Member of FIP & FIAP Honorary Editor: P. C. Shaw HKPS Monthly Newsletter GPO Box 446, Hong Kong, HKPS email: [email protected], HKPS editor email: [email protected]May 2020 NewsLetter The Hong Kong Philatelic Society www.hkpsociety.com Founded 1921 Editor’s Note It is the end of my second year as honorary editor. 2019-20 has indeed been difficult for Hong Kong. In June 2019, the social unrest triggered by the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement began and from January 2020, COVID-19 began to knock the territory down. Both events are still on-going and we only hope that the situation will improve in the second half of 2020. Because of COVID-19, Hong Kong Stampex 2020 Editor’s Note ………………………… ................................... P.1 Exhibition Calendar…………………………………… ........... P.1 AGM News …………………………………… ........................ P.2 French Packet Ligne N datestamp …… ............................... P.2 China Fakes and Forgeries …………… ............................. P.3-5 Official Paid HK Datestamp – Single Ring Index 4 (Pt. 2)……P.6 Shanghai-HK Mail Route in First year of 2nd Sino-............... P.7 Japanese War Collect Hong Kong Stamps ................................................ P.8 Chairman: Malcolm Hammersley Vice-Chairman: Andrew Cheung 張文德 Daniel Szeto 司徒福添 Honorary Secretary: Stephen Chan 陳贊殷 Honorary Treasurer: John Tang 鄧文聰 Honorary Editor: P.C. Shaw 邵鵬柱 Auction Secretary: Tony Cheung 張柷枰 Youth Officer: Albert Lai 黎鴻健 Librarian: Robert Schneider Committee Member: William Kwan 關卓然 K.L. Poon 潘鑑良 Exhibition Calendar Exhibition Indonesia 2020 (FIP Patronage) Melbourne 2021 Capetown 2021+ IBRA 2021 (FIP Patronage) Taipei 2020 London 2020 (FIP Patronage) Original Date 6 – 11 Aug 2020 11 – 14 Feb 2021 17 – 20 Mar 2021 6 – 9 May 2021 23 – 27 Oct 2020 2 – 9 May 2020 New Date 5 – 10 Nov 2020 8 - 11 Sept 2022 NA NA 4 – 8 June 2021 19 – 22 Feb 2022 Place Jakarta, Indonesia Melbourne, Australia Cape Town, SA Essen, Germany Taipei, Chinese Taipei London, UK Commissioner Daniel Szeto TBA Andrew Cheung Shaw, P.C. Wong, Siu Po Andrew Cheung has been cancelled and there has been no members meeting since February. Nevertheless, we have managed to continue publishing the monthly newsletter and the annual journal. I would like to thank members who keep on contributing articles on different topics. Thanks are due to Editorial board members Dr. Andrew Cheung, Mr. Malcolm Hammersley and Mr. Robert Schneider, for keeping the high quality of the newsletter and providing insightful articles. We also thank Mr. Daniel Szeto, Mr. Albert Lai and Mr. Tony Cheung, who have helped to print and distribute the newsletter. The newsletter is sent to FIAP officials for information and we are grateful to their encouraging comments. In the coming year, we hope more members will use the newsletter as a platform for communication and knowledge sharing. Short articles in English and Chinese are welcome. More countries have issued stamps on COVD-19. Besides Emirates and Moroccan Posts, China Post on 11 May issued a set of COVID-19-themed stamps to recognise the contribution made by people from different occupations and show China’s spirit of solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19. The stamps have images of soldier, medic, scientist, community worker, police and volunteer, using a Chinese character “Zhong” literally meaning “mass” to connect the two stamps. China Post has postponed the issue of this commemorative stamp and reprinted this new version, with the design slightly different from the previous one. The old version will definitely be highly sought aſter. * Deadline for submitting to commissioner: 31 May 2020 + Deadline for submitting to commissioner: 1 Sept 2020
Transcript
Member of FIP & FIAPHonorary Editor: P. C. ShawHKPS Monthly Newsletter
Editor’s Note It is the end of my second year as honorary editor. 2019-20 has indeed been diff icult for Hong Kong. In June 2019, the social unrest triggered by the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement began and from January 2020, COVID-19 began to knock the territory down. Both events are still on-going and we only hope that the situation will improve in the second half of 2020. Because of COVID-19, Hong Kong Stampex 2020
Editor’s Note ………………………… ................................... P.1Exhibition Calendar…………………………………… ........... P.1AGM News …………………………………… ........................ P.2French Packet Ligne N datestamp …… ............................... P.2China Fakes and Forgeries …………… ............................. P.3-5O� icial Paid HK Datestamp – Single Ring Index 4 (Pt. 2)……P.6Shanghai-HK Mail Route in First year of 2nd Sino- ............... P.7Japanese WarCollect Hong Kong Stamps ................................................ P.8
