Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Sholapoor HG 5
- Colour & date
- Red1843
- Rarity
- Rare
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 193
- Figure
- 5
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Sholapoor HG 5 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Sholapoor HG 5 handstamp
Sholapoor is the headquarters of Sholapoor District, Bombay, situated 1r40' N and 75°54' E. In 1795 it was ceded by the Nizam to the Marathas, and at the close of the war with the Peshwa in 1818, it was stormed by General Munro.
Sholapoor HG 5 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 1843. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 5".
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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for sholapoor pre stamp covers, sholapoor postal history or "Sholapoor HG5" material can compare HG 5 across every office or browse the rest of the Sholapoor marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Sholapoor HG 5 handstamp?
- Sholapoor HG 5 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Sholapoor (modern Solapur) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1843. The "HG 5" 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 5?
- Sholapoor HG 5 is graded "Rare" 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 5 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 5. 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 5 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1843). 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 Sholapoor
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Sholapoor 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: Sholapoor HG 5, Sholapoor HG5, Sholapoor Giles 5, Solapur postal history, Sholapoor handstamp, Sholapoor pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Sholapoor HG 5 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/sholapoor/hg-5 (accessed 9 August 2026).
Updated: 9 Aug 2026