My Postcards & Covers

GERMAN POST OFFICES ABROAD
POSTCARDS of CHINA

VORLAUFER
(Forerunner)

A Vorlaufer or 'forerunner' refers to postage stamps, i.e. postal stationery from the North German Post Office or the German Reichspost, which were used by the German post offices abroad and the colonies without special identification until their own postal stationery was issued for the individual areas. You can only recognize them by their cancellations. For VP8, VP9. VP14 and VP15 the pre-printed stamp is one inscribed 'pfennig'.

MICHEL VP8, VP9, VP14 & VP15

VP8 - 10RPf red

VP9 - 2x 10RPf red This is a reply card so they are found intact (with both halves still joined) or separated (only 1 half is present)

VP14 - 10RPf red

VP15 - 2x 10RPf red. This is a reply card so they are found intact (with both halves still joined) or separated (only 1 half is present)

OTHER VORLAUFERS

VP20, VP24, VP28, VP30, VP32 and VP36 are vorlaufer that have green pre-printed, 5RPf crown / eagle stamps. VP21, VP25 and VP35 have carmine, pre-printed 10RPf crown / eagle stamps. VP23 and VP27 are answer cards with 2 carmine pre-printed 10RPf stamps.

Sample 10RPf crown / eagle Vorlaufer postcard

Michel P1 to P8
Crown Eagle Stamp
diagonal 'China' Overprint

Michel P1A

Printed 1898. Slanted, black overprint "China" on postcards of the German Reichspost. This postcard features a green 5RPf crone/adler (crown/eagle) stamp, without overprint, but with a watermark. This postcard measures 147 x 84mm.

Mi P1A - 5RPf green

Michel P1B

Printed 1898. Slanted, black overprint "China" on postcards of the German Reichspost. This postcard features a green 5RPf crone/adler (crown/eagle) stamp, without overprint or a watermark. This postcard measures 148 x 115mm.

Mi P1B - 5Rpf green

Michel P2

Printed 1898. Slanted, black overprint "China" on postcards of the German Reichspost. This postcard features a carmine, 10RPf crone/adler (crown/eagle) stamp with date and letter but no watermark.

Mi P2
10RPf carmine

Michel P3

Printed 1898. Slanted, black overprint "China" on postcard of of the German Reichspost. This postcard features two green 5RPf crone/adler (crown/eagle) stamps, with print date and letter but without a watermark. The postcard comes in two sections, the initial postcard and an additional answer card to be used by the recipient of the postcard to make a reply.

Mi P3 - 2x 5RPf green

Michel P4

Printed 1898. Slanted, black overprint "China" on postcard of of the German Reichspost. This postcard features two carmine 10RPf crone/adler (crown/eagle) stamps, with print date and letter but without a watermark. The postcard comes in two sections, the initial postcard and an additional answer card to be used by the recipient of the postcard to make a reply.

Mi P4 - 2x 10RPf carmine

Michel P5

Printed 1899. The same as P1 to P4 above without watermark or date and letter. This postcard features a green, 5RPf crone / adler stamp.

Mi P5 - 5RPf green

Michel P6

Printed 1899. The same as P1 to P4 above without watermark but with date and letter. This postcard features a carmine, 10RPf crone / adler stamp.

Mi P6 - 10RPf carmine

Michel P7II

Printed 1898. Slanted, black overprint "China" on postcards of the German Reichspost. This postcard features a carmine, 10RPf crone/adler (crown/eagle) stamp with date and letter but no watermark.

Mi P2
Reply Card
2x 5RPf carmine

Michel P8

Printed 1899. Slanted, black overprint "China" on postcard of of the German Reichspost. This postcard features two carmine 10RPf crone/adler (crown/eagle) stamps, with print date and letter but without a watermark. The postcard comes in two sections, the initial postcard and an additional answer card to be used by the recipient of the postcard to make a reply.

Mi P8 - 2x 10RPf carmine

Michel P9
Germania Stamp
Tientsin Temporary edition
sloping handstamp 'China'

Mi P9 - 10RPf carmine

P10 to P13
Germania Stamp
horizontal 'China' Overprint

Michel P 10

Mi P 10 - 5RPf green

Michel P11

Mi P11 - 10RPf carmine

Michel P12

Mi P12 - 2x 5RPf green

MICHEL P13
REPLY CARD

Michel P13
Reply Card
2x 10RPf, carmine

Michel P14 to P19
Germania Stamp
horizontal Rosettes
'China' & 'Cents' Overprint

Michel P14

This postcard was printed from 1905 to 1919 and measures 140 x 90mm. The stamp is a green 5Rpf Germania pre-printed stamp.

Mi P14 - 2 Cents on 5RPf green

Michel P15

This postcard was printed from 1905 to 1919 and measures 140 x 90mm. The stamp is a carmine 10Rpf Germania pre-printed stamp. P15 exits in two versions: Version P15X has a watermark and version P15Y is without watermark.

Mi P15X - 4 Cents on 10RPf carmine

Mi P 15Y - 4 Cents on 10RPf carmine

Michel P16

Mi P16 - 2 Cents on 5RPf green

Michel P17

Mi P17 - 4 Cents on 10RPF rose

Michel P18

Mi P18 - 2 Cents on 5RPf green

Michel P19

Mi P19 - 2 Cents on 5RPf green