Hong Kong Study Circle

Notices History Contacts

First time visitor? Get a good idea of what our members are interested in by checking out our Journals, here.

Notice Board

January 2019

Next HKSC Meeting in Hong Kong will be on Sunday 3rd March 2019

Further details on Meetings page

September 2018

Journal Archives - Update

The journal index has been revised and extended. More articles will be placed online in the coming months. Further details in the Introductory Notes on the Journal Archives page.

Update - Nov. 2018 Bulletins nos. 240 to 255 are now available online

Update - Jan. 2019 Bulletins nos. 223 to 239 are now available online

August 2018

Hong Kong Treaty Ports Tientsin B.P.O. Type 2i

A new paper is now available

Tientsin British Post Office Datestamps
by Chris Norton

This paper updates the available information and classification of the Tientsin B.P.O. date stamps. Varieties and forgery are shown and a scarcity guide is also provided.

See members' Papers section

August 2018

Mick Goldsmith

Chairman of Hong Kong Study Circle 1987 to 2016

We are very saddened to learn of the death of Mick Goldsmith on the 8th July this year. Mick was born, raised, and lived his entire life in northwest London. At school he excelled at science and mathematics, enjoyed sports, especially rugby and cricket, and gained a Chemistry degree at university. Mick joined his father, Herbert, working at City of London auctioneers, which held auctions twice a month. Smoke filled rooms were the norm in those days. This gave Mick access to much material, and helped him form his Hong Kong collection, which was very strong in QV postal history. After fifteen years, in 1985, Mick joined Argyll Etkin and was often seen at their stand when participating at industry functions such as Stampex. Mick joined the Hong Kong Study Circle in 1971 and, after serving on the Committee and then as Assistant Secretary and Exchange Packet Secretary, he became Chairman in 1987, stepping down in 2016 when he could no longer attend meetings. If anyone deserved a 'Lifetime's Service Award' for their contribution to the Study Circle it was Mick. Mick was a mine of philatelic information, and his knowledge on QV and Wei Hai Wei material was second to none, and gave inspiration to many. He produced many articles and publications. Mick often had an opinion on a particular subject, and had little reluctance to state it, as quite a few of us found out.

Mick was keen on D.I.Y. and gardening, greatly enjoyed Monty Python, but unfortunately developed Parkinson's back in 1994, and this was a prime cause of his untimely death at the age of 68.

Mick is survived by Andy, Tim, Linda, and his wife, Jane, whom he met in the early 1970s.

May 2018

New Publication

Hong Kong Franked Covers of the Queen Victoria Period
by Air Commodore Richard Gurevitch

		Hong Kong Study Circle's esteemed member Air Commodore Richard Gurevitch has published his new book titled 'Hong Kong Franked Covers of the Queen Victoria Period'. This excellent 400-page hardback book, in A4 format, is a major extension of the annex in Volume 2 of Richard's book 'Hong Kong Queen Victoria Postal Adhesives' published in 2001, which was updated in various annual journals of the Hong Kong Philatelic Society. Almost 4,800 covers are listed, with detailed information, in chronological order and there are more than 225 pages of selected illustrations, with further information on applicable postal rates, included in this comprehensive study of the covers of the Queen Victoria era. The annexes to the book contain summaries of the earliest recorded dates of usage of individual QV adhesives and the number of covers bearing a particular value (thus giving an idea of rarity) as well as a bibliography.
The book is available directly from Richard; the costs are AU$ 80 or HK$ 500 + postage (approximately £45 + postage) payable in either AU$ or HK$. Postage from Australia is quite high as it is a heavy book, weighing 1.65kg, but it may be possible for members to club together thus reducing this cost. Please contact Richard by email at rgurevitchhotmail.com if you would like to purchase a copy of this major addition to the references for Hong Kong and Treaty Port philately and postal history. Many thanks and congratulations to Richard for his tremendous effort and his kind donation of a copy of his book to the Hong Kong Study Circle library.

January 2018 - Updated April 2018

Questions & Answers - New Item

Question #11

Large rubber Hong Kong handstamp

See Questions and Answers

December 2017

Fake / Forgery of Hiogo D30 Obliterator

		Hong Kong Philatelic Society has recently reported a number of high quality forgeries of the Hiogo D30 obliterator fetching high prices in internet auctions. Dr. Andrew Cheung has recorded 5 instances of these fakes in 2017. To help collectors spot these forgeries, Neill Granger and Dr. Andrew Cheung have kindly given their permission for us to make available their article on the D30 Obliterator. It is available in the Papers section and is NOT restricted to members only. This article was originally published in the Hong Kong Philatelic Society Journal No. 18 in 2014.

November 2017

Forthcoming Sales of Members' Collections in December

The John Bull Auction of 9-12 December includes the Barry Tsang Collection consisting of 327 lots.

