Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
31 December 1851
Description
Penang Early Letters and Handstamps 1851 (31 Dec.) printed "Prices Current" to Canton, showing very fine light strike of framed "penang/free" h.s. in red (Type PD22). The only recorded example of this marking. It is surmised that, as part of the circular gives details of shipping movements, it could be registered as a newspaper and, therefore, be carried free. Photo Estimate S$ 25,000-30,000 provenance: Sidney Harris, April 1968 Charles Taylor, May 1981 Christie´s sale, March 1994 Spink sale, June 2000
Auction
Provenance
"Stolz" Sidney Harris Charles Taylor David Springbett Pichai Buranasombati
Same office
Other recorded marks at Penang
11 marks11 other pre-1854 postal markings of Penang are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Penang FP 1handstampBlack1806–1817
- Penang FP 2handstampBlack1820–1821
- Penang FP 3handstampBlack1826–1836
- Penang FP 4handstampRed1836–1846
- Penang FP 5handstampBlack1840–1846
- Penang FP 6handstampBlack1849–1855
- Penang FP 7handstampBlack1854
- Penang FP 8handstampBlack1844–1847
- Penang FP 9handstampBlack1847–1854
- Penang FP 10handstampBlack1844
- Penang FP 12handstampBlack1838–1847
About this record
This 31 December 1851 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Penang FP 11 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark graded “Rare” in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with Stanley Gibbons, Harris, lot 34, (Apr. 1968); Christie's Robson Lowe, Springbett, lot 620, (Mar. 1994); Spink, 1015, lot 1031, (2001); Spink, 26014, lot 5257, (2026).