Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Dharwar HG 4
- Colour & date
- Black1844–1856
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 81
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Dharwar HG 4 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Dharwar HG 4 handstamp
Dharwar, headquarters of the same named District, situated 15°27' N and 75°1' E, in Bombay Presidency. 1778 D harwar was taken from the Marathas by Haidar Ali, and in 1791 it was retaken by the British force auxiliary to the Marathas. On the fina l overthrow of the Peshwa, it fell into British hands, along with other possessions of that potentate.
Dharwar HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Dharwar — the present-day Dharwad — in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1856. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for dharwar pre stamp covers, dharwar postal history or "Dharwar HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Dharwar marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Dharwar HG 4 handstamp?
- Dharwar HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Dharwar (modern Dharwad) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1856. The "HG 4" 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 Dharwar HG 4?
- Dharwar HG 4 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Dharwar pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Dharwar 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 4. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Dharwar HG 4 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1844–1856). 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 Dharwar
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Dharwar are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on 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: Dharwar HG 4, Dharwar HG4, Dharwar Giles 4, Dharwad postal history, Dharwar handstamp, Dharwar pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Dharwar HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/dharwar/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026