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| ABOVE: With flying a topical subject, Bottcher used balloons on one of his stamps advertising the Munich State Gas Works |
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| ABOVE: An image of Triest - one of a series showing towns and cities |
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| ABOVE: A stamp advertising cherry brandy, with some inquisitive fish |
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| ABOVE: Stamp advert for 'Block' beer - a brand associated with goats |
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| ABOVE: A man 'wind skating' on stamps for F&R Ehrlicher of Munich |
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| ABOVE: A lady on skis being towed behind a house, from a series on skiiing. Bottcher produced many alpine designs, and many winter scenes from the area around Munich |
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| ABOVE: Lady in her bathroom with a 'modern' water heater |
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| ABOVE: A stamp demanding 'Gleiches Recht fur Alle!' (equal rights for all), showing the devil in a goat-like form |
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Around the period 1912 to 1914, anything to do with flying was topical, and Bottcher catered to this market in more than one way. He used a balloon (B54) to demonstrate a use of gas from the Munich State Gas Works. A novel way of showing a usage, and not strictly true, but with the other designs in the series, it demonstrates that gas is an attractive source of energy. At this period, there was key competition between gas and electricity as fuel and as lighting in the home, and quite a number of poster stamps demonstrate the attractiveness of each fuel source.
Another popular subject was sport in any form. B6ttcher produced a beautiful ice skating (eislauf) series of 30 designs. Most were produced for the company F. & R. Ehrlicher, Munich, and we illustrate one showing a man 'wind skating' (B43).
A number of series were pro` duced to advertise towns, cities and districts, aimed at the tourist industry. We show one illustrating Triest (B333), but there are others for Prague (quite a lot), Vienna, Bad Gastein, Krakau, Schönbrunn etc. Through him being based in Munich, there are a number of stamps showing views of Munich and its associated areas. Linked to these are alpine scenes, again a popular subject, with the mountains being so close to Munich. Amongst these is one series showing various forms of skiing. One of our favourites in this series (B240) shows a lady on skis being towed by a horse at speed!
Bathroom Beauty
Amongst the advertising stamps, subjects such as motor cars, drink and cigarettes abound. There are also examples of ink and fabrics, subjects closely linked to the poster stamp and ideal for the media used to advertise them. One unusual advertising shows a bottle of Cherry Brandy floating in water and being gapped at by fish (B87). A'modern' bathroom with a water heater has enabled Bottcher to use a female figure draped with a flimsy, see-through garment (B131).
- Francis has a thematic collecting interest in goats, and his eye has been drawn to stamps advertising 'Bock' - a goat-branded beer, something that is only found in Germany or Austria (13123). His favourite goat item, is one depicted as the devil weighing mankind 'Gleiches Recht for Alle!', priced at 2pf - what a bargain! This stamp probably shows more detail than any other produced (B150)
- Finally, there is a section dealing with military stamps. This series illustrates German cavalry, machine gunners, small and large artillery, field telegraphs, bridge building, and the inevitable flying machines. Depicting the period in Germany, flying was either by monoplane or using the mighty Zeppelin - it is this later stamp that we illustrate (B380).
- Throughout this article, we have identified the illustrations used by either an 'S' or a 'B' number. The 'B' number refers to stamps listed in the catalogue Kurt Bottcher: The Poster Stamps, 19121914 (2001), 75 pages, 51 in full colour, price £30 post-free. The 'S' numbers refer to stamps listed in the catalogue Kurt Bottcher: Ships Poster Stamps, 1912-1914 (2001), 66 pages, 29 in full colour, price £20 post-free.
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