North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Indore HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1845–1852
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 16
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Indore HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Indore HG 4 handstamp
Indore, founded as a small village in 1715, became the capital of the State in 1818, after the Treaty of Mandasor. It is situated 22°45' N and 75°54' E, on the banks of two small streams, the Saraswati and Khan, 440 miles from Bombay.
Indore HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Indore in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1845 to 1852. 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 indore pre stamp covers, indore postal history or "Indore HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Indore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Indore HG 4 handstamp?
- Indore HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Indore in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1845 to 1852. 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 Indore HG 4?
- Indore 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 an Indore pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Indore 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 an Indore 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 (1845–1852). 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 Indore
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Indore 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: Indore HG 4, Indore HG4, Indore Giles 4, Indore handstamp, Indore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Indore HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/indore/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026