Sample Lot

Lot 7138 - 1935 (May 6) Hong Kong KGV Silver Jubilee illustrative FDC (Yang C2), registered to London. VF-F.

The second part of Nick Halewood’s King George VI definitive collection and Philippe Orsetti’s award-winning Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong collection, along with other studies from him, are included in the Hong Kong section of Interasia’s December 4-7 auction.

Sample Lots
Lot 4217 - Prewar Printings : 1938 K.G.VI 10c. bright violet Requisition V block of four with plate number	Lot 4556 - Detained Mail : 1941 (6 Dec.) Cover to Ontario with "Detained in Hong Kong/by Japanese" and "Passed/by/Censor/136" military censor h.s.

November 2017

Study Circle Publications For Sale

Last few remaining, first come first served.

A Study of Hong Kong Definitives: King Edward VII and King George V	Hong Kong Airmails 1924-1941	Hong Kong Airmails 1945-1955

By Nick Halewood and David Antscherl	by Duncan Crewe	by Nick Halewood
Members' Price £10 incl. surface postage	Price £15 for the Airmails set incl. UK postage overseas postage extra

Contents pages and sample pages available here

Please contact our member Nick Burrell rnbuhotmail.co.uk if you wish to make a purchase

November 2017

A Bit of Good News

We are happy to report that our Vice President (North America), Ingo Nessel, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society.

Many congratulations to Ingo - thoroughly well deserved.

November 2017

Members' Exhibits

The 'zoom' facility has now been added to all the exhibits. This allows you to magnify items in the display so that they may be examined in greater detail. See

October 2017

Journal Archives System

Further back issues of journals have been added to the system.

Journal articles available online now are from Journal Nos. 256 to 311 (Dec. 1985 to Oct. 1999).

See Journal Archives

June 2017

New Monograph

Philippe Orsetti's

United States Naval Hong Kong Markings

US Naval Markings in Hong Kong

See Papers. Thank you Philippe.

June 2017

New Member's Exhibit

Air Cdre Richard Gurevitch's

Hong Kong: Postal Issues of the Queen Victoria Period

Hong Kong Queen Victoria Issues

See Exhibits. Many thanks to Richard.

Note - For an experiment, we have added a zoom facility to this exhibit so that varieties can be viewed in greater detail. Feedback on this most welcomed as are any suggestions on how the system can be improved.

June 2017

Questions & Answers - Two New Items

Hong Kong Parcel Post Cancel

Question #9 - Why are there different parcel post frankings?

Question #10 - Hong Kong Paid (type 14a) used as arrival marking?

See Questions and Answers

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS

April 2017

At the AGM in November 2016 it was agreed that we should trial hosting back issues of journals alongside a computerised journal index on the website. For this trial we have used an index covering Jns. 256 to 311 (Dec. 1985 to 1999) and currently 9½ years of journals from this period has been put online.

The first prototype from the trial is available here Journal Index and Archives .

It was also agreed that access to contents contained in the Journal Archives, Exhibits and Papers sections of the website should be restricted to members only.

To achieve this a member’s login has been introduced. Members need to email webmaster@hongkongstudycircle.com to obtain their login username and initial password.

A new monograph is now available

Red Cross Envelopes during the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong
by Philippe Orsetti

see the members' Papers section

Members' Exhibits

Seven more exhibits have been added, they are -

Nick Halewood's

Hong Kong KGVI 1938-52 Definitive Issues

Hong Kong QEII 1954-62 Definitive Issues

Dr Andrew Cheung's

British Treaty Port Post Offices in China

British Treaty Port Post Offices in Japan

Carol Cheung's

The Hong Kong Circular Datestamps 1893 - 1941

The Hong Kong 1953 Coronation Issue

Ingo Nessel's

Hong Kong King George VI 8 cents
A stamp Interrupted by War

They are available for viewing here. Many thanks to Nick, Andrew, Carol and Ingo

If you have an exhibit, display or presentation that you wish to share with other members then please contact webmaster

hongkongstudycircle.com

Hong Kong Officially Sealed Labels Catalog
by Philippe Orsetti
Updated November 2016

see the members' Papers section

Members' Exhibits

Philippe Orsetti has suggested the inclusion of a new section on this website for
members to share displays of their exhibits. A working prototype has now been prepared
using Philippe's award winning exhibit on 'Hong Kong Under Japanese Occupation (1941-1945)'.
It can be viewed here

More displays or presentations are required to help with the evaluation of the prototype. If you can help with this or wish to provide feedback then please contact webmasterhongkongstudycircle.com

HKSC Meeting at the World Stamp Show, New York, 2016

A report and photographs from the event is available here

Hong Kong & Treaty Ports Forwarding Agents Markings
During the XIX Century
by Philippe Orsetti
Updated June 2016

see the members' Papers section