Philatelic Study Group:
                     Hong Kong Forwarding Agents
Hong Kong & Treaty Ports Forwarding Agents List
This list consolidates all the known records from Col. F.W. Webb, Peter Pugh, Fred Stubens, Kenneth Rowe
and the undersigned author. Since, at my knowledge, the most recent published list is from K. Rowe in
his “Postal History of the Forwarding Agents”, I have kept the same presentation by city and
the same numbering system.
All the markings not recorded by K. Rowe (about 25%) have been introduced in alphabetical order with an
additional letter (i.e. 49A, 49B etc…). This may seem awkward, but it keeps from creating another set of numbers.
This list includes Hong Kong & its Treaty Ports of China and Japan plus so-called Pseudo-Treaty Ports
such as Bangkok and Manila. It excludes Singapore that is not relevant.
Most of the markings were used long before the introduction of adhesives. If a marking has been seen struck on
on a Hong Kong adhesive, it is deemed to having been used as a Security Marking and it is listed
with “SM” noted in the remark column.
December 1, 2001.
Philippe Orsetti
(Updated as of December 5, 2001) 
  Type Name Frame Size Color       Date Remarks SM
earliest Latest
AMOY
1 J. L. Anderson & Co. Rectangle 50x28 red 1879
2 J. L. Anderson & Co. Oval blue 1879 SM
3 Boyd & Co. Oval 29x19 red 1890 1902 SM
4 Brown & Co. Oval 35x25 red, blue, viol. 1890 1897
5 Gilmore Meredith 1848
6 F. D. Syme & Co. Oval red 1845
7 F. D. Syme & Co. Rectangle black 1854 1855
8 Syme Minot & Co.
8 A Tait & Co. Oval 32x18 violet SM
CANTON
1 S. Hathaway Manuscript 1837
2 Olyphant & Co. Oval 34x20 black, red 1858 1864
3 H. Partridge Kellog Oval 44x23 1839 used in Macao
4 Reynsvaan & Co. ? 1850
5 Russell & Co. Oval 43x27 by ...
6 Russell & Co. Oval 42x26 red 1830 1848 BY ...
6 A Russell & Co. Oval 40x26 1831 by ...
7 Russell Sturgis & Co. Oval 51x25 red 1837 1839
8 Wetmore & Co. Oval 37x21 red 1836 1844 ornamented
9 Wetmore & Co. Oval 37x23 black 1845 unormamented
CHEFOO
1 Wilson Cornabe & Co. Oval black, violet 1870 SM
CHINA
1 Dirom Gray & Co. Rectangle 34x17 black 1844
2 Rienkin Rawson & Co. Oval 35x23 red 1850
3 J. Lewis Shuck Oval 34x25 black
4 Turner & Co. Oval 26x19 red 1841 established in Macao
FOOCHOW
1 Dodwell & Co., Ltd Oval black, violet 1914 1918 SM
2 Dodwell Carlill & Co. Fancy 44x34 violet 1899
3 Gibb, Livingstone & Co. Oval 1900
4 Jardine, Matheson & Co.
5 Paul Pettick & Co. Ltd. Unframed 49x9 violet 1896 1910 3 lines SM
a Paul Pettick & Co. Ltd. Unframed violet 1891 4 lines SM
HONG KONG
1 Armstrong & Laurence Oval 44x30 black 1854 1855
2 Belilios & Co. Oval 37x23 violet 1892
3 F. Blackhead & Co. Oval 40x23 violet 1897 1902
3 A F. Blackhead & Co. Oval 46x23 violet 1902 SM
3 B T. Blackhead & Co. Oval black 1896
4 Bourjau, Hubener & Co. Oval 41x16 blue 1863 1865
4 A Bourjau, Hubener & Co. Rectangle blue 1863 1866
4 B Bourjau & Co Rectangle 1874
5 F. S. Borrodaile & Co. Rectangle 64x30 red 1858
