NOS. 54/55 1969.

1969 STAMPEXThis year's STAMPEX was the best we have ever had. We

were able to greet many old friends and welcome many newones, and that in far better surroundings than before. TheRoyal Horticultural Society's New Hall gave visitors andexhibitors alike an impression of light and logical layout.We were fortunate in having our Stand near the Court ofHonour, occupied by the quite superb exhibit of the RoyalPhilatelic Society, who were celebrating their centenaryyear. We shared our stand with the Philatelic Agency ofthe Swiss P.T.T., who staged a really fine Air Mail displayfrom their unrivalled archives, commemorating 50 years ofSwiss Air Service.

We had an idea that the general arrangement of our Standand the material displayed on it were pretty good - and theCommittee confirmed our suspicions by awarding us the

Stephen Walter Trophy for the best Stand at Stampex. Also our Catalogue of Switzerland wasgiven a Bronze Medal, as well as one of our staff collecting a Bronze - Silver Medal forSwiss Proofs and Essays.

The newest recruit to the Staff was usually - and rightly so - kept under close supervision.When he escaped his master's eye he was tackled by a customer who demanded a Penny Black withfour full margins. He stood with his mouth open in silence, trying to work this out, until

the question was repeated. He then managed to bleat that "we only deal in Switzerland". "Ananew boy still thinks the reprimand for login% a valuable customer was a wee bit undeserved.

DESIGNProfessorHasert

SURFACEPRINTED

THE PROOFS OFTHE 18S2 NUMERALS

THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE BY COURTESY OF ZUMSTEIN AND COMPANYFROM WHOSE "BERNER BRIEFMARKEN ZEITUNG" THEY ARE TAKEN

TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL GERMANARTICLE BY KIND PERMISSION OF THE

AUTHOR

THE AUTHOR REFERS TO NOTE 8 OF HIS ARTICLE,WHICH APPEARS ON PAGE No. 132, OF THE BERNERBRIEFMARKEN ZEITUNG No. ID OF 1967, IN GERMAN.THIS AND AN ILLUSTRATION ON THE SAME PAGE SHOWPROCEDURES FROM THE PRODUCTION OF THE ORIGINALDIE TO THE WORKING CLICHÉ.

THE DATES GIVEN EARLIER IN HIS ARTICLE, INCHAPTER I (SECTIONS 3 AND 4), ENABLE ONE, FORTHE PROOFS ASSEMBLED IN ZUMSTEIN'S HANDBOOK,TO DERIVE THE SEQUENCE WHICH SHOULD BE ANAUTHORATATIVE CRITERION FOR THEIR ARRANGEMENT.WE FIND THE STAMPS ATTACHED WITH A LETTER FROMDIRECTOR OF THE MINT PLATEL OF 27.X.1880 (CHAP. ISECTION 3) LISTED UNDER N0.2 IN THE FOLLOWINGACCOUNT. OF THE THREE COLOURS THERE MUSTORIGINALLY HAVE EXISTED 100 STAMPS (=I SHEET)OF EACH, PRINTED BEFORE 27TH OCTOBER, 1880.WITH THE THREE STAMPS LISTED UNDER NUMBER I,WE ARE DEALING WITH PRINTS FROM THE ORIGINALDIE, AND INDEED FROM THE VERY FIRST OF ALL,WHICH IS STILL SHEWN BY THE MARGINS. NO PROOFSARE KNOWN FROM THE ACCEPTED ORIGINAL DIE.CANCELLED PROOFS ARE ALSO KNOWN, THESE AREGENERALLY SPECIMENS USED TO DEFRAUD THE POSTOFFICE. UP TO CATE WE KNOW:-

LETTER FROM ZURICH, RAMISTRASSE OFFICE,17.V1.95 - 8, WITH ARRIVAL MARK ZURICH 12NEUMONSTER 18.V1.95 VII - ; PRINTED MATTERFRANKED WITH 2 RP. BLACK-BROWN (NR. 2B).

LETTER FROM GUGGISBERG TO BERN, 6.1.1903FRANKED WITH 4 EXAMPLES OF TELL-BOY INFRAME (1907) AND AN ESSAY OF THE 2RP.(NR. 28).

PIECE BEARING 3Rp. GREY AND AN ESSAY OF2Rp. (NR.2B) POSTMARKED 8.10.1907, BERN,

KORNHAUS OFFICE.

