter written by Brigadier Arthur Molesworth at Colombo to Rev. Edward Lewton, East India College, Hertford "Per Wellington", rated in total "8/-" and showing Madras framed "UNPAID" (HG SD3), oval "PACKET LETTER" datestamp (HG SD5) and London arrival c.d.s. An exceptional item from this short-lived Rebellion written by the commander of the Madras troops. Contents of letter: An interesting and detailed account of the Rebellion and other affairs in which the writer berates his ill fortune at having to return to Ceylon (he was involved in the 1797-98 Expedition). He recounts "The Rebellion on Ceylon having baffled the attempts of that Government to quell it, assistance was sent for"... and alluding to Guerilla warfare "Our troops seldom see their enemy, but are knocked down as they pass through the country in all directions... Sometimes they do capture a few of the Natives who are not generally hanged..." Also contains interesting information relating to postal routes and letter carrying vessels.
Auction
Provenance
Dr. Soli Contractor
Same office
Other recorded marks at Madras
81 marks81 other pre-1854 postal markings of Madras are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Madras HG 1handstampBlack1786–1806
- Madras HG 2handstampBlack1788
- Madras HG 3handstampBlack1791–1816
- Madras HG 4handstampBlack1795–1826
- Madras HG 5handstampBlack1799–1800
- Madras HG 6handstampBlack1802–1822
- Madras HG 6AhandstampRed1809
- Madras HG 7handstampBlack1816–1823
- Madras HG 8handstampBlack1819
- Madras HG 9handstampBlack1812–1820
- Madras HG 10handstampBlack1820
- Madras HG 11handstampRed1819–1824
- Madras HG 12handstampBlack1820–1832
- Madras HG 13handstampBlack1821–1832
- Madras HG 14handstampBlack1822–1836
- Madras HG 15handstampBlack1807–1826
- Madras HG 16handstampRed1824–1837
- Madras HG 17handstampRed1833-37
- Madras HG 18handstampBlack1833-37
- Madras HG 19handstampRed1837–1854
- Madras HG 19ahandstampRed1841
- Madras HG 20handstampBlack1838–1856
- Madras HG 21handstampRed1837–1853
- Madras HG 22handstampRed1837–1854
- Madras HG 23handstampBlack1842–1849
- Madras HG 24handstampRed1843–1854
- Madras HG 25handstampRed1853–1855
- Madras HG 25ahandstampRed1854-56
- Madras HG 26handstampBlack1853–1854
- Madras MN 1manuscript1815–1816
- Madras MX1handstampBlack1817–1819
- Madras MX2handstampBlack1819-20
- Madras MX3handstampBlack1820-24
- Madras MX4handstampBlack1824-38
- Madras MX5handstampRed1837-53
- Madras MX6handstampRed1838–1851
- Madras MX7handstampBlack1840–1854
- Madras MX8handstampBlack1838–1861
- Madras MX9handstampBlack1845-51
- Madras MX9ahandstampBlack1848-49
- Madras MX10handstampBlack1855
- Madras MX11handstampBlack1855
- Madras MX11ahandstampBlack1849
- Madras MX12handstampRed1847-52
- Madras MX13handstampBlack1848–1854
- Madras MX14handstampBlack1848–1854
- Madras MX15handstampRed1850–1851
- Madras MX16handstampBlack1851–1854
- Madras MX17handstampRed1837–1856
- Madras SD1handstampBlack1815
- Madras SD2handstampBlack1816
- Madras SD3handstampBlack1816–1819
- Madras SD4handstampBlack1816–1818
- Madras SD6handstampBlack1816–1820
- Madras SD7handstampBlack1819–1820
- Madras SD8handstampBlack1820–1833
- Madras SD9handstampRed1822
- Madras SD10handstampRed1822–1836
- Madras SD11handstampRed1824–1852
- Madras SD12handstampBlack1825–1831
- Madras SD13handstampBlack1832–1837
- Madras SD14handstampBlack1837
- Madras SD15handstampRed1835–1836
- Madras SD16handstampRed1836–1854
- Madras SD17handstampBlack1836–1838
- Madras SD18handstampRed1838–1844
- Madras SD19handstampRed1838–1850
- Madras SD20handstampRed1844–1866
- Madras SD21handstampRed1845–1855
- Madras SD21ahandstampRed1845–1853
- Madras SD21bhandstampRed1849-55
- Madras SD22handstampBlack1857–1865
- Madras SR1handstampBlack1815–1819
- Madras SR2handstampBlack1818–1819
- Madras SR3handstampBlack1837–1861
- Madras SR4handstampRed1838-55
- Madras SR5handstampBlack1837–1858
- Madras SR6handstampBlack1841-57
- Madras SR7handstampBlack1845–1867
- Madras SR8handstampBlack1858-61
- Madras HG SRAddhandstampBlack1815
About this record
This 15 July 1818 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Madras SD5 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 11 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, lot 304.