Scan or Photo Courtesy of David Feldman Auctions
Description
An entire letter dated 6th May 1839 from one John Bott at KURNAUL, District Headquarters in the Punjab on the old bank of the Jumna river 1030 miles from Calcutta and 1056 miles from Bombay. The front has the instruction for the letter to go “1ST steamer from Bombay”. There is the INDIA in an ellipse HG Type SD7 in use until 1856. On the reverse is the KURNAUL Post Office Stamp HG Type 3 with date and paid, in use from 1837-40. The remainder are U.K. receipt stamps, all of the 15th July 1839. From the dates, it would appear, that the letter was sent in the “Atalanta” on the 20th May arriving in Suez 15th June. Then from Alexandria to Malta, Gibraltar, Falmouth and arrived in London on the 15th July 1839. Transit time 72 days.
Auction
Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire, Lot 50707, (2025)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Kurnaul (NWP)
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Kurnaul (NWP) are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Kurnaul (NWP) pre stamp cover
COV-5024 is a Kurnaul (NWP) pre stamp cover of 2025 bearing the Kurnaul (NWP) HG 3 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Kurnaul (NWP) postal history — the office known today as Karnal, North Western Provinces. What is a pre stamp cover?
An entire letter dated 6th May 1839 from one John Bott at KURNAUL, District Headquarters in the Punjab on the old bank of the Jumna river 1030 miles from Calcutta and 1056 miles from Bombay. The front has the instruction for the letter to go “1ST steamer from Bombay”. There is the INDIA in an ellipse HG Type SD7 in use until 1856. On the reverse is the KURNAUL Post Office Stamp HG Type 3 with date and paid, in use from 1837-40. The remainder are U.K. receipt stamps, all of the 15th July 1839. From the dates, it would appear, that the letter was sent in the “Atalanta” on the 20th May arriving in Suez 15th June. Then from Alexandria to Malta, Gibraltar, Falmouth and arrived in London on the 15th July 1839. Transit time 72 days.
Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire lot 50707 (2025).
1 image of COV-5024 is recorded (front); the Kurnaul (NWP) HG 3 mark itself is recorded in use 1837–1846.
Questions about COV-5024
- What is COV-5024?
- COV-5024 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Kurnaul (NWP), North Western Provinces of 2025, bearing the Kurnaul (NWP) HG 3 handstamp in red. An entire letter dated 6th May 1839 from one John Bott at KURNAUL, District Headquarters in the Punjab on the old bank of the Jumna river 1030 miles from Calcutta and 1056 miles from Bombay. The front has the instruction for the letter to go “1ST steamer from Bombay”. There is the INDIA in an ellipse HG Type SD7 in use until 1856. On the reverse is the KURNAUL Post Office Stamp HG Type 3 with date and paid, in use from 1837-40. The remainder are U.K. receipt stamps, all of the 15th July 1839. From the dates, it would appear, that the letter was sent in the “Atalanta” on the 20th May arriving in Suez 15th June. Then from Alexandria to Malta, Gibraltar, Falmouth and arrived in London on the 15th July 1839. Transit time 72 days.
- How scarce is the Kurnaul (NWP) HG 3 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Kurnaul (NWP) HG 3 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1837–1846.
- What is the provenance of COV-5024?
- Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire lot 50707 (2025).
About this record
This pre-1854 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Kurnaul (NWP) HG 3 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 4 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with David Feldman, Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire, lot 50707, (2025).