has been cancelled and there has been no members meeting since February. Nevertheless, we have managed to continue publishing the monthly newsletter and the annual journal. I would like to thank members who keep on contributing articles on diff erent topics. Thanks are due to Editorial board members Dr. Andrew Cheung, Mr. Malcolm Hammersley and Mr. Robert Schneider, for keeping the high quality of the newsletter and providing insightful articles. We also thank Mr. Daniel Szeto, Mr. Albert Lai and Mr. Tony Cheung, who have helped to print and distribute the newsletter. The newsletter is sent to FIAP off icials for information and we are grateful to their encouraging comments. In the coming year, we hope more members will use the newsletter as a platform for communication and knowledge sharing. Short articles in English and Chinese are welcome.
More countries have issued stamps on COVD-19. Besides Emirates and Moroccan Posts, China Post on 11 May issued a set of COVID-19-themed stamps to recognise the contribution made by people from diff erent occupations and show China’s spirit of solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19. The stamps have images of soldier, medic, scientist, community worker, police and volunteer, using a Chinese character “Zhong” literally meaning “mass” to connect the two stamps. China Post has postponed the issue of this commemorative stamp and reprinted this new version, with the design slightly diff erent from the previous one. The old version will definitely be highly sought aft er.
* Deadline for submitting to commissioner: 31 May 2020+ Deadline for submitting to commissioner: 1 Sept 2020
2 | HKPS Monthly Newsletter – May 2020
AGM news
French Packet Ligne N datestamp in blue Re: Article ‘A tale of two underpaid letters sent by French Packet’ January HKPS 2020 newsletter
Our member in the U.K., Nick Burrell sent us a scan of a cover from Hong Kong to Hamburg, Germany cancelled on 30 Sept 1876 with a blue Ligne N No. 5 chop shown here:
This cover, acquired in 1997, featured in HKSC Journal no 366, pages 26/27, although the topic relates to the short lived 18c postage rate to Europe (except France).
There is a post off ice applied red 1/6 mark denoting the required postage of 18d or 36c, which is double the prevailing 18c per
Hong Kong Government Gazette of 29 January 1876 showing revised letter rates by British and French Packet
HK Daily Press 29 September 1876
1/4 oz French mail rate. Thus the correct postage has been applied. The use of blue ink on the Ligne N chop is probably because blue, and not black, ink was in general use on the ship at that time. The relevant Government notice of this rate change published in the HK Government Gazette is shown below:
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2020 (Revised) Notice is hereby given for the AGM to be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, 28 May 2020 at the Conference Room on 9/F, the Chinese Club, 21-22 Connaught Road Central, for the purpose set out in the following agenda: 1. Approval of the Minutes of the last AGM held on 23 May 2019 at the Chinese Club2. Receipt of the HKPS Committee’s latest Annual Report. 3. Adoption of the Hon. Treasurer’s Report. 4. Appointment of Auditors. 5. Election of the HKPS Committee.6. Adjustment of annual subscription for members and postage supplement for overseas life members. 7. Any other business.
The full accounts will be available for inspection at the AGM and on request from the Hon. Treasurer either before or aft er the AGM. The subject on the Revision of the Articles of Association of the Society will be discussed in another meeting to be held at an appropriate time aft er the relaxation of disease prevention requirements when more members are able to attend.
To maintain proper distancing according to Government health guidelines, the room can only accommodate 25 seats which will be provided on a first come first served basis. Please reserve your seat with our Vice-Chairman, Daniel Szeto, at 90762540 if you wish to attend in person. To minimise the number of physical attendees, members are encouraged to appoint proxies. The proxy forms must be received by the Hon. Secretary no later than 27 May 2020 in order to be valid. There will be no dinner and charity auction aft er the meeting.
