Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Bellary HG 10a
- Date Span
- 1853
- Colour
- Black
- Catalogue
- 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave) · p. 21
- Figure
- 10a
- Submitted by
- Chandak & Bhargave
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Bellary HG 10a 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 Bellary HG 10a handstamp
Ballary (later spelled Bellary) the seventh largest town in the Madras Presidency, became a large military station, but contained little but a fort, until the British built a cantonment. The fort was in possession of Mysore until 1792, when, with other territories of Tipu, it was given to the Nizam, who ceded it to the British in 1800. It is situated 15°9' N and 76°51' E .
Bellary HG 10a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bellary — the present-day Ballari — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use 1853. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave), where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 10a".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Collectors searching for bellary pre stamp covers, bellary postal history or "Bellary HG10a" material can compare HG 10a across every office or browse the rest of the Bellary marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Bellary HG 10a handstamp?
- Bellary HG 10a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bellary (modern Ballari) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use 1853. The "HG 10a" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- What does a Bellary pre stamp cover with HG 10a look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bellary 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 10a. 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 Bellary HG 10a cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1853). 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 Bellary
12 marks12 other pre-1854 postal markings of Bellary are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Bellary HG 1handstampBlack1806–1817
- Bellary HG 2handstampBlack1813
- Bellary HG 3handstampBlack1826–1832
- Bellary HG 4handstampRed1828–1837
- Bellary HG 5handstampBlack1836
- Bellary HG 6handstampRed1837–1839
- Bellary HG 7handstampBlack1840-56
- Bellary HG 8handstampRed1849
- Bellary HG 9handstampRed1841–1856
- Bellary HG 10handstampBlack1842–1858
- Bellary HG 11handstampRed1838–1849
- Bellary MN 1manuscript1832
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Bellary HG 10a, Bellary HG10a, Bellary Giles 10a, Ballari postal history, Bellary handstamp, Bellary pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bellary HG 10a — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/bellary/hg-10a (accessed 11 August 2026).
Updated: 11 Aug 2026