Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Sittara HG 1b
- Colour & date
- Red1855–1858
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Catalogue
- 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave) · p. 195
- Figure
- 1b
- Submitted by
- Chandak & Bhargave
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Sittara HG 1b handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Sittara HG 1b handstamp
Sittara, headquarters of Sittara District, Bombay Presidency, near the confluence of the Kistna and Vena Rivers, is situated 17°41' N and 74° E. The strong fort, after a short resistance, fell to the British, at the end of the war with the Peshwa in 1818.
Sittara HG 1b is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of the post office at Sittara — the present-day Satara — in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1855 to 1858. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave), where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1b".
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 "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for sittara pre stamp covers, sittara postal history or "Sittara HG1b" material can compare HG 1b across every office or browse the rest of the Sittara marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Sittara HG 1b handstamp?
- Sittara HG 1b is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of Sittara (modern Satara) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1855 to 1858. The "HG 1b" 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 Sittara HG 1b?
- Sittara HG 1b is graded "Scarce" 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 Sittara pre stamp cover with HG 1b look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Sittara 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 1b. 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 Sittara HG 1b cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1855–1858). 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 Sittara
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Sittara 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: Sittara HG 1b, Sittara HG1b, Sittara Giles 1b, Satara postal history, Sittara handstamp, Sittara pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Sittara HG 1b — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/sittara/hg-1b (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026