Zeppelin Mail -- Graf Zeppelin (Lz-127)

I've begin mounting my collection of Zeppelin items, and I thought I'd share here. Scans of mail items open to higher-res images. Scans of cancels don't.

First, the 1. Amerikafahrt (1st America Flight), 11 October - 1 November 1928.

On 11 October 1928, the Graf Zeppelin (LZ-127) departed Friedrichshafen for Lakehurst, NJ, on its first America Flight. It arrived on 15 October 1928, and remained until 29 October 1928, when it departed on its return flight. It arrived back in Friedrichshafen on 1 November 1928.

Mail from Germany can commonly be found with the 1928 Zeppelin airmail stamps (MiNr 423 & 424), as they were released less than 2 weeks prior to the flight's departure.

As of this date, the Graf Zeppelin did not yet have an on-board post office, so all mail was cancelled prior to being loaded. For mail on the Germany to Lakehurst leg, this was often the Graf Zeppelin's home in Germany, Friedrichshafen.



Mail on the Germany to America leg should have both a confirmation stamp (Bestätigungsstempel) in blue, violet, green, or red, and a board stamp (Bordstempel) in red.



This is a Zeppelin-Eckener-Spende fundraising postcard (Sieger Z-E-S b) containing stamp MiNr 423 and a Zeppelin-Eckener-Spende cinderella, Sieger Z-E-S XI b (more on the Zeppelin-Eckener-Spende in a future post!). It was canceled at Friedrichshafen, and carries both the confirmation and board stamps.



It catalogs as Sieger 21 A, Michel 7, and Frost 127-7. Here it is mounted in the album.

Next up, the 1930 Fahrt nach den Niederlanden (Flight to the Netherlands).

On 11 November 1930, the Graf Zeppelin (LZ-127) flew from Friedrichshafen to the Netherlands, then returned the same day.

Most outbound received either a Friedrichshafen or On-Board cancel.



Bordpost cancel is an example from a later flight.

All mail transported received a blue confirmation stamp.



In the Netherlands, mail was dropped at Venlo, receiving a violet arrival stamp.



Several pieces of mail failed to receive the arrival stamp, and upon request of the senders or receivers, were later stamped with a red version of the arrival stamp.

Return mail received a Venlo confirmation stamp similar to the arrival stamp, but with different wording.

This is stamp MiNr 364 X on postcard. It was canceled at Friedrichshafen on 10 November 1930, and dropped at Venlo on 11 November 1930.



It catalogs as Sieger 98 Aa, Michel 150 a, and Frost 127-97 Aa. Here it is mounted in the album.



This is stamp MiNr 382 on postcard. It was canceled on board on 11 November 1930, and dropped at Venlo on 11 November 1930.



It catalogs as Sieger 98 Ab, Michel 150 c, and Frost 127-97 Ac. Here it is mounted in the album.

Next up, the 1932 Fahrt nach den Niederlanden (Flight to the Netherlands).

On 18 June 1932, the Graf Zeppelin (LZ-127) flew from Friedrichshafen to the Netherlands, then returned the following day.

Most outbound received either a Friedrichshafen or On-Board cancel.



Friedrichshafen cancel is an example from an earlier flight.

All mail transported received a blue confirmation stamp.



The LZ-127 first stopped at Enschede, where mail was dropped and taken on board.



After exchanging mail at Enschede, the LZ-127 flew to Rotterdam, dropping mail at Groningen en route.



The LZ-127 departed Rotterdam late on 18 June 1932, arriving back in Friedrichshafen in the early hours of 19 June 1932.

This is postcard MiNr P180 I, Borek 179 a bearing stamps MiNr 379 and A 379. It was canceled at on board on 18 June 1932, and dropped at Enschede the same day.



It catalogs as Sieger 164 Ab, Michel 247 b, and Frost 127-151 1.B. Here it is mounted in the album.



This is postcard Frech PP 106 B16/04, Borek 87/B 6 bearing stamps MiNr 379, A 379, and 381. It was canceled on board on 18 June 1932, and dropped at Groningen the same day.



It catalogs as Sieger 164 Bb, Michel 248 I b, and Frost 127-151 2.Cb. Here it is mounted in the album.

PostmasterGS, thanks for sharing these. I have been fascinated by Zeppelin history for quite a while. I even got to ride on one, yes it was a semi-rigid airship, in 2010.

very nice post very nice cards

Next up, the 7th Südamerikafahrt (South America Flight) of 1933.

On 16 September 1933, the Graf Zeppelin (LZ-127) departed Friedrichshafen on its seventh Südamerikafahrt (South America Flight) of 1933.

It arrived in Recife, Brazil, on 19 September 1933, then proceeded to Rio de Janeiro, arriving on 21 September 1933. The same day, it began its return flight to Friedrichshafen via Recife and Seville, Spain.



All mail carried a blue confirmation stamp commemorating the flight.



