Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Wallajahabad HG 4
- Colour & date
- Black1822–1824
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 213
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
6 covers recorded6 pre-1854 covers bearing the Wallajahabad HG 4 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Wallajahabad HG 4 handstamp
Wallajahabad, a town in the Conjeeveram taluk of Chingleput District, Madras Presidency, on the left bank of the Palar river, situated 12°47' N and 79°50' E. It became a military cantonment about 1786, and for many years afterwards a European regiment, a regiment of Native cavalry, and two or three regiments of Native infantry were stationed here.
Wallajahabad HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Wallajahabad — the present-day Walajabad — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1822 to 1824. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
6 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 wallajahabad pre stamp covers, wallajahabad postal history or "Wallajahabad HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Wallajahabad marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Wallajahabad HG 4 handstamp?
- Wallajahabad HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Wallajahabad (modern Walajabad) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1822 to 1824. The "HG 4" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Wallajahabad HG 4?
- Wallajahabad 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. 6 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Wallajahabad pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Wallajahabad 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. 6 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 Wallajahabad 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 (1822–1824). 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 Wallajahabad
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Wallajahabad 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: Wallajahabad HG 4, Wallajahabad HG4, Wallajahabad Giles 4, Walajabad postal history, Wallajahabad handstamp, Wallajahabad pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Wallajahabad HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/wallajahabad/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026