CEF 125th Anniversary Red Cross sheet cancelled France philately
CEF 125th Anniversary Red Cross sheet cancelled France philately
AFW - Antique France Worldwide
Description
This CEF philatelic sheet commemorates the 125th anniversary of the Red Cross. On the visible side, it features a striking graphic composition: a stylized bouquet of red crosses tied together with a blue ribbon, on a beige to brown gradient background. This visual occupies the left third of the sheet and symbolizes the humanitarian action and international solidarity of the Red Cross.
To the right of the illustration, a detailed text traces the history and foundation of the Red Cross, highlighting its humanitarian role since 1863 and recalling the figure of Henry Dunant, its main initiator. The text is printed in black on a white background, ensuring excellent readability.
In the lower right corner, there is a French 2.20 franc postage stamp, illustrated with the Red Cross logo and a portrait, accompanied by the mention "125e ANNIVERSAIRE DE LA CROIX-ROUGE" (125th ANNIVERSARY OF THE RED CROSS). The stamp is cancelled with a red commemorative postmark "CROIX-ROUGE FRANÇAISE 93 LE BOURGET" dated May 8, 88, with a stylized representation of Henry Dunant.
The sheet is framed by a brown border and includes the official mentions of the CEF (Cercle des Émissions Philatéliques de France) on the left side margin, with the reference "N° 520 du catalogue CEF" and the copy number "7341" at the bottom left. The presentation on a three-hole punched cardboard support is visible, typical of CEF sheets intended for binder filing.
The sheet highlights the quality of the printing and the precision of the graphics, with vibrant colors (red, blue, green, beige) and a balance between text, illustration, and philatelic elements. The overall appearance is neat and well-maintained, with no major apparent defects on the visible side.
Condition
Used item, sold as is. The visible side shows no tears, significant creases, or noticeable stains, apart from a slight brownish mark at the bottom left of the visual. The colors are well preserved.
Did you know? The first French Red Cross stamp was issued in 1914 to support humanitarian action during the First World War. Since then, France has regularly issued commemorative stamps and sheets for the benefit of the Red Cross, which have become classics of thematic philately.
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Keywords: Red Cross sheet, CEF France, commemorative stamp, cancelled, 125th anniversary, Henry Dunant, thematic philately, CEF issue, philatelic document, French Red Cross, French stamp, commemorative postmark