Need Help On German Stamps

Could you please help with a date on the following stamps. I'm pretty sure they're German, but that's about all. Also, is the third one (Private Post) an actual stamp??
Thanks for all your help!
Donna

The top two are stamps of the HANSA private postal service in Berlin. The HANSA post operated from 24 November 1886 until 15 February 1887. The stamps are Michel #1 & #2, issued 24 November 1886. Catalog value is €.50 each for MH.

The third is from the Lloyd private postal service, which ran in the suburbs of Berlin from 18 August 1886 until October 1886 (letters) and May 1887 (bulk mail). The stamp is Michel #2, issued 18 August 1886. Catalog value is €.50 for MH.

Wow! I didn't think they were that old. They really are in great shape
Thanks, you guys are so knowledgeable and I'm so envious! But I'm learning more everyday because of this forum - it's so great!
Donna

Thanks to PostmasterGS for the info - found the thread in an SCF search on "Lloyd Loca". I have this cut out from what seems to be some kind of postal stationary, thin paper though, and the "stamp" isn't printed in the top right corner as one might expect. The pic in the original post has disappeared, so I can't compare the two.



I have a copy of Michel, also courtesy of PostmasterGS however I can't find the reference he quoted. Maybe I don't have a specialised enough version? Maybe I have Katalog-blindness!

Anyone know how Lloyd - a Welsh name - came to be use in 1880's Berlin?

Yes, this is from the same Berlin company "Deutsche Privat-Post LLOYD" which PostmasterGS mentioned. This imprinted stamp has the same design as the adhesive stamps.

The stamps are listed in "Michel Spezial-Katalog der deutschen Privatpostmarken". This doesn't list postal stationery in detail but it notes that there was a postcard issued with this impressed 2 pf stamp.

"Lloyd" was used in a number of European companies based, I guess, on the fame of Lloyds of London and the earlier Lloyd's coffee house.

The two main ones that I can think of are Norddeutscher Lloyd (now Hapag Lloyd) and Austrian Lloyd.

As Nigel stated, the information originally provided came from Michel's Privatpostmarken catalog. The Privatpostmarken catalog doesn't include postal stationery, however. For that, you'd need Müller's Ganzsachenkatalog der deutschen Privatpost (Postal Stationery of the German Private Post). I could look it up for you, but I just moved and my books haven't arrived yet. Remind me in a month or so and I should be able to get you the details.

Thankyou, PostmasterGS!

stampgal,

There is a postal stationery card listed for this issue, but the more I look at it, I don't think that's the answer. As you said, the stamp isn't in the proper position and the paper is thin, neither of which is indicative of a postal stationery card.



So... how about this? With regard to the stamp (as opposed to the stationery), Michel lists three main types:

1. Mi 1 -- The basic, postally used issue, perf 11 1/2.
2. Mi 1U -- Imperf, never postally used.
3. Mi 1N -- A "Neudrucke" (new printing), never postally used, no gum, slightly lighter color.



You could have a corner piece from an imperf sheet. If it doesn't have gum, it's likely the Neudrucke.

Also, the "cancellations" appear to be someone testing a modern date stamper rather than trying to legitimately cancel the stamp with a correct canceler for the period.