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Collection's History

The «Pilatus» Collection

 

We proudly present the detailed sale of an outstanding and particularly valuable special postal-history collection of Switzerland that contains numerous unusual covers ranging from the Cantonal stamps to the Strubel issues.

 

This magnificent collection originated more than half a century ago. The father of the latest owner and the real compiler of this collection had used a tasteful, but fairly traditional Classic Switzerland Collection to built on from there. But it was only the son who continuously refined and customized this postal-history collection that, step by step, he turned into an outstanding object, meaningfully specialized with a view to exceptional postal history items. With outstanding knowledge of postal history and commensurate taste, the necessary patience and, no doubt, a considerable employment of capital, he had compiled, more than two decades ago, a relatively small but quite remarkable collection of Classic Switzerland covers.

 

From the 1990s onward, the collector secured the permanent and competent aid of the currently leading expert on Swiss postal history, Herr Martin Eichele. Due to his support, his many years of experience and his intimate knowledge of Swiss postal history, several special postal-history aspects of the collection advanced even further. Starting from the stamp as issued (unused condition), various possibilities of postal handling and dispatch (basic covers, postal recommendation, c.o.d. services, etc.), exchange rate differences, forms of cancellation, special Cantonal provisions, and much more is documented in the collection. All traditional stamp issues and their specialties also are included.

 

The collection therefore comprises numerous mixed and multiple frankings, bisections, rare destinations, and numerous other peculiarities. Many excellent covers were replaced, step by step, by even better, more expressive ones. Some outstanding items still are from the original collection; some of them were directly acquired, as long ago as the 1930s and 1940s, from well-known dealer Ernst Müller in Basle. Never before they were on the open philatelic market. Other items, with support and advice from Martin Eichele, were specifically searched, discovered and acquired for this very collection during the last decade.

 

It will no doubt be apparent from a careful study of this collection that there is virtually nothing in it that could be characterized as «normal» or «ordinary». Rather, almost every single item among these more than 350 covers ranges far beyond what is usual in terms of postal history or everyday philatelic experience. Every single cover has its unique «personality» while preserving and displaying outstanding quality.

 

 

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