Philippine Business Firms

Handstamp Markings & Privately Printed Covers

This section has been created as an extension to the 1998 handbook 'Mail and Markings of Private Business Firms of the Spanish Philippines' by Don Peterson. The intent is to continue to expand the section to develop a comprehensive list of Businesses in the Philippines that had a presence during the Spanish Period, with specific focus on usage of Privately Applied Handstamps on mail (covers) or documents (mainly Revenue related); Privately Printed Covers; and inbound covers.

 

'Business Handstamps' refers to a return address, for advertising purposes, or a 'control' to prevent the theft of stamps when applied directly over the stamp.

 

'Forwarding Handstamps' were used by a forwarding agent; a person or firm that undertook to see that the goods of correspondence of another are transported without himself acting as a carrier.

 

It is interesting to note that majority of the Handstamps on mail was applied in the 'white' portion of the cover (front or back), and only seldom appeared on the stamps. On Revenue documents, however, most Handstamps were applied directly on the stamps.

 

The pdf links below provides details of each Business Firm (based on information collated at the time) and shows examples of known Handstamps or Privately Printed Covers (where applicable) used by each Firm. Best efforts have been carried out on some of the handstamps to create reproductions based on partial cancels on stamps or documents; being updated as more information or additional cancellations are discovered.

 

Please click on the pdf icon to access collected information
on each of the listed Businesses



A. S. Watson & Company

Botica Inglesa

Perfumeria Inglesa

Acquired by Philippine American Drug Company (Botica Boie) in 1922

Business Handstamps


A%20S%20Watson%20&%20Co/BoticaInglesa-BH1.jpgxxA%20S%20Watson%20&%20Co/PerfumeriaInglesa-BH1.jpg



Updated 10.03.2023

Printed Return Address





Adolfo Richter & Company

El Siglo XIX

Acquired by Brias Roxas & Company in 1918

Business Handstamps


Adolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-BH1.jpg



Updated 19.03.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Adolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-PPC1.jpgxxAdolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-PPC2.jpg

Adolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-PPC3.jpg

Adolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-PPC4axxAdolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-PPC5.jpgxxAdolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-PPC6.jpg

Return Address


Adolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-RA1.jpgxxAdolfo%20Richter%20&%20Co/AdolfoRichter-RA2.jpg


Adolfo Roensch & Company

Oskar Roensch

(See also Alfredo Roensch & Company)

Business Handstamps


xxxx



Updated 20.06.2023


Agencia de Aduana

Business Handstamps






Updated 20.06.2023


Agencia de Aduana

Pedro Javier Rodriguez

Business Handstamps






Updated 2022

Agencia Editorial

Manuel Arias y Rodriguez

Business Handstamps


xxxx

xx

xx



Updated 24.12.2023

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xx


Agencia General de Negocios

T. D. Ogilvie

Business Handstamps


xx



Updated 2022


Agencia Maritima y de Aduanas

A. M. Barretto

Business Handstamps


xxxx



Updated 2022


Aguirre & Company

Business Handstamps






Updated 29.02.2024


Aldecoa & Company

Business Handstamps


xx



Updated 2022


Alexander Schadenberg

Return Address


Alexander%20Schadenberg/AlexSchadenberg-RA1.jpg



Updated 10.03.23


Alfredo Roensch & Co

(US Period Usage)

(See also Adolfo Roensch & Company)

Acquired by Brias Roxas & Company in 1918

Printed Covers / Corner Cards






Updated
20.03.23


Angel Ortiz

Business Handstamps


A%20Ortiz/AOrtiz-BH1.jpg



Updated 2022


Antonio Fuset

Printed Covers / Corner Cards






Updated 2022


Antonio Sainz

Business Handstamps


xx



Updated 2022


Apostolic Delegation

(US Period Usage)

Return Address






Updated 2022


Army & Navy Club

(US to Republic Period Usage)

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx



Updated 22.12.2023


August Emil Homann

Return Address






Updated 2022


Ayala & Company

Dona Margarita Roxas de Ayala

Antonio Ayala

Enrique Zobel de Ayala

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xxxx



Updated 23.12.2023


B. A. Barretto

E. M. Barretto

Inbound Covers


Various Inbound Covers during the Spanish Period



Updated 29.02.2024


Baer Senior & Company

A Determann

Manila Commercial Company

Business Handstamps


xxxx



Updated 23.12.2023


Baer & Suhm

O. v. Suhm

Suhm & Company

Business Handstamps


xxxx



xxxx



Updated 23.12.2023


Banco Espanol-Filipino de Isabel II

Bank of the Philippine Islands

Business Handstamps


xxBanco%20Espanol%20Filipino/BancoEspanol-BH2.jpg



Updated 29.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Numerous Corner Cards

