1793 (March 10) Calcutta double oval “G.P.O./Nov (2)/Pt. Pd. (12)” handstamp on reverse of folded letter from Calcutta to Hyderabad, dated in manuscript in Hejira 19 March 1210, with additional English manuscript endorsement “Post Paid to Masulipatam” on back. The earliest recorded British Indian letter in Hyderabad. (Image)

1799 (Jan 20) Folded letter from Calcutta to Hyderabad, on reverse well-struck “G.P.O./Feby (6)/Pt. Pd. (1a 1)” handstamp, address in English and Urdu. dated in Hejira on 20 January 1216 and handwritten notation “Mailed to Hyderabad”. Entire opens up well to display postmark and Indian scripts. (Image)

1805 (May 12) Entire letter from Jaffna (Ceylon) to Captain De Havilland, Honble. Company. Engineer at Hyderabad, denoting military mail with “On H. M. Service“ endorsement, countersigned by “S. Moffatt, Captn Com. Dg H. M. Malay Regmt”. The earliest recorded military mail following the agreement to station British Forces in Secunderabad, Bolarum and Trimulgherry from 1.9.1798. (Image)

1816 (March 25) “POST.PAID./HYDERABAD.” black oval pm on letter datelined “Bolarum 25th March 1816”, sent from Bolarum via Hyderabad and Madras to Rev. John Campbell in Blackwell near London. Also on front written endorsement regarding ship letter postage and light strike of crowned black “INDIA PACKET LETTER/GPO/LONDON/15OC”. Red oval "4 o'Clock/OC 15/1816 EV." London evening delivery ds on the reverse. Charged 3s 6d on delivery for single packet India letter (as per The English Post Office Act of 1815). A very fine complete folded letter with full content showing fine impression of the first postmark used by British India in Hyderabad. (Image)

1819 (April 19) Private courier packet mail from Secunderabad, Hyderabad to Madras, with manuscript notation “1 oz packet postpaid to Kurnool As 20”, indicating that the letter was prepaid 20 annas from Secunderabad to Kurnool. Additional charge to be paid by recipient, 1 rupee 14 annas, for the Kurnool – Madras distance indicated on front. (Image)

1821 (Feb 3) Entire letter from Hyderabad via Madras to London, showing “HYDERABAD/POST PAID.” postmark with manuscript dating inserted on reverse. Madras transit and ship letter datestamp on front. Arrival London July 21 with rectangular framed “INDIA LETTER/LONDON” and 1s charge in manuscript. The earliest recorded use of the rectangular “HYDERABAD / POST PAID.” according to the exhibitor, this being the second postmark used by the British in Hyderabad. Very fine and well-struck postmarks on folded entire that opens up well for display. (Image)

1831 (May 26) Entire letter Hyderabad via Madras to Lisburn, Ireland, with clear strikes of black “HYDERABAD/POST PAID.” and “OUT STATION MADRAS SHIP LETTER” June 1. Front showing red “SHIP LETTER/DEVONPORT” crossed out and corrected with “INDIA LETTER/DEVONPORT”. Dublin arrival October 15. Reverse displaying manuscript rate calculation of one rupee for double letter and on front 1s 9d charge notation for incoming India ship letter. The latest recorded use of the black “HYDERABAD/POST PAID.” mark. (Image)

1831 (Dec 16) Small domestic letter with “CAMPJALNAH/POST PAID” boxed postmark in red, partially struck over by black Madras oval postmark A clear strike of the rare "Camp Jalnah" military camp marking on letter with some damage and soiling to front, one of two known. (Image)

1832 (May 26, July 27) Two entire letters from Hyderabad to Reading, UK, bearing circular “HYDERABAD/pt pd 18” postmarks struck on reverse, in red and blue respectively. Also showing manuscript rate calculations and perfectly struck oval “OUT STATION MADRAS SHIP LETTER” pm. On front “INDIA LETTER DEVONPORT” and “INDIA LETTER PORTSMOUTH”, 1s 3d and 1s 1d rate notations. An appealing duo showing very clear strikes of the circular Hyderabad in two colours. (Image)

1836 (April 21) Entire letter from Secunderabad via Hyderabad to Edinburgh, showing on back faint but clear impression of oval handstamp “SECUNDERABAD POST PAID”, and “OUT STATION MADRAS SHIP LETTER” April 29 1836. Red “INDIA LETTER/DOVER” struck on reverse, together with London receiver of October 30. Charged on delivery 2s 8d and ½d Scotland border charge. The first postmark used by the British in Secunderabad. An important item of British India postal history that opens up beautifully to display the range of postmarks and annotations. (Image)

1841 (Sept 10) Envelope with the contents sent from Humerapore to Secunderabad, showing on reverse boxed “HUMERAPORE Paid” pm together with dated “SECUNDERABAD Paid” mark, both in red. The only recorded example of the Humerapore boxed postmark. (Image)

1842 (March 5) Folded entire sent from Bolarum to Lucknow with clear deep-red strike “BOLARAM Paid” on reverse with inserted date in pen and weight notation “1 ½ tola” to indicate triple weight postage. Very attractive and rare. (Image)

1843 (Aug 18) /1850 (Mar 28) – Two letters sent from Elichpoor via Bombay and the overland mail to UK, struck on front with oval “INDIA” and boxed “ELICHPOOR/Paid” with manuscript dating and 6 annas notation for pre-paid distance to Bombay; in UK charged 1s 10d for incoming India ship letter noted on front.

