Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Shencottah HG 1
- Colour & date
- Red1836
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 192
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Shencottah 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 Shencottah HG 1 handstamp
Shencouah is in Travancore State, Madras Presidency, on the high road from Quilon to Tinnevelly, from which it is 40 miles distant, situated 8°59' N and 77°15' E . Formerly belonged to the Rajas of Ilayatatunad and was annexed to Travancore in 1734.
Shencottah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Shencottah in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1836. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, 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. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for shencottah pre stamp covers, shencottah postal history or "Shencottah HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Shencottah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Shencottah HG 1 handstamp?
- Shencottah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Shencottah in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1836. 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.
- How rare is Shencottah HG 1?
- Shencottah HG 1 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Shencottah pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Shencottah 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 Shencottah 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 (1836). 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: Shencottah HG 1, Shencottah HG1, Shencottah Giles 1, Shencottah handstamp, Shencottah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Shencottah HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/shencottah/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026