Bill of lading (sea freight letter) sent to the consignee in Denmark with the company’s own ship. Before the letter was placed in the captain’s folder on board, it was stamped with a Belgian 4 franc stamp which, upon arrival in Copenhagen, was neglected And the shipping company C. K. Hansen has franked with 50 + 5 øre = 55 øre. 15 øre was the rate for local letters on 0 – 20 g from  July 1st 1946 to June 30th 1952 and 40 øre for register. The stamp is cancelled June 16th 1952 with København 22.2 Bro Vd-2

The shipping company was founded on July 13, 1856 by Christian Kjellerup Hansen (1813-1868). In 1883 the Steamship Company “Dannebrog” was formed, which in 1915 merged with the “Steamship Company of 1896” and the Steamship Company “Neptune”, founded respectively. 1896 and 1901. Until 1967, C.K. Hansen Corresponding Owner of Dannebrog Shipping Company.

In its first years, the company was particularly successful as a carrier of bunker coal and also traded in salt. Only later, after C.K. Hansen’s death, came the shipping company. After Christian Kjellerup Hansen’s death in 1868, the company was continued by the sons Johan Hansen (senior) (1838-1913), who had become associate in 1857, and Consul Olof Hansen (1842-1897). The company then continued, still in the family’s ownership, under the leadership of Consul General Johan Hansen (junior) (1861-1943), who in 1897 joined as brother along with brother Robert Hansen (1863-1912).

Johan Hansen took special care of the shipping department, while his younger brother Robert took care of the company’s other departments. Under Johan Hansen’s enterprising leadership in the late 1890s and early 1900s, the company took C.K. Hansen made a big recovery, and for several years this company’s tram company was the largest in Denmark. In 1920 C.K. Hansen to be an agent for the Wilson line; in turn, it became an agent for other English shipping companies as well as for a number of Norwegian and Swedish shipping companies (the Wilhelmske and Broström lines).

After Johan Hansen’s death in 1943, C.K. Hansen’s Holders: C.J.C. Harhoff (1886-1966), Willie C.K. Hansen (1887-1949), Norman H. Hansen (1890-1962), Knud Hansen (1892-1968), Bennet C.K. Hansen (1914-1984) and Preben Harhoff (1911-1995). C.J.C. Harhoff was married to Robert Hansen’s daughter Rigmor Hansen (1888-1982) and had been employed as a secretary in the firm in 1910, a lawyer in 1912 and became co-owner in 1916. Willie C.K. Hansen was the son of Johan Hansen Jr., joined the family business in 1911, became a solicitor in 1912, took a citizenship in 1912 and became co-owner in 1916.

C. K. Hansen’s owners in 1940: In the middle is Johan Hansen Sr. Clockwise it is: Willie C.K. Hansen, Norman H. Hansen, Knud Hansen and C.J.C. Harhoff
The later known shipowner A.P. Møller worked in the company from 1904 until 1912, where he became a self-employed shipowner. Also Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller was in shipping teaching here 1930-32.

In 1950, the company had 13 ships with 51,000 tonnes deadweight and a tanker shipbuilding of 16,300 tonnes deadweight, delivered in June 1951. In 1912, the hitherto operated coal business as “A / S Copenhagen Bunkerkul Depot” was separated and in 1943 the stevedore department as “Copenhagen Stevedore” comp. “.

The company first had its headquarters on Esplanaden 15 (r. Toldbodvej 5) in G.F. Hetsch’s building from 1856 and later in the large building Amaliegade 35, built 1920-23 by Einar Madvig and Poul Methling. The Hetsch building was preserved in 1979. The original yellow brick wall has been painted white.