Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Sylhet HG 2
- Colour & date
- Black1837–1851
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 29
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
2 covers recorded2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Sylhet HG 2 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Sylhet HG 2 handstamp
Sylhet, the headquarters of Sylhet District, Assam, did not enter British India until 1826. It is situated 24°53' N and 91°52' E, on the right bank of the Surma River, and after being ceded with all Assam by the Burmese to the East India Company under the Treaty of Yandabo, it was, in the early days much neglected by the Company, being on the outskirts of the Company's territories.
Sylhet HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Sylhet in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1837 to 1851. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 sylhet pre stamp covers, sylhet postal history or "Sylhet HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Sylhet marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Sylhet HG 2 handstamp?
- Sylhet HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Sylhet in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1837 to 1851. The "HG 2" 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 Sylhet HG 2?
- Sylhet HG 2 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Sylhet pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Sylhet 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 2. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 Sylhet HG 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1837–1851). 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 Sylhet
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of Sylhet is recorded in the census. Compare it against this mark to place 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: Sylhet HG 2, Sylhet HG2, Sylhet Giles 2, Sylhet handstamp, Sylhet pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Sylhet HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/sylhet/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026