Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Berhampore HG 1a
- Colour & date
- Black1794
- Rarity
- Rare
- Note
- Rare
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 4
- Figure
- 1a
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Berhampore HG 1a handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Berhampore HG 1a handstamp
Berhampore, also known as Baharampur, is a city in West Bengal and the administrative headquarters of Murshidabad district.
Berhampore HG 1a 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 1794. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1a".
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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for berhampore pre stamp covers, berhampore postal history or "Berhampore HG1a" material can compare HG 1a across every office or browse the rest of the Berhampore marks.
Rare
Frequently asked
- What is the Berhampore HG 1a handstamp?
- Berhampore HG 1a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Berhampore (modern Baharampur) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1794. The "HG 1a" 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 1a?
- Berhampore HG 1a is graded "Rare" 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 1a 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 1a. 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 1a cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1794). 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
8 marks8 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.
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 1a, Berhampore HG1a, Berhampore Giles 1a, Baharampur postal history, Berhampore handstamp, Berhampore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Berhampore HG 1a — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/berhampore/hg-1a (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026