Philatelic Study Group:
Hong Kong Security Markings and Perfins
Group IV : Miscelaneous Security Markings
Compiled & augmented
by Philippe Orsetti & Peter Pugh
from an original list provided by the
Hong Kong Study Circle
and from information received from members and collectors.
(First publication October 1992, 10th revision as of January 31, 2008)
       
Note 1: Names are recorded the way they are struck,  i.e. capital or lower-case letters,
space or not space between Hong and Kong and fonts as similar as possible.
However, if a name is preceeded by (**), it means that the authors have not seen the marking
and only the name has been recorded, regardless of the exact way it appears.
Note 2: An S in the first column (S) indicates that a scan of this marking is displayed on the website.
Note 3: The column (Known) indicates that the marking is known on cover (C), on document (D),
on postcard (PC), on postal stationery card (PS), on piece (P), or on wrapper (WR)..
Note 4: A red entry denotes a marking struck on postage stamps for fiscal purpose only.
S      Type Size Frame   Marking Name     Letters Source          Dates Known          Remarks
Height Color earliest  latest
a - Symbols : earl.  lat.
S 1 O 16 Circle Star "Seven pointed star" 16 black HK 1869 C "Seven pointed star"
S 2 O 8 Cogwheel 11 spikes Cornabe & Co. violet WeiHaiWei 1910 1912 11 spikes off 3mm circle
S a O 8 Cogwheel 15 spikes Cornabe & Co. violet WeiHaiWei 1910 1912 15 spikes off 3mm circle, also Liu Kung Tau
S 3 23x28 Shield Full name DOUGLAS LAPRAIK & Co. 2 blue HK QV Shield & Coat of Arms, fiscal
S 3A 16x16 None Rhomboid of dots F.F. Ferris black Ningpo 1895 1896 Recorded in Webb as Ningpo Type  C, from a hiil-station
S 4  8x8 Symbol   )( violet Yokohama Y1 joined C & inverted C
S 5 20x20 Symbol Flower H. Price & Co. / HK black HK QV envel. PC 8 petal floral emblem
b - Miscellaneous :
6 circle Full name (**) The Bon Marche 3 Shanghai 1905 Intaglio
S 7 vertical line vertical line Harry Wicking & Co. HK black HK 1904 1910 C vertical line in centre
S a cross lines various HK C, PC
S b cross lines various Shanghai
S 8 5x52 unframed Full name "HYDRANGEA" 5 purple KE KGV serif. British fleetsweeping fighting ship.
c - Stamped
9 unframed C.N.S.P./Stamped (**) Chung Ngoi San Po  (See II-23b) 2 black HK 1883
S 10 32x17 oval STAMPED BY KER & CO. / MANILA 2 black Manila B62
S a 21x8 unframed STAMPED BY KER & CO. 2 red Manila B62
b 21x8 STAMPED BY (**) KER & CO. 2 black Manila QV diagonal
11 unframed STAMPED (**) L & Co. red 1885
12 18x11 unframed STAMPED (**) L.C. & Co. (Lane Crawford & Co.) 4 purple HK 1895 1902
S a 31x10 unframed STAMPED L.C. & Co. (Lane Crawford & Co.) 4 red HK 1893 1901 across 2 stamps
S 13 18x5 unframed Stamped (handstamp) 5 violet 1903 script
S a 39x3 unframed Stamped (handstamp) 3 black Hoihow 1898 script upright
S b 28x4 unframed STAMPED (handstamp) 4 black Canton 1898 block letters, no serif
S c 31x3 unframed STAMPED (handstamp) 3 violet QV c block letters, serif
S d 50x5 unframed STAMPED (handstamp) 5 black QV block letters
S e various various STAMPED (various manuscript) QV varius writings
S 13 A 30x9 unframed STAMPED WOO TEK SENG 2.5 violet HK 1902 serif
d - Manuscript :
S 14 12x3 unframed a.c.r  a. c. r. 3 red HK 1901 manuscript initials
S 15 unframed a s y  a. s. y. 4 black HK QV manuscript initials
16 unframed B & K (**) 7 black Canton QV manuscript initials
S 16A 10x6 unframed F S.  F S. 6 black 1881 C manuscript initials
