Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Umbalah HG 11
- Date Span
- 1852
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 208
- Figure
- 11
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Umbalah HG 11 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Umbalah HG 11 handstamp
Umbalah (Ambala) is 'on the Grand Trunk Road in the Punjab, 1077 miles from Calcutta, 1105 from Bombay and 848 from Karachi, situated 30°23' N and 76°46' E. It had the largest cantonment in India, established in 1843. It had no importance before the lapse of the Umballa estate in 1823, when it became the residence of the Political Agent for the C is-Sutlej States.
Umbalah HG 11 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Umbalah — the present-day Ambala — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1852. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 11".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for umbalah pre stamp covers, umbalah postal history or "Umbalah HG11" material can compare HG 11 across every office or browse the rest of the Umbalah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Umbalah HG 11 handstamp?
- Umbalah HG 11 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Umbalah (modern Ambala) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1852. The "HG 11" 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 Umbalah HG 11?
- Umbalah HG 11 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does an Umbalah pre stamp cover with HG 11 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Umbalah 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 11. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit an Umbalah HG 11 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1852). 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 Umbalah
13 marks13 other pre-1854 postal markings of Umbalah are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Umbalah HG 1handstampRed1844–1850
- Umbalah HG 2handstampBlack1846
- Umbalah HG 3handstampRed1845-47
- Umbalah HG 4handstampRed1845
- Umbalah HG 5handstampBlack1845
- Umbalah HG 6handstampBlack1848–1849
- Umbalah HG 7handstampRed1848
- Umbalah HG 7ahandstampBlack1848
- Umbalah HG 8handstampRed1848-53
- Umbalah HG 9handstampRed1845-49
- Umbalah HG 10handstampBlack1851
- Umbalah HG 12handstampRed1853-54
- Umbalah HG 13handstampRed1852
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Umbalah HG 11, Umbalah HG11, Umbalah Giles 11, Ambala postal history, Umbalah handstamp, Umbalah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Umbalah HG 11 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/umbalah/hg-11 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026