SWITZERLAND 1907-1920

Return To Catalogue - Switzerland overview

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.

Switzerland issues from 1882-1906. For Pro Juventute issues (1912 onwards), click here.

1907 William Tell's son Inscription 'Helvetia Franco

  2 c yellow
  3 c brown
  5 c green

These stamps have part of silk threads in the paper and watermark 'Cross'.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1907 Helvetia, standing, 'Helvetia' inscription at the bottom

  10 c red
  12 c yellow
  15 c violet

These stamps have part of silk threads in the paper and watermark 'Cross'.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1907 Helvetia, sitting with mountains on the background

  20 c red and yellow
  25 c blue
  30 c brown and green
  35 c green and yellow
  40 c violet and yellow
  40 c violet and green (1924?)
  40 c blue (1917?)
  50 c green
  60 c orange and yellow (1918)
  70 c brown and yellow
  70 c violet and orange (1924)
  80 c grey and red (1915)
  1 F red and green
  3 F brown and yellow

Surcharged

  '20' (red) on 25 c blue
  '80' on 70 c yellow and brown (1915)

Air mail, postage stamps overprinted with wings and propellor in red (1919)

  30 c brown and green
  50 c green

The two types of the 40 c.

For the specialist: the 40 c violet and yellow exists in two types; the sword is slightly different in both types.The air mail stamps are known to be forged.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Since the airmail stamps are relatively rare, many forged overprints exist.

The values 50 c, 70 c violet and orange, 80 c and 1 F exist with overprint 'S.d.N. Bureau international du Travail'

Example of this 'S.d.N. Bureau international du Travail' overprint

The values 50 c, 60 c, 70 c violet and orange, 80 c and 1 F exist overprinted with a large black cross, they are official stamps issued in 1938.

These stamps also exist with overprint 'Industrielle Kriegs-wirtschaft' (1918).

Overprinted 'Bela Szekula Luzern' dealer label made by the dealer and stamp forger Szekula

1908 Helvetia, standing with mountains on the background, 'Helvetia' inscription at the top

  10 c red
  12 c brown
  15 c purple

Surcharged

  '13' on 12 c brown

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2 and watermark 'Cross'.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I've seen some labels (similar to the 1909 Tell's son issue, see there) with the image of the stamp and 'A.KOCHER & FILS LA CHAUX DE FONDS VEVEY' printed around it in a different color. I've seen: 10 c red (with red border), 10 c red (with blue border), 10 c red (with green border) and 10 c red (with lilac border). The labels are perforated.

1909 William Tell's son Inscription 'Helvetia'

  2 c olive
  2 1/2 c brown (1917)
  2 1/2 c olive (1928)
  3 c violet
  3 c orange (1917)
  3 c blue (1930)
  5 c green
  5 c orange on red
  5 c violet
  7 1/2 c grey (1917)
  7 1/2 c green (1928)

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Surcharged

  '1' and bars on 2 c olive (1915)
  '2 1/2' (blue) on 3 c orange (1921)
  '3' and bars on 2 1/2 c olive (1930)
  '5' and bars (red) on 2 c olive (1921)
  '5' on 7 1/2 c grey (1921)
  '5' and bars on 7 1/2 c green (1930)

The types, differing in the bow cord and the elliptical top part of the bow (thicker and closer to the white line above it in the last image).

Differences in the steps below the boy.

For the specialist: in the first printing of 1909 the cord of the bow passes in front of the center of this bow (it can be seen in the stamp), in the later printings it passes behind the center (invisible). Also some differenent types concerning the thickness of the steps the boy is standing on can be found.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I have seen the 5 c orange on red printed together with a 10 c green on red William Tell stamp (from a stamp booklet).