17 unframed Reuter (**) Reuter 9 black HK 1885 manuscript name
S a various unidentified Unidentified manuscript names used as security HK
S b various unidentified Unidentified manuscript names used as security Canton
S c various unidentified Unidentified manuscript names used as security Amoy
S 17A various Instructional Sea Post Office HK B62 Instructional marking used as security marking
e - Goverment Agencies :
S 18 36x26 unfram. oval Royal Arms BRITISH CONSULATE / BANGKOK 2 black Bangkok 1880 1881 C serif, Coat of arm in centre
S a 36x26 unfram. oval Royal Arms BRITISH CONSULATE / BANGKOK 2 red Bangkok 1880 1881 serif, Coat of arm in centre
S 18A O 35 double circle Royal Arms CONSULAT DE BELGIQUE A HONG-KONG  ] 2.5 blue HK 1898 PS serif, on Post Card
S 18B O 28 double circle Full name CUSTOMS  *  KOWLOON * 2.5 black HK 1892 1898
S 1 O 28 double circle Full name CUSTOMS  *  KOWLOON * 2.5 red HK 1892 1898
S 2 Retangle Full name KOWLOON CUSTOMS / MAIL MATTER 4 violet HK B62
S a O 26 double circle Full name CUSTOMS  *  PAKHOI * 2.5 black Pakhoi 1895 1903
S b O 27 double circle Full name CUSTOMS  *  SHANGHAI * 2.5 black Shanghai 1903
S c O 26 double circle Full name CUSTOMS  *  CHEFOO * 2.5 black Chefoo 1879
S d O 30 double circle Full name CUSTOMS  *  KIUNGCHOW * 2.5 black Kiungchow 1897
S 18C 39x9 unframed Full name HARBOUR DEPARTMENT / HONG KONG 2 black HK KE All words with larger capital
S 19 15x2.5 unframed H. B. M. C. Her Britannic Majesties Consulate 2.5 purple Shanghai 1899 1900 no serif
S 20 16x4.5 unframed I.M.C. Imperial Maritime Customs 4.5 black HK QV/KE 1904 C serif
S a 12x8 dotted lines I. M. C. Imperial Maritime Customs 4 black HK KE script
S 20A 24x24 Shield Full name PROVINCIA / MARITIMA / DE FILIPINAS / Y ESPANA / _______  / HONGKONG 1.5 purple QV
S 21 42x25 double oval Full name U.S. CONSULATE  GENERAL   * HONGKONG. * 2 blue HK QV 1905 C empty centre
S a 42x25 double oval Full name U.S. CONSULATE  GENERAL   * HONGKONG. * 2 red HK QV 1904 C empty centre
S 22 48x27 double oval Full name U.  S.  Consulate General, /  date / Hongkong,China. 2.5 red HK 1901 1904 C script, date in centre
S a 48x27 double oval Full name U.  S.  Consulate General, /  date / Hongkong,China. 2.5 violet HK 1901 1904 C date in centre
22A 36x24 double oval Full name (**) U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL / SHANGHAI 2 red Shanghai 1904
S 23 O 21 circle Full name U.S.LEGATION / BANGKOK /  ] 3 black Bangkok 1884 serif
a O 21 circle Full name U.S.LEGATION / BANGKOK /  ] 3 blue Bangkok 1884 C serif
S 24 O 21 circle Full name U.S.CONSULATE / BANGKOK /  ] 3 blue Bangkok 1884 C serif
a O 21 circle Full name U.S.CONSULATE / BANGKOK /  ] 3 black Bangkok 1884 serif
f - Naval and Military :
S 25 16x6 unframed Full name H. M. S. / AURORA. 2 blue HK 1899 1900 C Battleship markings
S 26 22x2 unframed Full name H. M. S. IMMORTALITE. 2 purple HK 1895 1899 Battleship markings
S 27 38x3 unframed Full name H. M. S. RATTLER. 3 black HK 1899 Battleship markings
S a 38x3 unframed Full name H. M. S. RATTLER. 3 violet HK 1899 Battleship markings
S 28 27.5x3 unframed Full name H. M. S. TAMAR. 2.5/3.5 black HK 1898 C Battleship markings
S 29 unframed Full name H. M. S. VICTORIOUS 4 black HK 1899 Battleship markings
S a unframed Full name H. M. S. VICTORIOUS 2 black HK 1899 Battleship markings
S 30 49x29 oval Full name CHIEF ORDNANCE OFFICER /  date / CHINA 3 violet HK 1897 1903 serif
