Post office · Bengal Presidency
FutwaPostal Covers & Pre-1854 Postal History
Futwa postal covers and handstruck postal markings of pre-1854 British India, recorded in an open census: 1 Futwa handstamp recorded in 1839, Bengal Presidency, with 1 Futwa cover traced to them.
- Handstamps
- 1
- Recorded
- 1839
- Rare
- 1
Futwa (now called Fatwa) is situated on the banks of the Ganges in the district of Patna, located at the Lat. 25°31´N and Long. 85°17´E .
Futwa has 1 pre-1854 hand-struck postal marking from 1839 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
Futwa handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Black | 1839 | 1 example recorded |
Futwa— postal history & markings
Futwa — Fatwa, on the Ganges below Patna — leaves a single black handstamp, HG 1 of 1839, known from one example. The record is minimal — one mark, and a scarce one — a genuine target from a small river town of the Patna country.
Frequently asked — Futwa postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Futwa?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Futwa are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Futwa post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Futwa was a post office of the Bengal Presidency, British India, and this census records 1 distinct postal marking used there, dated around 1839.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Futwa?
- 1 hand-struck postal marking is recorded for Futwa in this census, of which 1 is 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 Futwa called today?
- Futwa is the colonial-era name of present-day Fatwa, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Futwa 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 Futwa 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.
For background on the material itself, see the guides to the handstruck stamps of India, the pre covers of India and the pre stamp covers of India, which explain how marks like those recorded at Futwa were struck, catalogued and graded for rarity.
Also searched as: Futwa, Fatwa, Futwa HG 1, Futwa handstruck stamps, Futwa pre stamp covers, Futwa postal history.
How to cite
“Futwa, Bengal Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/futwa (accessed 24 September 2026).
Updated: 24 Sept 2026
An unrecorded mark from Futwa?
If you hold a cover or strike from Futwa that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Bengal Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Bengal Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.