(Advertisement label? with the same image and 'A.KOCHER & FILS LA CHAUX DE FONDS VEVEY')

I have also seen labels identical to the above ones with the same inscription 'A.KOCHER & FILS' in the values 2 c olive (green outer part), 2 c olive (red outer part, see image above), 2 c olive (lilac outer part), 2 c olive (blue outer part), 5 c green (red outer part), 5 c green (blue outer part), 5 c green (lilac outer part) and 5 c green (green outer part).
Similar labels exists for the '1908' Helvetia issue.

These stamps also exist with overprint 'Industrielle Kriegs-wirtschaft' (1918).

1914 William Tell

  10 c green (1921)
  10 c red
  10 c violet (1930)
  12 c brown
  13 c green (1915?)
  15 c violet
  15 c brown (1928)
  20 c violet (1921)
  20 c orange (1924)
  20 c red (1925) 
  25 c orange (1921)
  25 c red (1922)
  25 c brown (1925)
  30 c blue (1924)

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

surcharged

  '10' (red) on 13 c green (1921) 
  '13' on 12 c brown (1915)
  '20' (blue or black) on 15 c violet (1921)

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I've seen the 10 c green printed together with a 5 c orange on red William Tell's son 1909 stamp (from a stamp booklet).

These stamps also exist with overprint 'Industrielle Kriegs-wirtschaft' (1918).

Overprinted 'Bela Szekula Luzern' dealer label made by the dealer and stamp forger Szekula

1914 Mountain views

  3 F green
  3 F red (1918)
  5 F blue
  10 F violet
  10 F green (1930)

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

3 F brown in similar design (issued in 1931)

1919 Peace issue, various designs, inscription '1919'

  7 1/2 c green
  10 c red and yellow
  15 c violet and yellow

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1924 Arms of Switzerland, surrounded by mountains and clouds

1924 issue, arms of Switzerland, surrounded by mountains and clouds

  90 c green and red
  1.20 F brown and red
  1.50 F blue and red on blue
  2 F black and red on grey

All the above stamps exist with overprint 'S.d.N. Bureau international du Travail'.

These stamps overprinted with a large black cross are official stamps issued in 1938.

1924 UPU anniversary

  20 c red
  30 c blue

1931 Mountain view

3 F brown

  3 F brown

1932 Peace conference in Geneva, 5 c to 60c dove with broken sword, 1 F peace angel

  5 c green
  10 c orange
  20 c lilac
  30 c blue
  60 c brown
  1 F blue and grey

All the above stamps exist with overprint 'S.d.N. Bureau international du Travail'

Airmail
  15 c green and grey
  20 c red and lilac
  90 c blue and grey

1934 Various landscapes

  3 c olive (Lauterbrunn valley)
  5 c blue
  10 c violet (Chillon castle and mountains)
  15 c orange
  20 c red (Gotthard railway)
  25 c brown
  30 c blue (Schaffhausen waterfall)

The values 5 c, 10 c, 15 c and 20 c were issued in a minisheet for the NABA philatelic exhibition in 1934.

Slightly different designs, value in lower left corner (1936)
  3 c olive
  5 c blue
  5 c brown
  10 c violet (Chillon castle and mountains)
  10 c green (Chillon castle and mountains)
  10 c brown Chillon castle and mountains)
  15 c orange
  20 c red (Gotthard railway)
  20 c brown
  25 c brown
  25 c red
  30 c blue (Schaffhausen waterfall)
  35 c green
  40 c black
  40 c blue

The values 3 c olive, 5 c blue, 10 c violet, 15 c orange, 20 c red, 25 c brown, 30 c blue, 35 c green and 40 c black exist overprinted with a black cross (official stamps, 1938). Furthermore the values 3 c olive, 5 c blue, 10 c brown, 15 c orange, 20 c red, 25 c brown, 30 c blue, 35 c green and 40 c black exist overprinted with 'Officiel' (slanting, official stamps of 1942).

Peter Winter forgery of the NABA Zurich exhibition sheet, the word 'FAUX' is written at the bottom of each stamp.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer