Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
1844
Description
1844 entire from Benares to London and redirected to Blackheath, marked "By Overland Mail via Southampton", showing framed "india/paid" and arrival c.d.s. (11.5) with despatch d.s. (3.3) on reverse, all struck in red; upon redirection GB 1d. red applied and tied by black Maltese Cross. A few minor faults
Auction
Same office
Other recorded marks at Benares
18 marks18 other pre-1854 postal markings of Benares are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Benares HG 1handstampBlack1810–1820
- Benares HG 2handstampBlack1811
- Benares HG 3handstampBlack1824–1836
- Benares HG 4handstampBlack1827-35
- Benares HG 5handstampBlack1829
- Benares HG 6handstampBlack1832–1835
+12 more at this office.View all Benares marks and postal history →
About this Benares pre stamp cover
COV-1898 is a Benares pre stamp cover of 1844 bearing the Benares HG 7 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Benares postal history — the office known today as Varanasi, North Western Provinces. What is a pre stamp cover?
1844 entire from Benares to London and redirected to Blackheath, marked "By Overland Mail via Southampton", showing framed "india/paid" and arrival c.d.s. (11.5) with despatch d.s. (3.3) on reverse, all struck in red; upon redirection GB 1d. red applied and tied by black Maltese Cross. A few minor faults
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 14025 - The Philatelic Collector's Series sale lot 666.
1 image of COV-1898 is recorded; the Benares HG 7 mark itself is recorded in use 1838–1853.
Questions about COV-1898
- What is COV-1898?
- COV-1898 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Benares, North Western Provinces of 1844, bearing the Benares HG 7 handstamp in red. 1844 entire from Benares to London and redirected to Blackheath, marked "By Overland Mail via Southampton", showing framed "india/paid" and arrival c.d.s. (11.5) with despatch d.s. (3.3) on reverse, all struck in red; upon redirection GB 1d. red applied and tied by black Maltese Cross. A few minor faults
- How scarce is the Benares HG 7 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Benares HG 7 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1838–1853.
- What is the provenance of COV-1898?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 14025 - The Philatelic Collector's Series sale lot 666.
- When was COV-1898 posted?
- COV-1898 is dated 1844, within the recorded period of use of Benares HG 7 (1838–1853).
About this record
This 1844 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Benares HG 7 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 5 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, 14025 - The Philatelic Collector's Series sale, lot 666.