Information on Security Markings & Perfins can be found from the following references.

1. "The Philatelic and Postal History of Hong Kong and the Treaty Ports of China and Japan", by Col. Francis W. Webb

2. "Hong Kong Security Markings List" by Philippe Orsetti and Peter Pugh, listed in the Hong Kong Study Circle Journals.

3. "The Perfins of Hong Kong"  by  Harvey G. Tilles

4. "Hong Kong Security Markings"  by Ming W. Tsang

5. "Security Markings and the Internet" by Philippe Orsetti, Hong Kong Philatelic Society Journal 6 February 2002.

We wish to thank all of the above for their assistance in providing some of the information used in the following pages.

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 Security Marking List: A little history.  Philippe Orsetti  30th June 2001

 In  1961, the Colonel Webb published in his Hong Kong & Treaty Ports reference book a list of Hong Kong security markings and divided them in three Groups:

Group I: Full name (58 markings).

Group 2: Printed Initials (72 markings)

Group 3: Perfins (35 markings)

 In addition he listed miscellaneous markings not belonging to any group.

 The Hong Kong Study Circle (HKSC) maintained this list in its archives and updated it on a regular basis without publishing.

 Meanwhile Harvey G. Tilles compiled and edited “The Perfins of Hong Kong”. This five sheets publication illustrated all the 74 perfins recorded at that time.

 At their request, the HKSC entrusted Philippe Orsetti and Peter Pugh with this handwritten draft list. With inputs from many members this list was computerized, updated and published by the two authors as a supplement of the HKSC Journal # 283 of October 1992.

 In 1994, Ming Tsang published a book illustrating his collection and included, as an attachment, a photocopy of the complete 1992 HKSC list.

 In the HKSC Journal # 285 of April 1993, Addendum 1 of the initial list was published. This Addendum was not included in Ming Tsang book.

 In July 1998, the HKSC Journal # 306 published a new Addendum that included: Addendum 1 already published, all new markings and corrections to already recorded markings found in the Ming Tsang’s book and all information brought to the attention of or discovered by Peter Pugh and Philippe Orsetti as of May 1998.

 On June 15, Addendum 2 was sent to the HKSC for publication. It should be published in the next Journal.

 At this time, the total number of recorded marking is 803, as follow:

Group 1: Full name markings..................................……..321

Group 2: Printed Initials...........................................…….323

Group 3: Perfins.....................................................……...109

Group 4: Misc. (Governments, symbols, Chinese etc...)....50
 

On 31 December 2006  the total number of recorded marking is 1104,

Group 1: Full name markings..................................……..477

Group 2: Printed Initials...........................................…….375

Group 3: Perfins.....................................................……...130

Group 4: Misc. (Governments, symbols, Chinese etc...).......94

Group 5. Forwarding Agents .............................................28

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