1843 (Nov 23) Complete folded ship letter from Elichpoor to UK with boxed “ELICHPOOR/Paid” mark with 6 annas inserted by hand. Oval “INDIA” struck on front and London arrival postmark on reverse. 1s 10d charge noted on front. (Image)

1845 (Oct 2) Entire letter posted at Aurungabad and sent via Bombay and London to Madeira, Portugal, with boxed “Returned for Postage” mark of London on front. Pre-paid 5 annas but returned for payment of the entire India ship letter postage of 2s 10d. Re-posted Aurungabad October 29 and showing on front “BOMBAY Bearing” boxed mark with date, and 460 reis charge handstamp. A complex entire with several deleted notations and markings that merit further study. (Image)

1851 (May 6) Complete soldier’s letter from Camp Secunderabad to Dunmanway, Ireland, with light strike of red oval “SECUNDERABAD/FREE” handstamp on reverse and oval “INDIA” postmark on front. Sent from a sergeant in the 2nd European Light Infantry in Secunderabad and countersigned by a major commanding officer. A very fine example of the scarce concession unpaid rate 2d with handstruck “2” on front; letter showing signs of aging and military usage. (Image)

1852 (May 28) Small letter from Muctul to Hyderabad, exhibiting the only known copy of the “MUCTUL Bearing” handstamp, unrecorded by Gilles, paying ½ anna domestic rate with address written in English, Urdu, and Hindi. Muctul postmark struck in black and with date inserted in ms, also a private black seal stamp in Urdu. A very decorative and interesting letter. (Image)

1854, 4a blue and red (S.G. 23 or 25, frame die II, head die III, maybe the rare 5th printing), a very fine example with four ample even margins, showing a well-struck “C/43” dotted diamond of Bolarum. Very fine and attractive. (Image)

1854 (Jan 21) Small envelope sent from Jaulnah to Hyderabad, struck on reverse with boxed “JAULNAH Paid” handstamp, manuscript rated at 4 annas, alongside showing similar Hyderabad postmark, both in red. Handwritten “Post Paid” on address side. (Image)

1856 (May) Single rate ship letter Secunderabad to Warwick, UK, carrying cut-to-shape 4a blue and red (S.G. 9, 4th printing, head die III, frame die II) tied by written “Stamped” and C 56. On front is sender directive “Overland via Bombay & Southampton” and crescent-shape “INDIA PAID” and London PAID transit. Secunderabad boxed ds, Bombay transit, and Warwick receiver on reverse. Very fine and scarce single use of 4a on opened-up envelope with good range of postmarks. (Image)

1854 (Nov 3) Large part of cover from Bolarum via Calcutta to Madras, franked by one ½a (S.G. 4-2, die I) cut close at top, tied by Bolarum dotted lozenge. Boxed “BOLARUM/Paid” pm in red with inserted date, next to Calcutta GPO transit pm in red on back. No arrival mark of Madras. Some ink corrosion affects the letter front. (Image)

1857 (Mar 18, June 18, July 18) Trio of envelopes from Nuldroog to the same recipient in Secunderabad, stamped by wide-margined ½a stamps (S.G. 2,3, die I), each tied by diamond grid 126, including one central choice strike. On back are clearly struck boxed and dated “NULDROOG/Paid” postmarks in red. (Image)

1854 (Nov 26) / 1855 (Apr 28) Two letters bearing (on back and front respectively) single and two ½a stamps (S.G. 4, die I) tied by mute dotted lozenge of Secunderabad. One letter to Jaulnah (address in English and Marathi) with relatively early use of the ½a stamp (issued mid Sept 1854), and boxed and dated “SECUNDERABAD/Paid” and “JAULNAH/Paid” on reverse. Another letter to Madras with two wide-margined stamps next to “SECUNDERABAD/Paid” boxed pm, a bold strike of delivery mark “AM” to indicate morning delivery, and small rectangular Madras GPO arrival datestamp. An appealing and scarce pair of early Secunderabad mail with addresses in English and Farsi/Marathi. (Image)

1855 (27 June) Fine ½a (S.G. 4, die I) on envelope from Raichur to Secunderabad struck by mute black dotted diamond. Manuscript “Raichore” and date on back and light impression of boxed “SECUNDERABAD/Paid”. A very scarce provincial usage from a town south-east of Hyderabad without a British India post office; letter must have been forwarded privately to a nearby post office where the stamp was affixed. (Image)

1854 (Nov 10) Envelope from Nuldroog via Sholapoor and Bombay to London. Very fine 1a stamp (S.G. 6) obliterated by black dotted lozenge of Sholapoor accompanied by boxed “SHOLAPOOR/Paid” in red, also red oval “INDIA”. On reverse is manuscript “Nuldroog” with date, and Bombay transit next to London receiver. Pre-paid 1a inland postage to Bombay, and on front 1s to be collected from recipient. (Image)