Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1851
Description
INDIA, Simla, 1851, "SIMLAH/184_/PAID" Handstamp (Giles 6). Clear strike of red boxed handstamp with indistinct date on back and manuscript "paid 1as" on 1851 shipwreck cover, addressed to Belfast, Ireland, sender's directive "via Bombay", red "INDIA" in oval handstamp, Bombay (Oct. 1), London and Belfast (Nov. 1) backstamps, manuscript notation in red "Recouvert du Voilier "Esperus" Naufrage, Le Prepose des Postes" (Recovered from the ship "Esperus" shipwreck, the Postmaster) and signed, with "Oran" (Algeria) straightline below, Very Fine, a remarkable cover from Simla to Ireland that was salvaged from a shipwreck off the coast of Algeria
Auction
Sale 1301, Lot 6048
Same office
Other recorded marks at Simla
9 marks9 other pre-1854 postal markings of Simla are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Simla HG 1handstampBlack1832
- Simla HG 2handstampBlack1835-36
- Simla HG 3handstampRed1838-45
- Simla HG 4handstampBlack1849–1852
- Simla HG 5handstampRed1845–1850
- Simla HG 7handstampBlack1849–1854
+3 more at this office.View all Simla marks and postal history →
About this Simla pre stamp cover
COV-117 is a Simla pre stamp cover of 1851 bearing the Simla HG 6 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Simla postal history — the office known today as Shimla, Punjab. What is a pre stamp cover?
INDIA, Simla, 1851, "SIMLAH/184_/PAID" Handstamp (Giles 6). Clear strike of red boxed handstamp with indistinct date on back and manuscript "paid 1as" on 1851 shipwreck cover, addressed to Belfast, Ireland, sender's directive "via Bombay", red "INDIA" in oval handstamp, Bombay (Oct. 1), London and Belfast (Nov. 1) backstamps, manuscript notation in red "Recouvert du Voilier "Esperus" Naufrage, Le Prepose des Postes" (Recovered from the ship "Esperus" shipwreck, the Postmaster) and signed, with "Oran" (Algeria) straightline below, Very Fine, a remarkable cover from Simla to Ireland that was salvaged from a shipwreck off the coast of Algeria
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6048.
2 images of COV-117 are recorded (front, back); the Simla HG 6 mark itself is recorded in use 1845–1852.
Questions about COV-117
- What is COV-117?
- COV-117 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Simla, Punjab of 1851, bearing the Simla HG 6 handstamp in red. INDIA, Simla, 1851, "SIMLAH/184_/PAID" Handstamp (Giles 6). Clear strike of red boxed handstamp with indistinct date on back and manuscript "paid 1as" on 1851 shipwreck cover, addressed to Belfast, Ireland, sender's directive "via Bombay", red "INDIA" in oval handstamp, Bombay (Oct. 1), London and Belfast (Nov. 1) backstamps, manuscript notation in red "Recouvert du Voilier "Esperus" Naufrage, Le Prepose des Postes" (Recovered from the ship "Esperus" shipwreck, the Postmaster) and signed, with "Oran" (Algeria) straightline below, Very Fine, a remarkable cover from Simla to Ireland that was salvaged from a shipwreck off the coast of Algeria
- How scarce is the Simla HG 6 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Simla HG 6 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1845–1852.
- What is the provenance of COV-117?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Sale 1301 lot 6048.
- When was COV-117 posted?
- COV-117 is dated 1851, within the recorded period of use of Simla HG 6 (1845–1852).
About this record
This 1851 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Simla HG 6 handstamp of the Punjab, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 8 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Sale 1301, lot 6048.