Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Alleppy HG 1A
- Colour & date
- Red1831
- Rarity
- Rare
- Note
- POST FREE oval handstamp.
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 3
- Figure
- 1A
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Alleppy HG 1A handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Alleppy HG 1A handstamp
Chief sea-port in Travancore State, Madras Presidency, situated 9°30' N and 76°20' E. Created by Maharaja Rama Varma, in order to put an end to the commercial supremacy of the Dutch, who had a factory at Porakad . 49 miles from Quilon.
Alleppy HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Alleppy — the present-day Alappuzha — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1831. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, 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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for alleppy pre stamp covers, alleppy postal history or "Alleppy HG1A" material can compare HG 1A across every office or browse the rest of the Alleppy marks.
POST FREE oval handstamp.
Frequently asked
- What is the Alleppy HG 1A handstamp?
- Alleppy HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Alleppy (modern Alappuzha) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1831. 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 Alleppy HG 1A?
- Alleppy HG 1A 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 an Alleppy pre stamp cover with HG 1A look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Alleppy 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 an Alleppy 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 (1831). 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 Alleppy
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Alleppy 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: Alleppy HG 1A, Alleppy HG1A, Alleppy Giles 1A, Alappuzha postal history, Alleppy handstamp, Alleppy pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Alleppy HG 1A — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/alleppy/hg-1a (accessed 21 August 2026).
Updated: 21 Aug 2026