6 Brandao Oval black 1903 SM
7 S. E. Burrows & Sons Oval 35x18 red 1873
8 Bush & Co. Oval 43x27 black, blue 1844 1848
9 Bush & Co. Rectangle 35x18 black 1847 1848 Postage Paid/ By...
10 Bush, Halstead & Co. Oval 47x28 red 1844
11 Carter & Co. Oval blue 1863 1864
12 China Traders Insurance Co. Oval 41x26 violet 1899 1906 SM
12 A SN Crosby Jr red 1856
13 Da Silva & Co. Oval 36x18 black 1856 1866
13 A David & Co. Oval violet 1900 SM
14 Richard Deacon Unframed 35 black 1878
15 Frederick Degenaer Unframed 43 blue 1868 1872
15 A Frederick Degenaer Rectangle 43x16 black 1868
15 B Frederick Degenaer Unframed 44x16 Green, blue 1868 1872 Ishikawa
15 C Desilver & Co. Oval 37x18 1854 1856 formaly  A.H. Fryer
15 D Desilver & Co. Oval 34x22 1866
16 Drinker & Co. Oval 36x27 red 1848
17 Drinker & Co. circle 1848
18 Drinker Heyl & Co. Oval 38x29 red 1848
19 Dunn, Melby & Co. Unframed 41 red 1879
20 R. Duus Manuscript 1842 Rowle Duus & Co
21 R. Duus Oval 35x25 red 1845 Rowle Duus & Co
21 A Adolf Eimboke Unframed 1873
22 Fletcher & Co. Oval
22 A Fletcher & Co. Manuscript 1854
23 Gibb, Livingston & Co. Oval violet 1902 SM
24 Gonsalves & Co. Oval 40x24 violet 1887
25 L.J. Gutierez Oval 39x29 black, red 1857
25 A L.J. Gutierez Rectangle 43x29 red 1854
26 Augustine Heard & Co. Oval 49x32 red 1863 1867
27 Thos. Hunt & Co. Oval 37x37 red 1859 1867
28 Thos. Hunt & Co. Oval 45x21 red, blue 1859 1863
29 Jardine, Matheson & Co. Oval 45x26 red 1848
30 Jardine, Matheson & Co. Oval 36x24 violet 1858
31 Jardine, Matheson & Co. Oval 36x24 violet 1901 1903 SM
31 A Jardine, Matheson & Co. Oval 40x21 1909
32 Johnson & Co. Oval 1865
33 Benjamin Kelly & Potts Oval 45x25 blue 1904 SM
34 H. Kiar & Co. Oval 35x22 black 1877 1878
35 Landstein & Co. Unframed 52 blue 1872
36 Lane, Crawford & Co. 1869
36 A Douglas Lapraik Oval 34x17 red 1873
37 A. Lubuck & Co. Oval 31x25 red 1850
38 George Lyall & Co. Oval 36x24 red 1850 1858
39 Lyall, Still & Co. Oval 41x25 black 1845 1857
39 A Mc Ewen Co Rect & Msc 30x7 1847
40 Melchers & Co. Oval 40x15 black 1868
40 A Meyerschaeffer & Co Oval 1855
40 B Morgan Lambert Oval 34x22 1868
41 Olyphant & Co. Rectangle 53x16 black 1869 1877
41 A Olyphant & Co. Circle 23 black 1847
42 M. D. Parker Oval 31x25 red 1863
43 Parker & Co. Oval 35x18 blue 1862 1863 also firm's adhesive label
44 P. Perode Freres Oval 44x21 blue 1868
45 Wm. Pustau & Co. Oval 28x19 red 1862 1868
45 A Wm. Pustau & Co. Oval 25x18 1869
46 Rawle, Drinker & Co. Oval 40x23 red 1849
47 Rawle, Drinker & Co. Oval 34x25 red 1849
48 Rawle, Duuse (Victoria) Oval 40x28 red 1846 1849
49 Reiss & Co. Oval 28x19 violet 1900 1903 Block letters SM
49 A Reiss & Co. Oval 28x19 red 1900 Script letters SM
49 B I.J. dos  Remedios Oval 1866 Scamp, Far East Mail, p.306
50 W. M. Robinet & Co. Oval 40x18 red 1850 1856
51 Russell & Co. Oval 35x27 black, blue 1861 1877
52 Russell & Co. Oval 35x20 black 1863 1865
53 Samson Bell & Co. Oval black
54 David Sassoon Sons & Co. Oval black 1874
55 Severs & Co. Oval 35x23 red
