Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Chittledroog HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1821
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 12
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Chittledroog HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Chittledroog HG 1 handstamp
Chitradurga is a city and the headquarters of Chitradurga district, on the valley of the Vedavati river in central Karnataka, known for its historic hill fort.
Chittledroog HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Chittledroog — the present-day Chitradurga — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1821. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for chittledroog pre stamp covers, chittledroog postal history or "Chittledroog HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Chittledroog marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Chittledroog HG 1 handstamp?
- Chittledroog HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Chittledroog (modern Chitradurga) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1821. The "HG 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Chittledroog HG 1?
- Chittledroog HG 1 is graded "Common" 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 Chittledroog pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Chittledroog 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 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 Chittledroog HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1821). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Chittledroog HG 1, Chittledroog HG1, Chittledroog Giles 1, Chitradurga postal history, Chittledroog handstamp, Chittledroog pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Chittledroog HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/chittledroog/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026