Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
22 August 1833
Description
Siegel - India, Kamptee, 1833, "KAMPTEE/POST FREE" Handstamp (Giles 1). Bold strike in black with manuscript "22d August 1833" date added on back of folded letter to London, England, framed "INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH" handstamp (Robertson In. 3), Madras Out Station Ship Letter (Aug. 13) transit and London arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/8" due rate marking, small piece missing from front panel and sealed tear of no consequence, Very Fine strike, scarce this choice Cavendish - KAMPTEE - PORTSMOUTH/PORTSMOUTH INDIA LETTERS BOXED “POST FREE” OR “POST PAID” MARKS IN RED OR BLACK; 22 Aug. 1833/1-3 Sept. 1836 pair of ELs to GB with mainly very fine black boxed “KAMPTEE/POST FREE” (HG1; 1831-36 only) or a mainly very fine red “KAMPTEE/POST PAID” (HG3) in claretpurple both nicely placed on the lower flaps beside large oval Madras “SHIP LETTER” d.s.’s, having very fine or fair boxed “INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH” on the front or overstruck red boxed “INDIA LETTER/PENZANCE” on the reverse. Good pair; the FREE mark is rare. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 37
Auction
Provenance
"Magnolia" Michael Manning
- •2025, Robert A. Siegel Sale No. 1325, Lot 3022
Same office
Other recorded marks at Kamptee
11 marks11 other pre-1854 postal markings of Kamptee are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Kamptee HG 2handstampBlack1825–1837
- Kamptee HG 3handstampRed1837–1849
- Kamptee HG 4handstampBlack1843–1846
- Kamptee HG 5handstampRed1836–1853
- Kamptee HG 6handstampRed1849–1854
- Kamptee HG 7handstampBlack1849–1854
+5 more at this office.View all Kamptee marks and postal history →
About this Kamptee pre stamp cover
COV-646 is a Kamptee pre stamp cover of 22 August 1833 bearing the Kamptee HG 1 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Kamptee postal history, North Western Provinces. What is a pre stamp cover?
Siegel - India, Kamptee, 1833, "KAMPTEE/POST FREE" Handstamp (Giles 1). Bold strike in black with manuscript "22d August 1833" date added on back of folded letter to London, England, framed "INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH" handstamp (Robertson In. 3), Madras Out Station Ship Letter (Aug. 13) transit and London arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/8" due rate marking, small piece missing from front panel and sealed tear of no consequence, Very Fine strike, scarce this choice Cavendish - KAMPTEE - PORTSMOUTH/PORTSMOUTH INDIA LETTERS BOXED “POST FREE” OR “POST PAID” MARKS IN RED OR BLACK; 22 Aug. 1833/1-3 Sept. 1836 pair of ELs to GB with mainly very fine black boxed “KAMPTEE/POST FREE” (HG1; 1831-36 only) or a mainly very fine red “KAMPTEE/POST PAID” (HG3) in claretpurple both nicely placed on the lower flaps beside large oval Madras “SHIP LETTER” d.s.’s, having very fine or fair boxed “INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH” on the front or overstruck red boxed “INDIA LETTER/PENZANCE” on the reverse. Good pair; the FREE mark is rare. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 37
Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 105 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale No. 1325 lot 3022 (2025).
2 images of COV-646 are recorded (front, back); the Kamptee HG 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1831–1836.
Questions about COV-646
- What is COV-646?
- COV-646 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Kamptee, North Western Provinces of 22 August 1833, bearing the Kamptee HG 1 handstamp in black. Siegel - India, Kamptee, 1833, "KAMPTEE/POST FREE" Handstamp (Giles 1). Bold strike in black with manuscript "22d August 1833" date added on back of folded letter to London, England, framed "INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH" handstamp (Robertson In. 3), Madras Out Station Ship Letter (Aug. 13) transit and London arrival datestamps, manuscript "1/8" due rate marking, small piece missing from front panel and sealed tear of no consequence, Very Fine strike, scarce this choice Cavendish - KAMPTEE - PORTSMOUTH/PORTSMOUTH INDIA LETTERS BOXED “POST FREE” OR “POST PAID” MARKS IN RED OR BLACK; 22 Aug. 1833/1-3 Sept. 1836 pair of ELs to GB with mainly very fine black boxed “KAMPTEE/POST FREE” (HG1; 1831-36 only) or a mainly very fine red “KAMPTEE/POST PAID” (HG3) in claretpurple both nicely placed on the lower flaps beside large oval Madras “SHIP LETTER” d.s.’s, having very fine or fair boxed “INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH” on the front or overstruck red boxed “INDIA LETTER/PENZANCE” on the reverse. Good pair; the FREE mark is rare. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 37
- How scarce is the Kamptee HG 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Kamptee HG 1 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1831–1836.
- What is the provenance of COV-646?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd Manning lot 105 (Sept. 2015); and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale No. 1325 lot 3022 (2025).
- When was COV-646 posted?
- COV-646 is dated 22 August 1833, within the recorded period of use of Kamptee HG 1 (1831–1836).
About this record
This 22 August 1833 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Kamptee HG 1 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Cavendish Philatelic Auctions Ltd, Manning, lot 105, (Sept. 2015); Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale No. 1325, lot 3022, (2025).