Local mail and rayon stamps of Switzerland

The local post office and rayon brands are the first stamps issued by the Swiss Federal Post Office. Enter the name here refers to the characteristic inscription of the stamp issue. More rarely, this output is also referred to as coat of arms with Posthorn on the basis of the subject.

At the local post office and rayon brands is the first postage stamps, which were respected throughout Switzerland. Previously, there was, however, already Stamp Issues of the cantons of Geneva, Basel and Zurich, as starting your own Swiss postal system was only on 1 January 1849. Until then, the cantons were responsible for their own postal service. These stamps the Canton Post had same time as the local post office and rayon brands until September 30, 1854 validity. They were replaced by the seated Helvetia.

The output of the local postal and rayon brands made ​​in between 1850 and 1852. Firstly, the local postage stamps were issued in May 1850. On October 1, 1850, the rayon and rayon II followed after. On January 1, 1852 Rayon III were finally issued.

The stamps produced in lithography show as a motif the Swiss cross with an overlying post horn. Among them was the declaration of value that shows the post brand value in cents. When Rayon III, however, exist indicating the postage centimes in two different types, one with the big 15 cents and a little with the 15 cents and an output. In addition there is the inscriptions local post office, Rayon I, II or Rayon Rayon III. The local postage stamps were issued for the French-speaking areas of Switzerland with the inscription Poste Locale. The stamps were spent imperforated. Local Post Stamps and rayon stamps were printed on white paper, the local post office, Poste Locale and the Rayon III in the two-color printing, the Rayon I dark blue and light blue and the Rayon II in three-color printing. For the Rayon II, for example, the colors were successively yellow, red and black printed at the individual printing blocks in a different order, similarly for the other districts in the three-color printing.

The inscriptions on the post horn give the radius to within which a letter could be transported with a weight up to half a Lot. The decisive factor was not only the distance but also the zuregelten leagues of the postman. The following table shows the zone within which postal charges individual brands were valid.

For the postal fees zone Rayon IV is essential to define a issue of postage stamps. These were also closed down already in 1852 and from treated immediately as Rayon III. For letters to the weight of half a solder had to be aufbracht for each additional six additional Lot 5 centimes. This circumstance, it is thanks to them that may arise interesting Mischfrankaturen for philatelists.

In addition, offers the first complete edition of Switzerland numerous special features, such as painting, ink and paper differences. It is one of the classic issues of Swiss philately.