Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Mahe HG 1
- Colour & date
- Red1844–1854
- Rarity
- Common
- Note
- Mahe was a French Settlement
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 135
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Mahe HG 1 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Mahe HG 1 handstamp
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 HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Mahe in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1854. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for mahe pre stamp covers, mahe postal history or "Mahe HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Mahe marks.
Mahe was a French Settlement
Frequently asked
- What is the Mahe HG 1 handstamp?
- Mahe HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Mahe in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 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 Mahe HG 1?
- Mahe 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. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Mahe pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Mahe 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. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Mahe 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 (1844–1854). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Mahe HG 1, Mahe HG1, Mahe Giles 1, Mahe handstamp, Mahe pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Mahe HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/mahe/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026