Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Futwa HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Futwa HG 1 handstamp
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 HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Futwa — the present-day Fatwa — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1839. Known strikes are in black. Its "HG 1" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
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 "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for futwa pre stamp covers, futwa postal history or "Futwa HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Futwa marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Futwa HG 1 handstamp?
- Futwa HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Futwa (modern Fatwa) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1839. The "HG 1" 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 Futwa HG 1?
- Futwa HG 1 has 1 example recorded 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 Futwa pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Futwa 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 1. 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 Futwa HG 1 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Futwa HG 1, Futwa HG1, Futwa Giles 1, Fatwa postal history, Futwa handstamp, Futwa pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Futwa HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/futwa/hg-1 (accessed 13 August 2026).
Updated: 13 Aug 2026