eBay Description:

This is a philatelic cover featuring a special cancellation from the 1913 International Building Trade Exhibition in Leipzig. The postmark is applied to a decorative envelope originally produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Kingdom of Saxony in 1906.

Address & Markings:

• From: Leipzig, Germany

• To: Herrn Pastor Kreussler, Ursprung, Bez. Chemnitz (District of Chemnitz)

• Additional Visible Features:

  • The cover is a pictorial envelope celebrating the centenary of the Kingdom of Saxony (1806-1906).

  • The printed design includes portraits of King Friedrich August I of Saxony and German Emperor Wilhelm II.

  • Also depicted are the Saxon coat of arms and the Albrechtsburg castle in Meissen.

Postmark:

• Text: INTERN. BAUFACH-AUSSTELLUNG / LEIPZIG

• Translation: International Building Trade Exhibition / Leipzig

• Date: 6. Juli 1913 (Sunday), between 2:00 and 3:00 PM (2-3N).

• Location: Leipzig, Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire.

Historical Context:

• The Postmark (1913): The special cancellation was issued for the Internationale Baufach-Ausstellung, a major international exhibition for the building trade held in Leipzig in 1913.

• The Envelope (1906): The envelope itself is a souvenir from seven years prior, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Kingdom of Saxony. In 1806, Napoleon elevated the Electorate of Saxony to a kingdom, and Elector Friedrich August III became its first king, Friedrich August I. The envelope pairs the first Saxon king with the contemporary German Emperor of 1906, Wilhelm II.

• The Item: This cover is a philatelic creation, combining older commemorative stationery with a contemporary special postmark.

Location Then & Now:

• Leipzig: The 1913 exhibition was held on grounds near the newly completed Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument to the Battle of the Nations). This area is now home to the old Leipzig Trade Fair grounds and various parks.

• Ursprung: In 1913, Ursprung was a village in the Chemnitz district of Saxony. Today, it is an administrative part of the municipality of Lugau in the Erzgebirgskreis (Ore Mountains district).