Tag: 대조선국-대한제국

The Joseon dynasty (also transcribed as Chosŏn or Chosen, Korean: 조선; officially the Kingdom of Great Joseon, Korean: 대조선국, lit. Great Korean Country) was a Korean dynastic kingdom that lasted for approximately five centuries.

The Korean Empire (transcripted as Daehan Jeguk, Korean: 대한제국; Hanja: 大韓帝國, lit. Great Korean Empire) was the last independent unified Korean state. Proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty, the empire stood until Japan’s annexation of Korea in August 1910.

(Both texts from Wikipedia pages.)

Story of L’Abbe Pierre Pasquier

February 10, 2021November 11, 2020 Dr. Joel Lee1541 Comment

The Catholic Church in Korea started when Yi Sŭnghun came back from China after he had been baptized. He met Yi Pyŏk and Chŏng Yakchŏn, and together they built a faith community. The community remained viable even after small and large persecutions (about 10) during the almost 100 year long period starting with the Sinhae […]

Interesting items in Soler y Llach and Gärtner auctions

January 27, 2021January 23, 2021 KSS Korea Philately Editor114Leave a Comment

Several interesting items are shown in current auctions run by Soler y Llach and Gärtner. These items are a cover (Soler y Llach) and postcards (Gärtner) with stamps from the classical period of Korean philatelic history, in this case covers sent between 1897 and 1904.

Lee Neung-hwa, an unknown historical figure and a stamp collector in a time of turmoil

January 20, 2021January 22, 2021 Dr. Joel Lee1332 Comments

In Joseon (Korea) in the 33rd year (1896) of King Gojong‘s rule a French person, Emile Martel (1874-1949), established the French Language School in Seoul as a governmental institute in Jong-ro-gu, now known as Susong-dong (Korean: 수송동). Martel arrived in Korea in July 1894 at the age of only twenty years old. Subsequently this school […]

Korean forgeries (VII): 10 poon issued July 22 1895 (1st Printing); 1896 (2nd Printing) etc.

December 30, 2020September 2, 2020 Barry Abbott185Leave a Comment

The second stamp in the Taegeuk series is the 10 poon. The stamp is designated Scott #7 deep blue (both printings), KPSC #4 (1st printing; #4a 2nd printing and Minkus #4. Black and white images and data are from Brady-Tyler, Zirkel, G. La Francesca and colour images and data are from MikeG Canada (Stampboards), Florian […]

Reader’s Question: Was their a Russian influence on the 1903 Falcon stamps’ design?

July 20, 2020February 21, 2021 KSS Korea Philately Editor1046Leave a Comment

(Editor: a question from reader Jim, currently living in South Korea:) “I’m interested in any information about how the 1903 Postes Imperiales Coree stamp came to be designed and authorized for issue, especially in that it seems that this stamp had Russian influence just prior to the Russo-Japanese War as Russia’s involvement in Korea was […]

A Beautiful Cover. A Striking Cover. A Cover of Extreme Importance!

June 13, 2020May 17, 2020 Hal Klein5032 Comments

I had the unique opportunity to review prior to its publication the article by Dr. Joel Lee. It is not only a beautiful cover. This Empire Korea cover is a striking example of the postal history of Korea and it is a cover of extreme importance. To the casual observer, not familiar with Empire Korea […]

Korean forgeries (VI): 5 Poon issued July 1895 (1st Printing); 1897 (2nd Printing) etc.

May 27, 2020June 8, 2020 Barry Abbott4891 Comment

The first stamp in this series is the 5 Poon. The stamp is designated Scott #6 and Minkus #3. Black and white images and data are from Brady-Tyler, Zirkel, G. La Francesca and colour images and data are from MikeG Canada (Stampboards), Florian Eichhorn, David Phillips, KSS and other sources.

