Die postalischen Verhältnisse in Hamburg. Hamburg-Philatelie 1859–1867

The last significant monograph on Hamburg was that of Dr Ernst Meyer-Margreth (1965), devoted exclusively to postmarks. Florian Berger approached the subject in a more fundamental and broader manner, as seven postal administrations were active in Hamburg between 1859 and 1867, which resulted in numerous highly captivating frankings featuring the rare Schilling stamps, issued in 1859.

What impresses in this book is the abundance and precision of the postal-historical context: extensive tables for converting Silbergroschen into other currencies, additional tables for Danish skilling into Hamburg schilling, reproductions of regulations and announcements, etc. Stamps and postal stationery, as well as the postmarks for each postal administration/head post office, are all dealt with in detail. The same applies to the destinations for which each of these offices was responsible.

It is a foundational work, indispensable to anyone wishing to engage more deeply with the Hamburg collecting area. Clear, accessible text and the wealth of illustrative material are appealing, as is the high-quality printing on fine art paper.

The 196-page book is available from the publisher at info@heinrich-koehler.de

[Summary based on text available at aphv.de]

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