Postkarte, Fußball der Tschechoslowakei, Schweiz, 1987 – Autogramme

Product detailed description

Condition: found, good

Provenance: from the family of Josef Masopust

Size: 14.8 cm x 10.5 cm

A gem for collectors of Czechoslovak football! A postcard from Locarno on Lake Maggiore signed by Czechoslovakia national team players, with a handwritten greeting from coach Josef Masopust, winner of the 1962 Ballon d'Or. Postmarked in Locarno on 23 March 1987, two days before the friendly Switzerland v Czechoslovakia in Bellinzona, which Masopust's side won 2–1 with goals from Luhový and Kubík. Swiss Helvetia 5 stamp and red meter mark, publisher Karl Engelberger, Stansstad. Provenance: Josef Masopust's family.

Facts at a glance

• Item: signed postcard, postmarked, not addressed
• View: Locarno, Lake Maggiore, canton of Ticino, Switzerland
• Publisher: Edizione Karl Engelberger, Stansstad, No. 12058
• Postmark: Locarno 1, 23 March 1987, Helvetia 5 stamp (Sternsingen Bergün) and red meter mark
• Signatures: Czechoslovakia national team players in blue ballpoint, handwritten greeting from coach Josef Masopust
• Context: friendly Switzerland v Czechoslovakia 1–2, 25 March 1987, Bellinzona
• Czechoslovakia scorers: Milan Luhový, Luboš Kubík
• Provenance: Josef Masopust's family

Czechoslovakia line-up in Bellinzona
Mikloško – Bielik, Chovanec, Straka, Fieber – Knoflíček, Hašek, Kula (76. Daněk), Kubík – Luhový, Skuhravý (76. Griga). Coach: Josef Masopust.

Expert note – FAQ

Who was Josef Masopust?
Josef Masopust was one of the greatest Czechoslovak footballers of all time and won the Ballon d'Or as European Footballer of the Year in 1962. With the national team he took silver at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. He later coached the Czechoslovakia national team as well.

What adds value to a postcard signed by footballers?
The value of a postcard signed by a national team depends mainly on documented provenance, a clear link to a specific match and the number of legible signatures. Items that come directly from the family of someone involved, as this one does, are among the best documented. A dated period postmark also matters.

How can I protect ballpoint autographs?
Do not expose ballpoint or ink signatures to direct sunlight, as UV light gradually fades them. Keep the postcard in an acid-free or polypropylene sleeve and use UV-filtering glass and a mount when framing. Never retrace, cover or clean the signatures.