(US to Republic Periods)


Barlow and Company

Business Handstamps






Updated 2022


Barlow, Morris & Wilson

Morris, Barlow & Company

Barlow & Wilson

Fred Wilson & Co

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xx



Updated 25.01.2024

Return Address





Batlle Hermanos & Company

Business Handstamps


xxxx



Updated
23.12.2023


Bazar Filipino

Warlomont Hermanos

Business Handstamps


xx



Updated 2022

Printed Covers / Corner Cards




Benedicta Javier

Catalino Valdezco

Business Handstamps



Updated 2022


Bernardo Fernandez

Business Handstamps


Bernardo%20Fernandez/BernardoFernandez-BH1.jpg



Updated
23.12.2023


Bloch y Grein

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Bloch%20y%20Grein/BlochyGrein-PPC1.jpgxxBloch%20y%20Grein/BlochyGrein-PPC2.jpg



Updated 2022


Botica Antigua

Andrew Krapfenbauer

Business Handstamps


xxxx



Updated 24.12.2023

Botica Boie

Pablo Sartorius

Boie & Schadenberg

Farmacia Boie

The German Dispensary

Stahl & Rumcker

Philippine American Drug Company

Boie Inc.

Business Handstamps


xxxx

xxxx



Updated 24.12.2023

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

Return Address


xxxx


Botica de Santa Cruz

Pablo Schuster

Teodoro Meyer y Cia

Santos & Jahrling

Carlos Jahrling

Pharmedic Corporation

Business Handstamps


xxxxxx



Updated 24.12.2023

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Bloch%20y%20Grein/BlochyGrein-PPC2.jpgxxBloch%20y%20Grein/BlochyGrein-PPC2.jpg

Botica%20Sta%20Cruz/BoticaSantaCruz-PPC3.jpgxxBotica%20Sta%20Cruz/BoticaSantaCruz-PPC4.jpg

xxxx

xxxx

xx

Return Address




Seals / Labels





Botica Zobel

Farmacia Zobel

Jacobo Zobel

Business Handstamps


xxxx



Updated 02.06.2023

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Botica%20Zobel/BoticaZobel-PPC1.jpg

Return Address





C Fressel & Complany

Carl Fressel

Successors Under Management of George Ludewig

Business Handstamps


xxxx



Updated 02.06.2023

Return Address





Charles Karuth & Conrad Heinszen

C. Karuth & Company

Karuth, Heinszen & company

C. Heinszen & Company

H Bandmann

Business Handstamps


xx



Updated 02.06.2023

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Botica%20Zobel/BoticaZobel-PPC1.jpg

Return Address





C. Lutz & Company

Ed. A. Keller & Company

Charles Blum

(Refer also to Lutz, Moll & Company)

Business Handstamps


xxxxxx


xxxxxx






Updated 02.06.2023

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


�xx

�xx

Return Address


xxxx

xx xx


Camilo Granados

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Camilo%20Granados/CamiloGranados-PPC1.jpg



Updated 01.01.2023


Carmelo & Bauermann

Business Handstamps






Updated 18.06.2023


Casino Espanol

(US Period Usage)

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xxxx



Updated 25.02.2024


Cassels & Company

Cassels, Buchanan & Company

Printed Covers / Corner Cards






Updated 02.06.2023


Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China

The Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered Bank

Business Handstamps


xxxx

xxxx

xx



Updated 05.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Chartered%20Bank%20of%20India/CBOIA-CC2.jpg

Chartered%20Bank%20of%20India/CBOIA-CC1.jpgxChartered%20Bank%20of%20India/CBOIA-CC4.jpg

Chartered%20Bank%20of%20India/CBOIA-CC3.jpgxChartered%20Bank%20of%20India/CBOIA-CC5.jpg

Return Address


Chartered%20Bank%20of%20India/CBOIA-RA1.jpg

Seals / Lables


xx


Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas

La Tabacalera

Tabacalera Incorporada

Tabacalera de la Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas (Agent)

La Flor de la Isabela

Mira Perez (Agents of La Flor de la Isabela)

Hacienda Luisita

Business Handstamps


xxxx

xxxx

xx

xx



Updated 28.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Compania%20de%20Tabacos/CompaniaTabacos-PPC1.jpgxxCompania%20de%20Tabacos/CompaniaTabacos-PPC2.jpgg

Compania%20de%20Tabacos/CompaniaTabacos-CC1.jpgxxCompania%20de%20Tabacos/CompaniaTabacos-CC2.jpg

