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Note: This small (but free) dictionary has a big brother published by the German Philatelic Society Inc. The GPS dictionary contains 180 pages of useful philatelic entries and is available from:

Werner Zielniewicz at Frankenweg 61, D-45665 Recklinghausen, Germany. The price is approximately $26.00 (US). wernerziel@aol.com

 

A Small German-English Philatelic Dictionary:

WORDS DESCRIBING STAMPS OR SETS OF STAMPS

Aufdruck = overprint or surcharge

Auflage = quantity printed, as in Auflage 20,000,000.

Ausgabe = issue.

Ausgegeben = issued

Briefmarke = postage stamp.

Buchdruck = typographed.

Druck = printing

Druckbogen = printed sheet

Frankaturgultig = valid as postage

gebraucht = used

gefaelligkeitsstempel = CTO

Geschnitten = imperforate.

gezahnt (gez.) = perforated, as in gez. 12 1/2

Gummi = gum

Kupferdruck = engraved copperplate

Linien-Zahnung = line perforated

Mischzahnungen = compound perfs.

Ohne Wasserzeichen = unwatermarked

Satz = set (of stamps).

Steindruck (Stdr) = lithographed

Stichtiefdruck (StTdr.) = engraved

uberdruckt = overprinted

ungebraucht = mint.

ungezahnt = not perforated.

Verschieden gezahnt = various perforations

Wasserzeichen (Wz.) = watermark

Werte = values

Zeitungsmarke = newspaper stamp

zuschlag = surcharge

WORDS DESCRIBING PROOFS, ERRORS, ETC.

Abzugsbogen = proof sheet

Bogenproben = sheet proofs

Besonderheiten des Druckes = Printing varieties

Besonderheiten des Papiers = Paper varieties

Besonderheiten der Zahung = Perforation varieties

Doppelter Aufdruck = double overprint

Doppelzahnungen = Double perforation

Einzelproben im Kleinbogenformat = Single proofs in minature sheet format

Farbproben = Color trials

Fehler = errors.

In Originalfarben = in original colors

Kopfstehender Aufdruck = inverted overprint

Mittlestuck = vignette

Paare, Mitte ungezahnt = pair, imperforate between

Papierfalten = Paper fold

Phasendrucke = partial proof

Plattenfehler = plate flaws

Probedrucke und vorzugsstucke = proofs and trials

Proben = proofs.

Rahmen = frame

Restbestande = remainders

Ungezahnt = imperforate

Vorzugsstucke = speculative items

TYPES OF PAPER

Dickem Papier = thick paper

Dunnes Papier = thin paper

Fasierpapier = granite paper.

Getontem Papier = tinted paper

Geripptes Papier = ribbed (or laid) paper

Gestrichenem Papier = glossy paper

Kartonpapier = thick (carton) paper like thin cardboard.

Kreidepapier = chalky paper.

oWz. = no wmk.

OTHER WORDS

billigsten Sorte = cheapest type

Brief = letter.

erste = first.

Erstag = first day.

falsch = forged.

feifier Druck = fine print.

Flugpost = air mail.

Freimarken = postage stamps

Geburtstag = birthday.

grosser Druck = coarse print.

Jahre = years

je = each

Kreuz = cross.

Kunst = art.

Lackstreifen = varnish bars.

Lokalausgabe = local issue.

marke = type

mehrfarbig = multicolored.

Neudruck = reprint.

ohne = without.

Paar = pair.

Portomarke = postage due stamp.

postfrisch = never hinged.

Preis = price.

Rastertiefdruck (RaTdr.) = photogravure.

Restbestande = Remainders

Senkrecht = vertical

Stadt = city.

Stempelmarken = revenue stamps.

stempeln = cancel

stuck = single (stamp)

waagerecht = horizontal

Weltkongress = world congress.

Zeit = time span (period)

 

COLORS

dunkel = dark

hell = light, bright

rot = red

karmin(karm.)=carmine

karminrosa = carmine rose

kupfer = copper

lilarot = claret

rosa = rose.

gelb (glb.) = yellow.

grun (gr'n) = green.

oliv (ol.) = olive.

blau(bl.) = blue.

stahlblau = steely blue

ultramarin = ultramarine

lila = lilac

braun (br. or br'n) = brown.

grau (gr.) = gray.

schwarz (schwz.) = black.

weiss = white.

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