Scan or Photo Courtesy of David Feldman Auctions
Date
28 May 1853
Description
Two letters from a John Cathcart apparently from Meean Meer, the name of the Army Cantonment at Lahore, to his brother Robert in Edinburgh. They relate to his late mothers affairs. The first letter dated 28th May refers to a Power of Attourney. The Power is witnessed by two Officers. It must be presumed that John was in the the Indian Native Infantry. The letter passed through “Lahore - 28th May 1853 - ???Paid”, Not shown by Hammond Giles. It was then received in Calcutta “CALCUTTA - G.P.O. - SHIP LETTER - 4 JUN - 1853”, HG SD11 in use from 1837-54. On the front is usual “INDIA” in a rectangle. The letter arrived in Edinburgh on the 1st August 1853.
Auction
Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire, Lot 50707, (2025)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Lahore
10 marks10 other pre-1854 postal markings of Lahore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Lahore HG 1handstampRed1845–1853
- Lahore HG 1ahandstampRed1854
- Lahore HG 2handstampBlack1843–1849
- Lahore HG 3handstampRed1847–1850
- Lahore HG 4handstampRed1851
- Lahore HG 5handstampRed1851
+4 more at this office.View all Lahore marks and postal history →
About this Lahore pre stamp cover
COV-5023 is a Lahore pre stamp cover of 28 May 1853 bearing the Lahore HG 6B handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Lahore postal history, Punjab. What is a pre stamp cover?
Two letters from a John Cathcart apparently from Meean Meer, the name of the Army Cantonment at Lahore, to his brother Robert in Edinburgh. They relate to his late mothers affairs. The first letter dated 28th May refers to a Power of Attourney. The Power is witnessed by two Officers. It must be presumed that John was in the the Indian Native Infantry. The letter passed through “Lahore - 28th May 1853 - ???Paid”, Not shown by Hammond Giles. It was then received in Calcutta “CALCUTTA - G.P.O. - SHIP LETTER - 4 JUN - 1853”, HG SD11 in use from 1837-54. On the front is usual “INDIA” in a rectangle. The letter arrived in Edinburgh on the 1st August 1853.
Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire lot 50707 (2025).
1 image of COV-5023 is recorded (front); the Lahore HG 6B mark itself is recorded in use 1853.
Questions about COV-5023
- What is COV-5023?
- COV-5023 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Lahore, Punjab of 28 May 1853, bearing the Lahore HG 6B handstamp in red. Two letters from a John Cathcart apparently from Meean Meer, the name of the Army Cantonment at Lahore, to his brother Robert in Edinburgh. They relate to his late mothers affairs. The first letter dated 28th May refers to a Power of Attourney. The Power is witnessed by two Officers. It must be presumed that John was in the the Indian Native Infantry. The letter passed through “Lahore - 28th May 1853 - ???Paid”, Not shown by Hammond Giles. It was then received in Calcutta “CALCUTTA - G.P.O. - SHIP LETTER - 4 JUN - 1853”, HG SD11 in use from 1837-54. On the front is usual “INDIA” in a rectangle. The letter arrived in Edinburgh on the 1st August 1853.
- How scarce is the Lahore HG 6B mark on this cover?
- The census grades Lahore HG 6B as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1853.
- What is the provenance of COV-5023?
- Its recorded auction history runs through David Feldman Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire lot 50707 (2025).
- When was COV-5023 posted?
- COV-5023 is dated 28 May 1853, within the recorded period of use of Lahore HG 6B (1853).
About this record
This 28 May 1853 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Lahore HG 6B handstamp of the Punjab, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 2 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with David Feldman, Autumn 2025 Auction Series - British Empire, lot 50707, (2025).