Hermes on Telegrams

Hermes is regarded in many ways throughout literature.

he was an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion;
mythology considered him to be the herald of the gods. Hermes functions as the emissary and messenger of the gods. That role was a replacement in Homer's Odyssey for Iris who was the messenger who carryied messages from the gods to mortals. Like Hermes, Iris is represented either as a rainbow or as a beautiful young maiden with wings on her shoulders.
he is also considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants and orators;
he is able to move quickly and freely between the worlds of the mortal and the divine aided by his winged sandals;
Hermes plays the role of the psychopomp or "soul guide"—a conductor of souls into the afterlife;

Hermes' attributes and symbols include the herma, the rooster, the tortoise, satchel or pouch, talaria (winged sandals), and winged helmet or simple petasos, as well as the palm tree, goat,
the number fourHence four rows of images below!!! :-)., several kinds of fish, and incense. However, his main symbol is the caduceus - a winged staff intertwined with two snakes copulating and carvings of the other gods which he shres with Iris.

See Wikipedia for much more and such interesting information.


Blue image: Circular frame and shaded background. Diameter: 25 mm. Height: 34 mm. On ordinary rate delivery form (AB-DO-7Bc) printed in November 1933.

Black image. Circular frame and unshaded background. Hermes leaning forward. Diameter: 17 mm. Height: 24 mm. On ordinary rate transmission form (AB-TO-7B - C.1237) printed in November 1934.	Blue image. Circular frame and unshaded background. Hermes leaning forward. Diameter: 18 mm. Height: 24 mm. On ordinary rate delivery form (AB-DO-8Eb) printed December 1933.

	Blue image: Oval frame and unshaded background. Hermes leaning forward. Diameter: 16 mm. Height: 28 mm. On ordinary rate delivery form (AB-DO-7Be) printed April 1936. During this printing the change was made to orange.	Orange image: Oval frame and unshaded background. Hermes leaning forward. Diameter: 16 mm. Height: 28 mm. On ordinary rate transmission form (AB-DO-8G) printed October 1935.

		Oval frame with Hermes standing upright. Diameter: 17 mm. Height: 30 mm. On ordinary rate delivery form (AB-DO-8B) printed October 1939.

The advertisement on the reverse although the 1937 form did have the Hermes logoThe October 1939 transmission form (AB-TO-8B) did not have .