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Hand Struck Stamps
Sholapoor HG 1A — pre-1854 Indian handstamp, 1837, Red

Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Sholapoor HG 1A

Handstamp
Colour & date
Red1837
Rarity
1 example recorded
Catalogue
1989 Catalogue
Figure
1A
Submitted by
Kishore Chandak
← HG 1All SholapoorHG 2 →

Census

Census records

1 cover recorded

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

COV-2427 pre-stamp cover
COV-2427

19 September 1837

1837: H.G. 1 : A letter posted from SHOLAPOOR [5 Sept.] to CALCUTTA [19 Sept.] Note showing in manuscript “Sholapur half tola & P. paid 7 ½ an. full” to CALCUTTA, a distance of 1184 miles, the postage paid being half of 15 as. for one Tola single weight. This handstamp : A double ring type in oval, red colour “SHOLAPORE / POST PAID” in outer oval & blank space in inner oval for writing date & rate, is the first handstamp of SHOLAPORE used during 1836-37 for a very brief period & Giles mentioned as a Scarce mark. The postage from SHOLAPORE to CALCUTTA for Single Sicca Weight was 15 as. This letter being charged “Half Rate”, as it weighed less than a Half Shikka & was treated as a “Half Letter”, in accordance with P.O. Regulations of 1830. Very few of these “Half Letters” exist today,as they were abolished two years later in 1832, the scheme being deemed unsuccessful.

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About this mark

The Sholapoor HG 1A handstamp

Sholapoor HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Sholapoor — the present-day Solapur — in the Bombay Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1837. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1A".

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 sholapoor pre-stamp covers, sholapoor postal history or "Sholapoor HG1A" material can compare HG 1A across every office or browse the rest of the Sholapoor marks.

Frequently asked

What is the Sholapoor HG 1A handstamp?
Sholapoor HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Sholapoor (modern Solapur) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1837. The "HG 1A" 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 Sholapoor HG 1A?
Sholapoor HG 1A 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 Sholapoor pre-stamp cover with HG 1A look like?
A pre-stamp (pre-philatelic) cover from Sholapoor 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 1A. 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 Sholapoor HG 1A cover?
Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1837). 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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Also searched as: Sholapoor HG 1A, Sholapoor HG1A, Sholapoor Giles 1A, Solapur postal history, Sholapoor handstamp, Sholapoor pre-stamp cover.

How to cite

“Sholapoor HG 1A — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/sholapoor/hg-1a (accessed 10 July 2026).

Updated: 10 Jul 2026