Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Berhampore HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1790
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Berhampore HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Berhampore HG 1 handstamp
Berhampore, also known as Baharampur, is a city in West Bengal and the administrative headquarters of Murshidabad district.
Berhampore HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Berhampore — the present-day Baharampur — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1790. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for berhampore pre stamp covers, berhampore postal history or "Berhampore HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Berhampore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Berhampore HG 1 handstamp?
- Berhampore HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Berhampore (modern Baharampur) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1790. The "HG 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Berhampore HG 1?
- Berhampore HG 1 has 1 example recorded in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does a Berhampore pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Berhampore is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by hand-struck marks like HG 1. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Berhampore HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1790). If your cover is not already recorded, you can submit front and back photographs through the census form on this page; every submission is editor-reviewed before publication.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Berhampore
9 marks9 other pre-1854 postal markings of Berhampore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Berhampore HG 1ahandstampBlack1794
- Berhampore HG 2handstampBlack1800
- Berhampore HG 3handstampBlack1807–1836
- Berhampore HG 4handstampBlack1833–1838
- Berhampore HG 5handstampBlack1817–1837
- Berhampore HG 6handstampRed1838-57
- Berhampore HG 7handstampBlack1840-57
- Berhampore HG 8handstampRed1839–1848
- Berhampore HG 9handstampRed—
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Berhampore HG 1, Berhampore HG1, Berhampore Giles 1, Baharampur postal history, Berhampore handstamp, Berhampore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Berhampore HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/berhampore/hg-1 (accessed 24 September 2026).
Updated: 24 Sept 2026