COV-598
16 August 1836 Pondicherry Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
16 August 1836
Description
1836 (Aug 16): Entire letter from Pondichery to London, endorsed "By first Opportunity", with exceptional "PONDICHERRY / POST PAID" handstamp in red (H.Giles Type 5), and superb "OUT STATION / MADRAS / SHIP LETTER" in black (Aug 19) with manuscript above "Ship 4A, Inland to Madras 5A". On arrival struck with framed "INDIA LETTER / LIVERPOOL" in black (Robertson fig. In2) and thence forwarded in London with manuscript "Achéminée par vos dévoués Ch. Devaux & Co., Londres 24 Jan 1837". Calais transit and Nantes arrival (Jan 28) where charged '22' décimes due. A delightful and scarce entire.
Auction
Auction 291-297, Lot 505
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 4handstampBlack1804–1815
+9 more at this office.View all Pondicherry marks and postal history →
About this Pondicherry pre stamp cover
COV-598 is a Pondicherry pre stamp cover of 16 August 1836 bearing the Pondicherry HG 5 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Pondicherry postal history — the office known today as Puducherry, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
1836 (Aug 16): Entire letter from Pondichery to London, endorsed "By first Opportunity", with exceptional "PONDICHERRY / POST PAID" handstamp in red (H.Giles Type 5), and superb "OUT STATION / MADRAS / SHIP LETTER" in black (Aug 19) with manuscript above "Ship 4A, Inland to Madras 5A". On arrival struck with framed "INDIA LETTER / LIVERPOOL" in black (Robertson fig. In2) and thence forwarded in London with manuscript "Achéminée par vos dévoués Ch. Devaux & Co., Londres 24 Jan 1837". Calais transit and Nantes arrival (Jan 28) where charged '22' décimes due. A delightful and scarce entire.
Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Auctions Auction 291-297 lot 505.
1 image of COV-598 is recorded (front); the Pondicherry HG 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1826–1836.
Questions about COV-598
- What is COV-598?
- COV-598 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Pondicherry, Madras Presidency of 16 August 1836, bearing the Pondicherry HG 5 handstamp in red. 1836 (Aug 16): Entire letter from Pondichery to London, endorsed "By first Opportunity", with exceptional "PONDICHERRY / POST PAID" handstamp in red (H.Giles Type 5), and superb "OUT STATION / MADRAS / SHIP LETTER" in black (Aug 19) with manuscript above "Ship 4A, Inland to Madras 5A". On arrival struck with framed "INDIA LETTER / LIVERPOOL" in black (Robertson fig. In2) and thence forwarded in London with manuscript "Achéminée par vos dévoués Ch. Devaux & Co., Londres 24 Jan 1837". Calais transit and Nantes arrival (Jan 28) where charged '22' décimes due. A delightful and scarce entire.
- How scarce is the Pondicherry HG 5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Pondicherry HG 5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1826–1836.
- What is the provenance of COV-598?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Auctions Auction 291-297 lot 505.
- When was COV-598 posted?
- COV-598 is dated 16 August 1836, within the recorded period of use of Pondicherry HG 5 (1826–1836).
About this record
This 16 August 1836 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Pondicherry HG 5 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 13 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Corinphila Auctions, Auction 291-297, lot 505.