Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
15 November 1845
Description
Indian Post Office 1845 (Nov 15): Small envelope from Nepal to a Capt. Marshall of the Madras Native Infantry in Wallajabad and sent on to Madras, struck on the reverse with fine strike of rectangular framed "NEPAUL / Paid" manuscript rated "1 rupee" and manuscript dated ("15th Nov 45") handstamp in magenta. Two boxed Wallajabad datestamps (Dec 4) of arrival (one 'Paid' one 'Bearing') alongside. Just nine examples of this handstamp are recorded from the pre-philatelic period. Arricator in red but a remarkable and extremely rare cover.rnProvenance: Illustrated in "India Used Abroad" by J.A.L. Cooper (1972) on page 62 Illustrated in "India Used Abroad" by (Vispi S. Dastur) on page 107.
Auction
Auction 298-307, Lot 1209, (2023)
Provenance
Corinphila Ex Jal Cooper
Same office
Other recorded marks at Wallajahabad
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Wallajahabad are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Wallajahabad pre stamp cover
COV-525 is a Wallajahabad pre stamp cover of 15 November 1845 bearing the Wallajahabad HG 6 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Wallajahabad postal history — the office known today as Walajabad, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
Indian Post Office 1845 (Nov 15): Small envelope from Nepal to a Capt. Marshall of the Madras Native Infantry in Wallajabad and sent on to Madras, struck on the reverse with fine strike of rectangular framed "NEPAUL / Paid" manuscript rated "1 rupee" and manuscript dated ("15th Nov 45") handstamp in magenta. Two boxed Wallajabad datestamps (Dec 4) of arrival (one 'Paid' one 'Bearing') alongside. Just nine examples of this handstamp are recorded from the pre-philatelic period. Arricator in red but a remarkable and extremely rare cover.rnProvenance: Illustrated in "India Used Abroad" by J.A.L. Cooper (1972) on page 62 Illustrated in "India Used Abroad" by (Vispi S. Dastur) on page 107.
Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Auctions Auction 298-307 lot 1209 (2023).
3 images of COV-525 are recorded (front, back); the Wallajahabad HG 6 mark itself is recorded in use 1845.
Questions about COV-525
- What is COV-525?
- COV-525 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Wallajahabad, Madras Presidency of 15 November 1845, bearing the Wallajahabad HG 6 handstamp in black. Indian Post Office 1845 (Nov 15): Small envelope from Nepal to a Capt. Marshall of the Madras Native Infantry in Wallajabad and sent on to Madras, struck on the reverse with fine strike of rectangular framed "NEPAUL / Paid" manuscript rated "1 rupee" and manuscript dated ("15th Nov 45") handstamp in magenta. Two boxed Wallajabad datestamps (Dec 4) of arrival (one 'Paid' one 'Bearing') alongside. Just nine examples of this handstamp are recorded from the pre-philatelic period. Arricator in red but a remarkable and extremely rare cover.rnProvenance: Illustrated in "India Used Abroad" by J.A.L. Cooper (1972) on page 62 Illustrated in "India Used Abroad" by (Vispi S. Dastur) on page 107.
- How scarce is the Wallajahabad HG 6 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Wallajahabad HG 6 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1845.
- What is the provenance of COV-525?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Corinphila Auctions Auction 298-307 lot 1209 (2023).
- When was COV-525 posted?
- COV-525 is dated 15 November 1845, within the recorded period of use of Wallajahabad HG 6 (1845).
About this record
This 15 November 1845 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Wallajahabad HG 6 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with Corinphila Auctions, Auction 298-307, lot 1209, (2023).