Post office · Madras Presidency
Kurnal (Mad)Postal Covers & Pre-1854 Postal History
Kurnal (Mad) postal covers and handstruck postal markings of pre-1854 British India, recorded in an open census: 4 Kurnal (Mad) handstamps recorded between 1819 and 1855, Madras Presidency, with 5 Kurnal (Mad) covers traced to them.
- Handstamps
- 4
- Recorded
- 1819–1855
- Rare
- 1
Kurnaul (Kurnool) is situated 15°50' N and 78°4' E in Kurnaul District, Madras Presidency, at the confluence of the rivers Tungabhadra and Hindri, 900 feet above sea level, 350 miles from Madras. (Giles Vol.1)
Kurnal (Mad) has 4 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1819–1855 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Manuscript markings
1 markBefore handstamps were introduced, postmasters wrote postal details by hand — these manuscript markings pre-date the struck marks above.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
Kurnal (Mad) handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
Kurnal (Mad)— postal history & markings
Kurnool, in the Madras Presidency at the meeting of the Tungabhadra and Hindri, should not be confused with its northern namesake. Its four marks open with a rare manuscript endorsement, MN 1 of 1819, and include a common purple strike, HG 1 — an uncommon ink. The office worked mainly in red thereafter. The record is small, but the early manuscript and the purple handstamp give it distinctive entries, and for the collector of the Ceded Districts, Kurnool is a compact office whose colour and manuscript opener set it apart from an ordinary run.
Frequently asked — Kurnal (Mad) postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Kurnal (Mad)?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Kurnal (Mad) are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Kurnal (Mad) post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Kurnal (Mad) was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 4 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1819 and 1855.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Kurnal (Mad)?
- 4 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Kurnal (Mad) in this census, of which 1 is graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
- What is Kurnal (Mad) called today?
- Kurnal (Mad) is the colonial-era name of present-day Kurnool, India. The office also appears in postal history literature and auction catalogues as Kurnal Madras. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Kurnal (Mad) postmark or cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Kurnal (Mad) cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.
For background on the material itself, see the guides to the handstruck stamps of India, the pre covers of India and the pre stamp covers of India, which explain how marks like those recorded at Kurnal (Mad) were struck, catalogued and graded for rarity.
Also searched as: Kurnal (Mad), Kurnool, Kurnal Madras, Kurnal (Mad) HG 1, Kurnal (Mad) handstruck stamps, Kurnal (Mad) pre stamp covers, Kurnal (Mad) postal history.
How to cite
“Kurnal (Mad), Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/kurnal-mad (accessed 24 September 2026).
Updated: 24 Sept 2026
An unrecorded mark from Kurnal (Mad)?
If you hold a cover or strike from Kurnal (Mad) that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Madras Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Madras Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.