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Hand Struck Stamps
Calcutta SR29 — pre-1854 Indian handstamp, 1832–1837, Black

Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Calcutta SR29

Colour & date
Black1832–1837
Rarity
Common
Catalogue
1989 Catalogue · p. 56
Figure
SR29
Submitted by
D. Hammond Giles

Census

Census records

0 covers recorded

No pre stamp cover bearing the Calcutta SR29 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.

No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.

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About this mark

The Calcutta SR29 handstamp

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 SR29 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Calcutta — the present-day Kolkata — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1832 to 1837. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "SR29".

No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for calcutta pre stamp covers, calcutta postal history or "Calcutta SR29" material can compare SR29 across every office or browse the rest of the Calcutta marks.

Frequently asked

What is the Calcutta SR29 handstamp?
Calcutta SR29 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Calcutta (modern Kolkata) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1832 to 1837. The "SR29" 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 Calcutta SR29?
Calcutta SR29 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
What does a Calcutta pre stamp cover with SR29 look like?
A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Calcutta is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by hand-struck marks like SR29. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
How do I identify or submit a Calcutta SR29 cover?
Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1832–1837). 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 Calcutta

183 marks

183 other pre-1854 postal markings of Calcutta are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.

View all Calcutta marks and postal history →

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Also searched as: Calcutta SR29, Calcutta Giles SR29, Kolkata postal history, Calcutta handstamp, Calcutta pre stamp cover.

How to cite

Calcutta SR29handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/calcutta/sr29 (accessed 25 July 2026).

Updated: 25 Jul 2026