What are the pre stamp covers of Calcutta?

Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Calcutta are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Calcutta post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Calcutta was a post office of the Bengal Presidency, British India, and this census records 183 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1775 and 1875.

How many handstamps are recorded for Calcutta?

183 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Calcutta in this census, of which 49 are graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.

What is Calcutta called today?

Calcutta is the colonial-era name of present-day Kolkata, India. The office also appears in postal history literature and auction catalogues as Calcutta GPO, Fort William. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.

How do I identify a Calcutta postmark or cover?

Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Calcutta cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.

Post office · Bengal Presidency

Calcutta

Handstamps: 183
Recorded: 1775–1875
Rare: 49

Kolkata, also known as Calcutta, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River.

Calcutta has 183 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1775–1875 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.

Also known as: Kolkata, Calcutta GPO, Fort WilliamView on Google Maps Wikipedia ↗

Post office handstamps

46 marks

HG 11775–1787 · Black

Very scarce

HG 1a1775–1786 · Black

1 recorded

HG 21775–1787 · Black

Very scarce

HG 31776–1789 · Black

HG 81788–1789 · Black

Very scarce

HG 91789 · Black

Very scarce

HG 101788–1820 · Black

Very common

HG 10a1795–1817 · Black

Very common

HG 111791–1818 · Black

Very common

Mark	Type	Colour	Dates	Rarity
HG 1	Handstamp	Black	1775–1787	Very scarce
HG 1a	Handstamp	Black	1775–1786	1 example recorded
HG 2	Handstamp	Black	1775–1787	Very scarce
HG 3	Handstamp	Black	1776–1789	Rare
HG 4	Handstamp	Black	1787	Rare
HG 5	Handstamp	Black	1788	Rare
HG 6	Handstamp	Black	1788	Rare
HG 7	Handstamp	Black	1788	Very scarce
HG 8	Handstamp	Black	1788–1789	Very scarce
HG 9	Handstamp	Black	1789	Very scarce
HG 10	Handstamp	Black	1788–1820	Very common
HG 10a	Handstamp	Black	1795–1817	Very common
HG 11	Handstamp	Black	1791–1818	Very common
HG 11a	Handstamp	Black	1791–1822	Very common
HG 12	Handstamp	Black	1807–1818	Common
HG 13	Handstamp	Black	1822–1830	Common
HG 13a	Handstamp	Red	1825	Common
HG 14	Handstamp	Black	1823	Common
HG 15	Handstamp	Black	1815–1837	Very common
HG 15a	Handstamp	Black	1817–1837	Very common
HG 16	Handstamp	Black	1818–1837	Very common
HG 16a	Handstamp	Black	1821–1837	Very common
HG 17	Handstamp	Black	1833–1837	Scarce
HG 18	Handstamp	Black	1836	Very scarce
HG 19	Handstamp	Black	1834	2 examples recorded
HG 20	Handstamp	Black	1830–1835	Rare
HG 21	Handstamp	Red	1837–1845	Very common
HG 22	Handstamp	Black	1837–1854	Very common
HG 23	Handstamp	Red	1838–1852	Common
HG 23A	Handstamp	Red	1842	Rare
HG 24	Handstamp	Red	1839–1851	Very common
HG 24A	Handstamp	Red	1838–1851	Common
HG 25	Handstamp	Red	1841–1851	Scarce
HG 26	Handstamp	Black	1844–1852	Common
HG 27	Handstamp	Red	1847–1854	Common
HG 28	Handstamp	Black	1847–1854	Common
HG 29	Handstamp	Red	1847–1853	Common
HG 29A	Handstamp	Black	1852	1 example recorded
HG 30	Handstamp	Black	1861–1864	Common
HG 31	Handstamp	Blue	1864	Common
HG 32	Handstamp	Black	1866–1874	Common
HG 33	Handstamp	Red	1862–1875	Common
HG 34	Handstamp	Red	1867–1868	Common
HG 35	Handstamp	Black	1868	Common
HG 36	Handstamp	—	1849–1859	3 examples recorded
G1	Handstamp	Black	1791	1 example recorded
G2	Handstamp	Red	1808–1816	Common
G3	Handstamp	Red	1816–1820	Very common
G4	Handstamp	Red	1821–1822	Very common
G5	Handstamp	Red	1818–1824	Common
G6	Handstamp	Red	1824–1825	Common
G7	Handstamp	Red	1826	Common
G8	Handstamp	BlackRed	1825–1832	Common
G9	Handstamp	Red	1827–1837	Common
G10	Handstamp	Black	1830–1833	Rare
G11	Handstamp	Black	1832	Rare
G12	Handstamp	Red	1834–1839	Very scarce
G13	Handstamp	Red	1834–1837	Common
G14	Handstamp	Red	1837–1853	Common
G15	Handstamp	Red	1847–1848	Rare
G16	Handstamp	Red	1850	Common
G17	Handstamp	Red	1851	2 examples recorded
G17a	Handstamp	Red	1851	Common
G18	Handstamp	Red	1851–1858	Common
G19	Handstamp	Red	1847–1858	Common
G20	Handstamp	Black	1854–1857	Common
G21	Handstamp	Red	1855–1858	Common
G23	Handstamp	Blue	1857–1866	Common
G24	Handstamp	Red	1859–1863	Common
G25	Handstamp	Red	1859–1863	Common
G26	Handstamp	Blue	1859–1863	Common
G27	Handstamp	Blue	1872	Common
SD1	Handstamp	Black	1794–1795	Rare
SD2	Handstamp	Black	1799–1816	Very common
SD3	Handstamp	Black	1816	1 example recorded
SD4	Handstamp	Black	1816	Common
SD5	Handstamp	RedBlack	1816–1818	Common
SD6	Handstamp	Black	1816–1819	Common