LETTER WITH 10 RP. FRANKING. AT THE DISPLAYORGANISED BY THE SOCIÉTÉ PHILATÉLIQUE DEGENÈVE IN 1895 IT WAS SHOWN IN THE LIENHARDCOLLECTION. DESCRIBED IN THE REPORT OF THESAID DISPLAY AS "CURRENT 10 CTS, IMPERFORATECANCELLED ON LETTER". No OTHER WRITTENTRACE IS TO BE FOUND OF THE FATE OF THISLETTER; UNTIL ANY EVIDENCE IS FOUND TO THECONTRARY WE TAKE IT THAT THIS IS PROOF No.19, 10Rp. CARMINE (FERRARI AUCTION, LOT 569)APPARENTLY LARGE QUANTITIES OF THE BLACK -

BROWN 2RP. ESSAY REACHED THE PUBLIC. AT THETIME THERE WAS FAIRLY LARGE INTEREST IN THIS,YET PROOFS OF THE 1862 ISSUE WERE BEING USEDPOSTALLY BY THE EARLY EIGHTIES.

IF WE INVESTIGATE THE ARRANGEMENTS OF THEPROOFS OF THE NUMERALS TYPE, IN ZUMSTEIN'SHANDBOOK II, 1914 AND III, 1924 - AT PRESENTTHE ONLY ONES -.AND COMPARE THEM, WE FIND ANUMBER OF SOURCES OF CONFUSION WHICH CANNOT OSTBE CLEARED UP BECAUSE THE MATERIAL IS EXTREMELYSCARCE. THE LIST WHICH FOLLOWS TAKES ACCOUNTOF ALL THE PROOFS NOTED IN BOTH THE HANDBOOKS;IN THE INTERESTS OF A CLEARER VIEW IMPERFORATEAND PERFORATE STAMPS ARE LISTED TOGETHER, SINCETHE SHEETS WERE FIRST EXAMINED I TE, AND

THE PERFORATION ONLY SERVED AS A MEANS FORJUDGING THE EFFECT OF SINGLE STAMPS. THUSPERFORATE STAMPS ARE TO BE LISTED AS CONTEM -PORARY WITH THE ORIGINAL IMPERFORATE ONES. AFURTHER SIMPLIFICATION OF THE ARRANGEMENT WILLBE ACHIEVED BY ARRANGING COLOUR TRIALS TOGETHERUNDER THE SAME NUMBER. THE NUMBERS FROM THERELEVANT HANDBOOKS ARE PLACED IN BRACKETS. THESIGNS USED IN THE TWO COLUMNS SIGNIFY:-

- • - STAMP KNOWNSTAMP UNKNOWN

? NOT KNOWN, EXISTENCEPOSSIBLE.

I. WHITE PAPER WITHOUT CONTROL MARK

A. ESSAYS; OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER 1880

I.(174 — 176/193 — 195 ) WITHOUT FIGUREIMPERF. PERF.

A BLACK - - -B GREEN ? - • -C RED ? - • -

'.(177 - 179/196 - 198) 2 RP.

A YELLOW OR OLIVE BROWNB BLACKBROWN, BROWNBLACKC ROSE

3.080/199) 20 RP. ROSE

4.(181/200, 201) 25 RP. CINNABAR - • - - • —

B. DECEMBER 1880 TO APRIL 1881: PRINTINGAND COLOUR TRIALS (NR. 5 — 21)

5.(I82 — 187/217 — 219) 2 RP. (BROAD FIGURES,ILLUSTRATION AS SHOWN IN HEADING)

A YELLOW OR OLIVE BROWN - • -B ROSE - • -C VIOLET, VIOLET BROWN - • - - • -D VERMILION 7 - • -E BLUE ? - • -

6.(188/-) 5 RP. VIOLET BROWN - • - 77.(I89/-) 10 RP. ROSE - • -8.(19O/—) 12 RP. LIGHT BLUE - • - ?9.( 1 91/- ) 15 RP. YELLOW - • - ?

II WHITE PAPER WITH CONTROL MARK

I0.(—/202, 207, 208, 220, 221) 2 RP.

A YELLOW OR OLIVE BROWN - • - ?B ROSEC VIOLET, VIOLET BROWN - • - - • -D VERMILION 7 - • -NUMBERS SA - D WERE PROBABLY PRINTEDAT THE SAME TIME AS 10A - D.

11.(192/-) 3 RP. GREY — • — ?

12.(193/203) 5 Re. VIOLET BROWN - — ?

13.(194/204) 10 RP. ROSE — • — ?

