COV-3321
29 November 1849 Jansi Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Ravi Vora
Date
29 November 1849
Description
Jhansi to Kotah, 29 November 1849. Stampless folded letter bearing the red framed Jhansi prestamp handstamp (Giles JH2) and manuscript “2 As” prepayment of the interprovincial rate. The postal clerk wrote the date in English (“29 November”) and the year in Persian numerals (“49” = 1849), all in the same ink and hand. Addressed in English to “Dannul Shet, Kotah,” with Shet/Sheth representing the anglicized mercantile honorific for a respected businessman. Additional address lines appear in PersianUrdu and GujaratiHindi mercantile script, typical of Marwari/Jain commercial correspondence between Bundelkhand and Rajputana.
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-3321 is a Jansi pre stamp cover of 29 November 1849 bearing the Jansi HG 2 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?
Jhansi to Kotah, 29 November 1849. Stampless folded letter bearing the red framed Jhansi prestamp handstamp (Giles JH2) and manuscript “2 As” prepayment of the interprovincial rate. The postal clerk wrote the date in English (“29 November”) and the year in Persian numerals (“49” = 1849), all in the same ink and hand. Addressed in English to “Dannul Shet, Kotah,” with Shet/Sheth representing the anglicized mercantile honorific for a respected businessman. Additional address lines appear in PersianUrdu and GujaratiHindi mercantile script, typical of Marwari/Jain commercial correspondence between Bundelkhand and Rajputana.
2 images of COV-3321 are recorded (front, back); the Jansi HG 2 mark itself is recorded in use 1839–1849.
Questions about COV-3321
- What is COV-3321?
- COV-3321 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Jansi, North Western Provinces of 29 November 1849, bearing the Jansi HG 2 handstamp in red. Jhansi to Kotah, 29 November 1849. Stampless folded letter bearing the red framed Jhansi prestamp handstamp (Giles JH2) and manuscript “2 As” prepayment of the interprovincial rate. The postal clerk wrote the date in English (“29 November”) and the year in Persian numerals (“49” = 1849), all in the same ink and hand. Addressed in English to “Dannul Shet, Kotah,” with Shet/Sheth representing the anglicized mercantile honorific for a respected businessman. Additional address lines appear in PersianUrdu and GujaratiHindi mercantile script, typical of Marwari/Jain commercial correspondence between Bundelkhand and Rajputana.
- How scarce is the Jansi HG 2 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Jansi HG 2 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1839–1849.
- When was COV-3321 posted?
- COV-3321 is dated 29 November 1849, within the recorded period of use of Jansi HG 2 (1839–1849).
About this record
This 29 November 1849 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Jansi HG 2 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 7 surviving covers with this mark recorded.