New designs from Swiss Post present word-search puzzle, shapes of summer

By Denise McCarty

Contests resulted in innovative designs for two recent Swiss stamp issues.

A 100-centime (1-franc) stamp reflecting the theme of sustainability includes a word-search puzzle, and a set of four cut-to-shape stamps celebrates summer fun. All five stamps were issued May 6.

Carole Kiechl designed the Sustainability stamp, winning a contest held among 22 students in a visual communication course at the Bern University of the Arts.

Her design consists of letters and numbers on 15 lines. The denomination “100” is circled in red in the fourth row and the country name “Helvetia” is circled near the bottom of the second column.

Swiss Post says that this design “aims to encourage people to engage with the image by searching for words,” adding that “there are 24 German, French and Italian words to be found, all related to the topic of sustainability.”

Gutenberg AG of Liechtenstein printed the stamp by four-color offset in panes of 16.

Three artists were asked to create stamp images that evoked a summer atmosphere through simple designs, according to an article in Swiss Post’s Focus on Stamps.

Employees of Swiss Post voted on the three proposed sets of designs, selecting the set by Patrick Oberholzer as the winner.

His designs appear on four self-adhesive stamps shaped like sunglasses (85c), a fruit drink (85c), an ice cream cone (100c) and a slice of watermelon (100c), offset-printed by Joh. Enschede of the Netherlands in small panes of 10.

Swiss Post said, “Despite the small format, there’s plenty to discover in his designs: the designs are enriched by the use of playful features, such as a fruity silhouette for the drink, a touch of Swissness reflected in the sunglasses and sweet decorations on the cone.”

May 6 also was the issue date for other Swiss stamps: commemoratives marking the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, 75th anniversary of the International Handball Federation and 150 years of Rigi Railways; Europa stamps; and Pro Patria semipostals showcasing craftsmanship and cultural heritage.

For ordering details, visit Swiss Post online.

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