Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Manuscript
Quilon MN 1
- Type
- Manuscript
- Date Span
- 1819
- Rarity
- Rare
- Figure
- MN1
- Submitted by
- Gowtham BJ
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Quilon MN 1 manuscript marking is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Quilon MN 1 marking
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 MN 1 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of the post office at Quilon — the present-day Kollam — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1819. Its "MN 1" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for quilon pre stamp covers, quilon postal history or "Quilon MN1" material can compare MN 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Quilon marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Quilon MN 1 marking?
- Quilon MN 1 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of Quilon (modern Kollam) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1819. The "MN 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
- How rare is Quilon MN 1?
- Quilon MN 1 is graded "Rare" 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 MN 1 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 manuscript rate marks like MN 1. 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 MN 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1819). 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 MN 1, Quilon MN1, Quilon Giles MN 1, Kollam postal history, Quilon handstamp, Quilon pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Quilon MN 1 — manuscript,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/quilon/mn-1 (accessed 27 July 2026).
Updated: 27 Jul 2026