To mark 50 years of the Swiss PTT's printing works, they produced a very luxuriously executed book, clothed in linen, in 1980.
The book is split into two major chapters: the first dealing with the history of the printing works and the second with the various printing processes used to produce the Swiss stamps.
The book is beautifully illustrated in full colour, with many design essays, master dies and printing material being shown and as such a very interesting book, even if you do not master French very well or at all. (Yes, the text is in French only.)
Bonus: the book includes the only photograph (that I have ever found at least) of the engraver Max Müller, working on the stamp marking that same 50th anniversary.
Further bonus: the Swiss PTT also produced a souvenir sheet which features an unadopted stamp design from the early 1960s. The souvenir sheet was engraved by Karl Bickel Jr and it is included in the booklet, so if for nothing else, it would be great trying to find a copy for just that. Although, to be fair, the sheetlet can be found on the usual stamp selling sites as well.
Cinquantenaire de l'imprimerie des timbres-poste des PTT 1930-1980
PTT Berne 1980
Text: French
Pages: 66
The book is split into two major chapters: the first dealing with the history of the printing works and the second with the various printing processes used to produce the Swiss stamps.
The book is beautifully illustrated in full colour, with many design essays, master dies and printing material being shown and as such a very interesting book, even if you do not master French very well or at all. (Yes, the text is in French only.)
Bonus: the book includes the only photograph (that I have ever found at least) of the engraver Max Müller, working on the stamp marking that same 50th anniversary.
Further bonus: the Swiss PTT also produced a souvenir sheet which features an unadopted stamp design from the early 1960s. The souvenir sheet was engraved by Karl Bickel Jr and it is included in the booklet, so if for nothing else, it would be great trying to find a copy for just that. Although, to be fair, the sheetlet can be found on the usual stamp selling sites as well.
(Hardened die proof of engraved vignette)
Cinquantenaire de l'imprimerie des timbres-poste des PTT 1930-1980
PTT Berne 1980
Text: French
Pages: 66