Graf Zeppelin carried a great deal of mail, including first flight covers and other philatelic covers desired by stamp collectors (who provided much of the financing for the German zeppelins), as well as commercial mail sent by zeppelin because it was the fastest way to send correspondence overseas at the time.
Note: The “Sieger numbers” mentioned below refer to the Zeppelin Post Katalog published by the Sieger-Verlag of Lorch/Wurttemberg. The Sieger catalog is invaluable not just as a philatelic reference to zeppelin mail, but also as a historic resource, since the catalog contains a comprehensive list of all flights by German commercial zeppelins from LZ-1 through LZ-130.
First flight of Graf Zeppelin from Germany to United States, October 11-15, 1928. (Sieger 21B)
First flight of Graf Zeppelin from United States to Germany, October 29 – November 1, 1928. (Sieger 22B)
Final leg of Around-the-World flight, Lakehurst to Friedrichshafen, September 1-4, 1929. (Sieger 32)
First leg of Around-the-World flight, Friedrichshafen to Lakehurst, August 7-10, 1929. (Sieger 28A)
Friedrichshafen to Seville, May, 1930. (Sieger 57A)
Century of Progress Flight, Akron-Chicago, October 25-26, 1933. (Sieger 243A)
South America to Friedrichshafen, April 23-27, 1932. (Sieger 156)
Commercial mail, Argentina to Germany, June 23-July 6, 1934. (Sieger 256)
Flown to the Leipzig Fair, August 30, 1936. (Sieger 366)
I welcome comments and emails, but please note that for various reasons I don’t like to offer an opinion on the value or authenticity of zeppelin covers or other items of airship memorabilia.
Hello Dan,
Thank you very much for the interesting articles about LZ 127 and LZ 129. I am interested in original confirmation cachets for mail covers and post cards for South American voyages and other long-distance flights of Graf Zeppelin dirigible for the period of 1931-34. They are designed in art-deco modern style, very elegant and are real pieces of art. All of them have letters in one art-deco font style, that make me think all of them are designed by the same person. Do you have any information about the designer of these cachets?
Please find attached the pictures of some of these cachets.
Thank you, Vlad
If airmail by zepplin didn’t start until 1928, why do I have 2 envelopes that are captioned :delivered by airship in 1925 from lakehurst to Los Ang.?
The German airship LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin first flew in 1928, but the U.S. Navy had rigid airships flying as early as 1923 (U.S.S. Shenandoah) and 1924 (U.S.S. Los Angeles) and they carried mail on occasion.
Very informative. How do i find a
copy of the Sieger catalogue? i
would to buy a copy
Latest Michel. And sieger. ????
May I ask 2 Qs regarding zeppelin flight cover to Hong Kong in 1929
1) Postal fee from Germany to Hong Kong (my cover stamped 3 mark + 50PF x 2)
2) How many flight cover(s) to Hong Kong is/are recorded?
thank you!
May I ask two questions regarding zeppelin flight covers?
1. Is the Sieger catalog also printed in English?
2. A Hindenburg flight cover has a Frankfurt to USA back to Germany cancels. The Frost catalog lists a Germany to USA and USA to Germany flights, but does not mention a round trip flight cover (Germany back to Germany after the North American flight). The Frankfurt cancel is September 26, 1936, the New York backstamp is September 29, and the return flight (back in Germany) is October 29, 1936.
The Katalog was only in German.
Greetings,
are you able to advise when Sieger Caalogues were issued – I think I saw the 1981
volume in our library? Are you aware of any more recent issues of this catalogue,
so that one can get more relevant values to guide pricing covers for sale??
Thanks for any assistance John
I think the last edition was published in 2001.
Hi Dan, just as a note, my cover has a similar stamp to the Sieger 22b envelope you have shown. A long envelope with three stamps a Brooklyn post stamp reads, Brooklyn Oct 27 12pm. and hand written is Per German Airship L Z 127 from Lakehurst New Jersey. It is being sent to Dresden in Germany. This letter was part of my grand mothers stamp collection and, like the others on your page, has a romantic and poignant air about it.
Si Todd
Dan—-I am wondering about the Condor labels that are on covers from the Pan American Flight of May-June 1930. Was mail from Rio picked up by Condor airlines and set to Recife for further dispatch? Was any mail picked up during LZ127’s short stay in Rio and transported back to Recife?
Thanks,
John
I just purchased Graf Zeppelin Flight #242C which was dispatched from Miami to Sevilla, Spain via the “Century of Progress” in 1933 and then, apparently, sent back to Howard Beach, NY by boat after arriving in Sevilla. Is this one of the rarely seen Miami dispatches to Sevilla? Thanks!