Gallery

 

The airmail stamps
Right from the beginning of airmail trade from Danzig in the Autumn of 1920 special airmail stamps were available. As a result of this one can also find airmail stamps in use on normal sendings. One can also even find them used on parcel cards. Whilst the function of the first issue can only be distinguished by the figurative design of the overprint, the later issues are distinguished for the first time by the incorporation of the word “Flugpost” into the stamp’s design. It was not until the last two issues that the function was designated by use of the word “Luftpost”.

As already mentioned in the Foreword, loose airmail stamps from the inflation period are very commonly found cancelled to order, and whilst they are not actually considered as forged cancellations, amongst these are backdated, genuine cancellations. This goes by and large for Michel Nos. 1.77 - 180. which were only in circulation for a few days. Indeed it is more or less impossible to get hold of the printing error Michel No. 180F genuinely used. It is just as difficult to get loose stamps as it is to get “infla-echt” covers with these on.

Of those cancelled stamps shown to me. some are dated before the actual date of issue and some are dated after they were withdrawn from circulation. Prudence is thus necessary .

The Expertiser for Danzig (stamps and cancellations) is the building director Mr. Gerhard Schüler, 2 Hamburg 19, Fruchtallee 109. (Now deceased].

During the course of the years 1920 to 1939, nine series of airmail stamps were issued in Danzig totalling altogether 40 values, including a special stamp in a miniature sheet for DAPOSTA 1937. Besides this the airmail collector would not want to rule out the special stamps issued for LUPOSTA 1932. the International Airmail Exhibition, even though they do not bear the designation “Flugpost”.

1st issue
29th September 1920                                        Provisional issue on definitive stamp No.6 with coloured overprint of new value and stylised air motifs.

Serial No.        Michel No.                   Value                      Colour                Overprint
1                                 50                      40 on 40 Pf.               Carmine                  Blue
2                                 51                      60 on 40 Pf.               Carmine                  Red
3                                 52                    1 Mark on 40 Pf.        Carmine                  Blue

Numbers issued: Nos. l  to  3.   40,000 each

There are various plates of the overprint. The low grade material used at the time for these plates led to numerous plate flaws, of which the positions are known. It would take too long to go into this further here. There are more indeed than there are listed in the Michel catalogue. A detailed study of these can be found in the journal of the Arge Danzig in BDPH.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 62 - January - February - March - 1989, Page 9.