Austrian revenue adhesives

Two or three Questions reach this site every month, describing (and rarely illustrating) a mysterious stamp. The enquirer believes it is Austrian, but cannot find it in any stamp catalogue. Usually it is loose; it may have an almost-readable cancellation or perhaps a sqiggle in ink; occasionally it is stuck on a piece of paper. What is it?

Quoite often it's one of the above, which are REVENUE stamps, used for the payment of some tax on a document. Two examples follow:

This is a 15kr revenue adhesive stamp, 1870 issue, used to pay the tax for submitting a document as evidence in court.

This is a 25 groschen revenue adhesive stamp, 1925 issue, used to pay the tax on a Heimatschein - that is, proof that you have certain rights (including residence) in a specified location. This is for St. Marienkirchen in Upper Austria and was issued to Johann Schienenlauer on 1 September 1935.

The payment of tax was alternatively shown by an imprinted device. These come in a large number of designs and values, but they are obviously not an adhesive postage stamp! An example from a document of 1841 is shown for interest.

The revenue issues

The original illustrations were printed on paper similar in colour to the stamps, which doesn't help in seeing them. The higher values of each issue are usually bigger and more ornate than the lower values.

The first issue, in Conventions-money, of 1 Nov 1854. To enhance the security, the background is an imprint of a natural leaf (apparently from a Linden tree) whose veins and sub-veins form a distinctive and delicate tracery.

The second issue, in Austrian-money, 1858.

The third 'legend' issue of 1864.

The fourth issue of 1870.

The 1877 issue.

The 1879 issue.

The 1898 issue. Note the 1898 at the bottom and the change to heller/Kronen currency. The 1910 issue is identical apart from the date.

©APS. Last updated 19 Aug 2011