Mail from Germany generally had either a Friedrichshafen, Berlin, or on-board cancel.



Mail postmarked in Berlin also carried a red confirmation stamp for the flight.



And here it is on the album page.

PostmasterGS, Thanks for this.

If I may, I have a question. I have three pieces that are, what I think, first flight. Two are postcards the other is a cover.

Postcards have the blue 2 Reichcmark Zeppelin stamp. The cover has the brown 4 Reichsmark stamp.
All are canceled with the Frieddrichshafen postmark, the blue oval mark and a New York Oct. 16th mark. None have the red bordstempel....?

One card and the cover are addressed to the same person in Brooklyn. The other card is addressed to a different person in Milwaukee.

Are these not authentic?

stampcrow,

After revisiting the catalogs and Google, I'm positive they can be found without the red Bordstempel. The catalogs aren't the model of clarity, and I can't figure out exactly the rhyme or reason behind the application of the Bordstempel.

Bot Sieger and Michel note that the red Bordstempel was applied to mail transported on the LZ-127 from 20 September 1928 to 15 November 1929. They further note that for the 1st Amerikafahrt, due to the lack of an on-board post office, mail was marked with the red Bordstempel before the mail drops. I took that to mean the mail should have the Bordsetmpel, but I now believe that to be incorrect.

Looking around the web, I'm seeing lots of items for sale/auction that don't have the red Bordstempel, and I know most are legit. Looking at the markings on those, I think the red Bordstempel was only applied to those items that were dropped en route, not to those that ended their trip at Lakehurst (Lakehurst mail should have an arrival stamp from New York, 16 Oct 1928, 10 A.M., other drops should have a cancel from the drop location).

The copy I posted above is therefore unusual in that it's a Lakehurst drop with the Bordstmpel that doesn't appear to have applied to Lakehurst mail as a matter of course. However, looking at the date of the Bordstempel and the addressee, it looks like the sender/receiver was a crewmember. He got the cinderella cancelled with the red Bordstempel on 9 Oct 1928, when the LZ-127 wasn't even in the air (it had a test flight on 8 Oct, then left for Lakehurst on 11 Oct). It was then properly canceled at Friedrichshaen on 10 Oct before being loaded.

So I think your items could be legit. Let's see them!

Here's the cover and one card. The cover has the New York Oct16 mark on the back. Same as the mark on the front of the postcard.

The red circular AN BORD DES LUFTSCHIFFES GRAF ZEPPELIN rubber stamp marking was first used on the Southwest Germany flight of the Graf Zeppelin on September 20, 1928 which was three weeks before the first transatlantic crossing flight of October 10. There were four additional mail carrying flights between the Sept. 20 and October 10 flights.

On the cover shown by PostmasterGS, I am thinking that the letter was not actually mailed on board because the 2RM stamp is cancelled by the ordinary Friedrichshafen post office air mail cancelation. This on board cancellation is on a cinderella stamp that was issued by the private Zeppelin fund raising committee to collect money through the sales of these cinderellas and various medals and trinkets to pay for the building of the Graf Zeppelin. One possibility is that perhaps the on board cancellation of this Cinderella was applied as a favor for the person who bought the stamp to contribute to the costs of building the airship?

They made the most money by moving mail, not passengers or other 'freight'. And like any business, they sought to maximize their profits. No telling how 'creative' they may have been in catering to the use of their services. I wonder if they had any clue that after almost 90 years people would still be making money on this stuff.
Don

In addition to PostmasterGS beautiful display of the June 1932 Netherlands flight. A card from Rotterdam to Friedrichshafen 18-19.06.1932 Michel number 249(b?) The cancel from Friedrichshafen was put on top of 2 already cancelled Dutch stamps so is a bit unclear. But I do believe it was the first time this cancel was used in Friedrichshafen. The blue windmill cancel is on the back.

Here's another copy of Sieger 164 B b from the 1932 Niederlandefahrt that I received in the mail today.



And on the album page...

Postmaster, your work reminds me of all the wonderful panels at the World Stamp Show!

stampcrow,

Since I know you're also a zeppelin collector, if you need any of the stuff I'm using on my pages or website (graphics, extracted postmarks, etc.), don't hesitate to say the word.

Postmaster/Stampcrow:

Regarding the red board stamp for the 1928 America Flight, both the Sieger and Michel catalogs show a premium if this stamp is on a piece of mail.

Sieger quotes a 20% premium over the normal catalog price. The normal catalog value for 21A (2RM stamp) and 21B (4RM stamp) is 100 Euros.

Michel provides for an extra charge of 250 Euros(!) for the red board stamp. The value for a normal 7 (with 2RM or 4RM stamp) is 120 Euros.

As a general rule, I have found that the Michel values are more closely related to actual market price than Sieger for most Zeppelin cards and covers.

As usual Postmaster, your materials rock!