Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
7 February 1801
Description
Siegel - INDIA, Vellore, 1801, "PostPaid/Vellore/P.O." Handstamp (Giles 1). Well-struck oval handstamp on folded letter datelined Feb. 7, 1801, and written by Alexander Campbell to his father Bruce Campbell in Mayfield, Scotland, fascinating contents including "I am at present detached with two Companies of the 74th at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young princes (Tipoo's sons) and his women who are about six hundred in totto, a pretty stock of wives for a King...", London Crowned Ship Letter handstamp and Nov. 9 transit datestamp, variously rated, some slight edgewear VERY FINE. FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS VELLORE HANDSTAMP ARE RECORDED, ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE THIS CLEARly struck ON A LETTER WITH IMPORTANT HISTORICAL CONTENT. The sender, Sir Alexander Campbell (1760-1824), was a senior officer in the British Army and a close friend to Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington). He participated in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and was present at the Battle of Seringapatam in Apr. 1799 where Tipu Sultan, the Sultan of Mysore, was killed in action. Cavendish - VELLORE - RARE OVAL “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” ON COVER EX SOLDIER GUARDING TIPU SULTAN’s SONS & WIVES; 7 Feb. - 12 Mar. 1800 EL (small closed tear above address barely detracts) from “Vellore” to Scotland with a mainly very fine rare oval-framed “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” nicely placed on the front with m/s “4½F” rate (closed tear) nearby along with a mainly very fine double-oval “Ship Letter/[Crown]/LONDON”; charged “8” then “1/4” then “2/8” on arrival. With good contents - partial typed transcript - from a British soldier (74th Regt.); “I am at present detached...at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young Princes (Tippoo’s sons) [the recently deceased Tipu Sultan had 15 sons] and his women, who are about 600 in toto....A pretty stock of wives for a King...”, referring to planned Expeditions to Batavia and Ceylon, and “Seringapatam Prize Money” still due. This Vellore mark is rare. [There was no example in the H. Giles or Contractor Collections.] PHOTO - see page 21.
Auction
Provenance
"Magnolia" Michael Manning
Same office
Other recorded marks at Vellore
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Vellore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Vellore pre stamp cover
COV-123 is a Vellore pre stamp cover of 7 February 1801 bearing the Vellore HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Vellore postal history, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
Siegel - INDIA, Vellore, 1801, "PostPaid/Vellore/P.O." Handstamp (Giles 1). Well-struck oval handstamp on folded letter datelined Feb. 7, 1801, and written by Alexander Campbell to his father Bruce Campbell in Mayfield, Scotland, fascinating contents including "I am at present detached with two Companies of the 74th at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young princes (Tipoo's sons) and his women who are about six hundred in totto, a pretty stock of wives for a King...", London Crowned Ship Letter handstamp and Nov. 9 transit datestamp, variously rated, some slight edgewear VERY FINE. FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS VELLORE HANDSTAMP ARE RECORDED, ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE THIS CLEARly struck ON A LETTER WITH IMPORTANT HISTORICAL CONTENT. The sender, Sir Alexander Campbell (1760-1824), was a senior officer in the British Army and a close friend to Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington). He participated in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and was present at the Battle of Seringapatam in Apr. 1799 where Tipu Sultan, the Sultan of Mysore, was killed in action. Cavendish - VELLORE - RARE OVAL “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” ON COVER EX SOLDIER GUARDING TIPU SULTAN’s SONS & WIVES; 7 Feb. - 12 Mar. 1800 EL (small closed tear above address barely detracts) from “Vellore” to Scotland with a mainly very fine rare oval-framed “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” nicely placed on the front with m/s “4½F” rate (closed tear) nearby along with a mainly very fine double-oval “Ship Letter/[Crown]/LONDON”; charged “8” then “1/4” then “2/8” on arrival. With good contents - partial typed transcript - from a British soldier (74th Regt.); “I am at present detached...at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young Princes (Tippoo’s sons) [the recently deceased Tipu Sultan had 15 sons] and his women, who are about 600 in toto....A pretty stock of wives for a King...”, referring to planned Expeditions to Batavia and Ceylon, and “Seringapatam Prize Money” still due. This Vellore mark is rare. [There was no example in the H. Giles or Contractor Collections.] PHOTO - see page 21.
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 47 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6054 (Nov. 2023).
2 images of COV-123 are recorded (front, back); the Vellore HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1801-10.
Questions about COV-123
- What is COV-123?
- COV-123 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Vellore, Madras Presidency of 7 February 1801, bearing the Vellore HG 1 handstamp in black. Siegel - INDIA, Vellore, 1801, "PostPaid/Vellore/P.O." Handstamp (Giles 1). Well-struck oval handstamp on folded letter datelined Feb. 7, 1801, and written by Alexander Campbell to his father Bruce Campbell in Mayfield, Scotland, fascinating contents including "I am at present detached with two Companies of the 74th at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young princes (Tipoo's sons) and his women who are about six hundred in totto, a pretty stock of wives for a King...", London Crowned Ship Letter handstamp and Nov. 9 transit datestamp, variously rated, some slight edgewear VERY FINE. FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS VELLORE HANDSTAMP ARE RECORDED, ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE THIS CLEARly struck ON A LETTER WITH IMPORTANT HISTORICAL CONTENT. The sender, Sir Alexander Campbell (1760-1824), was a senior officer in the British Army and a close friend to Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington). He participated in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and was present at the Battle of Seringapatam in Apr. 1799 where Tipu Sultan, the Sultan of Mysore, was killed in action. Cavendish - VELLORE - RARE OVAL “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” ON COVER EX SOLDIER GUARDING TIPU SULTAN’s SONS & WIVES; 7 Feb. - 12 Mar. 1800 EL (small closed tear above address barely detracts) from “Vellore” to Scotland with a mainly very fine rare oval-framed “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” nicely placed on the front with m/s “4½F” rate (closed tear) nearby along with a mainly very fine double-oval “Ship Letter/[Crown]/LONDON”; charged “8” then “1/4” then “2/8” on arrival. With good contents - partial typed transcript - from a British soldier (74th Regt.); “I am at present detached...at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young Princes (Tippoo’s sons) [the recently deceased Tipu Sultan had 15 sons] and his women, who are about 600 in toto....A pretty stock of wives for a King...”, referring to planned Expeditions to Batavia and Ceylon, and “Seringapatam Prize Money” still due. This Vellore mark is rare. [There was no example in the H. Giles or Contractor Collections.] PHOTO - see page 21.
- How scarce is the Vellore HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Vellore HG 1 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1801-10.
- What is the provenance of COV-123?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 47 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6054 (Nov. 2023).
- When was COV-123 posted?
- COV-123 is dated 7 February 1801, within the recorded period of use of Vellore HG 1 (1801-10).
About this record
This 7 February 1801 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Vellore HG 1 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Manning, lot 47, (Sept. 2015); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 1301, lot 6054, (Nov. 2023).