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General Philatelic/Identify This? : Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

 

Author
Postings
BWSchulz

15 Aug 2019
08:33:17pm
I have a specialized collection of Frankfurt am Main as a City State. Frankfurt did not issue its own stamps,and its mail was handled by Thurn and Taxis. So before T and T issued its own stamps, all Frankfurt postage is noted by cancellation and transit stamps. The postal clerks noted amount paid and other information by pen marks on the front of the cover. These evolved over time. My earliest example is from 1793. The cancellation is a straight-line stamp. A circular date stamp was introduced in the early 19th Century. There are several designs. When T and T stamps and pre-stamped stationary was introduced Frankfort mail was cancelled with a 'target' cancel and the number 220.

The example below is T and T stationary, mailed in 1866. It has the 200 cancel. It is intra-city mail. It has a rubber stamped notation, and it is this that is puzzling me. Do any of you know what the notation means? It reads:

Frankfurt A. M.
Postexpr No. 4

This is followed by a date and hour notation.

Image Not Found

Image Not Found


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DaveSheridan
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15 Aug 2019
08:49:22pm
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

I imagine AM is Am Main, but I can't read the next line on this scan

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BWSchulz

15 Aug 2019
08:50:30pm
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

The next line is as I typed it into the post.

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michael78651

15 Aug 2019
09:08:47pm
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

The "Am Main" refers to the river where Frankfurt is located.

"Frankfurt on the Main River" is a literal translation.

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DaveSheridan
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15 Aug 2019
09:16:10pm
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

I saw what you typed, but it doesn't look like POSTEXPR to my eye, more POSTENPER

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michael78651

15 Aug 2019
09:23:16pm
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

I wonder if "POSTENPER" stands for "POSTENPERSONEN", which would basically mean "Postal Clerk" Number 4.

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BWSchulz

15 Aug 2019
10:01:48pm
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

Dave and Michael,

I believe you are correct. Thanks for your help.

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nigelc
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16 Aug 2019
07:21:47am
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

Hi BWSchulz,

I read this as:

FRANKFURT A.M.
POSTEXPED No. 4

where "POSTEXPED" is an abbreviation for "Postexpedition".

In many German states a postexpedition was a smaller post office or postal agency subordinate to a regular post office.

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BWSchulz

16 Aug 2019
10:51:33am
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

Nigel,

Excellent!

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michael78651

16 Aug 2019
11:06:33am
re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

We're going to have to call Nigel, "Eagle Eye"!

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Author/Postings
BWSchulz

15 Aug 2019
08:33:17pm

I have a specialized collection of Frankfurt am Main as a City State. Frankfurt did not issue its own stamps,and its mail was handled by Thurn and Taxis. So before T and T issued its own stamps, all Frankfurt postage is noted by cancellation and transit stamps. The postal clerks noted amount paid and other information by pen marks on the front of the cover. These evolved over time. My earliest example is from 1793. The cancellation is a straight-line stamp. A circular date stamp was introduced in the early 19th Century. There are several designs. When T and T stamps and pre-stamped stationary was introduced Frankfort mail was cancelled with a 'target' cancel and the number 220.

The example below is T and T stationary, mailed in 1866. It has the 200 cancel. It is intra-city mail. It has a rubber stamped notation, and it is this that is puzzling me. Do any of you know what the notation means? It reads:

Frankfurt A. M.
Postexpr No. 4

This is followed by a date and hour notation.

Image Not Found

Image Not Found


Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Members Picture
DaveSheridan

15 Aug 2019
08:49:22pm

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

I imagine AM is Am Main, but I can't read the next line on this scan

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.b1d.com/store/gl ...
BWSchulz

15 Aug 2019
08:50:30pm

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

The next line is as I typed it into the post.

Like
Login to Like
this post
michael78651

15 Aug 2019
09:08:47pm

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

The "Am Main" refers to the river where Frankfurt is located.

"Frankfurt on the Main River" is a literal translation.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
DaveSheridan

15 Aug 2019
09:16:10pm

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

I saw what you typed, but it doesn't look like POSTEXPR to my eye, more POSTENPER

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.b1d.com/store/gl ...
michael78651

15 Aug 2019
09:23:16pm

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

I wonder if "POSTENPER" stands for "POSTENPERSONEN", which would basically mean "Postal Clerk" Number 4.

Like
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this post
BWSchulz

15 Aug 2019
10:01:48pm

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

Dave and Michael,

I believe you are correct. Thanks for your help.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
nigelc

16 Aug 2019
07:21:47am

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

Hi BWSchulz,

I read this as:

FRANKFURT A.M.
POSTEXPED No. 4

where "POSTEXPED" is an abbreviation for "Postexpedition".

In many German states a postexpedition was a smaller post office or postal agency subordinate to a regular post office.

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
BWSchulz

16 Aug 2019
10:51:33am

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

Nigel,

Excellent!

Like
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this post
michael78651

16 Aug 2019
11:06:33am

re: Thurn and Taxis - Frankfurt Cancel Puzzle

We're going to have to call Nigel, "Eagle Eye"!

Like
Login to Like
this post
        

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