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Hand Struck Stamps
Sumbulpore HG 1 — pre-1854 Indian handstamp, 1841–1850, Red

Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Sumbulpore HG 1

Handstamp
Colour & date
Red1841–1850
Rarity
Common
Catalogue
1993 Supplement · p. 28
Figure
1
Submitted by
D. Hammond Giles
All Sumbulpore

Census

Census records

1 cover recorded

1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Sumbulpore HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.

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About this mark

The Sumbulpore HG 1 handstamp

Sambalpur is a major city in Odisha, located on the banks of the river Mahanadi.

Sumbulpore HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Sumbulpore — the present-day Sambalpur — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1841 to 1850. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, 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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for sumbulpore pre stamp covers, sumbulpore postal history or "Sumbulpore HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Sumbulpore marks.

Frequently asked

What is the Sumbulpore HG 1 handstamp?
Sumbulpore HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Sumbulpore (modern Sambalpur) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1841 to 1850. The "HG 1" 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 Sumbulpore HG 1?
Sumbulpore HG 1 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 Sumbulpore pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Sumbulpore 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 Sumbulpore 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 (1841–1850). 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.

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Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.

Also searched as: Sumbulpore HG 1, Sumbulpore HG1, Sumbulpore Giles 1, Sambalpur postal history, Sumbulpore handstamp, Sumbulpore pre stamp cover.

How to cite

“Sumbulpore HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/sumbulpore/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).

Updated: 10 Aug 2026