Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Hooshiapoor HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1851–1853
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1996 Supplement · p. 4
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Hooshiapoor HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Hooshiapoor HG 4 handstamp
Hoshiapoor situated 31°32' N and 75°52' E, is in Hooshiapoor District, Punjab, 25 miles from Jullunder. It is famous for the production of wood inlaid with ivory. It was seized by Ranjit Singh in 1809, and formed the headquarters of the Governors of the Jullundar Doab.
Hooshiapoor HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Hooshiapoor — the present-day Hoshiarpur — in the Punjab, British India, in recorded use from 1851 to 1853. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1996 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 hooshiapoor pre stamp covers, hooshiapoor postal history or "Hooshiapoor HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Hooshiapoor marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Hooshiapoor HG 4 handstamp?
- Hooshiapoor HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Hooshiapoor (modern Hoshiarpur) in the Punjab, British India, in recorded use from 1851 to 1853. 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 Hooshiapoor HG 4?
- Hooshiapoor 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 Hooshiapoor pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Hooshiapoor 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 Hooshiapoor 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 (1851–1853). 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.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Hooshiapoor
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Hooshiapoor 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: Hooshiapoor HG 4, Hooshiapoor HG4, Hooshiapoor Giles 4, Hoshiarpur postal history, Hooshiapoor handstamp, Hooshiapoor pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Hooshiapoor HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/hooshiapoor/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026