The Stamps of the German Empire

UC-NRLF 6165 3fi Sfifi G3P6 COo GIFT OF Lewis Bealer THE STAMPS OF THE GERMAN STATES By Bertram W. H. Poole PART I "Stamps of the German Empire" BADEN MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN BAVARIA MECKLENBURG-STREUTZ BERGEDORF OLDENBURG BREMEN PRUSSIA BRUNSWICK SAXONY HAMBURG SCHLESWIG-HOISTEIN HANOVER LUBECK WURTEMBERG HANDBOOK NUMBER 6 Price 35c PUBLISHED BY MEKEEL-SEVERN-WYLIE CO. BOSTON, MASS. i" THE STAMPS OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE BY BERTRAM W. H. POOLE AUTHOR OF The Stamps of the Cook Islands, Stamp Collector's Guide, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Sierra Leone, Etc. MEKEEL-SEVERN-WYLIE CO. HANDBOOK No. 6 PUBLISHED BY MEKEEL-SEVERN-WYLIE CO. BOSTON, MASS. GIFT OF FOREWORD. In beginning this series of articles little is required in the way of an intro- ductory note for the title is lucid enough. I may, however, point out that these articles are written solely for the guidance of the general collector, in which category, of course, all our boy readers are included. While all im- portant philatelic facts will be recorded but little attention will be paid to minor varieties. Special stress will be laid on a study of the various designs and all necessary explanations will be given so that the lists of varieties appearing in the catalogues will be plain to the most inexperienced collector. In the "refer- ence list," which will conclude each f chapter, only > s.ucji s. arfif>s; Hifl >e included as may; ie,'con&tfJdrekt ;"e,ssntial" and, as such,' coming 'within 'the scope of on the.'phJlaJtetist'lcoUeetijig' ^ene^l" lines. .V. .' I.* I ! : V: *: ; ; The' subject 'will be divided into "the four main sections under which the stamps are usually classified, viz : (a) the separate issues for the German States; (b) the issues for Germany proper; (c) German stamps overprinted for use in the foreign post-offices; and (d) the stamps for the German Colonies. THE STAMPS OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE. By BERTRAM W. H. POOL?. BADEN. The grand-duchy of Baden is a com- in the hands of the house of Thurn small paratively territory, having an and Taxis ; but the wars of the French area of 5,821 square miles and a popu- Revolution, followed by those of the lation of about two millions. It is First Empire, so dislocated the service bordered by the Rhine on the south and that Baden, in common with some of west, Wurtemberg on the east, and the other German States, withdrew Bavaria on the north. Until the early from the Thurn and Taxis monopoly, part of the 19th century it played an in- and established an independent postal significant part in European politics, but administration. Since December 31st, when Austria and Prussia were at war 1871, the separate administration of it sided with Austria. The results were Baden has ceased to exist, and the disastrous, for when the tide of battle Post Office is now under the control turned in favor of Prussia it found it- of the general postal administration self burdened with a huge war indem- of the German Empire. It was forced to remodel its nity. army So long as it continued to issue post- on Prussian lines and the North join age stamps of its own the currency of German Confederation. In the Franco- Baden was the florin, equal to about 40c, German war its troops fought on the divided into 60 kreuzer. German side, and in due time it be- came a part of the new German Em- pire. The grand-duchy has three votes in the Federal and elects four- Council, THE FIRST ISSUE. teen deputies to the Imperial Diet. The of Baden is a existing grand-duchy On April 6th, 1850, the governments continuation and development of the of Austria and Prussia established a ancient of Swabia or duchy Alemannia, Postal Convention for the interchange principally through the two dynasties of of correspondence at fixed rates and the margreaves of Baden-Baden and other German States were invited to Baden-Durlach. In 1803 the mar- ruling join the Union. Among other things of the united greave (1772) dynasties the Articles of this Convention stipu- was made an elector of the and empire, lated that, as a rule, correspondence in 1806 he himself a sov- proclaimed should be prepaid and that such pre- ereign grand-duke. The town of Baden payment should be effected by means of is world famous for its mineral waters postage stamps as soon as practicable. and baths. the virtues Though healing Baden at once agreed to join the Union of the waters were to the known Romans but as the sanction of the Legislative (Aquae Aureliae) it only came into re- Assembly was necessary before the as a health resort about a pute century