Stephen Chan Hon. Secretary
www.hkspsociety.com – May 2020 | 3
China Fakes, Forgeries and Doubtful Adding fake postmark to genuine cover…. To enhance the market value of a cover, one well-known trick is by adding fake postal marking such as a rare postmark or a rare instructional mark to a genuine cover. Here is one possible example featuring in a recent public auction and postal history research showed that the Chinese Customs datestamp on reverse could be a forgery.
Catalogue description of the cover:-VERY EARLY CUSTOMS CHEFOO DATESTAMP; 25 Oct. 1877 envelope to the Ship ‘G.H.Wappaus’ Hong Kong franked Germany 20pf pair tied by Hamburg c.d.s. and redirected to ‘Chefoo’. On reverse, Brindisi c.d.s., double-ring “HONG-KONG/SINGAPORE-TO/HONG-KONG/MARINE-SORTER” dated “DE 26/6 77” and “CUSTOMS/CHEFOO” dated “JAN 9 78”.
At first glance, either aft er the letter had arrived in HK, or while it was being sorted at sea, the postal clerk, based on instructions left by the shipping agent Carlowitz & Co. forwarded the letter to Chefoo.
The itinerary of the letterHamburg 26 Oct. --- Brindisi 28 Oct. --- P&O Ceylon 29 Oct. to Alexandria arriving on 1 Nov.--- P&O Pekin at Suez to Galle arriving on 15 Nov. --- P&O Teheran 19 Nov. to Singapore on 25 Nov. --- 26 Nov. to HK arriving on 2 Dec.
Customs Chefoo c.d.s. on reverse of cover. Genuine or fake? Job for the expert to ascertain.
Double-ring type 2 (Proud D6) Marine SorterIt was used by the postal clerk on P&O ships sailing between Singapore and HK. The purpose of onboard sorting was to alleviate the workload of the HK postal clerks thus speeding up delivery of mail on arrival. Typical travelling time between Singapore to HK was about 7 - 10 days and the compound date is based on the date when the sorter started work and the estimated arrival date in HK. However, the date on this c.d.s. DE 26 / 6 is not consistent with the itinerary of the P&O Teheran. Conclusion: Either the sorting clerk inserted the wrong month slug i.e. DE for NO or the date had been tempered with in order to match the Customs Chefoo datestamp, or the whole datestamp is fake!
Singapore to HK Marine Sorter c.d.s.Possible forgery?
Certifi ed Small Potato
4 | HKPS Monthly Newsletter – May 2020
China Fakes, Forgeries and Doubtful Shipping report in China Mail - December 1877 to February 1878 China Mail 24 December 1877 gave the news that the German sailing ship G.H. Wappaus (sic. Wuppuus) captained by V.R. Diedrichesen arrived in Hong Kong from Shanghai on 24 December.
Shipping reports published in China Mail during the period of 24 December 1877 to 14 February 1878 showed that this German ship remained mostly in Hong Kong waters and spending a fortnight in Whampoa. It never sailed to Chefoo during this period! The shipping agent Carlowitz & Co. must have knowledge of the ship whereabouts and would not have left instructions for mail to be re-directed to Chefoo. Hence the status of the Chefoo datestamp is highly suspicious; perhaps added by the forgery maker to enhance the value of the cover.
$1 and $10 “Hall of Classics” Inverted Centre! Both stamps appear to be from the London Print. $1 fetched ₤1,505 and the $10 ₤550. However, It is not certain whether this is just shill bidding or actual bought by a “real” buyer. “Inverted Hall of Classics” Chan 245a is a well-known variety on the $2 First Peking Print and one of the great rarities of the ROC period.
The $1 and $10 values have never been recorded and their sudden appearance on eBay listed by a U.K. seller in February attracted a lot of attention and received many bids. Too good to be true?
Careful study of the front of the stamp showed that both stamps bear very faint trace of bilingual c.d.s. This is not apparent on the original scan featured on eBay.
The scans shown here have been enhanced digitally.
