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Oolundoorpettah HG 1 — pre-1854 Indian handstamp, 1831, Red

Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Oolundoorpettah HG 1

Handstamp
Colour & date
Red1831
Rarity
Rare
Catalogue
1989 Catalogue · p. 160
Figure
1
Submitted by
D. Hammond Giles
All Oolundoorpettah

Census

Census records

1 cover recorded

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

COV-2310 pre stamp cover
COV-2310

2 April 1831

OOLUNDOORPETTAH/OOTACAMUND/POONA/POONAMULLEE - VARIED PAID MARKS INC. RARE TYPE; 2 Apr. 1831 EL (long cross-written family letter; flap faults) from “Camp Oolundoorpettah” to Scotland with a mainly very fine rare red oval-framed “OOLUNDOORPETTAH/POST PAID” (HG1; only known 1831 and rare - a small sub-office of Cuddapah - light fold) on the flap with fair red boxed “INDIA LETTER/DEVONPORT” on the front, 6 Feb. 1845 EL (cut flap) “Per Precursor steamer from Madras” to Scotland with mainly fine boxed red “OOTACAMUND/Paid” (HG4), 9 Apr. 1823 E (side-flaps removed) to Ireland (blue mileage mark for redirection) with mainly fine bold red encircled “Poonah/POST PAID” c.d.s. with v. fine boxed “INDIA LETTER./DEAL”, and 31 July 1824 E (side-flaps removed) to London with rare oval-framed “POONAMULLEE/POST PAID” (HG1; in black in 1824 or in red in 1834 only) overstruck by fine boxed “INDIA LETTER/BRIGHTON”. Scarce group. (4 covers) PHOTO - see opposite

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About this mark

The Oolundoorpettah HG 1 handstamp

Ulundurpettai (Ulundurpet) is a municipality in Kallakurichi district, Tamil Nadu, at the junction of major highways about 205 km from Chennai.

Oolundoorpettah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Oolundoorpettah — the present-day Ulundurpettai — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1831. 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".

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 oolundoorpettah pre stamp covers, oolundoorpettah postal history or "Oolundoorpettah HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Oolundoorpettah marks.

Frequently asked

What is the Oolundoorpettah HG 1 handstamp?
Oolundoorpettah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Oolundoorpettah (modern Ulundurpettai) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1831. 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 Oolundoorpettah HG 1?
Oolundoorpettah 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 an Oolundoorpettah pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Oolundoorpettah 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 an Oolundoorpettah 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 (1831). 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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Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.

Also searched as: Oolundoorpettah HG 1, Oolundoorpettah HG1, Oolundoorpettah Giles 1, Ulundurpettai postal history, Oolundoorpettah handstamp, Oolundoorpettah pre stamp cover.

How to cite

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

Updated: 10 Aug 2026