North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Barelly HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1844
- Rarity
- Common
- Note
- Revised impression
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 7
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Barelly HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Barelly HG 4 handstamp
Barelly City, the Headquarters of the same named District in the United Provinces, with a cantonment, is situated 28°22' N and 79°24' E, 812 miles from Calcutta and 1031 from Bombay. It was first founded in 1537, and with the decline of the Moghal empire, came under the Rohilla power until 1774, when it fell into possession of the Nawab of Oudh, supported by the British, but passed into British hands by cession in 1801. During the uprising in 1857, it was an important centre of disaffection.
Barelly HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Barelly — the present-day Bareilly — in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1844. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for barelly pre stamp covers, barelly postal history or "Barelly HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Barelly marks.
Revised impression
Frequently asked
- What is the Barelly HG 4 handstamp?
- Barelly HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Barelly (modern Bareilly) in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1844. The "HG 4" 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 Barelly HG 4?
- Barelly 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. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does a Barelly pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Barelly 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. 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 Barelly 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 (1844). 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 Barelly
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Barelly 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: Barelly HG 4, Barelly HG4, Barelly Giles 4, Bareilly postal history, Barelly handstamp, Barelly pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Barelly HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/barelly/hg-4 (accessed 11 August 2026).
Updated: 11 Aug 2026