Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
1804
Description
British Post Office 1804 (Dec 3): Entire letter from Pondichery addressed to Captain de Havilland in Madras struck on flap with superb framed "SINGLE" in black (Hammond & Giles HG4) and watery strike of deformed framed "Post / Paid / Pondichery" in black; rated '1½' fanams in manuscript for a distance under 100 miles. Slight arricator fault but a scarce entire.
Auction
Auction 291-297, Lot 2074
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 1ahandstampBlack1818
- Pondicherry HG 2handstampBlack1795
- Pondicherry HG 3handstampBlack1804–1817
- Pondicherry HG 3AhandstampBlack1801
- Pondicherry HG 5handstampRed1826–1836
+9 more at this office.View all Pondicherry marks and postal history →
About this Pondicherry pre stamp cover
COV-587 is a Pondicherry pre stamp cover of 1804 bearing the Pondicherry HG 4 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?
British Post Office 1804 (Dec 3): Entire letter from Pondichery addressed to Captain de Havilland in Madras struck on flap with superb framed "SINGLE" in black (Hammond & Giles HG4) and watery strike of deformed framed "Post / Paid / Pondichery" in black; rated '1½' fanams in manuscript for a distance under 100 miles. Slight arricator fault but a scarce entire.
Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Auctions Auction 291-297 lot 2074.
1 image of COV-587 is recorded (front); the Pondicherry HG 4 mark itself is recorded in use 1804–1815.
Questions about COV-587
- What is COV-587?
- COV-587 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Pondicherry, Madras Presidency of 1804, bearing the Pondicherry HG 4 handstamp in black. British Post Office 1804 (Dec 3): Entire letter from Pondichery addressed to Captain de Havilland in Madras struck on flap with superb framed "SINGLE" in black (Hammond & Giles HG4) and watery strike of deformed framed "Post / Paid / Pondichery" in black; rated '1½' fanams in manuscript for a distance under 100 miles. Slight arricator fault but a scarce entire.
- How scarce is the Pondicherry HG 4 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Pondicherry HG 4 as 2 examples recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1804–1815.
- What is the provenance of COV-587?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Auctions Auction 291-297 lot 2074.
- When was COV-587 posted?
- COV-587 is dated 1804, within the recorded period of use of Pondicherry HG 4 (1804–1815).
About this record
This 1804 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Pondicherry HG 4 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark with 2 examples recorded in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Corinphila Auctions, Auction 291-297, lot 2074.