Compania%20de%20Tabacos/CompaniaTabacos-CC3.jpgxxCompania%20de%20Tabacos/CompaniaTabacos-CC4.jpg


Consulates and Embassies

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


Austrian & Hungarian Consulate

xx



Updated 10.02.2024

Seals / Labels




Business Handstamps


Belgian Consulate

xx



Updated 10.02.2024

Seals / Labels




Business Handstamps


British Consulate

xxxx



Updated 16.02.2024

Business Handstamps


Dutch (Netherlands) Consulate





Updated 11.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards




Business Handstamps


French Consulate

xx



Updated 10.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards




Business Handstamps


Italian Consulate





Updated 11.02.2024

Return Address


German Consulate





Updated 15.02.2024

Seals / Labels


xx

Business Handstamps


Spanish Consulate
(US Occupation)





Updated 16.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards




Business Handstamps


Swiss Consulate





Updated 10.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xx

Business Handstamps


United States Consulate





Updated 16.02.2024

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


xx

xx

xx


Domingo Burgos Dy-Yanco

Business Handstamps






Updated 01.03.2024


Domingo T Vilianfun

Business Handstamps






Updated 01.03.2024


Durr and Company

Business Handstamps






Updated 19.03.2024


El Espanol (Newspaper)

Printed Covers / Corner Cards


El%20Espanol/ElEspanol-PPC1.jpg



Updated 22.03.2024


El Oriente - Fabrica de Tabacos




Enrique Spitz

 

 

 

Estefeta de Campana

 

 

F L Roxas

 

 

 

F. M. Yap-Tico

 

 

F. de P. Rodoreda

Francisco de Paula

 

 

 

Fabrica "Colon"

J. C. Arenas

Business Handstamps



Updated 2022

Fabrica de Maria Cristina

 

 

 

Farmacia Central

 

 

Federico C. Schenkel

 

Stamp dealer known in Manila from 1895 through 1899 and into the 20th century

 

Felix y Emmanuel Ullmann

 

 

 

Findlay & Company

 

 

Findlay, Richardson & Company

 

 

Fochs & Company

 

 

 

Forbes, Munn & Company

 

 

 

Francisco Reyes and Company

 

 

Frohlich & Kuttner and Company

L Kuttner

Business Handstamps

xxxx





Updated 2022

Privately Printed Covers

Frohlich%20&%20Kuttner/Frohlich-PPC2.jpgxxFrohlich%20&%20Kuttner/Frohlich-PPC3.jpg

Frohlich%20&%20Kuttner/Frohlich-PPC4.jpgxxFrohlich%20&%20Kuttner/Frohlich-PPC5.jpg

Frohlich%20&%20Kuttner/Kuttner-PPC1.jpg

G. Armstrong

 

 

 

G. van Polanen Petel and Company

 

Shipping business. In 1875, was agent for Oosterling Sea and Fire Insurance Company. Known in the Manila from 1867 through 1881.

Adjust top centring and right width

Galan y Fuster

 

 

 

Gebruder Dorken in Gevelsberg

 

 

George McKenzie & Company

 

 

Germann and Company

 

A tobacco and cigar business in Manila from the 1870s through 1898. Also believed to be an insurance agent for Basler Versicherungs, Sweden.

 

Gsell & Company

Carlos Gsell

Philippine Match Company Ltd (PHIMCO)

Business Handstamps

xxxx



Updated 14.06.2023

Privately Printed Covers

xx

Gutierrez Hermanos

 

 

 

H & Company

 

Known with Perfins

 

H. Bandmann

Stamp dealer of German decent. Known in Manila in the 1880s and 1890s.

 

Heinszen & Company

 

 

Helios Fabrica de Tabacos

 

Tobacco business, known in Manila in 1894 and present into the 20th century.

 

Henry W. Peabody & Company

 

 

 

Hermann Hartmann

 

 

Herman Sander

 

 

 

Holliday, Wise & Company

 

 

 

Hollmann & Company

 

 

 

Hong Kong and Shangahi Banking Corporation

HSBC

Bank opened in Binondo, Manila in November 1875 by Charles Ilderton. The Iloilo branch was opened in April 1883 by John McNab.

 

Hoskyn & Company

 

 

 

International Telegraph Company

YTC

Known in Manila from 1881 through early 1890s. Believed to be a private firm under contract to the Government to operate the telegraph service in Manila during the 1880s.

 

J B Roxas

 

 

J. Codina and Company

Sans, Codina & Pedreno

Sans & Codina

Business Handstamps



Updated 2022

J.M. Tuason & Company

Business Handstamps

xx

xxxx



Updated 2022

Privately Printed Covers

xx

J. P. Rens

 

 

 

Jenny and Company

Known in Manila from 1865 through to 1875. Owned by Peter Jenny. Possibly mail forwarding agency.