It is believed that the c.d.s. was removed by chemical means.A large hinge was applied on the back of both stamps; it is used to cover up the paper disturbance.
The buyer should obtain an expert certificate from a recognised organisation.
China Mail 24 December 1877 China Mail 27 December 1877
China Mail 16 January 1878
China Mail 14 February 1878
Certifi ed Small Potato
www.hkspsociety.com – May 2020 | 5
China Fakes, Forgeries and Doubtful Another example of an added rare marking on a genuine letter:-
The “Custom House Shanghai” cachet was used on mail of Customs off icials or aff iliated persons. Seven covers have been recorded by Dr. Schneider and all of them are INCOMING. This outgoing usage on commercial mail is extraordinary and warrants a closer look……
This folded letter was off ered in 1994 as lot 1198, Stanley Gibbons “Specialised Far East” sale on 20 February during Hong Kong 94 International Stamp Exhibition at the HKCEC.
There is no mention of the “Custom House Shanghai” marking in the description, an oversight by the SG describer? Highly unlikely especially with an important marking like this one! The lot was estimated at HK$1500 but unsold.
Richard Gurevitch has also recorded this letter in his ‘Hong Kong franked covers of the QV period’ on page 128 and he has not noted the presence of the marking in the description.
Another “Bourjau” letter from the same correspondence does not bear the Custom House Shanghai cachet (see catalogue description below). Lot 80 illustrated here is an 1872 wrapper from to Milan sent by similar way to Hong Kong and mailed upon arrival.
The subject letter fetched ₤30,000!! The buyer should obtain expert opinion.
Certifi ed Small Potato
Carried privately from Shanghai to Hong Kong, reported in HK Daily Press of 24 December 1874:
ex. 1997 SG sale in U.K. Courtesy of Stanley Gibbons
Same letter in another auction a� er the SG HK 1994 saleCourtesy of Richard Gurevitch
Dec. 1874 “Bourjau” letter from Shanghai via HK to Milan Featured in an U.K. auction recently
CUSTOM HOUSE上海關 *SHANGHAI*For a census of genuine covers compiled by Dr. Je� rey Schneider please see page 21-24, 16-18 June 2018 Interasia Auction catalogue
6 | HKPS Monthly Newsletter – May 2020
Offi cial Paid Hong Kong Datestamp – Single Ring Index 4 (Part 2)
Simon C.K. Choi
Our study has uncovered a hidden history of the Off icial Paid Index 4 datestamp – it had been serving at the North Point PO instead of the GPO during its initial period from 1957 for around 10 years (maybe longer).
If you are in doubt of this proposition, there is an additional reference for consideration. In an unpublished document , an impression of Off icial Paid Index 4 with date 25 NO 57 is illustrated. Although we are not able to verify whether that image is on cover, on Post Off ice record or archive or just a drawing, that date was in fact the opening date of North Point Post Off ice! What a nice coincidence! Our recorded ERD of Off icial Paid Index 4 is not earlier than 25 NO 57.
The above suggestion is not ungrounded if we consider the development history of North Point district - the influx of immigrants from China (especially Shanghai) in the 1950’s leading to the building of the North Point Housing Estate and the growing number of Government Departments in that area to execute the various local functions. Hence, an Off icial Paid c.d.s. assigned for use in North Point PO to handle the envisaged OHMS mail volume was not unreasonable.
Off icial Paid datestamps dedicated for use in branch post off ices were not without other examples – Kowloon Branch was the obvious one. Also, Sham Shui Po Branch was having two Off icial Paid datestamps, one single ring and one double ring, with the branch name clearly shown; both are scarce in number of records. The Index 4 c.d.s. does not bear any branch post off ice name, and hence escaped under the hawk eyes of postmark collectors for a long time.
Our study has recorded Off icial Paid Index 4 with dates from two discrete periods – 1957 to 1965, and then 1975 to 1983. What happened to it aft er 1965? We have no clue yet, but probably some postal events in mid-1960’s led to its diminishing of function until its re-assignment in 1970’s. We have recorded around 10 Index 4 OHMS covers between 1975 to 1983 - all of them marked with the departmental chop of Philatelic Bureau General Post Off ice and mailed to overseas addresses. Off icial Paid Index 4 was allocated to the Philatelic Bureau of GPO as early as 1975.