14.095, 197, 198/205) 12 RP.

A LIGHT BLUE — . — ?

B ROSE — • — ?C YELLOW

5.(196/206) 15 RP. YELLOW

II GRANITE PAPER WITH CONTROL MARK

6.(-214) 2 RP. ROSE - • - ?.7.(—/209) 3 RP. GREY - • - ?18.(-/210 5 Re. BROWN VIOLET - • -19.(-/211) 10 RP. ROSE - • -

20.(-/212, 215, 216, 222, 223)12 RP. - • -

A LIGHT BLUEB ROSE - • - ?C YELLOW -

D ROSE RED ? - • -

21.(-/213) 15 RP. YELLOW - • -

THE MAJORITY OF THESE PROOFS ARE EXTREMELYRARE AND THE NUMBERS ISSUED ARE NOT KNOWN.THEREFORE TO GIVE FAIR OR PROPER TRADE PRICESWOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.

IT MAY OCCUR TO ANY COLLECTOR OF PROOFS THATTHE PRINTS OF N0.2, WHICH ARE COMMONEST, AREPOORLY CENTRED AND PERFORATED CLOSE UP TO THEEDGE OF THE STAMP. THIS IS BECAUSE THE PIC-TURE IS ABOUT 0.5 M/M LARGER IN 90TH DIRECTIONSTHAN THE APPROVED DESIGN, WHILST THE PERFORATIONFRAME ALREADY EXISTED AND COULD NOT BE MODIFIEDTHIS ARTISTIC DEFECT MAY HAVE RESULTED INNOVEMBER 1880 IN THE MINT ABANDONING THE ORIG-INAL DIE, WHICH WAS ALSO NOT TECHNICALLYSATISFACTORY, AND STARTING THE WORK ALL OVERAGAIN.

PRIVATE PERFORATIONS.

THE NEED FOR SOME BUSINESS FIRMS TO EXERCISESUITABLE CONTROL OVER THEIR STOCKS OF STAMPSLEAD, AS EARLY AS THE SEVENTIES, TO PROVIDINGSTAMPS WITH A SPECIAL DISTINGUISHING MARK.

PERFORATION PROVED TO BE A PRACTICAL PROTECTIONAGAINST IMPROPER USAGE.THE PERFORATIONS TAKETHE FORM OF INITIALS OR SYMBOLS. A FEW FIRMSDID THIS WORK BY HAND (THOMANN AND LEICHT,ZURICH, ILLUSTRATION 29), MOST WITH A SPECIALPERFORATING DIE. THE OLDEST KNOWN LETTER WITHTHIS TYPE OF PERFORATED STAMP IS DATED 28THDECEMBER, 1874. FOLLOWING A REQUEST ON THESUBJECT SUCH PERFORATION WAS EXPLICITLYAUTHORISED BY DECREE N0.121 OF 22ND APRIL 1876.SUCH STAMPS ARE FAIRLY RARE ON LETTERS ANDCARDS, CHIEFLY BECAUSE FOR A LONG TIME THEYWERE REGARDED AS WORTHLESS. THIS THEY ARE NOT,ALL THE MORE BECAUSE IT IS NOT A MATTER OF"GIMMICKS", BUT WITH RECOGNITION-MARKS CONCERNEDWITH THE REAL USE OF STAMPS.

THE FOLLOWING STAMPS OF THE NUMERALS TYPEARE KNOWN WITH PRIVATE PERFORATIONS:- 2 RP.,5 RP., MAROON AND GREEN, 10 RP., WHITE ANDGRANITE PAPER, 15 RP. LILAC.

POPE VISITS B.I.T.The 30c B.I.T. stamp, no. 102, was overprintedin black "Visits du Pape Paul V1 Geneve10 juin 1969". They are only valid for postageon B.I.T. official mail. Prices: Mint 1/3d.(15c) Used 1/6d. (18c) F.D.C. 3/6d. (42c).

SWISS PROOFS & ESSAYSby FRANK BULSTRODE, 0.B.E.

The next instalment of this article hasbeen held over until the next issue of "TheSwiss Philatelist". The author has had theopportunity for an unusually valuable pieceof research into the subject, which he believeswill make the next section more complete.

NEWISSUES

For details of the 1968Publicity (Second Series) ; NewValues in the Buildings Series;Pro Juventute;; Coil Stamps onPhosphor Paper, 40,60,90c andFr.1 - ; New Fr. 5- Booklet onPhosphor Paper ; please see the 1969 AmateurCollector Catalogue.

