North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Almora HG 4
- Date Span
- 1854
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 6
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Almora HG 4 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 Almora HG 4 handstamp
Almora Town, the headquarters of the North-eastern District in the Kumaun, in the Himalayas, is situated 29°36' N and 79°40' E. Almora was captured from the G urkh as by Col. Nicholls on 26th April, 1815, and the whole of the Kumaun was ceded to the British, and became part of the United Provinces.
Almora HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Almora in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1854. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
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 almora pre stamp covers, almora postal history or "Almora HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Almora marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Almora HG 4 handstamp?
- Almora HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Almora in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1854. 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 Almora HG 4?
- Almora 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. 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 an Almora pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Almora 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. 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 an Almora 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 (1854). 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 Almora
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Almora 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: Almora HG 4, Almora HG4, Almora Giles 4, Almora handstamp, Almora pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Almora HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/almora/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026