Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1823
Description
India (French Settlement), Pondicherry, 1823, "PONDICHERRY" Circular Handstamp (Giles 1). Very faint but just legible strike, used with "POST PAID" handstamp (Giles unrecorded) on back of 1823 folded letter to Madras, Madras (Sept. 13) arrival backstamp, cover heavily toned, with several insect holes, and some ink erosion, about Fine, a very rare strike with few examples recorded, an affordable example compared to the cover offered in Magnolia Part 3 which brought $8,000 (plus buyer's premium)
Auction
Sale 9042, Lot 10127, — The Magnolia Collection Part 6
Same office
Other recorded marks at Pondicherry
15 marks15 other pre-1854 postal markings of Pondicherry are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Pondicherry HG 1ahandstampBlack1818
- Pondicherry HG 2handstampBlack1795
- Pondicherry HG 3handstampBlack1804–1817
- Pondicherry HG 3AhandstampBlack1801
- Pondicherry HG 4handstampBlack1804–1815
- Pondicherry HG 5handstampRed1826–1836
+9 more at this office.View all Pondicherry marks and postal history →
About this Pondicherry pre stamp cover
COV-466 is a Pondicherry pre stamp cover of 1823 bearing the Pondicherry HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Pondicherry postal history — the office known today as Puducherry, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
India (French Settlement), Pondicherry, 1823, "PONDICHERRY" Circular Handstamp (Giles 1). Very faint but just legible strike, used with "POST PAID" handstamp (Giles unrecorded) on back of 1823 folded letter to Madras, Madras (Sept. 13) arrival backstamp, cover heavily toned, with several insect holes, and some ink erosion, about Fine, a very rare strike with few examples recorded, an affordable example compared to the cover offered in Magnolia Part 3 which brought $8,000 (plus buyer's premium)
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9042 lot 10127.
2 images of COV-466 are recorded (front, back); the Pondicherry HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1786–1823.
Questions about COV-466
- What is COV-466?
- COV-466 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Pondicherry, Madras Presidency of 1823, bearing the Pondicherry HG 1 handstamp in black. India (French Settlement), Pondicherry, 1823, "PONDICHERRY" Circular Handstamp (Giles 1). Very faint but just legible strike, used with "POST PAID" handstamp (Giles unrecorded) on back of 1823 folded letter to Madras, Madras (Sept. 13) arrival backstamp, cover heavily toned, with several insect holes, and some ink erosion, about Fine, a very rare strike with few examples recorded, an affordable example compared to the cover offered in Magnolia Part 3 which brought $8,000 (plus buyer's premium)
- How scarce is the Pondicherry HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Pondicherry HG 1 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1786–1823.
- What is the provenance of COV-466?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 9042 lot 10127.
- When was COV-466 posted?
- COV-466 is dated 1823, within the recorded period of use of Pondicherry HG 1 (1786–1823).
About this record
This 1823 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Pondicherry HG 1 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 4 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 9042, lot 10127.