Scan or Photo Courtesy of Argyll Etkin Auctions
Date
26 May 1845
Description
1845 (May 26) Cover to Calcutta with red oval "JANSI / FREE" (manuscript date) on reverse. Sleeman is furious about an anonymous petition to the Government accusing him of taking money and favours from the Jhansi Rajah; he suspects the author to be Gungadhar Molee, pretender to the Jhansi throne.
Auction
G.B & Worldwide Stamps and Postal History, Lot 1005, (10th Apr 2025)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Jansi
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Jansi are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Jansi pre stamp cover
COV-2234 is a Jansi pre stamp cover of 26 May 1845 bearing the Jansi HG 1 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Jansi postal history — the office known today as Jhansi, North Western Provinces. What is a pre stamp cover?
1845 (May 26) Cover to Calcutta with red oval "JANSI / FREE" (manuscript date) on reverse. Sleeman is furious about an anonymous petition to the Government accusing him of taking money and favours from the Jhansi Rajah; he suspects the author to be Gungadhar Molee, pretender to the Jhansi throne.
Its recorded auction history runs through Argyll Etkin G.B & Worldwide Stamps and Postal History lot 1005 (10th Apr 2025).
1 image of COV-2234 is recorded (front); the Jansi HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1842–1845.
Questions about COV-2234
- What is COV-2234?
- COV-2234 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Jansi, North Western Provinces of 26 May 1845, bearing the Jansi HG 1 handstamp in red. 1845 (May 26) Cover to Calcutta with red oval "JANSI / FREE" (manuscript date) on reverse. Sleeman is furious about an anonymous petition to the Government accusing him of taking money and favours from the Jhansi Rajah; he suspects the author to be Gungadhar Molee, pretender to the Jhansi throne.
- How scarce is the Jansi HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Jansi HG 1 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1842–1845.
- What is the provenance of COV-2234?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Argyll Etkin G.B & Worldwide Stamps and Postal History lot 1005 (10th Apr 2025).
- When was COV-2234 posted?
- COV-2234 is dated 26 May 1845, within the recorded period of use of Jansi HG 1 (1842–1845).
About this record
This 26 May 1845 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Jansi HG 1 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 8 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Argyll Etkin, G.B & Worldwide Stamps and Postal History, lot 1005, (10th Apr 2025).