CEF Sheet 1492 Mont Aiguille first ascent cancelled stamp France

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Description

This CEF philatelic souvenir sheet celebrates the first ascent of Mont Aiguille in 1492, a landmark event in the history of mountaineering. On the left side, a French stamp with a face value of 3.40 francs features a stylized illustration of Mont Aiguille, accompanied by a commemorative postmark "1492 Première ascension du Mont Aiguille" (1492 First ascent of Mont Aiguille) dated June 26, 1992, from Chichil-les-Forets.

The souvenir sheet is adorned on the right with a watercolor depicting Mont Aiguille and a rope team of mountaineers heading towards the summit, a work by artist Marie-Noëlle Coffin. The entire document is framed with a black border and offers detailed text in French tracing the circumstances of this historic first ascent, carried out by Antoine de Ville by order of King Charles VIII.

The text notably explains the "inaccessible" nature of the summit at the time, the method used with ladders, and the impact of this expedition on the history of mountaineering. Several paragraphs relate subsequent stages, including the first re-enactment of the ascent in 1834 by Jean Liotard, and the events organized for the 500th anniversary of the event.

The mention "Tirage limité" (Limited edition) is visible at the bottom left with a copy number: 3232. On the left also appears the reference "catalogue CEF" and information about the publisher and printing, confirming that it is an official souvenir sheet published by SO.O.P. for CEF (Cercle des Émissions Philatéliques Françaises).

The visible side of the souvenir sheet presents a clean and well-preserved appearance, with no apparent signs of wear. The stamp is carefully affixed, and the postmark is clear. The document is protected in a transparent plastic sleeve.

Condition

Used item, sold as is. No tears or apparent defects on the visible side. The souvenir sheet is numbered 3232 and protected in a plastic sleeve.

Did you know? Mont Aiguille, located in the Vercors, is considered the cradle of modern mountaineering. Its ascent in 1492 by Antoine de Ville, by order of Charles VIII, marks the first documented climb of a supposedly inaccessible summit, long before the alpine conquests of the 19th century.

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