Kocher stamp

A Kocher stamp, or Kochermarken, is a small framed ad with postage for A. Kocher and Sons. It was gummed, with a Swiss postage stamp design. This was printed by the post office under the rules for printed-to-private-order stationery. First released in 1909, they were used on Kocher company mail and also on their reply envelopes, different from the similar porte-timbres used in France.

Frames came in three different colors and 2c, 5c and 10c then-current stamp designs were used. They are quite scarce mint or used.

Other companies applied for similar stamps but were refused by the post office. A battle followed between Kocher and the post office over whether these were valid. Often enough, covers would be refused by postal clerks, passed uncancelled, returned for postage or charged postage due.

Kochermarken were used for many years, with only a few available for use in later years. The Helvetia and Tell stamps were eventually demonetized by 1933 and 1943 respectively, so the Kocher stamps were no longer usable. However, in the meantime, the stamps had become valuable as collectibles.

Frames without franking/stamp images exist.

 File:Switz Kocher stamp.jpg|Kochermarke with 10c stamp 