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Austria Stamps

Commemoratives of 1947-1948

Pictorial Austria stamps continued to appear during 1947 and 1948.  These included a wide range of events, from honoring famous people, promoting national events, to raising money for reconstruction projects.  It would take a few more years for Austria to emerge as the prosperous nation that we know today, but they were working very hard on that goal throughout the end of the 1940's and into the early 1950's.

The two 18 G. denomination Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #802, #A802, Sc. #489-90) were issued on February 10, 1947 and on June 14, 1947 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Death of Franz Grillparzer (1791-1872), the famous Austrian dramatic writer and poet.

There are two distinctly different types of this commemorative stamp. 
Type I, in February 1947, was engraved.  Type II, in June 1947, was photogravure.  They are both shown in the images above. 

There were also two different printings of the photogravure stamp.  The earlier printings are printed in lilac brown, the outer frames are indistinct, and the lettering has very poor contour.  The later printings are in violet brown, the outer frames are even, and the lettering shows very good contour.  The later photogravure printing is shown above.

The printing of commemorative stamps by the photogravure process was obviously not very successful, and luckily for stamp collectors, Austria continued to print almost all of their future commemorative and special event stamps by the line engraved process.

The eight surtaxed pictorial Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #803-10, Sc. #B199-06) were issued on March 23, 1947 to publicize the Vienna International Sample Fair.

Their designs are as follows:

• 03 G. + 02 G. - Reaping wheat.
  
• 08 G. + 02 G. - Log raft.
• 10 G. + 05 G. - Cement factory.
• 12 G. + 08 G. - Coal mine.
• 18 G. + 12 G. - Oil derricks.
• 30 G. + 10 G. - Textile machinery.
• 35 G. + 15 G. - Iron furnace.
  
• 60 G. + 20 G. - Electric power lines.
  
  
  

The ten surtaxed pictorial Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #812-21, Sc. #B208-17) were issued on June 1, 1947 to publicize the Greater Austria Art Exhibition.

Their designs are as follows:

• 03 G. + 02 G. - Cup of Corvinus (15th Century).
  
• 08 G. + 02 G. - State of Providence by Raphael Donner (1693-1742).
• 10 G. + 05 G. - Benedictine Abbey at Melk (18th Century).
• 12 G. + 08 G. - Picture of a Woman by Kriehuber (1800-1876).
• 18 G. + 12 G. - Children at the Window by Waldmüller (1793-1865).
• 20 G. + 10 G. - Gate of the Upper Belvedere Palace (18th Century).
  
• 30 G. + 10 G. - Nymph Egeria at Schönbrunn Palace (18th Century).
• 35 G. + 15 G. - National Library in Vienna (18th Century).
• 48 G. + 12 G. - Workshop of an Engraver by Schmutzer (1870-1928).
  
• 60 G. + 20 G. - Woman with a Straw Hat by Amerling (1803-1887).
  
  
  

The six surtaxed pictorial Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #819-34, Sc. #B218-23) were issued on August 30, 1947 to honor Prisoners of War.

Their designs are as follows:

• 08 G. + 02 G. - Soldier behind barbed wire.
• 12 G. + 08 G. - Prisoner of war letter.
• 18 G. + 12 G. - Prison camp visitor.
• 35 G. + 15 G. - Family reunion.
  
• 60 G. + 20 G. - Prisoners at work.
• 01 S. + 40 G. - Prisoner sowing.
  
  
  

The 20 G. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Mi. #855, Sc. #516), was issued on January 26, 1948 to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Death of Karl M. Ziehrer.


The 40 G. denomination stamp shown above, at center (Mi. #856, Sc. #517), was issued on September 6, 1948 to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Death of Adalbert Stifter.


The 60 G. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Mi. #857, Sc. #519), was issued on January 26, 1948 to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Death of Friedrich Amerling.

The ten surtaxed pictorial Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #858-67, Sc. #B225-34) were issued on February 18, 1948 to benefit post-war Reconstruction Efforts.

Their designs are as follows:

• 10 G. + 05 G. - Laabenback Bridge, Neulengbach, Lower Austria.
  
• 20 G. + 10 G. - Dam, Vermunt Lake, Vorarlberg.
• 30 G. + 10 G. - Danube Port, Vienna.
• 40 G. + 20 G. - Mining, Erzberg, Styria.
  
• 45 G. + 20 G. - Southern Railway Station, Vienna.
• 60 G. + 30 G. - Communal housing project, Vienna.
• 75 G. + 35 G. - Gas Works, Vienna.
  
• 80 G. + 40 G. - Oil refinery.
• 01 S. + 50 G. - Gesäuse Highway, Styria.
• 01.40 S. + 70 G. - Parliament Building, Vienna.
  
  
  

The ten surtaxed pictorial Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #868-77, Sc. #B235-44) were issued on May 14, 1948 to benefit Anti-Tuberculosis Work.

Their designs feature Austrian flowers, as follows:

• 10 G. + 05 G. - Violet.
  
• 20 G. + 10 G. - Anemone.
• 30 G. + 10 G. - Crocus.
• 40 G. + 20 G. - Yellow Primrose.
  
• 45 G. + 20 G. - Pasque Flower.
• 60 G. + 30 G. - Rhododendron.
• 75 G. + 35 G. - Dogrose.
  
• 80 G. + 40 G. - Cyclamen.
• 01 S. + 50 G. - Alpine Gentian.
• 01.40 S. + 70 G. - Edelweiss.
  
  
  

The seven surtaxed pictorial Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #878-84, Sc. #B245-51) were issued on June 15, 1948 to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Künstlerhaus, the home of the Austrian Artists Association.

Their designs are as follows:

• 20 G. + 10 G. - Künstlerhaus, Vienna.
• 30 G. + 15 G. - Hans Makart (1840-1884).
• 40 G. + 20 G. - Karl Kundmann (1838-1919).
  
• 50 G. + 25 G. - August von Siccardsburg (1813-1868).
• 60 G. + 30 G. - Hans Canon (1829-1885).
• 01 S. + 50 G. - William Unger (1837-1932).
• 01.40 S. + 70 G. - Friedrich von Schmidt (1825-1891).
  
  
  

The eight surtaxed pictorial Austria stamps shown above (Mi. #885-92, Sc. #B252-59) were issued on August 6, 1948 to raise money for the Reconstruction of Salzburg Cathedral.

Their designs are as follows:

• 20 G. + 10 G. - St. Rupert (660-710).
  
• 30 G. + 15 G. - Cathedral and fountain.
• 40 G. + 20 G. - Facade of the cathedral.
• 50 G. + 25 G. - Cathedral from the South.
  
• 60 G. + 30 G. - Abbey of St. Peter.
• 80 G. + 40 G. - Inside the cathedral.
• 01 S. + 50 G. - Salzburg Cathedral and Castle.
• 01.40 S. + 70 G. - Madonna by Michael Pacher (1435-1498).
  
  
  
  

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