Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Palaveram HG 4
- Date Span
- 1854
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 163
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Palaveram HG 4 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 Palaveram HG 4 handstamp
Palaveram town and cantonment is in the Saidapet taluk of the Chingleput District, Madras Presidency, situated 12°59' N and 80°10' E, 3 miles from St Thomas's Mount. It was called the Presidency Cantonment, troops being kept there for garrisoning and protecting Madras City.
Palaveram HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Palaveram — the present-day Pallavaram — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 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 4".
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 palaveram pre stamp covers, palaveram postal history or "Palaveram HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Palaveram marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Palaveram HG 4 handstamp?
- Palaveram HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Palaveram (modern Pallavaram) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1854. The "HG 4" 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 Palaveram HG 4?
- Palaveram HG 4 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 Palaveram pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Palaveram 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 4. 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 Palaveram HG 4 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.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Palaveram
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Palaveram 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: Palaveram HG 4, Palaveram HG4, Palaveram Giles 4, Pallavaram postal history, Palaveram handstamp, Palaveram pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Palaveram HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/palaveram/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026