 

Joaquin Barberra and Company

 

 

Joaquin V. Fernandez

 

 

Johnston, Gore-Booth and Company

Known in Manila in the 1880s. A W. Johnston and R. H. N. Gore-Booth were known in Manila in 1880.

 

Jorge Valdezco

 

 

Jose Crispulo Reyes

Known in Manila from 1875 through to 1887, and probably later.

 

Jose Reyes

 

 

Jose Juan de Ycaza

 

 

Jose Martinez

 

 

Juan Balbas y Ageo

Known in Manila from 1874 through 1886.

 

Juan Munoz

Known in Manila from 1864 through 1873.

 

Ker & Company

 

 

Koch and Brunner

In the sugar business. Known in Manila, Cebu and Iloilo in the 1880s and 1890s. Otto Kochs was with this firm in Cebu.

 

Kuenzle and Streiff and Company

Known in Manila in 1896 and into the 20th century.

 

L Eugster & Company

 

 

 

La Insular - Fabrica de Tabacos

 

 

Labarbe & Company

 

 

 

Labedan & Sertucha and Company

French origin and kown in Manila in the late 1870s and early 1880s.

 

Labhart and Company

L Eugster and Company

 

Known in Manila in the 1870s and 1880s. In 1875, this firm was agent for Transatlantic Fire Insurance Company of Hamburg in Manila. Also believed to be known as L. Eugster & Company, which was in Iloilo in the 1870s, but used the same Manila business handstamp.

 

Larrinaga & Echeita

 

 

Lutz, Moll & Company

Lutz & Company

F E Zuellig Inc

(Also refer to C Lutz & Company)

Privately Printed Covers



xx(more to be added)



Updated 20.06.2023


M Secker & Company

Secker & Company

Sombrereria Secker

Carlos Moritz y Cia

Juan Landahl

Business Handstamps


xx



Updated 02.06.2023

MacGavin, Grindrod & company

 

 

 

MacLeod and Company

 

Company was formed in 1870 and known in Manila, Cebu and Iloilo. Owned steamships and were involved in inter-island trade.

 

Manila Railway Company Ltd

 

 

Manuel Gena

 

 

Martin Buck and Company

 

Known in Manila from 1871 through 1898, and into the 20th century. Also known in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija.

 

Martin, Dyce and Company

Known in Manila from 1842 through 1898, and into the 20th century. In 1875 this firm was an agent for Merchants Marine Insurance Company Ltd. Two single lined oval cancel with Martin, Dyce and Co on top, blank in centre and Manila on bottom.

 

Matia Menchacatorre and Company

Known in Manila from 1843 through 1847.

 

Max Sprungli

 

 

Meerkamp & Nyssens

 

 

Menage Scientific Expedition

 

 

 

Motia (?) Menchatorre & Company

 

 

 

Munoz Hermanos

 

 

 

Nelson Harrmann & Company

 

 

Norman G. Schmidt

 

 

Oscar Wiget & Company

 

 

 

Oskar E. Roensch

 

 

Otto Hartmann

 

Possibly in the pharmaceutical business. Known in Jolo in 1890s.

 

P. Valentin Ventura

 

 

 

Pablo Escolar

Tableria de S. Miguel

 

 

Pedro Paig

Business Handstamps

Pedro%20Paig/PedroPaig-BH1.jpg



Updated 2022

Peele, Hubbell & Company

Po Gui Yao

 

 

Prehn & Company

 

 

R M Ongcakue

 

 

Ramirez y Giraudier

 

 

Remigio Garcia

 

 

Rodolfo Mayer

 

 

 

Roxas Reyes

 

RR&Co Perfins

 

Rueda y Ramos

 

 

Russell & Sturgis & Company

 

 

Samuel Bischoff

 

 

 

Smith Bell & Company

 

 

Soler y Ca

 

 

 

Sprungli & Company

 

 

Struckmann & Company

 

 

 

Sulzen & Company

 

 

T M Cue

 

 

Tillson, Herrmann & Company

 

 

 

Torrecilla & Company

 

 

Velasco Hermanos

 

 

 

Vicente Atienza

 

 

Vidal & Company

 

 

 

Vistas, Moreno & Company

 

 

 

W F Stevenson & Company

 

 

Warlomont

 

 

 

Warner Blodgett & Company

 

 

 

Wiget, Uebelhardt & Company

 

 

Wong Pok Hin

 

 

 

Y de la Rama y Hijos

 

 

 

Ynchausti & Company

 

 

Yu Quioc Joc

 

 

 

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Last Update: 22.03.2024