Beautiful Postal Cards and Postal Covers of Early Korea

May 16, 2020March 28, 2020 Dr. Joel Lee4561 Comment

Some of the rarest examples of postal history of Empire Korea, combining the images of early 20th century Korea on hand-tinted postal cards and a cover demonstrating all the stamps available at the Chemulpo, Korea post office on a single day are that of a correspondence addressed to Mrs. Charlotte K. Ober, University of Washington, […]

Entires with “TAEGEUK” of the 1st and 2nd Issued Sets

April 25, 2020March 28, 2020 Dr. Joel Lee427Leave a Comment

The Gab-sin coup d’etat (甲申政變; 갑신정변) of 4 December 1884 (Lunar calendar 10. 17.), attempted by the reformers at the opening ceremony of the post office, failed. All main figures were killed including Mr. Young-Sik Hong whose constant efforts had led to the issuing of a Royal decree to establish the Department of Post Office […]

Korean forgeries (V): 100 Mon printed 1884 – Never issued

April 22, 2020March 14, 2020 Barry Abbott369Leave a Comment

The fifth stamp in this series is the 100 Mon. As with the 25 and 50 Mon stamps, this rose, white and blue stamp was never issued and therefore any stamp claiming to be postally used has a fake cancellation. The stamp is designated Scott #5 and Minkus #N5. The stamps were produced in 1884. […]

Korean forgeries (IV): 50 Mon unissued (1884)

February 22, 2020April 25, 2020 Barry Abbott453Leave a Comment

The fourth stamp in this series is the 50 Mon. As with the 25 Mon stamp, this green stamp was never issued and therefore any stamp claiming to be used has a fake cancellation. The stamp is designated Scott #4 and Minkus #N4. The stamps were produced in 1884. Black and white images are from […]

Two Examples of the Often Faked Cancellations of the First Two Korean Stamps of 1884

January 27, 2020January 28, 2020 Florian Eichhorn6628 Comments

Normally mint stamps are worth more than used stamps. One notable exception to this philatelic rule is the often faked cancellations of Korea’s first two stamps issued in 1884, the 5 and 10 mun values. As these two stamps were used for just a few days because of a riot/revolution that burned down the Korean […]

Korean forgeries (III): 25 Mon unissued (1884)

January 11, 2020April 25, 2020 Barry Abbott6092 Comments

The third stamp in this series is the 25 Mon. This orange stamp was never issued and therefore any stamp claiming to be used has a fake cancellation. The stamp is designated Scott #3 and Minkus #N3. Black and white images are from Brady-Tyler and colour images are from MikeG Canada (Stampboards) and other sources.

The Semiotics of the First Korean Issues

January 2, 2020January 2, 2020 James H. Grayson989Leave a Comment

As a philatelist, my principal interest has been in the semiotics of the stamps, the meaning of their design. The first stamps issued by a national government or stamp issuing authority are particularly intriguing. This is a government’s first opportunity to present itself graphically to the world. What do they put on their very first […]

Korean forgeries (II): 10 Mon issued in 1884

December 9, 2019November 17, 2019 Barry Abbott618Leave a Comment

The second stamp in the series comparing genuine stamps to forgeries is the 10 Mon issued in 1884 – Stanley Gibbons #2; Scott #2; Minkus #2. Again, I am using the Brady-Tyler Handbook and stamp images and references shown on Pages 7 and 8. Colour images are primarily from MikeG, Canada – Stampboards.com. As with […]

Download (KSS members only): “Handbook of Philatelic Forgeries – Korean Empire”

November 13, 2019November 17, 2019 David Phillips9171 Comment

One of the most challenging aspects of collecting Korean stamps is that there are many forgeries/counterfeits/fakes of both the stamps as well as the overprints and cancellations of the early “Empire” issues from 1884 to 1900. Very often, the stamps, overprints and the cancellations can all be forgeries. Fortunately, there are few or none known […]

Korean forgeries (I): 5 Mon issued in 1884

October 28, 2019April 25, 2020 Barry Abbott6901 Comment

With the assistance of KSS members and referring to the “Brady-Tyler Handbook of Philatelic Forgeries Korean Empire 1962”, I will post, on a regular basis, examples of Korean Empire genuine stamps and forgeries of those stamps, along with images of the key elements for easy comparison.