grand-duchy could officially become a It has ago. a population of less than member matters were delayed until the 20,000, but it is estimated that its an- meeting of that body in the autumn of nual visitors amount to at least four 1850. The Legislative Assembly gave times that number. its consent and also sanctioned the issue In the of tracing philatelic history of postage stamps. In the meantime Baden in the "Adhesive Postage Stamps enquiries had been made regarding the of Europe" the late Mr. W. A. S. safest and most economical method of wrote : Westoby manufacturing stamps so that directly The postal administration of the legal enactment was given to the recom- Grand Duchy of Baden was formerly mendation to join the Union, the M80838 authorities were in a position to pro- sheets of fifty and the other values in ceed with the manufacture of suitable sheets of one hundred. The additional labels. It was decided to issue four electrotypes were so added that the values Ikr, 3kr, 6kr, and 9kr and Mr. horizontal rows contained ten instead C. Naumann, of Frankfort, was com- of nine specimens. missioned to engrave the dies while the A well authenticated error of the 9kr paper was obtained from a local paper- is known this being printed on the maker. It was decided that the most bluish green paper of the 6kr. It is economical method would be to print an exceedingly rare stamp and it is pre- all values in black but use paper of a sumed that only one sheet was printed. different color for each. Mr. Westoby Reprints of the Ikr, 3kr, and 6kr "the s were on were in 1867 to an states that ,die& engraved made and, except copper ui ^relief,- antt ^oheisied of two expert, these are very difficult to dis- of value; was in the from parts: thk numeral J tinguish originals. The shades centr^ on,a circular ground, the pattern differ slightly, the paper for the Ikr of \wjiifrirJ varfcit 1h; each value; while and 3kr is thicker and the gum is white for the rectangular, frame: was tfyi same and smooth instead of being brown and all the values." crackly like the gum on the originals. At the top we find "Baden" in German Care should, therefore, be exercised in capitals; at the bottom is "Freimarke", the purchase of unused specimens. meaning "Free stamp"; at the left is "Deutsch: Oestr : Postverein", signify- ing "German Austrian Postal Union"; and at the right is "Vertrag v. 6 April, 1850", meaning "Convention of April 6th, 1850". The latter date, as already explained, refers to that on which the Postal Union was established. The dies for the four values were completed by Naumann on Dec. 20th, c crence List. and 100 electrotypes were taken 1850, May 1st, 1851. Black on colored paper. from each of them, except of the Ikr Imperf. of which only fifty electros were cast. 1. Ikr on buff, Scott's No. 1. It was decided to print the Ikr in 2. 3kr on orange-yellow, Scott's Nos. 2 & 2a. 3. 6kr on green, Scott's Nos. 3 & 3a. sheets of 45, in five rows of nine, and 4. 9kr on lilac-rose, Scott's No. 4. the other values in sheets of 90, in ten rows of nine. The extra cliches were kept in reserve in case any of the others should become damaged or worn and THE SECOND ISSUE. have to be replaced. The paper was machine-made, wove, and differed in Another printing of the stamps of the color for each value. The paper for numeral type took place in 1853. The color of the Ikr not considered the Ikr was buff; that for the 3kr was being orange; that for the 6kr bluish green; satisfactory it was decided to print this and that for the 9kr was rose-red value on plain white paper. At the same to reduce the cost of showing a faint tinge of violet. The time, pro- additional cliches were stamps were imperforate. duction, fifty so that this value could be The stamps were printed by the made printed in sheets of 100 like the others of the University printer, Mr. Hasper, of series. In this the 3kr Carlsruhe, ordinary black printers' ink printing, also, and 6kr colors for being employed. By the end of Febru- exchanged though what reason is not clear unless there ary, 1851, a supply considered sufficient values to last a year was ready but for some was some idea that these might with the similar denomi- reason or other the stamps were not be confused nations for the of Wurtem- placed in issue until May 1st. The de- kingdom notice of the mand for stamps being much greater berg. No public change of colors was but the information than had been anticipated the first sup- given was to the in a ply was exhausted in less than three conveyed post-offices order dated as months and a further supply had to be general June 3rd, 1853, follows : printed.

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