Hong Kong: KEVII 1903-1911 Definitive Series & Postmarks

That's a nice well centred copy; I do like that colour combination. But once again, the purple is fugitive. Here is a small sample of KEVII stamps where fugitive inks have been used. I don't have examples of all that are affected, so you will just have to use caution with anything that uses bi-colour printing.

Sometimes it is not obvious; take the 2 cent as an example: This is listed as dull green, which implies only one ink was used and thus appears to be a safe for soaking. But the one shown here suggests that two types of green were used: 

 


The 12 cent mint shows how light can cause colour change to both the frame design and the vignette. Usually, it is the vignette that gives all the trouble; but not in every case. One value not shown here is the 6 cent orange-vermilion and purple, where the purple used for the frame can run.

Deciding which colours would be affected when soaking these values is obviously important. But knowing which stamps have already been affected is key. All the dollar values are (very) expensive and this is where judgement is essential. It is easy to be drawn into buying a mint example by assuming its colours have to be right, by association. As can be seen above (on the 12 cents) this isn't always so. 


 

I am not an expert but I think there are some Fugitve Ink types in the stamps shown below. These were sorted in the album like this but may well not be in the correct order or set.

Very nice post, LB1, thanks!

I agree with your observation about the fugitive ink type stamps.  Clive (Anping ) was the one who taught me to watch out for these, as I had already ruined a few by soaking them.  Essentially, he told me to regard any HK stamp from this era as having the central vignette, i.e. the KEVII portrait, as being printed in fugitive ink.

So after that, I got some of the Stamp Lift Fluid that he mentioned, and I was able to apply it with a fine camel-hair brush onto hinge remnants on the backs of the stamps and clean them up without making the fugitive ink start bleeding.  It really worked.  Clive knew his stuff!  I miss him.

But thanks for posting in this thread which now feels like a tribute to him.

Looks like I will have to send all my KEVII types to you as I don't believe the Stamp Lift Fluid is available in Israel !!
Yes, Clive knew his stuff. Some of the Books I saw when I was at his home in August were just amazing. He had half a library only about Hong Kong !!

I miss him too. I look forward to seeing more of his collection.

Beryllium Guy

Great to see you collect Hong Kong - I checked my late dad's holdings - Albums and books - no HK !! I just wished but the research is preliminary....and if I find any....they will go to Chris !!

Yes...I found 42 stamps in inventory so there will be a mailing to Chris (berylliumguy) - René

Nice gesture renden - and some very fine HK stamps for Beryllium Guy's collection.

Neat inventory as well. Beside the catalog numbers/prices - there is actually something out of the ordinary in that selection. As some might expect (when it is coming from me) it's to do with postmarks 

I find collecting HK stamps very interesting - much contributed by the chance of finding postmarks from treaty ports or postmarks from abroad. The KGV 2c green at top of  selection has what appears to me as a US style killer, with hammer number '21'. (or potentially the US style obliterators also used on the Philippines). I'm no capacity on saying exactly where this obliterator was used - maybe someone else can? A wild-shot is it was cancelled upon arrival by boat to San Francisco. Certainly not a Hong Kong postmark - and in any case a sweet addition to feed Chris's newborn interest in postmarks 

As I need something complete different (than Germany) to fokus on now, and after reading some post end treads here at TSF, I think I stat organising what I have from Hong Kong. 

Hong Kong
King Edward VII
1903 First Series Definitives

As it has been almost 2 years since anything was posted in this thread, I think it's time for a bump.  I am sorry to say that I haven't added more to this short set since the last time I posted it.  I have upgraded a couple of the stamps since then, and I added the 2-dollar value, which is a very nice copy.  I think I will need to get busy on the others!


Hong Kong, Sc71-82, KEVII definitive stamps 1-Cent through 2-Dollar, watermarked Crown & CA (missing Sc83-85)

Just wanted to say I appreciate this thread and as I have just learned how to scan and upload photos I hope to show off some of my completed HK pages soon! Your King Edward collection is very inspiring!

I am a little surprised at the lack of activity here - would have thought that H.K. might figure more prominently - here's another foray then.

This four cents on orange/red paper - I dislike coloured papers, can anyone explain why they were used please? - looks to occur at least twice I think for this Ed. VII 'FOUR CENTS' value - SG 64 and 78, the difference being seen in the wmk. of 'Crown CA' for the earlier issues of 1903, and 'multiple Crown CA' on Chalk paper for the slightly later issues from 1904 to 1906 .
I profess little expertise when it comes to wmks., but shining a torch through this stamp I can see two large crowns and what appears to be the CA (Crown Agents) letters, which suggests this example is from the earlier set.      The date cancellation isn't good,  but looks like it could be 1906.
Not that it makes a difference to the appearance of the stamp - both are identical in looks.

However, the reason for posting is in respect of the overprint D.P. which isn't one I've seen before.    Trawling the screen gives several suggestions of 'Daily Press' (for the Hong Kong Daily Press)  -  'Duty Paid'  -  and 'Dept. of Police'.    The first of these seems  to  have had  most  support, so  is likely correct, but is anyone here able to confirm that please.               thanks. 

thanks Chris - very kind of you to fish around for me and it does seem the weight of opinion is for 'Daily Press'  - I hate to be picky, but can you or khj give some indication of the source of this explanation - thanks.  - I don't think there is any reference in SG either.                            Perhaps in its day this ovpt. acted in the same way as  a perfin such that it deterred individuals from filching or misappropriating these stamps.  

Great site. I looked there earlier in regards this thread but did not dig quite far enough. Ran out of time. I have just one Edward VII stamp with the D P. 

sincere thanks khj - that's a very useful link and gives confirmation of correct meaning for DP. Chris, this is the only example of this ovpt. that I've found, though have to admit HK hasn't been a specific search area in the past, but think it might be now.
Whether rightly or wrongly, and like others perhaps, I find some historic Br. Empire Colonies to have an air of intrigue/mystery that makes for appeal, and certainly HK is one of those - in the 'West' there has long been a fascination with all things 'oriental' - similarly with India - and this is seen in English speaking literature and comic material.
Agree, I'm also amused by the expression 'chop' - perhaps it's the phonetic connection to 'chop stick'.
Amazing what we see after the event - I'd overlooked seeing the word Victoria on my stamp, though assume this part of the cancellation refers to Victoria City which was apparently one of the first urban settlements in Hong Kong after it became a British colony in 1842, and obviously named after the C19 British monarch Queen Victoria who became queen in 1837.
I'm hooked - must keep an eye out for more of these ovpts, and thanks to all who contributed to this thread.