56 Siemssen & Co. Circle 24 black 1867 1869
57 Smith, Archer & Co. Oval 34x18 blue, viol, red 1865 1870
58 Jas. Stephenson Rectangle 42x15 black 1888
59 Union Insurance Society of Canton Oval 28x19 violet 1906 1908
60 Vaucher Freres Oval blue 1861
61 Walker Borrodaile & Co. Oval 35x22 red 1860 1865
62 Wetmore, Cryder & Co. Oval 37x20 red, blue 1862 1863
63 Wetmore, Williams & Co. Oval 42x23 red 1858
64 Williams & Co. Oval 54x32 red 1863
MACAO
1 Innes Fletcher & Co. Manuscript 1842
1 A Pedros de las Heras Man.& oval 33x19 1844
2 B. A. Pereira Oval 31x19 violet 1873
2 A Remington & Co Rectangle 1843 originated, no city indication
2 B Russell & Co Rectangle red 1842 Overland/ via/Falmouth/
SHANGHAI
1 Assor House Hotel Co. Ltd. Oval 48x24 blue 1904
2 A. E. J. Abraham Oval 35x20 violet 1887
3 Birley Worthington & Co. Oval 39x28 black 1844 1864
3 A Birley Worthington & Co. Oval 35x22 1864
4 Bourjan & Co. Oval 29x14
5 Buissonet & Co. Oval red 1863 1865
6 Carter & Co. Oval 29x16 red 1863 1864
7 Dyce & Co. Oval red
8 Frazar & Co. Oval 32x27
9 Frazar & Co. Oval 39x23 violet 1899 1908
10 Gibb Livingston & Co. Oval 30x23 red 1885
10 A E. Gipperich Manuscript 23 1874
11 Charles Gutschow & Co. Oval 35x23 black 1864
12 Jardine Matheson & Co. Oval 42x28 red 1877 1879
13 Aug. H. Maertens Oval 1878
14 Maitland & Co. Oval 36x20 violet 1889
15 Olyphant & Co. Oval red 1869
16 Olyphant & Co. Rectangle 53x17 black 1877
17 Overbeck & Co. Oval
18 Wm. Pustau Oval 40x20 red 1874
18 A C.P. Reynolds & Co Oval 32x17 1861
19 Russell & Co. Oval 43x22 blue 1873
20 Russell & Co. Oval 34x21 black 1873
20 A B.A. Somekh & Co Oval 41x26 violet 1917
21 Siblee Mathaei & Co. Oval 1869
22 Wirner & Co. Rectangle 53x16 black, blue 1899 1913
SWATOW
1 T. Blackhead 1875
2 Edw. Herton Oval 39x28 red, blue 1875
TIENTSIN
1 A. D. Startsoff Oval 39x20 1890
WHAMPOA
1 T. Blackhead Oval 42x26 red
2 Edw. Herton 1875
3 Thos. Hunt & Co. Oval 44x31 black, red 1859 1867
Pseudo-Treaty Ports where Hong Kong Stamps were used
BANGKOK
1 Borneo Company Limited
MANILA
1 Ker & Co. Oval 20x16 black, red 1867 1898
2 Ker & Co. Unframed 20 red 1872
3 Molynday Wise & Co.
4 E. De Otadin & Co. Manuscript 1843
5 Peele Hubbell & Co. Oval 40x17 black, red 1834 1841
6 Russell & Sturgis Oval 35x21 red 1834 1872
7 Russell & Sturgis Oval 39x25 red 1840 1871
8 Russell & Sturgis Oval 36x15 red 1852 1860
9 Russell & Sturgis Oval 38x17 red 1863 1865
Treaty Ports in Japan
KANAGAWA
1 Garst, Lels & Co. Oval 44x19 black 1865
2 Textor & Co.
3 U. S. Consul Oval 45x31 black 1866 Ishikawa (Forerunners)
KOBE
1 Frazar & Co. Oval 42x26 violet 1894
NAGASAKI
1 C. E. Foeddinghaus Oval 40x20 violet 1891
YOKOHAMA
1 G. Bolmida Manuscript black 1875
1 A G. Bolmida Unframed 1879
2 James Fraser & Co. Oval 34x18 red 1868 Ishikawa (Forerunners)
2 A Grand Hotel Ltd. Oval 48x30 1904
3 H. Grauert Oval 40x22 black 1870
4 Gutschow & Co. Oval blue 1869
4 A Charles E. Leggatt & Co Oval blue 1872
5 Walsh Hall & Co. Oval 38x19 blue 1874