SWITZERLAND 1925 THREE TÊTE-BÊCHE PAIRS ON REGISTERED EXPRESS AIRMAIL COVER TO MILAN
1925 (Sep. 3), commercial registered express airmail cover from Rapperswil to Milan, Italy, flown on the first Zurich-Milan flight. The cover is franked with a 50c grey and red Airmail definitive paired with three distinct booklet tête-bêche pairs: a 25c blue Seated Helvetia pair (with a large red "20" overprint), a 20c purple William Tell bust pair, and a 20c red William Tell bust pair. The stamps are cleanly tied by black circular date stamps inscribed "RAPPERSWIL (ST. GALLEN)" ['-3.IX.25.-19 / IX']. The face features a printed sender layout for Eugen Leder, a printed "Chargé" line accompanied by a manuscript "Express / Flugpost" endorsement, a red typographic "Durch Eilboten / Exprès. - Espresso." express label, a grey trilingual "Mit Flugpost" airmail label, a paper registration label reading "R Rapperswil (St. G.) No 701", a purple flight cachet reading "1. Flugpost Zürich-Mailand", and a "ZÜRICH / FLUGPOST" transit dater ['-9.IX.25.-8']. It is manuscript-addressed to Signor Anacleto Singrossi in Milan. The reverse in file 61B.jpg displays two distinct Italian receiving marks: a "MILANO CENTRO / ESPRESSI" circular dater and a "MILANO FERROVIA / POSTA AEREA" circular dater, both dated September 9, 1925. The envelope is intact and remains in excellent condition.
This registered express cover documents a premier milestone in Swiss aerophilately: the September 1925 inaugural first flight connecting Zurich with Milan across the Alps. Dispatched from Rapperswil on September 3, the piece was held and organized for the specialized flight pouch that departed the Zurich-Dübendorf airfield following experimental weather delays. The total tariff is satisfied via an exceptional assembly of three separate booklet tête-bêche configurations, representing an incredibly scarce multi-subject variety combination on a verified international first flight document. With pristine terminal arrival backstamps tracking the immediate handover to Italian railway and express courier lines, this is a centerpiece-caliber artifact of early interwar trans-alpine aviation history.
Please examine lot scan carefully and please send any questions at least 48 hours before the auction closes. Please note that cover condition usually includes normal wear and tear to cover edges, opening tears and some creases and wrinkles. Only exceptional or extreme condition issues will be mentioned.
Legend:
PS - Postal Stationery
FL - Folded Letter
SFL - Stampless Folded Letter
RPO - Railway Post Office
CDS - Circular Date Stamp
DPO - Dead Post Office
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