Post office · Madras Presidency
MahePostal Covers & Pre-1854 Postal History
Mahe postal covers and handstruck postal markings of pre-1854 British India, recorded in an open census: 1 Mahe handstamp recorded between 1844 and 1854, Madras Presidency.
- Handstamps
- 1
- Recorded
- 1844–1854
Mahe was a French Settlement within the limits of Malabar District, Madras Presidency, situated 11°43' N and 75°33' E, to the south of the mouth of the River Mahe, about 4 miles south of
Mahe has 1 pre-1854 hand-struck postal marking dated 1844–1854 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Mahe handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Red | 1844–1854 | Common |
Mahe— postal history & markings
Mahe was a French Settlement set within the limits of the Malabar District, and its single common red handstamp, HG 1 of 1844, belongs to that distinct enclave rather than to the Company post around it. For the collector, its interest lies in that French status — a small foreign settlement on the Malabar coast represented by a single strike.
Frequently asked — Mahe postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Mahe?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Mahe are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Mahe post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Mahe was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 1 distinct postal marking used there, dated between 1844 and 1854.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Mahe?
- 1 hand-struck postal marking is recorded for Mahe in this census. 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.
- How do I identify a Mahe 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 Mahe 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 Mahe were struck, catalogued and graded for rarity.
Also searched as: Mahe, Mahé, Mahe HG 1, Mahe handstruck stamps, Mahe pre stamp covers, Mahe postal history.
How to cite
“Mahe, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/mahe (accessed 24 September 2026).
Updated: 24 Sept 2026
An unrecorded mark from Mahe?
If you hold a cover or strike from Mahe 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.