This month, I’m presenting a particularly beautiful postal item from Liechtenstein – at least in my eyes – submitted by Clemens: a registered postal stationery card from Nendeln to Gamprin-Bendern, sent on September 7, 1978. At first glance, the piece impresses with its vibrant colors and exceptionally clean postmarks. But it also has plenty to offer from a postal history perspective – reason enough to take a closer look. What’s captured here on 14.8 × 10.5 centimeters is more than just correspondence between two places in Liechtenstein – it’s a piece of postal art: a successful composition of graphic design, color, printing technique, and postmark culture. In short: a card as a work of art.
The Postal Stationery – Steg in the High Mountains
The card is a 40-rappen postal stationery item, issued on March 11, 1976, and valid until December 31, 2001. For the day of issue, an official first day cancellation from Vaduz was available – I’ve included it here for illustration.
It’s a beautifully designed card showing the hamlet of Steg, a part of Triesenberg in the alpine region of Liechtenstein. The entire design – including the depiction of the mountain village and the crowned emblem stamp image – was created by Bruno Kaufmann, considered one of the most important stamp and stationery designers in Liechtenstein. The card was printed in offset by Courvoisier SA, La Chaux-de-Fonds, with a print run of 333,851. The color scheme is impressive – with yellow ochre, green, and blue giving the card a bright and clear appearance. A watermark is also present and clearly visible – though I personally cannot identify which one it is. If anyone can help, feel free to reach out. An interesting detail: these postal stationery cards were not available through the standard subscription service of the Liechtenstein Post but had to be specially ordered – which limited their circulation among collectors and increased their appeal.
The Postage – A Slight Surplus
For a registered domestic postcard in Liechtenstein in 1978, the following fees applied: • 40 rappen for the postcard; • 70 rappen for registration → 110 rappen total postage. This card, however, is franked with a 40-rappen postal stationery imprint and an additional 80-rappen stamp, totaling 120 rappen – an overfranking of 10 rappen. Still, this is more of an aesthetic gain. The colorful zodiac stamp visually enhances the card significantly – philatelically not uncommon, and aesthetically quite appealing.
The Additional Postage – A Zodiac Stamp
An 80-rappen postage stamp was affixed as additional franking, which was issued for the first time on the same day the card was posted: September 7, 1978. It’s part of Liechtenstein’s popular Zodiac series (1976–1978, four stamps each year). The stamp used here belongs to the final group of four signs: Sagittarius, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Aquarius. The series was designed by the artist Max Hunziker, printed using photogravure by Courvoisier SA, and issued in sheets of 5 × 4 stamps with perforation 11¾.
Print quantities varied between roughly 750,000 and 1 million stamps per motif. The Capricorn stamp had a print run of 855,698. As with the card, the official first day postmark for this stamp was available only in Vaduz – it is not present on the card but has been included here for documentation purposes.
The Postmarks – Clean, Complete, on the Front
Two clear cancellations adorn the front of the card: 1. Nendeln, 7.9.1978 (dispatch postmark); • A bridge-type cancel with the national emblem in the upper segment, date and time in the bridge, and the code “9a” in the lower segment; • Top arc: postal code and town name; bottom arc: “F. Liechtenstein”. • Used in Nendeln from June 9, 1977, to April 14, 1980. 2. Gamprin-Bendern, 11.9.1978 (arrival postmark); • Same cancel type as used in Nendeln; • In use from June 2, 1969, until April 14, 1980. A particular joy for collectors: both postmarks were struck clearly, completely, and on the front of the card – a stroke of luck and a visual delight.
A Final Thought – and a Look Ahead
This small, colorful card speaks volumes: about art and printing, about postal precision, and about a world where letters and cards were still something personal. It also takes us back to a time when post offices were a given part of daily life. Sadly, the post office in Gamprin-Bendern has been closed since 2020. And now, a similar fate may await us: the closure of our own post office in Bürs has been announced. Although it is centrally located and well-frequented, it’s set to disappear. The trend toward digital communication and the decline of traditional mail are said to make this inevitable. Philately thus loses not only infrastructure but a part of its cultural home. There will be no more cancelations from Bürs… not even at Christmas. And who knows whether postcards bearing stamps and real postmarks will continue to travel across the land at all in the future? Let’s work to prevent that. Let’s write letters, exchange postcards, share our enthusiasm – and perhaps others will once again find their way back to the beautiful hobby of philately.