Imperial Japan Military Stationary - 1936

IMPERIAL JAPAN WWII-era military/patriotic postal card (gunjū yūbin / egaki-hagaki) features a green postage stamp depicting Kusunoki Masashige on horseback (1.5 sen Kankō stamp) and an official Japanese pictorial postmark (fūkei-in) from the Ikoma Post Office (Ikoma-den, Nara prefecture) dated 23 April 1936  (Shōwa era).

The postcard was addressed in black calligraphy to a recipient in a military unit designation, likely 歩兵オムラ部隊 (Infantry Omura Unit) and 步兵砲隊 (Infantry Artillery Unit) who was stationed in 村瀬 銀蔵 (Murase Ginzou).

Murase Ginzou was a Japanese military medical/衛生 (sanitary) unit that served during the Second Sino-Japanese War, recorded in unit archives such as the 38th Division Sanitary Unit history (Dai-sanjūhachi Shidan Eiseitashi). Personnel like Murase Ginzou were tied to troop movements across China and Hong Kong operations following initial escalations that began with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria/Manchukuo.

At the bottom of the card is a handwritten message in red ink expressing prayers for good fortune in battle and safe return (buun chōkyū), visiting a local shrine (Kokufū/Ikutama shrine), signed by a sender from Gifu City (Miho Ota), alongside a colour print of a traditional Japanese court or deity figure holding a fan.

The reverse side of the postcard has two images: at the top, is a traditional stylised seal (Ten-sho) script; and at the bottom, a red commemorative stamp from Osaka railway Station (大阪駅) is dated 11. 4. 23 (23 April 1936 / Showa 11), overlaid on a stylised graphic design.

Postcards like this one were common in 1930s Japan as patriotic stationery sent to soldiers deployed in mainland Asia during the prelude to and during WWII.

DEUTSCHES REICH FLUGPOST 1919 and 1924

DEUTSCHES REICH FLUGPOST issued in 1919 a stylized flying horn emblem, which was the standard symbol for German airmail (Flugpost) at the time.

DEUTSCHES REICH FLUGPOST issued in 1919 a  40 Pfennig stamp, featuring a biplane and clouds.

These two stamps  were designed by Mathey and printed at the Government Printing Office in the Weimar Republic.

DEUTSCHES REICH FLUGPOST issued on 11th Jan 1924 a set of wood pigeon (IV) airmail stamps. 

Deutsches Reich First German Transport Exhibition 1925

DEUTSCHES REICH issued in 1925 official commemorative postal stationery (Ganzsache)  for the Deutsche Verkehrs-Ausstellung München 1925 (German Transport Exhibition in Munich). It was the first German Transport Exhibition, held at the Munich Theresienhöhe exhibition halls, which took place from 1 June till 12 October 1925,. It attracted nearly 3 million visitor. 

The stamp on the postcard featured a green 5-pfennig definitive stamp printed onto the card of the new imperial eagle ("Neuer Reichsadler"),  designed by Sigmund von Weech (1888–1982) who created prominent national symbols during the early Weimar Republic, succeeding the formal era of the German Empire. It was pre-printed or officially cancelled with an matching commemorative exhibition cachet stating "Deutsche Verkehrs-Ausstellung München".

It was marked in the bottom left corner as Karte VII (Card 7) published directly by the exhibition committee, meaning a series of cards were issued.

 The artwork on the front of the card was signed by the artist Max Eschle and featured a stylized Art Deco depiction of Hermes (Mercury) fastening his winged sandals. 

The postcard measured approximately 3.5" x 5.5" and was used to promote German transportation technology and engineering.

The First German Transport Exhibition (DVA)  was the first major exhibition in the German Reich after the First World War and drew nearly three million visitors, which was of enormous importance for German industry. In just five months in 1925, a huge number of export contracts were concluded for the supply of German steam locomotives and carriages, ships and automobiles, urban transport, cranes, and other equipment.

 It should be noted that without the industrial potential laid down in the 1920s, the German economic miracle of the mid-1930s would never have happened.

Deutsches Reich Eagles - 1924 and 1926

DEUTSCHES REICH issued these cover stamps from approximately 1924 through 1926: 

- In March and November 1924, definitive stamps were issued with a new imperial eagle ("Neuer Reichsadler") design by V. Weech. There seven One denominations/colours issued, of which one is shown here.

- On 1 April 1926, airmail stamps featured an eagle -- known as a "post-horn" or "flight" design -- created by Oskar Hermann Werner Hadank (O.H.W. Hadank) (1889–1965), an influential German graphic designer, trademark creator, and professor of commercial art in Berlin. Eight different eagle denotions/colours were issued, of which three are shown here.

This particular cover  was a registered letter (Einschreiben) sent from Munich (München) to Bedminster, New Jersey.

Magyar Posta "First Hungarian Philatelist Day" - 1924

MAGYAR POSTA initially issued on 4 April 1924 a set of four "Icarus" airmail stamps, depicting the mythical figure flying over Budapest. Two additional stamps with higher denominations were printed at a later date, on 16 June 1924.

The purple 3000 korona stamp features the Madonna and Child, consistent with the 1923 issue. The green 400 korona stamp shows the Budapest cityscape.

This particular postcard was franked with a variety of Magyar Kir. Posta (Royal Hungarian Post) stamps in denominations of 100, 400, 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Korona,  indicating it was sent shortly after the end of the Hungarian hyperinflation period, on 25 September 1924.

These stamps also appear to be cancelled in Esztergom, Hungary, with Légi Posta" (air mail) and "Par Avion" markings. 

This is a vintage 1924 postcard commemorated the "First Hungarian Philatelist Day" in Budapest. It featured an illustration of a seaplane flying over the city of Esztergom, Hungary.

Zone Francaise "Wappen" Stamps on "Glückwunsch Weihnachten" Postcard

ZONE FRANCAISE (Post-WWII French Occupation Zone of West Germany) issued between 1945 and 1947 the "Wappen" (coat of arms) series. The stamps depict the cost of arms for the German states of Baden, Württemberg and Rhinland Pfalz. This particular postcard bears a special postal cancellation dated 24 November 1947, from a "Weihnachtsmarkt" (Christmas Market) in Konstanz on Lake Constance (Bodensee). 

The illustration on the "Glückwunsch Weihnachten" (Christmas Greeting) postcard shows , "Engel in einer Gondel" (Angels Rowing about on a Gondola). The card likely portrayed a whimsical scene of angels rowing on Lake Constance, Baden, Germany. It was printed by Waldkirch, Göppert.