S a 49x29 oval Full name CHIEF ORDNANCE OFFICER /  date / CHINA 3 black HK 1902 serif
S b 49x29 oval Full name CHIEF ORDNANCE OFFICER /  date / CHINA 3 blue HK 1900 serif
S c 40x28 oval Full name SENIOR ORDNANCE STORE OFFICER / ________ date * CHINA * 3 violet HK 1994 serif
S 30A 48x32 triple oval Full name COMMANDING ROYAL ENGINEER * WEI HAI WEI DISTRICT * black WeiHaiWei 1900 date in centre (2mm)
S 31 40x10 unframed Full name Principal Medical Officer / H.M. Forces / China and Hongkong 2.5 violet HK 1898 Three lines
S 32 45x28 oval Full name ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY OFFICE * HONGKONG * 3 black HK QV 1904 date in centre
S a 45x28 oval Full name ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY OFFICE * HONGKONG * 3 violet HK QV 1903 date in centre
S 32A oval Full name ROYAL ARTILLERY.........  *  HONG KONG  * violet HK 1902 serif
S 32B 56x3 unframed Full name VICTUALLING STORE OFFICER. 3 violet HK KE P
S 32X 41x20 oval Full name …………….OFFICER / date  /  *  SOUTH-CHINA  * 3 violet HK QV 1904
g - Chinese Chops : Translation:
S 33 21x21 square Full name Tsao Su Hun black Shangai 1898 C
34 37x25 oblong Full name Soy On Chong & Co. HK 1902
35 40x12 oblong Full name Man Yik Co. HK KE
S 36 9X22 unframed Full name POSTAGE 10 red KE 2 vertical chin. char.
S 37 10x10 unframed 4 Chin. Char. The Kowloon Dairy, Ltd (Wai Kee Dairy) 4 blue HK 1970' D On 15c stamp duty
38 39x7.5 tombstone mult. Chin. Char. 7 black C
S 39 17x17 square mult. Chin. Char. Rice & Co. black QV Probably fiscal
S 40 12x53 unframed 5 Chin. Char. Jian Xian Hua Book Store red HK 1898 on PS
S 40A      x12 unframed 3 Chin. Char. Dai Yeung Hong" (meaning "Large Trading Company").  12 blue Shangai 1908
S 40B 24x15 double oblong 2 Chin. Char. Fook Yuen 8 red QV Probably fiscal
h - Date markings:
S 41 various Manuscript Dates were also used as security markings, (if associated to postal cancel). Not individually recorded for lack of positive company identification. HK 1892 1901
S a various Manuscript Dates were also used as security markings, (if associated to postal cancel). Not individually recorded for lack of positive company identification. Amoy 1891
S b various Manuscript Dates were also used as security markings, (if associated to postal cancel). Not individually recorded for lack of positive company identification. Shanghai 1886
S c various Manuscript Date in Hindi script HK
S d various Manuscript Date in Hindi script Shanghai
S e various Handstamps Dates were also used as security markings, (if associated to postal cancel). Not individually recorded for lack of positive company identification. HK
i- Payment or Received Payment:
While these markings have only a fiscal purpose, they are recorded for firm names completeness, as long are they are struck on a postage or on a postal-fiscal adhesive.
S 42      x1.5 unframed Full name Payment, / DAKIN  CRUICKSHANK …. 1.5 violet fiscal, the 2 lines may represent 2 separate chops
43 unframed Full name Received payment /….GIR….. 3.5 violet QV fiscal marking, no serif
43A unframed Full name Received Payment / Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation 3 blue fiscal marking, script
44 unframed Full name Received / TUK 3 violet QV fiscal marking, serif
S 45 unframed Full name PAYMENT / A. S. WATSON & Co. 3 violet KE fiscal marking, firm name only with serif
S a unframed Full name RECEIVED PAYMENT / …  A. S. WATSON & Co. / ………….. 3 violet KE fiscal marking, no serif