Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
1 May 1833
Description
Spink - 1833 (1 May) soldier's entire letter Cawnpore to Scotland countersigned by the C.O. and showing a fair to good strike of the boxed "CAWNPORE/FREE/r8" d.s. (HG B) and (on front) a fair to good strike of the circular "INDIA solDrERs/3/Llvrnroor"; some creasing and light staining, nevertheless a rare item Cavendish - LIVERPOOL/CAWNPORE - “INDIA SOLDIER &c/3/LIVERPOOL” COVER WITH RARE BOXED “CAWNPORE/FREE”; 1 May 1833 EL (some wear, dusting, etc.; long interesting contents about military life and wildlife in India) to Scotland headed & countersigned for the Soldier ’s Concession Rate for a Horse Artillery Sergeant with a mainly very fine boxed “CAWNPORE/FREE/18” (HG8; “Scarce” - only known for 1836) nicely placed on the top flap with a large part large encircled “INDIA [SOL]DIERS &c/3/LIVERPOOL” on the front, crossed through on redirection from Ayr (faint backstamp) to Edinburgh with the only other charge being a fine boxed Scottish Mail Tax “½” mark (unusual charged alone). PHOTO - see page 43
Auction
Manning, Lot 135, (Sept. 2015)
Provenance
Dr. Soli Contractor Michael Manning
Same office
Other recorded marks at Cawnpore
19 marks19 other pre-1854 postal markings of Cawnpore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Cawnpore HG 1handstampBlack1802–1803
- Cawnpore HG 2handstampBlack1810–1818
- Cawnpore HG 3handstampBlack1818
- Cawnpore HG 4handstampBlack1820–1833
- Cawnpore HG 4ahandstampBlack1825–1833
- Cawnpore HG 5handstampBlack1826
+13 more at this office.View all Cawnpore marks and postal history →
About this Cawnpore pre stamp cover
COV-1159 is a Cawnpore pre stamp cover of 1 May 1833 bearing the Cawnpore HG 8 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Cawnpore postal history — the office known today as Kanpur, North Western Provinces. What is a pre stamp cover?
Spink - 1833 (1 May) soldier's entire letter Cawnpore to Scotland countersigned by the C.O. and showing a fair to good strike of the boxed "CAWNPORE/FREE/r8" d.s. (HG B) and (on front) a fair to good strike of the circular "INDIA solDrERs/3/Llvrnroor"; some creasing and light staining, nevertheless a rare item Cavendish - LIVERPOOL/CAWNPORE - “INDIA SOLDIER &c/3/LIVERPOOL” COVER WITH RARE BOXED “CAWNPORE/FREE”; 1 May 1833 EL (some wear, dusting, etc.; long interesting contents about military life and wildlife in India) to Scotland headed & countersigned for the Soldier ’s Concession Rate for a Horse Artillery Sergeant with a mainly very fine boxed “CAWNPORE/FREE/18” (HG8; “Scarce” - only known for 1836) nicely placed on the top flap with a large part large encircled “INDIA [SOL]DIERS &c/3/LIVERPOOL” on the front, crossed through on redirection from Ayr (faint backstamp) to Edinburgh with the only other charge being a fine boxed Scottish Mail Tax “½” mark (unusual charged alone). PHOTO - see page 43
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink Contractor lot 209 (Dec. 1999); and Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 135 (Sept. 2015).
2 images of COV-1159 are recorded (front); the Cawnpore HG 8 mark itself is recorded in use 1828–1836.
Questions about COV-1159
- What is COV-1159?
- COV-1159 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Cawnpore, North Western Provinces of 1 May 1833, bearing the Cawnpore HG 8 handstamp in black. Spink - 1833 (1 May) soldier's entire letter Cawnpore to Scotland countersigned by the C.O. and showing a fair to good strike of the boxed "CAWNPORE/FREE/r8" d.s. (HG B) and (on front) a fair to good strike of the circular "INDIA solDrERs/3/Llvrnroor"; some creasing and light staining, nevertheless a rare item Cavendish - LIVERPOOL/CAWNPORE - “INDIA SOLDIER &c/3/LIVERPOOL” COVER WITH RARE BOXED “CAWNPORE/FREE”; 1 May 1833 EL (some wear, dusting, etc.; long interesting contents about military life and wildlife in India) to Scotland headed & countersigned for the Soldier ’s Concession Rate for a Horse Artillery Sergeant with a mainly very fine boxed “CAWNPORE/FREE/18” (HG8; “Scarce” - only known for 1836) nicely placed on the top flap with a large part large encircled “INDIA [SOL]DIERS &c/3/LIVERPOOL” on the front, crossed through on redirection from Ayr (faint backstamp) to Edinburgh with the only other charge being a fine boxed Scottish Mail Tax “½” mark (unusual charged alone). PHOTO - see page 43
- How scarce is the Cawnpore HG 8 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Cawnpore HG 8 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1828–1836.
- What is the provenance of COV-1159?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink Contractor lot 209 (Dec. 1999); and Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 135 (Sept. 2015).
- When was COV-1159 posted?
- COV-1159 is dated 1 May 1833, within the recorded period of use of Cawnpore HG 8 (1828–1836).
About this record
This 1 May 1833 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Cawnpore HG 8 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 7 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, Contractor, lot 209, (Dec. 1999); Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Manning, lot 135, (Sept. 2015).