North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Kamptee HG 4
- Colour & date
- Black1843–1846
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 112
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Kamptee HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Kamptee HG 4 handstamp
Kamptee was a town with cantonment in Nagpur District, Central Provinces, 10 miles from Nagpur and 529 from Bombay, situated 21°13' N and 79°12' E. The cantonment was established in 1821, and was the headquarters of the Subsidiary force maintained by the British under treaty with the Nagpur Raja.
Kamptee HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Kamptee in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1843 to 1846. 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".
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 kamptee pre stamp covers, kamptee postal history or "Kamptee HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Kamptee marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Kamptee HG 4 handstamp?
- Kamptee HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Kamptee in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1843 to 1846. 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 Kamptee HG 4?
- Kamptee 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 Kamptee pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Kamptee 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 Kamptee 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 (1843–1846). 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 Kamptee
11 marks11 other pre-1854 postal markings of Kamptee are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Kamptee HG 1handstampBlack1831–1836
- Kamptee HG 2handstampBlack1825–1837
- Kamptee HG 3handstampRed1837–1849
- Kamptee HG 5handstampRed1836–1853
- Kamptee HG 6handstampRed1849–1854
- Kamptee HG 7handstampBlack1849–1854
- Kamptee HG 8handstampRed1853
- Kamptee HG 9handstampRed1852
- Kamptee HG 10handstampRed1848–1854
- Kamptee HG 11handstampRed1849
- Kamptee HG 12handstampBlue1852
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Kamptee HG 4, Kamptee HG4, Kamptee Giles 4, Kamptee handstamp, Kamptee pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Kamptee HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/kamptee/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026