GERMAN POST OFFICES ABROAD
CHINA
STAMPS
1890
Forerunners are stamps of the German Empire that were in circulation in foreign countries and the colonies without any special identification (i.e. not overprinted "China"), until issue of their own stamps. 'Proper' forerunners were officially delivered to post offices and were sold from postal counters, stamps that were not used or not officially issued are non-proper forerunners (e.g. Michel V39 and V43). All forerunners and interim stamps can only be recognised by the cancellation and as such there is no such thing as an unused forerunner.
Michel V49a and V49b
Forerunner: Issued 1890/1891: So-called "crown/eagle" - 1889 Michel 49.
Mi V49
25Pf
yellow orange (see variations).
25Pf
yellow orange (see variations).
VARIATIONS
Mi V49a
yellow orange.
yellow orange.
Mi V49b
yellowish orange.
yellowish orange.
PLATE FLAWS
MiV49 V
"I" in "REICHPOST" split on top.
"I" in "REICHPOST" split on top.
VALID FORERUNNER POSTMARKS
Michel V49a and V49b
"1"
"SHANGHAI KDPAg"
(Until beginning June 1894)
(V49a and V49b)
"SHANGHAI KDPAg"
(Until beginning June 1894)
(V49a and V49b)
"2"
Small "SHANGHAI"
(From June 1894)
(V49a and V49b)
Small "SHANGHAI"
(From June 1894)
(V49a and V49b)
"3"
"SHANGHAI"
(From 18.7.98 to 31.8.00)
(V49b only)
"SHANGHAI"
(From 18.7.98 to 31.8.00)
(V49b only)
"4"
"SHANGHAI DEUTSCHE POST a"
(1.12.98 to 31.8.00)
(V49b only)
"SHANGHAI DEUTSCHE POST a"
(1.12.98 to 31.8.00)
(V49b only)
"5"
"SHANGHAI DEUTSCHE POST b"
(1.12.98 to 31.8.00)
(V49b only)
"SHANGHAI DEUTSCHE POST b"
(1.12.98 to 31.8.00)
(V49b only)
"6"
"TIENTSIN KAISERL.DEUTSCHE POSTAGENTUR"
(1.4.93 to Nov 1899)
(V49a and V49b)
"TIENTSIN KAISERL.DEUTSCHE POSTAGENTUR"
(1.4.93 to Nov 1899)
(V49a and V49b)
STAMPS FROM MY COLLECTION
(1)
Mi V49b
Cancelled, Used
"TIENTSIN"
"6/7 95"
Mi V49b
Cancelled, Used
"TIENTSIN"
"6/7 95"
(2)
Mi V37 (x2), V47, V49 and V50
Cancelled, Used
"SHANGHAI"
"5/12 94"
Mi V37 (x2), V47, V49 and V50
Cancelled, Used
"SHANGHAI"
"5/12 94"
(1) These two stamps are cancelled with the first Tientsin cancel, inscribed "TIENTSIN KAISERL.DEUTSCHE POSTAGENTUR" and used from 1st Apr 1893 until Nov 1899. The cancel is typically black in colour but was blue for the first day of use.
(2) These five stamps are cancelled with the second Shanghai cancel, simply inscribed "SHANGHAI" and used from 8th Jun 1894 until 5th Dec 1898.
