Post office · Madras Presidency
Porto Novo
- Handstamps
- 2
- Recorded
- 1834–1848
- Rare
- 1
Porto Novo is a town and port at the mouth of the Vellar River, in South Arcot District, Madras Presidency, situated 11°30' N and 79°46' E. An English settlement was founded in 1685, and in 1781, Sir Eyre Coote defeated Haidar Ali, in a battle that was decisive.
Porto Novo has 2 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1834–1848 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Porto Novo handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
Frequently asked — Porto Novo postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Porto Novo?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Porto Novo are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Porto Novo post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Porto Novo was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 2 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1834 and 1848.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Porto Novo?
- 2 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Porto Novo in this census, of which 1 is graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
- What is Porto Novo called today?
- Porto Novo is the colonial-era name of present-day Parangipettai, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Porto Novo postmark or cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Porto Novo cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.
Also searched as: Porto Novo, Parangipettai, Porto Novo HG 1, Porto Novo handstruck stamps, Porto Novo pre stamp covers, Porto Novo postal history.
How to cite
“Porto Novo, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/porto-novo (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from Porto Novo?
If you hold a cover or strike from Porto Novo that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Madras Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Madras Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.