Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Quilon HG 4
- Date Span
- 1840
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 176
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Quilon HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Quilon HG 4 handstamp
Quilon is a town and sea port in Travancore State, Madras Presidency, situated 8°53' N and 76°36' E. The Portuguese had a factory here, which was captured by the Dutch in 1662, and from them, it passed to the East India Company.
Quilon HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Quilon — the present-day Kollam — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1840. 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".
A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for quilon pre stamp covers, quilon postal history or "Quilon HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Quilon marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Quilon HG 4 handstamp?
- Quilon HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Quilon (modern Kollam) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1840. 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 Quilon HG 4?
- Quilon 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. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does a Quilon pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Quilon 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. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, 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 Quilon 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 (1840). 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 Quilon
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Quilon 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: Quilon HG 4, Quilon HG4, Quilon Giles 4, Kollam postal history, Quilon handstamp, Quilon pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Quilon HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/quilon/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026