PUBLICITYFive Publicity Stamps appeared 13th February,1969. 10c; 50 years of Federation of SwissGirl Guides - which has 15,000 members. 20c;First Swiss Planetarium, Lucerne, marking 10years of Transport and Communications Museum.30c; 50 years of "Comptoir Suisse", Lausanne.50c; 5th Gymnaestrada, Basel. This is a worldevent in gymnastics, held every four years.Fr.2.00; 50 years of Swiss Air Mail Service.All rotogravured by Courvoisier on phosphorpaper.

EUROPAOn the 28th April Europa Stampsof 30c and 50c were issued. Thewords "EUROPA CEPT" form thefront of a Colonnade in antiquestyle. Both rotogravured byCourvoisier on phosphor paper

PRO PAIR /A{On the 29th May four Pro PatricStamps were issued, continuing thestained glass windows series.'10 + 10c; St. Francis of Assisi,from Königsfelden Abbey Church.20 + 10c; The Israelites Drinking_from the Spring of Moses, BerneCathedral. 30 + 10c St.Christopherfrom Laüfelfingen Church. 50 + 20cMadonna with child, from St. JakobChapel, Gräpplang above Flums, nowat Swiss National Museum, Zürich.All rotogravured by Courvoisier onphosphor paper in a format slightlylarger than usual, in order to dojustice to the fine detail.

1969 ADVANCE PROGRAMME

The following issues are announcedfor later in 1969, subject topossible revision. Illustrationsare not yet available.

18th September - Portraits

Ulrich Zuingli - .10'Henri Guisan - .20Francesco Borromini - .30Othmar Schoeck - .50Germaine de Stael - .80

27th November - Pro Juventute

Indigenous Birds

Goldfinch -.10 + 10Thrush -.20 + 10Mauerläufer (Wall Creeper) -.30 + 10Jay -.50 + 20

BY HON. SECRETARY,HELVETIA SOCIETY,Mrs. E. J. RAWNSLE Y.

Continued from

Noe. 51/53SWISS

WHO'SWHOSTAMPS

STATESMEN,

Johann Rudolf Wettstein

Nb. 281During the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) Swissneutrality was rewarded by the recognition ofIndependence secured at Munster, mainly bythe efforts of the Burgomeister of Basle,Johann Rudolf Wettstein. Atthe great Peace Conferenceof Westphalia in 1648 he wasone of the Protestant med-iators and as such was veryinfluential and highly res-pected. After the Peace ofWestphalia an attempt was made by the Emperorto bring Basle under the appelate jurisdic-tion of the Imperial Kammergericht at Speyer,and it was Wettstein's second great achieve-ment to bring about, with Catholic help, theabrogation of this claim.

Charles Pictet-de-Rochemont 1755-1824

Pro Juventute No. 158Was born in Geneva in 1755 and became a dip-lomat, representing his homeland at variousEuropean courts. He was the principal init-iator of the Neutrality Act of 1815. In rec-ognition of his services the Federal Dietdeclared on 18th August, 1816, that he mer-

ited recognition by the Swiss Con-federation, possessing the highestclaims for public esteem and grat-itude". His name became even morefamous when, with his brother,Marcus Auguste Pictet-de-Rochemont- a noted scientist and founder of

the observatory on the Gt. St. Bernard - hepublished in 1796 the 'BibliothequeBritannique', which later was widened to the 'Bibli-otheque Universelle', and in which the worksof many of the great English writers, andlater those of other nations, were collected.

Stefano Franscini 1796-1857

Pro Juventute No. 76Born in the Ticino district and became an ec-onomist and writer. He accomplished a greatdeal for education, laying thefoundation for statistical sciencein Switzerland. Became a Swissstatesman of the Liberal party andserved as Secretary of State from1830-1837, and later as a memberof the Federal Constitution whichwas adopted in 1848. Finally was appointedMinister of the Interior and of Public Instr-uction. Died in 1857.Numa Droz 1844-1899

