Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Kussowlee HG 3
- Date Span
- 1857
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 122
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Kussowlee HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Kussowlee HG 3 handstamp
Kussowlee (Kasauli) is a hillstation and cantonment in the Punjab, si tuated 30°53' N and 76°58' E, 6335 feet above sea level.
Kussowlee HG 3 is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of the post office at Kussowlee — the present-day Kasauli — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1857. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 kussowlee pre stamp covers, kussowlee postal history or "Kussowlee HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Kussowlee marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Kussowlee HG 3 handstamp?
- Kussowlee HG 3 is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of Kussowlee (modern Kasauli) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1857. The "HG 3" 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 Kussowlee HG 3?
- Kussowlee HG 3 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 Kussowlee pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Kussowlee 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 3. 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 Kussowlee HG 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1857). 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 Kussowlee
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Kussowlee 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: Kussowlee HG 3, Kussowlee HG3, Kussowlee Giles 3, Kasauli postal history, Kussowlee handstamp, Kussowlee pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Kussowlee HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/kussowlee/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026