COV-4865
8 November 1848 Secunderabad HG 6 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd
Date
8 November 1848
Description
MILITARY PRESTAMP MAIL INC. TWO REF. MOOLTAN REBELLION + UNRECORDED OVAL "NUSEERABAD/FREE"; 1843 or 1848 env. (roughly opened at left well clear of oval) endorsed "On Service" and signed by "Asst. Adjt. General of the Army" with mainly v. fine red oval-framed "NUSEERABAD/FREE" ds (not recorded by Hammond Giles) on the reverse; plus Oct./Nov. 1848 pair of interesting cross-written ELs ex "Deesa" or "SECUNDERABAD" (red boxed "Paid" ds) to Surrey or Ireland having unnamed manuscript date/rate mark or the Paid mark. Both from British officers with contents mentioning the chaos of the Mooltan Rebellion ("disturbances in Mooltan", etc.) as well as troops dying of cholera, robberies due to famine, an incompetent Anglo-Indian general, etc. The latter pair would both repay careful transcriptions. (3 covers) [Ex John Lea.] Cross Reference: MILITARY
Auction
Worldwide & Great Britain, Lot 529, (2025)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Secunderabad
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Secunderabad are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Secunderabad pre stamp cover
COV-4865 is a Secunderabad pre stamp cover of 8 November 1848 bearing the Secunderabad HG 6 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Secunderabad postal history, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
MILITARY PRESTAMP MAIL INC. TWO REF. MOOLTAN REBELLION + UNRECORDED OVAL "NUSEERABAD/FREE"; 1843 or 1848 env. (roughly opened at left well clear of oval) endorsed "On Service" and signed by "Asst. Adjt. General of the Army" with mainly v. fine red oval-framed "NUSEERABAD/FREE" ds (not recorded by Hammond Giles) on the reverse; plus Oct./Nov. 1848 pair of interesting cross-written ELs ex "Deesa" or "SECUNDERABAD" (red boxed "Paid" ds) to Surrey or Ireland having unnamed manuscript date/rate mark or the Paid mark. Both from British officers with contents mentioning the chaos of the Mooltan Rebellion ("disturbances in Mooltan", etc.) as well as troops dying of cholera, robberies due to famine, an incompetent Anglo-Indian general, etc. The latter pair would both repay careful transcriptions. (3 covers) [Ex John Lea.] Cross Reference: MILITARY
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Worldwide & Great Britain lot 529 (2025).
1 image of COV-4865 is recorded; the Secunderabad HG 6 mark itself is recorded in use 1841–1855.
Questions about COV-4865
- What is COV-4865?
- COV-4865 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Secunderabad, Madras Presidency of 8 November 1848, bearing the Secunderabad HG 6 handstamp in red. MILITARY PRESTAMP MAIL INC. TWO REF. MOOLTAN REBELLION + UNRECORDED OVAL "NUSEERABAD/FREE"; 1843 or 1848 env. (roughly opened at left well clear of oval) endorsed "On Service" and signed by "Asst. Adjt. General of the Army" with mainly v. fine red oval-framed "NUSEERABAD/FREE" ds (not recorded by Hammond Giles) on the reverse; plus Oct./Nov. 1848 pair of interesting cross-written ELs ex "Deesa" or "SECUNDERABAD" (red boxed "Paid" ds) to Surrey or Ireland having unnamed manuscript date/rate mark or the Paid mark. Both from British officers with contents mentioning the chaos of the Mooltan Rebellion ("disturbances in Mooltan", etc.) as well as troops dying of cholera, robberies due to famine, an incompetent Anglo-Indian general, etc. The latter pair would both repay careful transcriptions. (3 covers) [Ex John Lea.] Cross Reference: MILITARY
- How scarce is the Secunderabad HG 6 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Secunderabad HG 6 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1841–1855.
- What is the provenance of COV-4865?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Worldwide & Great Britain lot 529 (2025).
- When was COV-4865 posted?
- COV-4865 is dated 8 November 1848, within the recorded period of use of Secunderabad HG 6 (1841–1855).
About this record
This 8 November 1848 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Secunderabad HG 6 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 11 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Worldwide & Great Britain, lot 529, (2025).