Pro Juventute No. 109Born on January 27th, 1844, at LaChaux-de-Fonds. Was first apprenticed to a firm ofwatchmakers as an engraver, but left this totake up teaching. Later turned to politicsand authorship in the service of the strugg-ling radicalism and became editor of the rad-ical 'National Suisse'. In 1869, at thelegal minimum age, he became a councillor ofCanton Neuchatel, and two years later Direct-or of Education. In 1875 Droz, in spite of

hie youth, received the highesthonour of the country, being elec-ted as it Federal Councillor of theUnited Federal Assembly at 32 yeasof age. In 1881 Droz was electedPresident of the Federal Counciland in the stirring years which

followed, his steadfastness in the leadershipof the political department banished manydangers, particularly in the so-called 'Wohl-gemut Affair' which almost brought Switzer-land to war with Germany over the politicalrights of German refugees living in Switzer-land. In 1886 he published a political cate-chism entitled 'L'instruction civique', forthe education of youth with a view to produc-ing good citizens. He retired in 1892 owingto ill-health, but took over the managementof the International Railway Traffic Ministry,and was at the head of this office up to theday of his death, December 15th, 1899.

Louis Forrer 1845-1921

Pro Juventute No. 113Native of Zurich. Statesman andat one time President of the SwissConfederation. He received EmperorWilliam II of Germany when he paidan official visit to Lucerne in May, 1893.

Eugene Huber 1849-1923

Pro Juventute No. 64Studied law at Universities of Zurich andBern, and also in Italy, France and England,

and in 1872 received the degree ofDoctor Juris. Served as Professorof Civil Law and Legal History atBasle University, at Halle and atBerne. Produced scholarly workson medieval German law. In 1892the Swiss Government authorised

him to draw up the Swiss Civil Code, forwhich he is best known.

SERVERS OF MANKIND

Heinrich Pestalozzi 1746-1827

Pro Juventute No. 43Pro Juventute No. 44No. 275

The son of a doctor, he was born in Zurich on12 January, 1746. A brilliant scholar he re-ceived his degree as Master of Arts at age of17, and turned his interest to the lives ofthe poor peasants in the alpine valleys, whosemisery and ignorance he hoped to dispel byintroducing novel agricultural methods. Hestarted a model farm, introducing agricult-ural machinery for the first time, but theventure failed, and he then became a school-master in a poor rural community at Stans inAargau. Here he establishedhis revolutionary new teach-.ing methods. His work wasinterrupted by the Austrianinvasion, but the Swissauthorities put at his dis-posal Castle Berthoud, with e subsidy of 100francs a year. From here, and later from theCastle of Yverdon, the Pestalozzi methodspread throughout the world and the idea of'Kindergarten' was born. Despite this he en-countered much hostility and died, a brokenman, at Brugg on February 27th, 1827. Hiseducational system lives on, as well as hismodern memorial, the famous Pestalozzi Kind-erdorf at Trogen.

Jean Baptiste Girard -'Le Pere Girard' or'Le Pere Gregoire' 1765-1850

Pro Juventute No. 68Born in Fribourg on December 17th, 1765 anddied there in 1850. With his 14 brothers andsisters Was educated by his mother, and atthe age of 16, having completed classicalstudies of university standard, decided totake Holy Orders, entering the FranciscanOrder of Grey Friars. In spite of his youth,soon became known for his brilliance. For awhile was a Professor at the court of the

Lerman Archbishop of Wurtzburg.Returning to Switzerland he becamefirst chief of the Swiss Depart-ment of Art and Science. WithStapfer and Pestalozzi did much tointroduce popular education. Duringthe Napoleonic wars religious dif-

ferences between Catholics and Protestantsbecame strong in Switzerland and he left Bernefor his hometown in Fribourg, a centre ofCatholicism. In 1804 he founded the Municip-al College there, which soon became one ofthe most respected high schools in centralEurope. After his retirement in 1835 FatherGirard published many important books, themost famous of which, 'Le Cours Educatif deLangue maternelle' is still regarded as oneof the finest philological works.Philipp Emanuel von Fellenberg, 1771-1844

Pro Juventute No. 105Born on June 27th, 1771 at Berne. In 1799 hepurchased an estate at Hofwyl, near Berne,intending to make agriculture the basis of anew system which he projected forelevating the lower and levellingthe higher orders in the State andwelding them together in a closerunion than that which had hithertobeen deemed obtainable. For sometime carried out this work in con-junction with Pestalozzi, but incompatibilityof temperament made them separate. At firstthe scheme aroused a greet deal of ridicule,but gradually people came to him from everypart of Europe for the purpose of studyingagriculture on the high moral standing whichwas associated with his education schema.Died 21st November, 1844.Jean Henri Dunant 1828-1910

Pro Juventute No. 481935 Frank Stamp No. 16Soldier Stamp SAN. Abt. 5

Born in Geneva. Inspired by compassion atthe sight of the wounded on the battlefieldof Solferino in 1859 he laboured for thecreation of an organization to aid woundedsoldiers and succeeded in bringing about the

Conference of Geneva in 1863,from which came the Geneva Con-vention (1864) and the establish-ment of the International RedCross (whose colours, the reverseof those of Switzerland, werechosen in compliment to thatcountry). With Frederic Passy

he shared the first Nobel Peace Prize of 1906.Devoted his entire fortune to charity and diedin very humble circumstances.

