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 1handstampBlack1786–1823
- Pondicherry HG 2handstampBlack1795
- Pondicherry HG 3handstampBlack1804–1817
- Pondicherry HG 3AhandstampBlack1801
- Pondicherry HG 4handstampBlack1804–1815
- Pondicherry HG 5handstampRed1826–1836
- Pondicherry HG 6handstampBlack1826–1836
- Pondicherry HG 7handstampRed1838–1851
- Pondicherry HG 8handstampBlack1839–1841
- Pondicherry HG 9handstampRed1839
- Pondicherry HG 10handstampRed1840–1854
- Pondicherry HG 11handstampBlack1851–1854
- Pondicherry HG 12handstampRed1849–1858
- Pondicherry HG 12ahandstampBlack1850–1852
- Pondicherry HG 13handstampBlack1855–1862
About this record
This 1823 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Pondicherry HG 1a handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 9042, lot 10127.