Austria 1900/1945 - Imperial and Royal Post

Philatelic overall information on these brands

Arrange the brands by eras, series, and types.

1. Classical Austrian issues (Imperial and Royal Post, about 1867–1918)
These stamps are the oldest in your collection.

Features:
- Inscription: K.K. ÖSTERREICHISCHE POST or KAIS. KOENIGL. OESTERR. POST
- Currencies: Kreuzer, later Heller
- Typical motifs:
- Double-headed eagle
- Imperial portraits (Franz Joseph I)
- Ornamental frames
- Many of your specimens have clean place cancelations (e.g., PRIBRAM, VIENNA), which increases collector value.

Special aspects:
- Koloman Moser and F. Schirnböck are famous designers/engravers → these stamps are artistically significant.
- Perfin hole cancellations → originate from company mail.

2. Transitional period & international currencies (c. 1890–1918)
You own stamps with:
- Centimes
- Piastre
- Kreuzer / Heller

These were used for foreign mail and offices abroad (e.g., Levant offices).
Very collectible, as many of these issues are rarer.

3. First Republic of Austria (1918–1938)
Here you have:

A) Ornament stamps with “ÖSTERREICH”
- Values: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 60
- Typical: fine frames, clear colors
- Some with PORTO overprint → postage due stamps

B) Airmail issues
You have several series:
- 15 / 20 / 25 Groschen (Cities & Landscapes)
- 50 Groschen (Mountain aircraft)
These are among the most popular Austrian airmail classics.

C) Winter Aid 1937/1938
- Motifs: Caregiver with child
- Surcharge stamps (e.g., 12+3, 24+6)
- Very interesting for social history

4. Second Republic (from 1945)
You have several complete or nearly complete series.

A) Coat of arms series (Eagle with hammer & sickle)
Values: 20, 24, 25, 30, 38, 42, 50, 60, 80 Groschen
This series is typical for the postwar period and very commonly collected.

B) Portrait Schilling stamps
- 1 Schilling
- 5 Schilling
Higher denominations → often used for foreign mail or registered mail.

C) Allied Military Post
You have stamps with the text ALLIED MILITARY POST → Occupation period 1945–1946
These are historically especially valuable.

5. Flower and welfare issues
- 24 Groschen red (mint condition)
- Greenish varieties stamped
Popular for the motif and the clean design.

6. German Reich stamps (DEUTSCHES REICH)
You have a complete sheet with:
- 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 20, 25, 35 Pfennig
- Various colors
- Many cleanly postmarked
These come from the period 1900–1920 and are a classic component of any Central European collection.

Summary of your collection
You own a broad, historically valuable and well-sorted collection that covers the following areas:

Austria, Imperial Austria
Austria, First Republic
Austria, Second Republic
Airmail
Postage due / Nachporto
Winter Aid
Occupation period (Allied Military Post)
German Reich issues
International currency stamps (Piastre, Centimes)

This is a very strong and versatile collection, impressive both historically and philatelically.

Austrian Stamps – Information Overview

Johann Strauss – 60 Groschen (Portrait stamp)
- Issue period: early 1950s
- Motif: Portrait of Johann Strauss (father or son depending on series; in your case, the tribute issue)
- Special features:
- One specimen is mint; the other canceled.
- The cancel is from the Vienna International Spring Fair, dated 14 March 1951.
- Collecting value:
- Mint: low to moderate
- Canceled with fairground special cancel: noticeably more interesting for thematic collectors (fairs, Vienna, music).

Austrian Airmail – Landscape and City Series

Airmail 15 / 20 / 25 Groschen
- Motif: Airplane over Austrian cities and landscapes
- Colors:
- 15 g – green
- 20 g – blue
- 25 g – brown
- Issue period: 1930s–1940s
- Special feature: popular classic airmail series, often collected by color and landscape.

Airmail 50 Groschen – Two variants
- Colors: brown & blue-gray
- Motif: airplane over mountains
- Both canceled, documenting postal use.
- Issue: also early airmail period, common in international airmail dispatches.

Republic of Austria – Coat of arms series (20–80 Groschen)
- Motif: Austrian coat of arms (eagle with hammer & sickle)
- Colors & values: 20, 24, 25, 30, 38, 42, 50, 60, 80 Groschen
- Issue period: 1945–1950
- Special features:
- Typical postwar issues
- Often used for necessity mail
- Color variations and plate differences interesting for specialists

Classical Austrian issues (1–60 Groschen, various colors)
- Motif: ornamental frames, some with “PORTO” surcharge overprint
- Time period: 1920s–1940s
- Special features:
- “PORTO” stamps = postage due stamps
- “Allied Military P…” = Allied occupation period after 1945
- Many values and colors → typical album material, but historically exciting

Schilling portrait stamps (1 & 5 Schilling)
- Motif: profile portrait
- Timeframe: 1950s
- Special feature: higher denominations, often used for registered mail or foreign postage.