Luzern (Lucerne) / Switzerland: Gruss aus der Silvesternacht (Vintage Hold to Light PC 1898)

rare vintage hold to light postcard (lichteffektkarte) wishing a happy new year eve from lucerne, switzerland (gruss aus der silvesternacht in luzern). the front features a highly decorative winter and night themed design including an anthropomorphic smiling moon, bats, an owl, a snowman holding a lantern, and snow-covered holly branches. the black windows are translucent cutouts designed to show a glowing effect when held against a light  source, as prompted by the german text bitte gegen das licht zu halten.
the back of the postcard is an early undivided back design. it features a red 10-centime helvetia swiss postage stamp. the card bears a clear double-ring luzern bria. exp. cancellation mark dated 1 january 1898, along with a secondary circular luzern postmark from the same day. it also includes a circular arrival postmark from wangen im allgäu dated 2 january 1898.
the card is addressed in elegant german handwriting to herrn ferdinand meschenmoser in wangen im allgäu, württemberg. published by gebr. metz, kunstverlags-anstalt, tübingen, under the registration mark d.r.g.m. nr 84181.

postally used in 1898

size: ~ 9 x 14 cm (1 cm ~ 0.39 inch)

conditon: very good...please also refer to scans which show complete front and back of postcard

postkarte, postcard, carte postale, tarjeta postale, 葉書, schweiz, suisse, lithograph