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Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I'm sorry, the images are not good, but they are what I have.
Example from 1909 with Ship's Number
From 1900.
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07:50:57pm
Grok suggests:
German Colonies and Post Offices Abroad - Catalogue of Postmarks: Published by the German Colonies Study Group (available in English as of 2019), this resource details postmarks from German overseas territories and naval stations. While it focuses on colonies like Kiautschou or Samoa, it includes some naval postmarks from the late 19th century and might offer clues if your postmark originates from a colonial or overseas naval context.
Michel Catalogues: The German Michel stamp catalogues, particularly those covering Imperial Germany (Deutsches Reich) and its naval mail (Feldpost), provide detailed listings of postmarks, including some naval ones. These catalogues occasionally note numbered cancels linked to ships, though they don’t always provide a direct ship-to-number key.
Specialized German Philatelic Literature: Books like "Die Poststempel der Kaiserlichen Marine" (The Postmarks of the Imperial Navy) by authors such as Hans-Joachim Gless or works from the German Philatelic Society might offer insights. These are often in German and may require access to a philatelic library or society.
Roy
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Thank you, Roy.
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The catalog is in German; 2009 edition
The list is for Morocco; the value on the right is in Euro and is conditioned by the time period.
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In 1900 it seems that no.46 is for another ship or its name was changed later (sorry I can't help you).
China List:
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Excellent help! Thank you. Between this and an online site, I've identified all the ships in my collection. Wonderful.
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Thanks for posting these scans gerom.
It's interesting to see the changes in MSP number.
My only examples on complete postcards are from an earlier period (1898) when MSP 15 was the protected cruiser Kaiserin Augusta.
She went into reserve in 1907 so I guess MSP 15 was reassigned shortly after that (or, perhaps more likely, some time from 1902 onwards while she was overhauled.)
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Hi Nigel
Cancellation no. 15 was distributed to the following ships:
The time period I believe is only related to the appearance of the ships in one of the German colonies or foreign offices.
MSP 15 "Kaiserin Augusta" appears in Turkey in November 1897 and then in China from April 1898 to December 1901.
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Thanks gerom. That's fascinating information.
My interest in the Kaiserin Augusta is that she formed part of the international squadron formed in 1897 to protect Crete.
Germany and Austro-Hungary withdrew from the squadron relatively early so there is a fairly short period of involvement of their ships in the area.
I believe the Kaiserin Augusta was first stationed off Crete in February 1897.
My three cards are all from later that year and are cards from different sailors sent home to Germany.
These were posted from Phaleron (Greece) in October 1897, Chania (on her return to Crete) in November 1897 and Colombo (Ceylon) en route to China in December 1897.
The card from Colombo is a picture postcard showing scenes of Crete.
I see the MSP services as essentially travelling post offices assigned either to a naval ship while in service, or to a shipping route in the case of some merchant ships, rather than associated specifically with a colony or overseas office.
Many of these MSPs were associated with large naval ships with a significant complement of German sailors who would have generated a lot of post.
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Nigel, I'd love to see your cards. Would you please post them?
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05:06:19pm
Starting in sometime in the 19th Century naval postmarks contained a number, apparently to identify the ship. Is there a way to identify the ship from the number?
I'm sorry, the images are not good, but they are what I have.
Example from 1909 with Ship's Number
From 1900.
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BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
31 Mar 2025
07:50:57pm
re: German Imperial Navy Post
Grok suggests:
German Colonies and Post Offices Abroad - Catalogue of Postmarks: Published by the German Colonies Study Group (available in English as of 2019), this resource details postmarks from German overseas territories and naval stations. While it focuses on colonies like Kiautschou or Samoa, it includes some naval postmarks from the late 19th century and might offer clues if your postmark originates from a colonial or overseas naval context.
Michel Catalogues: The German Michel stamp catalogues, particularly those covering Imperial Germany (Deutsches Reich) and its naval mail (Feldpost), provide detailed listings of postmarks, including some naval ones. These catalogues occasionally note numbered cancels linked to ships, though they don’t always provide a direct ship-to-number key.
Specialized German Philatelic Literature: Books like "Die Poststempel der Kaiserlichen Marine" (The Postmarks of the Imperial Navy) by authors such as Hans-Joachim Gless or works from the German Philatelic Society might offer insights. These are often in German and may require access to a philatelic library or society.
Roy
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01:35:42am
re: German Imperial Navy Post
The catalog is in German; 2009 edition
The list is for Morocco; the value on the right is in Euro and is conditioned by the time period.
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01:52:20am
re: German Imperial Navy Post
In 1900 it seems that no.46 is for another ship or its name was changed later (sorry I can't help you).
China List:
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09:13:11pm
re: German Imperial Navy Post
Excellent help! Thank you. Between this and an online site, I've identified all the ships in my collection. Wonderful.
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re: German Imperial Navy Post
Thanks for posting these scans gerom.
It's interesting to see the changes in MSP number.
My only examples on complete postcards are from an earlier period (1898) when MSP 15 was the protected cruiser Kaiserin Augusta.
She went into reserve in 1907 so I guess MSP 15 was reassigned shortly after that (or, perhaps more likely, some time from 1902 onwards while she was overhauled.)
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09:16:54am
re: German Imperial Navy Post
Hi Nigel
Cancellation no. 15 was distributed to the following ships:
The time period I believe is only related to the appearance of the ships in one of the German colonies or foreign offices.
MSP 15 "Kaiserin Augusta" appears in Turkey in November 1897 and then in China from April 1898 to December 1901.
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re: German Imperial Navy Post
Thanks gerom. That's fascinating information.
My interest in the Kaiserin Augusta is that she formed part of the international squadron formed in 1897 to protect Crete.
Germany and Austro-Hungary withdrew from the squadron relatively early so there is a fairly short period of involvement of their ships in the area.
I believe the Kaiserin Augusta was first stationed off Crete in February 1897.
My three cards are all from later that year and are cards from different sailors sent home to Germany.
These were posted from Phaleron (Greece) in October 1897, Chania (on her return to Crete) in November 1897 and Colombo (Ceylon) en route to China in December 1897.
The card from Colombo is a picture postcard showing scenes of Crete.
I see the MSP services as essentially travelling post offices assigned either to a naval ship while in service, or to a shipping route in the case of some merchant ships, rather than associated specifically with a colony or overseas office.
Many of these MSPs were associated with large naval ships with a significant complement of German sailors who would have generated a lot of post.
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04:45:41pm
re: German Imperial Navy Post
Nigel, I'd love to see your cards. Would you please post them?
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