Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Chittagong HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1840–1851
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 68
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Chittagong HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Chittagong HG 4 handstamp
Chittagong, in East Bengal, is situated 22°21' N and 91°50' E, on the right bank of the Kamaphuli River, 12 miles from its mouth. In the possession of the Moghals until 1760, when it was ceded to the East India Company, to become the headquarters of their Bengal trade.
Chittagong HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Chittagong — the present-day Chattogram — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1840 to 1851. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, 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 chittagong pre stamp covers, chittagong postal history or "Chittagong HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Chittagong marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Chittagong HG 4 handstamp?
- Chittagong HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Chittagong (modern Chattogram) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1840 to 1851. 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 Chittagong HG 4?
- Chittagong 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 Chittagong pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Chittagong 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 Chittagong 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 (1840–1851). 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 Chittagong
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Chittagong 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: Chittagong HG 4, Chittagong HG4, Chittagong Giles 4, Chattogram postal history, Chittagong handstamp, Chittagong pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Chittagong HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/chittagong/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026