Date of use : 1928, Germany

Agfa-Photo G.m.b.H.: Frankfurt Manufacturer to Ernst Fischer, Weinheim

The company Agfa-Photo G.m.b.H., based in Frankfurt am Main, was one of the major industrial producers of photographic materials in Europe. The postcard examined here represents a piece of commercial correspondence sent from the firm's office at Hanauer Landstraße 18 in Frankfurt. The printed company heading and contact details on the card illustrate how the company maintained an extensive communication network with dealers and retailers who distributed its photographic products.

The card is addressed to Ernst Fischer, identified as a Photo-Handlung, a German term used for businesses that sold photographic equipment and materials. The recipient operated in the town of Weinheim in Baden, indicating that the business functioned as a regional retailer supplying photographic goods to local customers. Such stores played a crucial role in the photographic industry by providing cameras, photographic plates, film, paper, and darkroom chemicals to both professionals and amateur photographers.

The postal cancellation refers to the Frankfurt Spring Trade Fair (Frankfurter Frühjahrs-Messe). Trade fairs of this kind served as important meeting points for the photographic and optical industries. Manufacturers used these events to introduce new products, establish relationships with dealers, and strengthen their commercial networks. The date on the card, 19 April 1928, suggests that the correspondence was written during or shortly before the fair period, possibly in connection with promotional activities.

The message printed on the reverse side reveals that Agfa provided dealers with advertising and promotional materials. The text refers to empty packaging samples, enlargement prints, Agfa rhomboid advertising items, brochures, and new catalogues that would be supplied to the retailer. This indicates that photographic manufacturers did not only sell products but also actively supported retailers by supplying marketing materials that could be used for shop displays and promotional campaigns.

From a philatelic perspective the card belongs to the category of commercial correspondence related to the photographic trade. It offers direct evidence of the communication between a manufacturer and a retail dealer. The trade fair cancellation further increases its interest for collectors interested in commercial exhibitions and trade promotion in the photographic industry.

English Translation of the Reverse Side Text

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Dear Sir,

We thank you for your card dated the 16th and for the order you kindly placed with us. The requested shipment was dispatched yesterday, as desired, by express delivery to your address.

We are pleased to support you with advertising and promotional materials. Unfortunately, our current stock here has been completely exhausted. For this reason, we have forwarded your request to the responsible department of our factory for direct execution.

From there you will receive an advertising collection consisting of empty packaging samples, enlargement photographs, Agfa rhomboid advertising materials, various brochures, as well as new catalogues.

We hope that the material will reach you in due time and remain always at your service.

Yours faithfully,

Agfa-Photo G.m.b.H.

Frankfurt am Main

19 April 1928

Record Information

Title: Agfa-Photo G.m.b.H. Business Postcard (Frankfurt to Weinheim)

Category: Photographic Industry History / Commercial Correspondence

Subcategory: Manufacturer-Retailer Relations / Advertising Materials Distribution

Country: Germany (Sender: Frankfurt) → Germany (Recipient: Weinheim)

City: Frankfurt am Main (Sender: Agfa-Photo G.m.b.H.) → Weinheim, Baden (Recipient: Ernst Fischer)

Date of use: 19 April 1928

Company (Sender): Agfa-Photo G.m.b.H., Hanauer Landstraße 18, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. A major European manufacturer of photographic materials and equipment.

Object Type: Commercial postcard (business correspondence with trade fair cancellation)

Postal Features: German "Deutsches Reich" postage stamp; Frankfurt postal cancellation with "Frankfurter Frühjahrs-Messe" (Frankfurt Spring Trade Fair) promotional marking; express delivery service noted.

Language: German

Material: Paper (postcard stock)

Dimensions: Standard postcard format

Collection Theme: Agfa-Photo, Frankfurt photographic manufacturing, German chemical industry, Photo-Handlung, Ernst Fischer, Weinheim commerce, Frankfurt Spring Trade Fair, trade fair cancellations, manufacturer-retailer relations, advertising materials, dealer support, 1920s German postal history.

Archival Significance: This 1928 postcard documents the commercial relationship between the German photographic manufacturer Agfa-Photo and a regional retailer, illustrating the marketing support provided to dealers through advertising materials, and features a Frankfurt Spring Trade Fair cancellation marking the promotional context of the correspondence.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.