Date of use : 1960, Switzerland

R.M. Sollberger: Lausanne Photographic Dealer to K.G. Obergassner, Munich

This commercial envelope sent from Lausanne to Munich represents a piece of business correspondence connected to the European trade in photographic materials. The printed return address in the lower left corner identifies the sender as R. M. Sollberger, whose business is described with the French phrase "Articles Photographiques," meaning photographic supplies or photographic equipment. This designation indicates that the company specialized in the sale or distribution of photographic materials, which may have included cameras, accessories, photographic paper, chemicals, or darkroom equipment. The printed address and telephone number associated with the Lausanne location suggest that the firm operated as an established commercial enterprise within the city, possibly serving professional photographers and photographic retailers.

The envelope is addressed to K. G. Obergassner, a firm located on Franz Joseph Strasse in Munich. The postal designation "München 13" refers to a postal district within the city. Although detailed historical records concerning this company are limited, the address indicates that the recipient was a commercial entity rather than a private individual. Given Munich's well-known role as a center of photographic and optical commerce, it is plausible that the firm was involved in photographic distribution, retail, or related technical trades. While this interpretation cannot be confirmed with certainty, it corresponds with the broader commercial landscape of the city at the time.

Record Information

Title: R.M. Sollberger Business Envelope (Lausanne to Munich)

Category: Photographic Industry History / Commercial Correspondence

Subcategory: Swiss Photographic Dealers / German Trade Networks

Country: Switzerland (Sender: Lausanne) → Germany (Recipient: Munich)

City: Lausanne (Sender: R.M. Sollberger) → Munich (Recipient: K.G. Obergassner)

Date of use: 1960

Company (Sender): R.M. Sollberger, Lausanne, Switzerland. A photographic supplies dealer (Articles Photographiques) active in the mid-20th century, serving professional photographers and photographic retailers.

Object Type: Commercial envelope (business correspondence)

Postal Features: Swiss postage stamps; Lausanne postal cancellation (1960).

Language: French / German (recipient address)

Material: Paper envelope

Dimensions: Standard commercial envelope format

Collection Theme: R.M. Sollberger, Lausanne commerce, Swiss photographic trade, Articles Photographiques, K.G. Obergassner, Munich optical industry, Swiss-German trade, 1960s postal history, European photographic distribution networks.

Archival Significance: This 1960 envelope documents commercial correspondence between a Swiss photographic dealer (R.M. Sollberger in Lausanne) and a German company (K.G. Obergassner in Munich), illustrating the cross-border trade networks of the European photographic industry in the post-war period.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
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