Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Pondicherry HG 1a
- Colour & date
- Black1818
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Note
- Used with 1
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 13
- Figure
- 1a
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
2 covers recorded2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Pondicherry HG 1a handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Pondicherry HG 1a handstamp
Pondicherry was the chief of the French Settlements in India, and is situated on the Coromandel coast, 11°56' N and 79°49' E, about 12 miles north of Cuddalore, and 105 miles from Madras. It was founded in 1674, captured by the Dutch in 1693, but was restored in 1699. It was besieged 4 times by the British. First, unsuccessfully by Admiral Boscawen in 1748, then by Eyre Coote in 1761, captured and returned in 1765. In 1778 it was captured by Sir Hector Munro, and the fortifications destroyed, but returned in 1785 under the Treaty of Versailles of 1783. It was captured a fourth time in 1793 by Colonel Braithwaite, and finally restored in 1816.
Pondicherry HG 1a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Pondicherry — the present-day Puducherry — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1818. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1a".
2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for pondicherry pre stamp covers, pondicherry postal history or "Pondicherry HG1a" material can compare HG 1a across every office or browse the rest of the Pondicherry marks.
Used with 1
Frequently asked
- What is the Pondicherry HG 1a handstamp?
- Pondicherry HG 1a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Pondicherry (modern Puducherry) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1818. The "HG 1a" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Pondicherry HG 1a?
- Pondicherry HG 1a is graded "Scarce" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Pondicherry pre stamp cover with HG 1a look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Pondicherry 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 1a. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 a Pondicherry HG 1a cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1818). 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 Pondicherry
15 marks15 other pre-1854 postal markings of Pondicherry are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Pondicherry HG 1handstampBlack1786–1823
- Pondicherry HG 2handstampBlack1795
- Pondicherry HG 3handstampBlack1804–1817
- Pondicherry HG 3AhandstampBlack1801
- Pondicherry HG 4handstampBlack1804–1815
- Pondicherry HG 5handstampRed1826–1836
- Pondicherry HG 6handstampBlack1826–1836
- Pondicherry HG 7handstampRed1838–1851
- Pondicherry HG 8handstampBlack1839–1841
- Pondicherry HG 9handstampRed1839
- Pondicherry HG 10handstampRed1840–1854
- Pondicherry HG 11handstampBlack1851–1854
- Pondicherry HG 12handstampRed1849–1858
- Pondicherry HG 12ahandstampBlack1850–1852
- Pondicherry HG 13handstampBlack1855–1862
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Pondicherry HG 1a, Pondicherry HG1a, Pondicherry Giles 1a, Puducherry postal history, Pondicherry handstamp, Pondicherry pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Pondicherry HG 1a — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/pondicherry/hg-1a (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026