BADEN
The Postal History of Mannheim
Quotations used are taken from the Ewald Graf handbooks
Introduction
MANNHEIM, first mentioned in the year of 766 in a document of the monastry at Lorch near Worms, was then and remained for centuries a small fishing village.
Kurfürst Friedrich IV, Elector of the Palatinate, conferred City rights upon the village on January 24, 1607 and started to build a quadratic City inside of fortifications. A large castle, the "MANNHEIMER SCHLOSS" was started in 1720 by Kursfürst Karl Philipp.
Mail from and to the city was serviced by the House of Thurn and Taxis until 1806 at which time the postal service in the new Grand-Duchy of Baden became property of the State. Mannheim, the largest city in the State, was selected second capital (Hauptstadt).
BADEN stamps were used from May 1, 1851 until December 31, 1871, when the Grand-Duchy gave up its postal autonomy to the Kaiserliche Deutsche Reichspost.
The Pre-adhesive Period
cover 1711-1859 The outstanding exhibition collection to which has been added various unmounted items purchased just prior to Mr Fischel's death. The whole represents a compresensive study of the pre-philatelic postal system of Mannheim and includes an early map of the City (c. 1730), 1711 entire letter dated 27 March and annotated "Franco" and "Per Bote recommandiert" (one of the earliest recorded letters written from Mannheim), 1717 entire letter to Worms annotated "Cito" and showing a good impression of the partially albino "DE MANNHEIM" h.s. (0871), the earliest recorded example of a letter serviced by the House of Thurn and Taxis and accompanied by an Ewald Graf Certificate, 1726 "Court" letter (very early) signed by Kurtfürst Karl Philipp, 1726-99 entire letters (6) showing "DE MANNHEIM" h.s. (0872, 0873, 0877) -- one to Paris and showing rare "D'ALLEMAGNE" h.s. (710), 1768 envelope (very early) with enclosed letter and 1769 entire letter both with "de Mannheim" in manuscript, 1784 entire letters (2) showing "VON MANNHEIM" h.s. (0879), 1788-93 entire letters (5) with "V MANNHEIM" h.s. -- several types, thereafter a quite complete range of "MANNHEIM", "R.1. MANNHEIM", script "Manheim" (including one struck in black), circular and boxed "MANNHEIM d.s. with many items addressed abroad and showing interesting route markings; also included is a fine 1805 Napoleonic entire letter from Mannheim showing "8E DON/ARM DE RHIN" h.s. in green (about 150 items)
Details
cover 1711-1859 The outstanding exhibition collection to which has been added various unmounted items purchased just prior to Mr Fischel's death. The whole represents a compresensive study of the pre-philatelic postal system of Mannheim and includes an early map of the City (c. 1730), 1711 entire letter dated 27 March and annotated "Franco" and "Per Bote recommandiert" (one of the earliest recorded letters written from Mannheim), 1717 entire letter to Worms annotated "Cito" and showing a good impression of the partially albino "DE MANNHEIM" h.s. (0871), the earliest recorded example of a letter serviced by the House of Thurn and Taxis and accompanied by an Ewald Graf Certificate, 1726 "Court" letter (very early) signed by Kurtfürst Karl Philipp, 1726-99 entire letters (6) showing "DE MANNHEIM" h.s. (0872, 0873, 0877) -- one to Paris and showing rare "D'ALLEMAGNE" h.s. (710), 1768 envelope (very early) with enclosed letter and 1769 entire letter both with "de Mannheim" in manuscript, 1784 entire letters (2) showing "VON MANNHEIM" h.s. (0879), 1788-93 entire letters (5) with "V MANNHEIM" h.s. -- several types, thereafter a quite complete range of "MANNHEIM", "R.1. MANNHEIM", script "Manheim" (including one struck in black), circular and boxed "MANNHEIM d.s. with many items addressed abroad and showing interesting route markings; also included is a fine 1805 Napoleonic entire letter from Mannheim showing "8E DON/ARM DE RHIN" h.s. in green (about 150 items)