Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Oossoor HG 3
- Date Span
- 1838
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 24
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Oossoor HG 3 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 Oossoor HG 3 handstamp
Oossoor (Hosur) is situated 12°44' N and 77°50' E, in Salem District, Madras Presidency, 21 miles from Bangalore. Hosur Remount Depot was established in 1828, for the cavalry and artillery horses for the Indian Army.
Oossoor HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Oossoor — the present-day Hosur — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1838. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 oossoor pre stamp covers, oossoor postal history or "Oossoor HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Oossoor marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Oossoor HG 3 handstamp?
- Oossoor HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Oossoor (modern Hosur) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1838. The "HG 3" 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 Oossoor HG 3?
- Oossoor HG 3 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 an Oossoor pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Oossoor 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 3. 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 an Oossoor HG 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1838). 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.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Oossoor
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Oossoor are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Oossoor HG 3, Oossoor HG3, Oossoor Giles 3, Hosur postal history, Oossoor handstamp, Oossoor pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Oossoor HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/oossoor/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026