COV-1160
14 February 1804 Seringapatam Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
14 February 1804
Description
Seringapatam: 1804 (14 Feb.) entire letter written by Major Wilkes from French Rocks to Fort St. George showing a good strike of the rare oval framed "Post Paid/Seringapatam" (HG 3) rated "1 As". A superb and rare letter from the Campaign. Extract from letter: The letter contains the following reference to military activities "I proceed tomorrow to Hurryhur in company with the Dewan, and if Genl. Wellesley and Campbell should send the 15 or 20,000 Freebooters who are ravaging the Nizam's frontier on a full trot sufficiently to the Southward, the Rajah's troops may possibly be useful in completing their dispersion."
Auction
Provenance
Dr. Soli Contractor
Same office
Other recorded marks at Seringapatam
12 marks12 other pre-1854 postal markings of Seringapatam are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Seringapatam HG 1handstampBlack1799
- Seringapatam HG 2handstampBlack1801
- Seringapatam HG 4handstampBlack1800–1823
- Seringapatam HG 5handstampRed1837
- Seringapatam HG 6handstampBlack1828–1837
- Seringapatam HG 7handstampRed1842
+6 more at this office.View all Seringapatam marks and postal history →
About this Seringapatam pre stamp cover
COV-1160 is a Seringapatam pre stamp cover of 14 February 1804 bearing the Seringapatam HG 3 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Seringapatam postal history — the office known today as Srirangapatna, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
Seringapatam: 1804 (14 Feb.) entire letter written by Major Wilkes from French Rocks to Fort St. George showing a good strike of the rare oval framed "Post Paid/Seringapatam" (HG 3) rated "1 As". A superb and rare letter from the Campaign. Extract from letter: The letter contains the following reference to military activities "I proceed tomorrow to Hurryhur in company with the Dewan, and if Genl. Wellesley and Campbell should send the 15 or 20,000 Freebooters who are ravaging the Nizam's frontier on a full trot sufficiently to the Southward, the Rajah's troops may possibly be useful in completing their dispersion."
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 226.
1 image of COV-1160 is recorded; the Seringapatam HG 3 mark itself is recorded in use 1801–1815.
Questions about COV-1160
- What is COV-1160?
- COV-1160 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Seringapatam, Madras Presidency of 14 February 1804, bearing the Seringapatam HG 3 handstamp in black. Seringapatam: 1804 (14 Feb.) entire letter written by Major Wilkes from French Rocks to Fort St. George showing a good strike of the rare oval framed "Post Paid/Seringapatam" (HG 3) rated "1 As". A superb and rare letter from the Campaign. Extract from letter: The letter contains the following reference to military activities "I proceed tomorrow to Hurryhur in company with the Dewan, and if Genl. Wellesley and Campbell should send the 15 or 20,000 Freebooters who are ravaging the Nizam's frontier on a full trot sufficiently to the Southward, the Rajah's troops may possibly be useful in completing their dispersion."
- How scarce is the Seringapatam HG 3 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Seringapatam HG 3 as very scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1801–1815.
- What is the provenance of COV-1160?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink lot 226.
- When was COV-1160 posted?
- COV-1160 is dated 14 February 1804, within the recorded period of use of Seringapatam HG 3 (1801–1815).
About this record
This 14 February 1804 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Seringapatam HG 3 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Very scarce” in this census — one of 11 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, lot 226.