1905 Gornergrat Summit & Breithorn Switzerland Vintage Postcard UDB
About This Vintage Postcard
This antique monochromatic postcard captures a bustling tourist scene at the Sommet du Gornergrat (Gornergrat Summit) at an elevation of 3136 meters. The image features a panoramic view of the snow-covered Breithorn peak (4171 meters) in the Swiss Alps near Zermatt. A diverse group of early twentieth-century travelers in period attire, including men in bowler hats and women in long dresses, are seen congregating at the summit. One individual is looking through a mounted telescope, highlighting the peak of Alpine tourism following the 1898 opening of the Gornergrat Railway.
Details
Era: Undivided Back (1905)
City: Zermatt (Gornergrat)
State: Valais (Wallis)
Region: Swiss Alps
Country: Switzerland
Topic: Alpine Tourism, Gornergrat Summit, Breithorn Mountain, Mountaineering History, Swiss Landscapes.
Condition: Circulated
Address Side: Undivided Back
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Artist / Photographer: Not Stated
Publisher: Phototypie Co., Neuchâtel (Series No. 11180)
Printer: Phototypie Co., Neuchâtel
Print Type: Phototypie / Collotype
Additional Information
This card features extensive postal history and a detailed travel narrative. It was postmarked on July 28, 1905, with two "Martigny-Ville AMBULANT" railway postmarks and a red 10-centime Helvetia stamp. It is addressed to Miss Margaret F. Shaw in Honolulu, Hawaii (T.H.), via New York. The lengthy message, dated July 25, 1905, describes a 12-hour ride and a 4-mile walk to a place with no railroad, mentioning finding edelweiss, forget-me-nots, and bluebells. The sender, "R.C.S.," notes they are shipping their suitcases because they are too heavy to carry while traveling with hand luggage. The undivided back confirms its production during the era when the reverse was strictly for the address.
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