A Philatelic Sales Counter was set up at the GPO on 16-JA-1975, and was developed into the Philatelic Bureau later , with the obvious mission of promoting Hong Kong stamps and philately. To address overseas markets, the Bureau needed to promote and correspond frequently with interest parties all over the world, thus Off icial Paid Index 4 c.d.s. was assigned to it for datestamping marketing communications. The Philatelic Bureau moved its operation headquarters from GPO to Harbour Building Post Off ice in 19892. Did the Off icial Paid 4 datestamp follow suit?
In the publication “Contemporary Hong Kong Post Off ice Cancellations ‘91” by the Philatelic Bureau, it contains the Off icial Paid Index 4 impression of date 6 MR 91 under the General Post Off ice chapter which indicates a current datestamp in use there. Hence it is apparent that the datestamp stayed at GPO instead of following the Philatelic Bureau removal in 1989. It was still on the GPO record book as of 1-JA-19972 and was probably dormant till the overall replacement by bilingual postmarks during March/April of 1997.
To conclude, the history of Off icial Paid Index 4 datestamp is summarised as follows:1957-Nov-25 to (1965): North Point Post Off ice(1966-1974): Unknown(1975) to (1983): GPO - Philatelic Bureau(1990) to (1997): GPO (retired?)
This study leaves some unanswered questions and is still “work in progress”. Please let me know if you have any record update or suggestions. Special thanks to BM Wong and John Tang for providing me with assistance and records/images from their collections.
1. Hong Kong O� icial Paid Postage Paid Markings Study - Bosco Yip, Simon Cheng, Axel Olsson, 19902. Hong Kong Post O� ices and Postal Cancels – jointly published by Hongkong Post and the China Philatelic Association, 2014
www.hkspsociety.com – May 2020 | 7
During the Sino-Japanese War from 7 July to 31 December 1937, there were many changes or cancellation of mail routes in China. It is challenging to study the postal period during this period. Hong Kong as a British colony had become an important port for international mail till occupied by Japan on 8 December 1941. Shanghai was occupied by Japan on 12 November 1937. However, the International Settlement was relatively peaceful and China Post continued to operate. During the period, mail from Shanghai to Hong Kong was by boat or via train in transit of Canton. The postage rate for surface mail was 5 fen, which was the same as internal mail. Registered mail was 15 fen, which was between the 8 fen for internal mail and 25 fen for international mail. Figure shows a registered cover sent from Shanghai to Hong Kong on 10 December 1937. It took four days to reach Hong Kong, which was rapid. It was undelivered and returned to Shanghai in eight days. The delay might be due to the Nanjing Massacre on 13 December 1937 and the chaos in nearby area.
第二次中日戰爭首年的上海-香港郵路 The Shanghai-Hong Kong mail route in the first year of the second Sino-Japanese War
Children Stamps - Chess Games DelightIssue Date: 21 April 2020Stamp Design: Alex NG
Hong Kong Museums Collection - Selection from the Chih Lo Lou CollectionIssue Date: 21 May 2020Stamp Design: Arde LAM
Information courtesy of Hong Kong Post Stamps
Collect Hong Kong Stamps
Chess games help train one’s attention and concentration. Children, in particular, can learn to face challenges in school and in life. “Chess Games Delight” under the Children Stamps series is designed around six chess games that are popular among children: Chinese chess, Jungle, Aeroplane chess games, Chess, Chinese checkers and Go. The colourful souvenir sheet features six stamps with perforations of diff erent shapes.
The Chih Lo Lou collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy in the Hong Kong Museum of Art comprises works that span from the Song dynasty to modern times covering various schools and chronicle the aesthetics of diff erent periods and regions. These works enjoy high acclaim from the heritage and arts sectors. The latest Hong Kong Museums Collection series presents five art pieces from the Chih Lo Lou collection: Landscapes Depicting Poems of Huang Yanlü by Shitao, Gathering Fungus by Lu Zhi, Paintings on Miscellaneous Subjects by Chen Zi, Peach Blossom Retreat by Tang Yin and Splashed - Colour Landscape by Zhang Daqian. The $20 sheetlet is printed on special stamp paper.
