GIANTS OF THE SKY
The Graf Zeppelin, Hindenburg and Graf Zeppelin II
One of the displays I give to clubs and societies is one titled ‘Giants of the Sky’. Part of this display includes material related to the German Zeppelin airships of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Although I specialize in postcard’s I do also have some envelopes which are included. I show all the mounted items here regardless of what they are. My main interest is carried mail, items which were transported, carried, on board the zeppelins and most of this display relates to this type of material. I do include a few interesting mint postcards as well and a couple of postcards with interesting and related cachets, mainly ones available to tourists and visitors to the Friedrichshafen hangers which were the home base of the zeppelins.
In most cases you get to see both sides of the cards and envelopes (where the reverse side or front is also interesting) – where the second image is a separate card or item, I will state this in extra text underneath the sheet, otherwise assume you are looking at both sides of the same article.
It has been a while since I posted a large selection in one go here, but this one is in my opinion worth doing as I am pleased with the selection I have managed to compile, especially as I was a late starter to this theme.
This sheet is a bit different as it shows zeppelin interaction with my home town of Southend. These two postcards obviously have a local interest, although the top postcard is an adapted image with the Graf Zeppelin superimposed over the major landmark in Southend.
The bottom card shows much earlier World War 1 bomb damage caused by a zeppelin.
Graf Zeppelin - Third 1932 South America Flight (S 150B)
Special illustrated Zeppelin mail card franked with three Danish airmail stamps (catalogued at £262 over 12 years ago), posted in Copenhagen and flown to Friedrichshafen via Berlin and by Graf Zeppelin to Brazil. Addressed to Asuncion, Paraguay. Has a special 'Berlin-Friedrichshafen' connecting flight cachet in red and a Zeppelin flight cachet in violet. The reverse side has a Paraguay arrival datestamp.
Reverse side of above Postcard:
Graf Zeppelin - Ninth 1932 South America Flight (S 195Ab)
Franked with 1 RM Zeppelin stamp and 40pf President Hindenburg issue and posted on board Graf Zeppelin during the flight to Brazil. Has a special orange Zeppelin flight cachet and Recife arrival datestamp - Addressed to A. Thasler, crew member on Graf Zeppelin.
Sixth1934 South America Flight (S270)
Graf Zeppelin.
Registered envelope with five paraguay stamps including '1934' overprinted 22.50 Pesos Zeppelin provisional; issue. Flown from Asuncion, Paraguay to Rio de Janeiro and by Graf Zeppelin to Friedrichshafen. Has specil boxed Paraguay Zeppelin flight cachet in blue and airmail label.