Susanne Orelli 1845-1939

Pro Juventute No. 114Born in 1845 and lived to age of 94. All herlife was spent in • constant struggle againstdlsease, ill-health and drunkenness. In 1918

she started a campaign called 'Homesfor All' intended for the veryyoung, the aged and the lonely, TheUniversity conferred an honorarydoctorate on Madam Orelli in 1919,the first given to a woman by thatschool. She was also known as thefounder of the 'Soldate Stuebli' ('Soldiers'anodes') during the First World 'Jar, re -creation centres for soldiers off duty, wherethey were welcomed with refreshments andrecreational entertainment.

ARTS & SCIENCES

Daniel Jeanrichard 1665-1741

Pro Juventute No. 100Known as the rather of the Swisswatch-making industry, he workedout a system of home craftsmanshipand mass production in a factoryat Le Locle, which placed thewhole of the industry on its feetas a major enterprise.

Albrecht von Haller 1708-1777

Pro Juventute No. 72Born at Berne on October 16th, 1708. Was pre-vented by ill-health from joining in sportsand developed an amazing precocity. Studiedmedicine at Tubingen under Camerarius and atLeyden under Boerhaave and Albinus, graduat-ing in 1727 at the age of 19. After visitingLondon, Oxford and Paris in 1728, he went toBasle, where his interest in botany led himto begin the collection of plantswhich afterwards formed the basisof his great work on Swiss flora.In 1730 he began to practice as aphysician in Berne, but owing tohis fame in research, was offeredin 1736, by King George II ofEngland (also King of Hanover) the chair ofmedicine, anatomy, surgery and botany in thenewly founded University of Goettingen, apost which he held for 17 years. In 1753 vonHaller resigned the chair and returned toBerne, where during the remaining 21 years ofhis life he prepared his 'Bibliotheca Medica'completing the sections on botany, anatomyand surgery, and also wrote three philosoph-ical romances. Died on December 17th, 1777.

Salomon Gessner 1730-1788

Pro Juventute No. 85Born in Zurich on April 1st, 1730, and diedthere on March 2nd, 1788. Most of his work

consisted of 'Pastoral Idylls' ina rhythmical prose. 'Der TodAbele' (1758) was translated intomost European languages, includingWelsh. He was one of the earliestpoets to combine power of observ-ation, love of nature, profound

religious feeling and strong patriotism.

OFFICIALLY ISSUED POSTAL

REGISTRATION LABELSOF SWITZERLAND

By Dr. FELIX GANZFew collectors of philatelic materials,

except perhaps students in the field of postalhistory, give more than a moderately dia -interested glance to things other than postagestamps that are affixed to their mail.

Sometimes one experiences a mild shock - -such as when a letter written to an acquaint-ance is returned with a sticker reading"deceased"; and sometimes one may be annoyedwhen a parcel marked "fragile" jingles merrilywith glass or pottery splinters, etc.; butvery few collectors deem such labels to be ofmore than passing interest. Yet, such acollection can be a fascinating addition to astamp or entires collection; and I, for one,have never regretted taking up this sidelineabout ten years ago.

The best way to collect postal labels is ofcourse ON COVER because this provides a fairlycertain way of dating their successive orsimultaneous use; but a collection of mintlabels is equally pleasant because one mustuse one's last resources of oral persuasionin having postal clerks part with unusedlabels of certain categories, especially ifthey are of the numbered varieties.

The Swiss P.T.T. has used many differenttypes and kinds of postal labels since thefirst ones which seem to have been introducedaround 1870. Before that time most postaldirectives and remarks were stamped ontoletters, cards and parcels, and the Andres andEmmenegger Handbook on Swiss Cancellations,which is now reappearing in a new edition,gives much room to a complete listing of allthese special marks for speeded up, unclaimedregistered, taxable, and other kinds of mail.Whether or not the UPU had anything to do withasking postal administrations to attempt tohave some of their postal markings correspondto an international code is not known to thiswriter; but towards the end of the nineteenthcentury more and more countries seem to havebegun to use gummed labels for certain typesof international mail categories, notably soregistered, value-declared, and specialdelivery mails. Switzerland, seat of the UPU,was no exception, and thus the chapter "PostalLabels" was ready to begin. Another reasonwhy labels replaced hand stamps in manyinstances may lie in the fact that affixingalabel may take less time than searching forthe correct canceller or marking device.

