Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Sholinghur HG 1
- Colour & date
- Red1856
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- Arvind R
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Sholinghur HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Sholinghur HG 1 handstamp
Sholinghapuram, shortened to Sholinghur (Tamil: சோளிங்கப்புரம் or சோளிங்கர்) is a municipality in the Sholinghur[3] taluk in Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is known in Tamil Nadu and neighboring states for its Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple.
Sholinghur HG 1 is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of the post office at Sholinghur — the present-day Sholinghapuram — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1856. Known strikes are in red. Its "HG 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 "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for sholinghur pre stamp covers, sholinghur postal history or "Sholinghur HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Sholinghur marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Sholinghur HG 1 handstamp?
- Sholinghur HG 1 is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of Sholinghur (modern Sholinghapuram) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1856. 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 Sholinghur HG 1?
- Sholinghur HG 1 has 1 example recorded 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 Sholinghur pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Sholinghur 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. 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 Sholinghur 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 (1856). 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: Sholinghur HG 1, Sholinghur HG1, Sholinghur Giles 1, Sholinghapuram postal history, Sholinghur handstamp, Sholinghur pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Sholinghur HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/sholinghur/hg-1 (accessed 20 August 2026).
Updated: 20 Aug 2026