Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Ponany HG 1
- Date Span
- 1863
- Colour
- Red
- Catalogue
- 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave) · p. 170
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- Chandak & Bhargave
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Ponany 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 Ponany HG 1 handstamp
Ponany (Ponnani) is a port town on the Malabar Coast, Madras Presidency, at the mouth of the Bharathappuzha River. It was historically an important centre of Islamic learning and maritime trade with Arabia. The town came under British control following the fall of Tipu Sultan in 1799.
Ponany HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Ponany — the present-day Ponnani — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use 1863. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave), 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. Collectors searching for ponany pre stamp covers, ponany postal history or "Ponany HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Ponany marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Ponany HG 1 handstamp?
- Ponany HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Ponany (modern Ponnani) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use 1863. 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.
- What does a Ponany pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Ponany 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 Ponany 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 (1863). 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: Ponany HG 1, Ponany HG1, Ponany Giles 1, Ponnani postal history, Ponany handstamp, Ponany pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Ponany HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/ponany/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026