Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Ferozepore HG 4
- Date Span
- 1850
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Note
- Military handover point – Receiving House (?)
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 88
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
2 covers recorded2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Ferozepore HG 4 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Ferozepore HG 4 handstamp
Ferozepore, on the old high bank of the Sutlej River, in the Pun jab, is situated 30°')8' N and 74°37° E. Dh.auua Siu¥,h iwtl\ rttozapore by t li S fa ther, and when oppressed by Ranjit Singh, he was supported by the British. After his death, his widow succeeded him but, on her death in 1835, the territory escheated to the British under the arrangement effected in 1809. In 1839, Sir Henry Lawrence took charge of the station, which formed the outpost of British India in the direction of the Sikh power.
Ferozepore HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Ferozepore — the present-day Firozpur — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1850. 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".
2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 ferozepore pre stamp covers, ferozepore postal history or "Ferozepore HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Ferozepore marks.
Military handover point – Receiving House (?)
Frequently asked
- What is the Ferozepore HG 4 handstamp?
- Ferozepore HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Ferozepore (modern Firozpur) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1850. 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 Ferozepore HG 4?
- Ferozepore 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. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Ferozepore pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Ferozepore 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. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 Ferozepore 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 (1850). 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 Ferozepore
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Ferozepore 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: Ferozepore HG 4, Ferozepore HG4, Ferozepore Giles 4, Firozpur postal history, Ferozepore handstamp, Ferozepore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Ferozepore HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/ferozepore/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026