1809 cover with superb seal of Kazi Amar Singh Thapa on the reverse, to his son, the Prime Minister Bhim Sen Thapa and his grandson Ranadhoj Thapa, endorsed in violet on the face with a summary of the message about hostilities in Malkhada against Sansar Chand of the Indian Stateling of Kangra, light overall soiling. [It was formerly believed that the seal was of Amar Singh Thapa, Governor of Palpa in the south of Nepal: see the next two lots. Research by Julie Marshall distinguished between the two similarly named Thapa family members. During the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16, Kazi Amar Singh Thapa was the Commander-in-Chief]
1811 (Nov) manuscript document on coarse native paper with a very fine strike of the royal seal of Girbana Yuddha Bikram Shah (King of Nepal 1806-1816) in vermilion, characteristic creasing but overall quite fine. A land grant in favour of Kazi Bir Kesher Pandey, signed on the reverse by Prana Shah, Rana Dhoj Thapa and Mamlin Thapa. [The same seal was used by successive Kings: see also Lot 305911. Wolfgang Hellrigl's similar document of 1808 sold for SFr312]
Girbana Yuddha Bikram Shah became King at the age of 8 after his father was assassinated: he was only 19 when he died of smallpox. The Thapa Family or Dynasty were key players in Nepalese politics in the first half of the 19th century. During the 1814-16 Anglo-Nepalese War, the Commander-in-Chief was Amar Singh Thapa. His son, Bhim Sen Thapa, was Prime Minister. Bhim Sen's sons were Vazir Singh Thapa, Commander of Forces on the Western Front and Ranadhoj Thapa (signatory on this document) who was his father's aide de camp.
1812 cover with superb seal on the reverse of Amar Singh Thapa, Governor of Palpa, to the King Girbana Yuddha Bikram ShahI at Kantipur, endorsed in violet on the face with a summary of the message regarding a survey of borders of Butwal & Rautahat, that were disputed by the British, minor defects. ['Kantipur' = City of Light. It is an alternative name for the capital Kathmandu]
1814 (Sep) cover with superb seal on the reverse of Amar Singh Thapa, Governor of Palpa, to the King Girbana Yuddha Bikram ShahI at Kantipur, endorsed in violet also on the reverse with a summary of the message regarding the death of the Nawab of Oudh who has been succeeded by his son Gajauddin Khan, and the British have been asked to leave, light staining. [After years of border disputes and encroachment by the British, the Anglo-Nepalese War broke out in November 1814. The Gurkha Army initially repulsed the British but eventually they were overwhelmed. In 1816, the Treaty of Sugauli ceded some territory to the East India Company & allowed the British a permanent presence in Kantipur (Kathmandu)]
1821 (Aug) cover with superb seal on the reverse of Uzir Singh Thapa, Governor of Palpa, to his uncle, Prime Minister Bhim Sen Thapa in Kantipur (Kathmandu), endorsed on the face with a summary of the message complaining about his treatment by the government. In 1824, he was relieved of his duties following differences with his uncle regarding military policy.
1832 manuscript document on coarse native paper with a very fine strike of the royal seal of Rajendra Bikram Shah (King of Nepal 1816-47) in vermilion, several intaglio seals on the reverse including of Prime Minister Bhim Sen Thapa, characteristic creasing but overall quite fine. The document details the boundaries of land granted to Ram Chandra Newpany. [The same seal was used by successive Kings: see also Lot 305910]
1852 (Sep 26) cover with very fine to superb seals on the reverse of Kazi Gambhir Singh Adikari, Sardar Shumsher Jung Bahadur Thapa and Subba Bhimsen Rana, to the Prime Minister & Commander-in-Chief Jang Bahadur Rana, endorsed also on the reverse with a summary of the message "We met Talbae Dainbu Dhaewas and are leaving for Kuti" (in Tibet) minor soiling. [In 1846, Jang Bahadur Rana lead the Kut Massacre that eliminated all his political rivals. He effectively appointed himself Prime Minister, a position he held for all but 10 months until 1877]
1879 (Oct 12) large-part cover from Kathmandu (poor first-type backstamp) endorsed on the reverse "Mahasul Chukti" (= postage fee paid), to Palpa with very fine first type datestamp, part of the reverse missing.
In 1879, the first provincial post offices were established; Nepalese-inscribed postmarks were introduced; except for official mail, postage was required to be pre-paid; and mail was accepted from members of the public. Between 1879 and 1935, all dates on postmarks - most of them entered by hand - are from the Bikram Sambat calendar, always showing year-month-day. This cover is dated twelve months earlier than Wolfgang Hellrigl's earliest cover of this period, from Palpa, that sold for SFr552.
The Bikram Sambat calendar is a marvel of complexity. Dating from 57BC, it is thus almost exactly 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar. Fun fact: the smallest measure of time is the bipala, equivalent to four-tenths of a second! To expand your mind further, see the full explanation of the calendar and how to convert it to European dates, in 'The Native Postmarks of Nepal' by Wolfgang Hellrigl & Colin Hepper (1978).
1880 (Aug 8) official cover with largely superb seal on the reverse of Amini Goswara, to the Prime Minister & Commander-in-Chief Rana Udip Singh Bahadur, with fine strike of the first Kalaiya postmark inscribed 'BARA' (the province of which Kalaiya was the capital) with manuscript date & legible strike of the first type Kathmandu arrival datestamp, characteristic minor wrinkling.
1880 (Oct 19) cover to the Prime Minister & Commander-in-Chief Rana Udip Singh Bahadur, with superb strike of the first Hanumannagar postmark with manuscript date & fine strike of the first type Kathmandu arrival datestamp in bluish-black, manuscript "J" signifies "Postage not required", significant staining. Another very early cover from the new system.
1890 (Dec 3) official cover from Banke with an identifiable strike of the postmaster's private seal & his manuscript endorsement of the office name and date, minor blemishes.
In about 1885, the inscriptions were removed from all the datestamps which were re-issued as circles without inscriptions! Office name & date were to be written in the circle. As shown here, some postmasters ignored the circle implements and reverted to the old manuscript-only system.
