SWITZERLAND 1926 LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS TO BASEL FIRST FLIGHT OFFICIAL SOUVENIR POSTCARD
1926 (May 15), official aviation souvenir postcard from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Lausanne, flown on the inaugural first flight service to Basel. The card is franked with a 15c red Airmail definitive (biplane over mountains) and a 10c green William Tell bust definitive, both tied by a large purple rectangular special event cancellation inscribed "1. FLUG-POST / 15.V.26 / STERNENPLATURES". The address side features green printed explanatory text designating it an official card ("Carte Officielle") for the "Navigation Horlogère Aérienne NHORA / 1re Poste Aérienne". The message field bears a striking, matching purple rectangular dispatch cachet reading "1ère POSTE AÉRIENNE / LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS • BÂLE / 15.V.26 / 1926" incorporating a specialized winged pocket watch emblem, overlaid by a green "Par poste aérienne" instructional stamp. It is manuscript-addressed to Monsieur A. Sahli in Lausanne. The reverse displays a sharp black and white real photo aerial view of the geometric grid layout of La Chaux-de-Fonds, captioned as a photograph taken by Aero-Zurich (Comte, Mittelholzer & Cie). The card is fully intact and remains in excellent condition.
This official pioneer postcard documents the historic May 15, 1926 inaugural flight connecting the premier watchmaking capital of La Chaux-de-Fonds with Basel under the NHORA aviation syndicate. The flight was a highly structured commercial event, represented here by an official card featuring a spectacular aerial photograph taken by legendary Swiss aviation pioneers Walter Mittelholzer and Alfred Comte. The combined 25c franking covers the standard domestic postcard tariff and the special airmail supplement. The highly symbolic winged pocket watch graphic on the prominent dispatch stamp celebrates the regional watchmaking trade, creating a beautifully preserved and highly uniform artifact from the golden age of Swiss pioneer aerophilately.
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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