Most types of Swiss labels, up to 1943, havebeen recorded in detail by Ed. Rüttimann :Die Post-Vermerk-Etiketten der Schweiz, 1882-1943 (Basel : 1944). In addition the airmaillabels are recorded in the Swiss AerophilatelyHandbook and the express and urgent labels inthe Newsletter of the Helvetia Society, byIvan Tillen; but the registration labels havenot yet been listed to this writer's knowledge.

All Registration Label types are recognised

by a large R (Recommandé) at left side of thelabel, a three-digit (and rarely four-digit)number, and more often than not a printed townname above the number. All regular typesknown to date have the approximate size of 48by 17 millimeters, with considerable varia -tions; but since the Swiss P.T.T. calls thisgeneral size "Format 09", individual measure-ments are not given. All R - labels areprinted on white to grayish-white paper. TheSwiss P.T.T. currently reimburses forregistered, value not declared, letters thesum of Sw.Fr.50 upon proof of loss. The R -labels are usable on letters, postcards, smallparcels and packets, and printed matter, andhave been used uninterruptedly from at least1893 to the present. Principal types are asfollows:

1) Large, seriffed, red R; red frame, red"No", followed by narrow-spaced red number;above it town name in black seriffed print.Rouletted all around. Seen used 1893 - 1901.

(Type 1 Illustrated above)

2)Quite similar to type 1) but all printingin black. Registration number digits widerspaced than type 1). Rouletted top and bottom

A) Roulette lines devoid of printing;a) town name in seriffed lettersb) without printed town name (emergency

registration labels of which each P.O.keeps at least one pad. If printedtypes run out, town's straightlinecanceller is handstamped on labels.)

8) Roulette lines pre-printed in black;a) very fine roulette dashes; town name

in seriffed print;b) idem; town name in mixed seriffed and

unseriffed print; sometimes with addedrubber handstamp, such as "posteaerienne"

c) idem; without printed town name;d) longer, coarser printed roulette

dashes; town name seriffed;e) idem; town name in very large seriffed

letters;

f) idem; town name in mixed print. Seenused 1904 - 1932.

3) Black block letter at left; black frame;without "No." in front of three-digitnumber; town name in smaller seriffedprint than types 1)- and 2).

A) rouletted, without printing at roulettelines;

a) coarsely rouletted;b) very finely rouletted;c) same as a) but without printed town

name;

8) perforated top and bottom;

a) with town name printed;b) without printed town name (inserted

by handstamp instead).

Seen used 1927 - 1963.

4) Red block letter at left (larger thantype 3); red frame; otherwise verysimilar to type 3). Black number andtown name. Perforated top and bottom.

a) Town name printed all in bold seriffedtype;

b) Town name printed in mixed coarse andfine seriffed type;

c) Town name (etc.) printed mostly infine seriffed printing type;

d) Without printed town name (emergencylabel).

Seen used 1937 - 1968.

5) Same as type 4), but without frame line.Perforated top and bottom.

a) Town name in bold seriffed type;b) Town name in bold and fine (mixed)c) Town name in fine seriffed print type:d) Without printed town name (emergency

label);e) Town name in bold, unseriffed type,

with four-digit direction number pre-ceding town name;

f) Town name in bold and finer unseriffedtype (similar to 5e);

Seen used (4a,b,c,d) 1949 - 1969;(4e,f) since 1965.

NOTE: Type 5) registration labels come instrips of ten, stapled together below thenumbers ending with 0. Therefore the labelsending in 1 are imperforate at top. Numbersrun from 001 to 1000, but because only threefigures are printed, the last number in a setof 1000 reads 000, and a 1 must be insertedby hand (see Oberhofen label). Often, partsof the numbering wheels' previous readingscan be seen in the form of halfmoons or linesabove or below the actual number.

6) Similar to type 5e), but printed onglossier paper with self-adhesive gum. Im -perforate all around. Thinner registrationnumber figures.

