Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Cuddapah HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1816–1824
- Rarity
- Rare
- Note
- "Kurpah" old name for "Cuddapah".
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 75
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
4 covers recorded4 pre-1854 covers bearing the Cuddapah HG 1 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Cuddapah HG 1 handstamp
Cuddapah (written "Kurpah" In the old records), headquarters of the District, Madras Presidency, situated 14°29' N and 78°50' E, 507 feet above sea level, 161 miles from Madras. Taken from the Nawab of Cuddapah by Haidar in 1780, but ceded to the Nizam by treaty in 1792. In 1800, the whole of Cuddapah District was ceded by the Nizam to the E.I.C., in payment for a subsidiary force to be stationed in his territories.
Cuddapah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Cuddapah — the present-day Kadapa — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1816 to 1824. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
4 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 cuddapah pre stamp covers, cuddapah postal history or "Cuddapah HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Cuddapah marks.
"Kurpah" old name for "Cuddapah".
Frequently asked
- What is the Cuddapah HG 1 handstamp?
- Cuddapah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Cuddapah (modern Kadapa) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1816 to 1824. 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 Cuddapah HG 1?
- Cuddapah HG 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. 4 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Cuddapah pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Cuddapah 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. 4 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 Cuddapah 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 (1816–1824). 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 Cuddapah
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Cuddapah 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: Cuddapah HG 1, Cuddapah HG1, Cuddapah Giles 1, Kadapa postal history, Cuddapah handstamp, Cuddapah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Cuddapah HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/cuddapah/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026