Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Burdwan HG 4
- Date Span
- 1839
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 5
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Burdwan HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Burdwan HG 4 handstamp
Headquarters of the Burdwan District, Bengal, situated 23°14' N and 87°51' E, on the Banka River. The District of Burdwan was ceded to the East India Company in 1760.
Burdwan HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Burdwan — the present-day Bardhaman — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1839. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for burdwan pre stamp covers, burdwan postal history or "Burdwan HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Burdwan marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Burdwan HG 4 handstamp?
- Burdwan HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Burdwan (modern Bardhaman) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1839. The "HG 4" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in red.
- How rare is Burdwan HG 4?
- Burdwan HG 4 is graded "Common" 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 Burdwan pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Burdwan 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 4. 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 Burdwan HG 4 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1839). 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 Burdwan
4 marks4 other pre-1854 postal markings of Burdwan 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: Burdwan HG 4, Burdwan HG4, Burdwan Giles 4, Bardhaman postal history, Burdwan handstamp, Burdwan pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Burdwan HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/burdwan/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026