Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
25 December 1820
Description
x Early Letters and Handstamps Penang 1820 (25 Dec.) entire from Penang, via Madras, to "Lt. F. Mackinnon, 18th N. Infantry, Seringapatam", showing a fine strike of the intaglio "post/office/pwi" oval handstamp in red and, on reverse, arrival Ship Letter oval d.s. (10.1.21). A magnificent example of this very elusive handstruck marking of which only one other example on cover is recorded. Photo Estimate £ 12,000-15,000 provenance: E.E. Yates, December 1939 Lt. Col. Rose-Hutchinson, October 1949 Charles S. Taylor, May 1981 Christie´´s Singapore, March 1994
Auction
Provenance
V.T. Nathan E.E. Yates Lt. Col. Rose-Hutchinson Charles S. Taylor
Same office
Other recorded marks at Penang
10 marks10 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 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 11handstampBlack1838–1847
About this record
This 25 December 1820 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Penang FP 2 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 Spink, 9023, lot 4, (2009).