We have in the Classic Switzerland Philately some covers out of family archives, which are now famous rarities. You could mention here amongst others the well known letters of an anxious mother to her 10 year old son Théodore Barrilliet, in the famous Boarding School Naville in Vernier, Canton Geneva, where her son was attended the private boarding school. The majority of these folded covers are franked with a Double Geneva. You can read with amusement in these covers how a loving mother gives caring advice to her youngster.
Many collectors will also know about the correspondence of Dr. A. Odermatt from Stans to Miss Regula Hottinger in Zurich. These are famous for RAYON II bisects (more than a dozen). Out of this correspondence there are also covers known from the other way, consequently from Miss Hottinger to Dr. A.Odermatt.
Our title illustration of this year comes from another family correspondence, of which I am only aware of the address to Miss Friederike Zellweger in Bischofszeil.
I believe that one can find more than dozen of covers. All these covers have one thing in common. They are all mixed frankings of a pair of Orts-Post with the federal frame around the cross and a one Rayon II copy. They were all sent from Bern firstly with the blue PD and then after the 8.8. 1851 cancelled with the blue canton Bern lozenge. These are envelopes not folded covers and do not contain letters or indicate the sender’s name.
You can say without exaggeration that these Zellweger covers are without any doubt the most beautiful mixed frankings of the Durheim issues. You can distinguish these particularly by wonderful freshness and beauty (no creases, very neat handwritten addresses and a very clear cancellation).There are one or two covers which show repaired stamps. However, most covers are absolutely deluxe quality covers, “dream items” suitable for very big exhibition collections There are no quotes for extra quality in the Special Catalogue. You know about their high realised auction prices of more than 30,000 and this was already so for many years! Although also definitively ignored in the catalogue.
Our title cover illustration shows a typical example of these family archive covers.
You may call it the possibly most beautiful existing cover in the world. It is also better than the other Zellweger covers because the cancellation here shows still the blue PD of Bern. In my opinion it is rare and interesting that the necessary rate of the 15 Rappen rate is always in the form of two Orts-Post with the frame around the cross and one Rayon II. You can assume that the sender had a stamp supply at home. And always of Orts-Post stamps normally intended for the Orts-Post of Bern and the Rayon II. He obviously never used the 5 Rappen - Rayons. If these covers were shown for postage to the Bern post office, they would have been franked without any doubt with the available 5 Rappen Rayon but consequently we would not have the pleasure of seeing these gorgeous mixed frankings.
Just a little note as a side line: We recently could acquire another cover with a blue grid of Bern 15th April 1852 to Bischofszell (exactly the same deluxe quality!). This letter carries from now on the one Rappen III with the small value figure and the address does not say anymore Miss Friederike Zellweger but from now on Mrs. F.Roth-Zellweger in Bischofszell. The sender’s handwriting is identical. The lovely Miss Friederike married in fact Mr. Roth.