Deutsche Seepost Shanghai-Tientsin
In April 1898, the Jebsen Shipping Company began operating a steamer service connecting several Chinese ports, including Shanghai, Kiautschou, Hong Kong, and Tientsin.
In 1901, Jebsen was purchased by HAPAG, which then assumed operation of this coastal service. HAPAG continued operating the former Jebsen steamers on the route, designating this service as the Shanghai-Tientsin Linie. The line remained in service until the outbreak of World War I.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 ★
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN ★
31 October 1902
HAPAG
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1902
- 1904
- 1905
HAPAG
Sikiang
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
-
Unknown
HAPAG
Staatssekretär Kraetke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1909
- 1910
5 November 1906 (front)
5 November 1906 (rear)
22 September 1908 (front)
22 September 1908 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “★” canceller is known used on Gouverneur Jaeschke (1902, 1904, & 1905), Sikiang (dates unknown), and Staatssekretär Kraetke (1909 & 1910).
These items are postmarked 5 November 1906 and 22 September 1908, respectively. It is currently unknown on which steamer these items were cancelled – possibly one of those already known to have carried this canceller at some point, or another of the steamers of this line for which no use of this canceller is currently known.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 a
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN a
HAPAG
Mathilde
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1901
Notes:
- Also used on Feldpost during the Boxer Rebellion, to 31 August 1901
HAPAG
Tsintau
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
23 March 1907 (front)
23 March 1907 (rear)
HAPAG
Admiral von Tirpitz
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- February/March 1907
- December 1909
2? July 1907
HAPAG
Staatssekretär Kraetke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1907
HAPAG
Gouverneur Jaeschke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
HAPAG
Sikiang
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1911
- 1913
HAPAG
Longmoon (sister ship Lyeemoon shown)
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1914
10 September 1902 (front)
10 September 1902 (rear)
?? ??? 1910 (front)
?? ??? 1910 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “a” canceller is known used on Mathilde (1901), Tsintau (dates unknown), Admiral von Tirpitz (February/March 1907 & December 1909), Staatssekretär Kraetke (1907), Gouverneur Jaeschke (dates unknown), Sikiang (1911 & 1913), and Loongmoon (1914).
These items are postmarked 10 September 1902 and an unknown date in 1910, respectively. It is currently unknown on which steamer these items were cancelled – possibly one of those already known to have carried this canceller at some point, or another of the steamers of this line for which no use of this canceller is currently known.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 b
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN b
30 May 1901 (front)
30 May 1901 (rear)
HAPAG
Tsintau
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1901
Notes:
- Also used on Feldpost during the Boxer Rebellion, to 31 August 1901
- Can be found with provisional ‘01’ year slug
1 January 1903 (front)
1 January 1903 (rear)
HAPAG
Gouverneur Jaeschke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1902
- 1903
HAPAG
Vorwärts
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
15 December 1913 (front)
15 December 1913 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “b” canceller is known used on Tsintau (1901), Gouverneur Jaeschke (1902 & 1903), and Vorwärts (dates unknown).
This item is postmarked 15 December 1913. It is currently unknown on which steamer this item was cancelled – possibly one of those already known to have carried this canceller at some point, or another of the steamers of this line for which no use of this canceller is currently known.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 c
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN c
HAPAG
Mathilde
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
1 June 1909 (front)
1 June 1909 (rear)
HAPAG
Sikiang
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1909
- 1910
3 January 1902 (front)
3 January 1902 (rear)
13 June 1905 (front)
13 June 1905 (rear)
21 April 1906 (front)
21 April 1906 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “c” canceller is known used on Mathilde (dates unknown) and Sikiang (1909 & 1910).
The first two items are postmarked 3 January 1902 and 13 June 1905, respectively. On those dates, Sikiang had not yet been launched. Though it’s likely that this postmark was applied aboard Mathilde, it’s also possible that the canceller was in use on one of the other ships of the line in service on that date, but which is not yet known to have carried the “c” canceller.
The last item is postmarked 21 April 1906. On that date, Mathilde had been sold to a Japanese line and Sikiang had not yet been launched. Therefore, this item had to have been cancelled on a ship not yet known to have carried the “c” canceller.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 2
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SCHANGHAI-TIENTSIN
Unknown Date
HAPAG
Peiho
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
-
July 1906 to October 1906
Notes:
- Provisional wood canceller without letter identifier or date
- SCHANGHAI instead of SHANGHAI
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 3
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SCHANGHAI-TIENTSIN d
19 March 1907 (front)
19 March 1907 (rear)
8 April 1908
HAPAG
Peiho
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
-
October 1906 to Summer 1908
Notes:
- Dot instead of slash between day and month
- SCHANGHAI instead of SHANGHAI
Deutsche Seepost Shanghai-Tientsin
In April 1898, the Jebsen Shipping Company began operating a steamer service connecting several Chinese ports, including Shanghai, Kiautschou, Hong Kong, and Tientsin.
