Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Manuscript
Bellary MN 1
- Type
- Manuscript
- Date Span
- 1832
- Rarity
- Rare
- Note
- Post Paid 11 Annas to Madras
- Figure
- MN1
- Submitted by
- Gowtham BJ
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Bellary MN 1 manuscript marking is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Bellary MN 1 marking
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 MN 1 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of the post office at Bellary — the present-day Ballari — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1832. Its "MN 1" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
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 bellary pre stamp covers, bellary postal history or "Bellary MN1" material can compare MN 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Bellary marks.
Post Paid 11 Annas to Madras
Frequently asked
- What is the Bellary MN 1 marking?
- Bellary MN 1 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of Bellary (modern Ballari) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1832. The "MN 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
- How rare is Bellary MN 1?
- Bellary MN 1 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 Bellary pre stamp cover with MN 1 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 manuscript rate marks like MN 1. 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 Bellary MN 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1832). 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 4handstampRed1828-37
- Bellary HG 5handstampBlack1836
- Bellary HG 6handstampRed1837-39
- Bellary HG 7handstampBlack1840-56
- Bellary HG 8handstampRed1849
- Bellary HG 9handstampRed1841–1855
- Bellary HG 10handstampBlack1842–1858
- Bellary HG 10ahandstampBlack1853
- Bellary HG 11handstampRed1838–1849
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 MN 1, Bellary MN1, Bellary Giles MN 1, Ballari postal history, Bellary handstamp, Bellary pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bellary MN 1 — manuscript,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/bellary/mn-1 (accessed 30 July 2026).
Updated: 30 Jul 2026