Used at the Swiss Philatelic Agency since 1968

7) Large, red R only. Perforated allaround. Size 13 x 19 mm. The only exampleseen to date was on a parcel of 1966 whichhad arrived from France in damaged conditionand was repacked at the Swiss border. Behindthe small label the original Frenchregistration number is written in by hand.

8) Large, green R at left. Green P infront and after number (PP: postage prepaid).Town name in black. Perforated top and bottom.Seen used 1962 - 1966. This label is used onstampless registry mail which is posted inbulk by banks, etc., which affix these labelsthemselves and account for all postage monthlyor weekly.

a) Registration number in green; black townname seriffed;

b) Registration number in black; elseidentical to a);

c) Same as b); but with town name precededby four-digit direction number andprinted in unseriffed, bold type.

9) Not really a label, but a system used bythe P.T.T.'s Philatelic Agency in Bern betweenabout 1960 and 1967. On the Agency's order-filling envelopes there is a transparent win-dow in the upper left hand corner to the leftof which is printed a red R and "No.", andabove the window "Bern 1 Annahme". On thebill of sale, inside the envelope, theregistry number is typed in and becomes thenvisible behind the envelope's red R,

10) Not really a label, and similar principleto 9) except that the outer envelope now hasa large window, and on the invoice is printeda red R and 3000 Bern 1 Annahme. Theregistration number is then inserted by handor typed in.

SWISS POSTMARK• CATALOGUES

We have received two Catalogues previouslyunknown to us, both ,published by "editionsPEN'; in Switzerland. The first is the 1968issue of "Special Cancellations of Switzerland,1850-1967", and the other is the 1967 issueof "Swiss Automobile Post Catalogue". TheIntroduction and explanations are in French,German and English in each case, and onlyPost Office cancellations are given.

The Editors are to be congratulated on avery thorough Job. The duplicated pages areclear and easy for reference. All cancellationsare illustrated. The full wording of everycancel is given, together with dates of use,colour, and valuation. These are invaluableto every collector of Swiss Postmarks.

We can supply at 77s.6d. ($9.30) each, postfree, including supplements up to date.

Since our last Editionthere have been quite anumber of changes in thestaff of the Amateur

Collector Limited. One of your editors, SusanRankin, married and had to give up herposition with us in February. She recentlyvisited us with a little baby daughter whomight conceivably join this firm some yearshence.The Stamp Department has lost the able

assistance of Miss Susan Abbey who married inJune. Her husband is none other than MichaelFerris, owner of one of Scotland's biggeststamp businesses, and she will be able to useher acquired stamp knowledge with her husbandin Glasgow.

We have, however, increased the staff: Mrs.Maureen Minton has taken over as secretaryand will, in conjunction with Mr. Bulstrode,act as joint editor for the Swiss Philatelist.

Frank Bulstrode is, of course, a well knownfigure in philately. He has specialised inSwiss stamps since the First World War, hisspecialities being Proofs, Essays and HotelPost stamps (among many others). His mostrecent achievement has been to be awarded theO.B.E. in recognisance of his long and loyalservices with Air Traffic Control.

The third addition to our little group isnineteen year old Mrs. Lesley Arnold, who hastaken over Susan Abbey's duties.

Last, but not least, readers uho havecorresponded with Miss Dominici (our Managerezand Factotum) will wish to join us in con -gratulating her on her Ten Year Jubilee withAmateur Collector Limited. When she joined usthe poor girl could never have realised whata terrible life was in store for her!

H. L. KATCHER

QUANTITIES OF STAMPS ISSUED

PRO JUVENTUTE 1967

10c. 15,628,000 20c. 13,660,000

30c. 11,676,000 50c. 6,610,000

The figures include 250,336 Stamp Booklets

EUROPA 1967

30c. 15,212,000

PRO PATRIA 1968

10c. 6,572,000 20c. 8,142,000

30c. 8,060,000 50c. 5,470,000

HOTEL POSTS

We have acquired the RIGI KALTBAD COVER shownhere, with by far the earliest date known tous for Hotel Post usage - namely 5.VIII.1852.

A Hotel Post Collector's Dream:- Price on Request -

Engelberg (Hotel - Pension Sonnenberg).

Can any of our readers help in a problemconcerning the perforations of these stamps?For a long time they have been listed asperf.11½, but evidence is accumulating thatthey also exist perf. 13 to 13}. We areanxious to make our listing as accurate aspossible and invite your help. Would anyonewith the right material kindly advise us ofthe colour (with or without black border),and respective perforation in each case. Wethank in advance all those who help us inthis research.