In 1901, Jebsen was purchased by HAPAG, which then assumed operation of this coastal service. HAPAG continued operating the former Jebsen steamers on the route, designating this service as the Shanghai-Tientsin Linie. The line remained in service until the outbreak of World War I.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 ★
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN ★
31 October 1902
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1902
- 1904
- 1905
Sikiang
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
-
Unknown
Staatssekretär Kraetke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1909
- 1910
5 November 1906 (front)
5 November 1906 (rear)
22 September 1908 (front)
22 September 1908 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “★” canceller is known used on Gouverneur Jaeschke (1902, 1904, & 1905), Sikiang (dates unknown), and Staatssekretär Kraetke (1909 & 1910).
These items are postmarked 5 November 1906 and 22 September 1908, respectively. It is currently unknown on which steamer these items were cancelled – possibly one of those already known to have carried this canceller at some point, or another of the steamers of this line for which no use of this canceller is currently known.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 a
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN a
Mathilde
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1901
Notes:
- Also used on Feldpost during the Boxer Rebellion, to 31 August 1901
Tsintau
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
23 March 1907 (front)
23 March 1907 (rear)
Admiral von Tirpitz
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- February/March 1907
- December 1909
2? July 1907
Staatssekretär Kraetke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1907
Gouverneur Jaeschke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
Sikiang
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1911
- 1913
Longmoon (sister ship Lyeemoon shown)
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1914
10 September 1902 (front)
10 September 1902 (rear)
?? ??? 1910 (front)
?? ??? 1910 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “a” canceller is known used on Mathilde (1901), Tsintau (dates unknown), Admiral von Tirpitz (February/March 1907 & December 1909), Staatssekretär Kraetke (1907), Gouverneur Jaeschke (dates unknown), Sikiang (1911 & 1913), and Loongmoon (1914).
These items are postmarked 10 September 1902 and an unknown date in 1910, respectively. It is currently unknown on which steamer these items were cancelled – possibly one of those already known to have carried this canceller at some point, or another of the steamers of this line for which no use of this canceller is currently known.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 b
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN b
30 May 1901 (front)
30 May 1901 (rear)
Tsintau
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1901
Notes:
- Also used on Feldpost during the Boxer Rebellion, to 31 August 1901
- Can be found with provisional ‘01’ year slug
1 January 1903 (front)
1 January 1903 (rear)
Gouverneur Jaeschke
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1902
- 1903
Vorwärts
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
15 December 1913 (front)
15 December 1913 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “b” canceller is known used on Tsintau (1901), Gouverneur Jaeschke (1902 & 1903), and Vorwärts (dates unknown).
This item is postmarked 15 December 1913. It is currently unknown on which steamer this item was cancelled – possibly one of those already known to have carried this canceller at some point, or another of the steamers of this line for which no use of this canceller is currently known.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 1 c
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SHANGHAI-TIENTSIN c
Mathilde
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- Unknown
1 June 1909 (front)
1 June 1909 (rear)
Sikiang
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- 1909
- 1910
3 January 1902 (front)
3 January 1902 (rear)
13 June 1905 (front)
13 June 1905 (rear)
21 April 1906 (front)
21 April 1906 (rear)
Postmark Information
The “c” canceller is known used on Mathilde (dates unknown) and Sikiang (1909 & 1910).
The first two items are postmarked 3 January 1902 and 13 June 1905, respectively. On those dates, Sikiang had not yet been launched. Though it’s likely that this postmark was applied aboard Mathilde, it’s also possible that the canceller was in use on one of the other ships of the line in service on that date, but which is not yet known to have carried the “c” canceller.
The last item is postmarked 21 April 1906. On that date, Mathilde had been sold to a Japanese line and Sikiang had not yet been launched. Therefore, this item had to have been cancelled on a ship not yet known to have carried the “c” canceller.
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 2
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SCHANGHAI-TIENTSIN
Unknown Date
Peiho
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
- July 1906 to October 1906
Notes:
- Provisional wood canceller without letter identifier or date
- SCHANGHAI instead of SHANGHAI
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann SP 3
- ArGe Kolonien DEUTSCHE SEEPOST SCHANGHAI-TIENTSIN d
19 March 1907 (front)
19 March 1907 (rear)
18 December 1901
Peiho
Postmark Information
Period of Use on this Ship:
-
October 1906 to Summer 1908
Notes:
- Dot instead of slash between day and month
- SCHANGHAI instead of SHANGHAI
Album Page(s)
Certificate(s)
