Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Keerpoy HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1834
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 117
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Keerpoy HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Keerpoy HG 1 handstamp
Keerpoy (Khirpai) is a town in Ghatal subdivision of Midnapore District, Bengal, situated 22°43' N and 87°37' E.
Keerpoy HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Keerpoy — the present-day Khirpai — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1834. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
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 keerpoy pre stamp covers, keerpoy postal history or "Keerpoy HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Keerpoy marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Keerpoy HG 1 handstamp?
- Keerpoy HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Keerpoy (modern Khirpai) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1834. 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 Keerpoy HG 1?
- Keerpoy 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 Keerpoy pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Keerpoy 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 Keerpoy 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 (1834). 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: Keerpoy HG 1, Keerpoy HG1, Keerpoy Giles 1, Khirpai postal history, Keerpoy handstamp, Keerpoy pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Keerpoy HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/keerpoy/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026