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Hand Struck Stamps
Madapolum HG 1 — pre-1854 Indian handstamp, 1854, Red

Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Madapolum HG 1

Handstamp
Colour & date
Red1854
Rarity
Rare
Figure
1
Submitted by
Santosh MS
All Madapolum

Census

Census records

1 cover recorded

1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Madapolum HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.

COV-2443 pre-stamp cover
COV-2443

13 November 1854

1854 Edinburgh – Rajahmundry via Madapolam overland cover, franked with QV 1s SG 56 Die 2 & obliterated with SG Type 7/22 Scottish numeral cancellation (131, Edinburgh). The sender paid 1s UK–India packet rate via the Southampton route for a letter not exceeding ½ oz (anywhere from UK to India inclusive). "OCT/T 3 A/1854" Edinburgh despatch & "EA/4 OC 4/1854" London transit marks applied. Sent to Alexandria via P&O steamer CANDIA, sent overland to Suez, and from there sent to Bombay via EIC regular steamer FEROZE, then forwarded to Madras. At Madras, Giles MX5 "GPO/1854 NO 9" receipt & Giles 20 "MADRAS/1854 November 9/Bearing" handstamp applied, with rate "2A" (inland postage for a letter under ¼ tolah, sent between 200–300 miles) applied in manuscript. At Madapolam, bearing handstamp applied & "2A" rate and date "13 November 1854" applied in manuscript, then sent to Rajahmundry, where Giles 2 "RAJAHMUNDRY/Bearing" handstamp & date "14 Novr. 54" were applied, bearing postage collected from the recipient.

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About this mark

The Madapolum HG 1 handstamp

Madapolum HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Madapolum in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1854. Known strikes are in red. Its "HG 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 madapolum pre-stamp covers, madapolum postal history or "Madapolum HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Madapolum marks.

Frequently asked

What is the Madapolum HG 1 handstamp?
Madapolum HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Madapolum in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1854. The "HG 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in red.
How rare is Madapolum HG 1?
Madapolum 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. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
What does a Madapolum pre-stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
A pre-stamp (pre-philatelic) cover from Madapolum 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 Madapolum 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 (1854). 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.

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Also searched as: Madapolum HG 1, Madapolum HG1, Madapolum Giles 1, Madapolum handstamp, Madapolum pre-stamp cover.

How to cite

“Madapolum HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/madapolum/hg-1 (accessed 10 July 2026).

Updated: 10 Jul 2026