Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Bhawulpore HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1853
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 32
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Bhawulpore HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Bhawulpore HG 1 handstamp
Capital of Bhawulpore State, Punjab, on the south bank of the Indus River, situated 29°24' N and 71°47' E.
Bhawulpore HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bhawulpore — the present-day Bahawalpur — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1853. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
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 bhawulpore pre stamp covers, bhawulpore postal history or "Bhawulpore HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Bhawulpore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Bhawulpore HG 1 handstamp?
- Bhawulpore HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bhawulpore (modern Bahawalpur) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1853. The "HG 1" 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 Bhawulpore HG 1?
- Bhawulpore HG 1 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 Bhawulpore pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bhawulpore 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 1. 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 Bhawulpore HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1853). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Bhawulpore HG 1, Bhawulpore HG1, Bhawulpore Giles 1, Bahawalpur postal history, Bhawulpore handstamp, Bhawulpore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bhawulpore HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/bhawulpore/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026