SD7	Handstamp	Red	1816–1819	Common
SD8	Handstamp	Black	1820–1824	Common
SD8a	Handstamp	Black	1824–1825	Common
SD8b	Handstamp	Black	1825–1828	Very common
SD9	Handstamp	Black	1828–1834	Common
SD10	Handstamp	Black	1834–1840	Very common
SD11	Handstamp	Black	1837–1855	Very common
SD12	Handstamp	Red	1837–1851	Very common
SD13	Handstamp	RedBlack	1837–1853	Very common
SD14	Handstamp	Red	1838–1855	Scarce
SD15	Handstamp	Red	1843–1845	Common
SD16	Handstamp	Red	1838–1846	Common
SD16a	Handstamp	Red	1846–1851	Common
SD17	Handstamp	Red	1846–1856	Common
SD18	Handstamp	Red	1851–1856	Common
SD19	Handstamp	Red	1856	Common
SD20	Handstamp	Red	1845–1862	Common
SD20a	Handstamp	Red	1848–1853	Common
SD21	Handstamp	Red	1847–1854	Very common
SD22	Handstamp	Red	1851–1852	Rare
SD23	Handstamp	Red	1853	1 example recorded
SD24	Handstamp	Red	1842–1854	Scarce
SD25	Handstamp	Black	1848–1854	Common
SD26	Handstamp	Red	1847–1853	Common
SD27	Handstamp	Red	1857–1865	Common
SD28	Handstamp	Red	1857–1865	Common
SD29	Handstamp	Black	1857–1862	Common
SD30	Handstamp	Black	1857–1862	Common
SD31	Handstamp	Red	1858–1867	Common
SR1	Handstamp	Black	1795	1 example recorded
SR2	Handstamp	Red	1807	1 example recorded
SR3	Handstamp	Red	1807–1827	Common
SR4	Handstamp	Red	1809	Rare
SR5	Handstamp	Red	1826–1837	Common
SR6	Handstamp	Black	1807–1816	Common
SR7	Handstamp	Black	1816–1819	Common
SR8	Handstamp	Black	1820–1821	Common
SR9a	Handstamp	Black	1821–1837	Common
SR9b	Handstamp	Black	1821–1837	Scarce
SR10	Handstamp	Black	1835–1837	Very scarce
SR11	Handstamp	Black	1827–1829	Common
SR12	Handstamp	Black	1827–1829	Common
SR13	Handstamp	Black	1827–1829	Common
SR14	Handstamp	Black	1827–1829	Scarce
SR15	Handstamp	Black	1827–1829	Very scarce
SR16	Handstamp	Black	1830	1 example recorded
SR17	Handstamp	Black	1830	Common
SR18	Handstamp	Black	1830	Common
SR19	Handstamp	Black	1830	Common
SR20	Handstamp	Black	1830	Scarce
SR21	Handstamp	Black	1830	Very scarce
SR22	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Common
SR23	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Common
SR24	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Common
SR25	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Scarce
SR26	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Very scarce
SR27	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Common
SR28	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Common
SR29	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Common
SR30	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Scarce
SR31	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Very scarce
SR32	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Common
SR33	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Common
SR34	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Scarce
SR35	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Very scarce
SR36	Handstamp	Black	1830–1832	Rare
SR37	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Common
SR38	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Common
SR39	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Scarce
SR40	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Very scarce
SR41	Handstamp	Black	1832–1837	Rare
SR42	Handstamp	Black	1833–1836	Rare
SR42a	Handstamp	Black	1837–1839	Common
SR43	Handstamp	Black	1837–1838	Scarce
SR44	Handstamp	Black	1837–1845	Very common
SR45	Handstamp	Black	1837–1859	Very common
SR46	Handstamp	Red	1838–1855	Common
SR48	Handstamp	Black	1839–1858	Very common
SR49	Handstamp	Black	1841–1857	Very common
SR50	Handstamp	Black	1851–1861	Common
SR51	Handstamp	Black	1860–1865	Common
HG SRa	Handstamp	Red	1821–1837	Common
X1	Handstamp	Black	1775	1 example recorded
X2	Handstamp	Black	1775–1776	1 example recorded
X3	Handstamp	Black	1776–1784	1 example recorded
X4	Handstamp	Black	1784	1 example recorded
X5	Handstamp	Black	1784	1 example recorded
X6	Handstamp	Black	1784	1 example recorded
X7	Handstamp	Black	1777	1 example recorded
X8	Handstamp	Black	1777	Common
X12	Handstamp	Black	1776	2 examples recorded
X13	Handstamp	Black	1838–1858	Very common
X14	Handstamp	Black	—	Common
X15	Handstamp	Black	1846–1865	Very common
X16	Handstamp	Black	1848–1851	Common
X17	Handstamp	Black	—	Common
X18	Handstamp	Black	1843–1856	Very common
X19	Handstamp	Black	1840	Common
X20	Handstamp	Black	1849	Common
X21	Handstamp	Black	1849	Common
X22	Handstamp	Black	1849	Common
X23	Handstamp	Black	1856	Common
X24	Handstamp	Red	1854	Scarce
X25	Handstamp	BlackBlue	1863–1870	Scarce
X26	Handstamp	Black	1865	Common

Post office handstamps

General Post Office (G.P.O.)

Ship Despatch

Ship Receipt

Miscellaneous

Calcutta handstamp summary

Frequently asked — Calcutta postal history

An unrecorded mark from Calcutta?

Have a cover from Calcutta?

Other post offices in the Bengal Presidency