Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Kythul HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1841
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 122
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
2 covers recorded2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Kythul HG 1 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Kythul HG 1 handstamp
Kythul (Kaitllul), in,he Kurnaul District, situated 29°48' N and 76°24' E, 38 miles west of Kurnaul Town, is in the Punjab. The Bhais of Kythul, ranked amongst the most powerful of the Cis-Sutlej chiefs, had possession of the territory until it lapsed to the East India Company in 1843.
Kythul HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Kythul — the present-day Kaithal — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1841. 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".
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 kythul pre stamp covers, kythul postal history or "Kythul HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Kythul marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Kythul HG 1 handstamp?
- Kythul HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Kythul (modern Kaithal) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1841. 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 Kythul HG 1?
- Kythul 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. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Kythul pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Kythul 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. 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 Kythul 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 (1841). 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: Kythul HG 1, Kythul HG1, Kythul Giles 1, Kaithal postal history, Kythul handstamp, Kythul pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Kythul HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/kythul/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026