Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1817
Description
INDIA, Hyderabad, 1817, "POST-PAID/HYDERABAD" Handstamp (Giles 1). Mostly complete oval handstamp struck on back of folded letter with Sept. 25, 1817 despatch docketing, addressed to London, England, "UNPAID" in oval handstamp and charged 3/6" on arrival, Madras Packet Letter transit (Giles SD5) and "GPO OC 3, 1817" oval transit datestamps (Giles MX1, very scarce), London Apr. 23 arrival datestamps, cover with edgewear and flap tear affecting arrival cancels, also with overall soiling, still a Fine and scarce combination of markings, the Hyderabad marking is noted as rare by Giles
Auction
Sale 1301, Lot 6021
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
+75 more at this office.View all Madras marks and postal history →
About this Madras pre stamp cover
COV-90 is a Madras pre stamp cover of 1817 bearing the Madras SD5 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Madras postal history — the office known today as Chennai, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
INDIA, Hyderabad, 1817, "POST-PAID/HYDERABAD" Handstamp (Giles 1). Mostly complete oval handstamp struck on back of folded letter with Sept. 25, 1817 despatch docketing, addressed to London, England, "UNPAID" in oval handstamp and charged 3/6" on arrival, Madras Packet Letter transit (Giles SD5) and "GPO OC 3, 1817" oval transit datestamps (Giles MX1, very scarce), London Apr. 23 arrival datestamps, cover with edgewear and flap tear affecting arrival cancels, also with overall soiling, still a Fine and scarce combination of markings, the Hyderabad marking is noted as rare by Giles
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6021.
2 images of COV-90 are recorded (front, back); the Madras SD5 mark itself is recorded in use 1816–1819.
Questions about COV-90
- What is COV-90?
- COV-90 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Madras, Madras Presidency of 1817, bearing the Madras SD5 handstamp in black. INDIA, Hyderabad, 1817, "POST-PAID/HYDERABAD" Handstamp (Giles 1). Mostly complete oval handstamp struck on back of folded letter with Sept. 25, 1817 despatch docketing, addressed to London, England, "UNPAID" in oval handstamp and charged 3/6" on arrival, Madras Packet Letter transit (Giles SD5) and "GPO OC 3, 1817" oval transit datestamps (Giles MX1, very scarce), London Apr. 23 arrival datestamps, cover with edgewear and flap tear affecting arrival cancels, also with overall soiling, still a Fine and scarce combination of markings, the Hyderabad marking is noted as rare by Giles
- How scarce is the Madras SD5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Madras SD5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1816–1819.
- What is the provenance of COV-90?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6021.
- When was COV-90 posted?
- COV-90 is dated 1817, within the recorded period of use of Madras SD5 (1816–1819).
About this record
This 1817 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Madras SD5 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 15 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 1301, lot 6021.