Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 2

SWITZERLAND Cancels on first federal issues, part 2

Return To Catalogue - Switzerland cancels on first federal issues, part 1 - Switzerland overview

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
contact me if you want to purchase the catalogue

For more examples and an overview see the book of P.Mirabaud and A.De Reuterskiold; 'Les Timbres-Poste Suisses 1843-1862'. Upon the introduction of the federal stamps (5 April 1850), the prescribed cancellation was to apply a namecancel (town name usually in a straight line with or without date) on the envelope, accompagnied by a penstroke in black (obliteration a la plume). Although the penstroke was supposed to be black, red penstrokes also exist.

On 9 April 1850, the instruction was changed; instead of a penstroke, the cancel now should consist of a 'PP' cancel, to be applied on each stamp individually. If the postoffice did not have a 'PP' canceller, penstrokes were still allowed. In the next station with a 'PP' cancel, the stamps should still be obliterated with a 'PP' cancel (even though they already had a penstroke). There are quite a number of different 'PP' cancels, applied in black, blue, red or green.

On 22 October 1850, this instruction was changed again. From now on, any 'PP', 'PD', 'Franco' or any cancel at the post office dispostion could be used. This should be applied in the color black.

The grille cancel was introduced in 1854 and used upto half of 1857. These were used to cancel the stamps, while usually a date cancel was placed elsewhere on the letter. From 1857 this date cancel was used once only for both the stamps and letter.

For mor Switzerland cancels on first federal issues, part 1, click here.

Some typical "PP", "PD", "P" etc, cancels:

'PP', 'PD', 'P' etc. cancels:

Many different 'PP' 'Port Paye' , 'PD' 'Paye jusqu'a la Destination', 'P' (on letters to France?), 'RL' (Rayon Limotrophe), 'PF' (paye jusqu'a la frontiere) cancels exist, examples:

Image obtained from a Shreves auction, certified genuine
("PP" and "PD")