World Postal Stationery, Part 2

British India, 1879

It is Br. India 1879 1½A Vic. Curação blue on buff postal card (Higgins and Gage A2/Lang CL1/Ascher 2/Bright 551/Lowe CP3/Cooper C3/Jain P2/Neurgãokar PC2) (12.1cm×8.6cm), printed by Thomas de la Rue and Company, London, England and issued on Jul 1,1879.

Leeward Islands, 1891

I just added two used exemplars of the world's first postal card to my collection. One was mailed from Vienna on 4 March 1871, the other from Trieste on 2 September 1871. Both are addressed to the same firm in Sisak, now in Croatia.




It would be more accurate to say "one of the world's first postal cards," since three different cards were issued in Austria-Hungary on 1 October 1869. The cards shown above are both examples of Austria #1 (I'm using Ascher's numbers; Higgins & Gage are the same, I believe). The defining characteristics of this card are the Austrian coat of arms and German text, including notes at the top and bottom of the back. These notes distinguish #1 from cards with an identical front that were issued in later years.

The other two cards issued on the same day are Hungary #1 and #2. Hungary #1 is identical to Austria #1, except that it has the Hungarian coat of arms on it, rather than the Austrian. Hungary #2 is identical to Hungary #1, except that the text is in Hungarian, rather than German.

Hungary #1 appears on this 2019 Serbian stamp, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the postal card:

Hungary #2 appears on this 1969 Hungarian stamp, commemorating the 100th anniversary:

Here is a wartime postal card (Mi #P100) from Roma to Caltanissetta, Sicilia. Cancel and letter are dated 29.XII.42. Cancel and written date on back also include "XXI", signifying 21st year of government by the fascists.

"Vinceremo"/"we will win" slogan is on the left. Violet censor #43 inscription is too light to make out.

These "printed to private order" airmail postal cards of West Germany and Berlin commemorate the 30th anniversaries of both the FRG and the Germany Philatelic Society (USA). They were printed on a slick card stock, and oddly, the gold printing is oxidizing on the favor cancelled cards (shown here) but not on the unused cards.

Here is another West German "printed to private order" postal card. This one advertises/commemorates Finland's postal service (PTT) at the Nordposta '79 Stamp Show in Hamburg on November 10-11, 1979. In addition to the Finnish lake scene cachet, the stamps/indica have a special "Finland at Nordposta" cancel, and cancels from Finnish PTT and British Forces Postal Service in Hamburg.

This Berlin "printed to private order" 15pf postal envelope (Mi #PU30-2) advertises the NAPOSTA Stamp Show held in West Berlin (August 29 to September 1, 1963). Several months later, it was used as partial franking for international mail to Philadelphia, PA, USA.

The long wave UV pic shows the tagging band on the left side of the indicum.

Opinions please on this Queensland card. Does this look genuine? The paper has the appearance of age, but the quality of the printing is quite poor compared to other postal cards of the era.

I think it's genuine, but a late example printed with a very worn plate. Ascher's catalog has the following note regarding this particular card:

"Die Anschriftlinien verschwinden infolge Abnutzung der Druckplatten immer mehr; es finden sich aber auch noch auf Stücken, die man für unliniiert hält, feine Spuren hiervon vor." (The address lines disappear more and more due to wear on the printing plates; fine traces of them are found even on pieces that are regarded as unlined.)

I can see a very faint trace of a line about a quarter of the way up from the bottom border.

I say, Greg, that is one mighty fine Postcard.
Not seen before.
State Postcards are not listed in the Brusden White I have.
Only after Federation.

Western Australia's earliest Postcard
Sold 1993 $150


Postcard returned
Crewkerne Somerset
8miles from my hometown.

Nabha, 1898

Japan, 1876 (Ascher #12 Type II, Sakura #PC14).

The wet ink from the back of the card stacked on top of it has unfortunately left some traces on the address side of the card. The message side has been privately printed with two photos and captions describing them. One photo is of the famous "floating" torii gate on Itsukushima (Miyajima), which I visited in 2015. The other is of a Nihon bijin, which the typesetter, failing to mind his p's and q's, erroneously Englished as "Jaqanese laby" (and yes, that's why I had to buy this card).

Yes, somebody was careless, and in a hurry with their type.

Once I visited a bookbinder who had miscellaneous type scattered around his work tables. Made me cringe.