CEF sheet 90th anniversary Concours Lépine Grand Palais cancelled stamp

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Description

This CEF philatelic sheet commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Concours Lépine, an emblematic event for invention in France. The visible side features a carefully composed layout, centered around a reproduction of the original poster for the 13th Concours Lépine, which took place at the Grand Palais from August 12 to September 18, 1916. The poster depicts a man in a coat, seated, holding an invention and surrounded by elements illustrating the spirit of innovation, with a French tricolor flag on a workbench in the foreground.

To the right of the poster, black printed text traces the history of Louis Lépine, the creator of the competition, and details the major stages of this annual event, which has become a significant gathering for French inventors. The text is legible and structured, providing in-depth historical context to the piece.

In the bottom right of the sheet, there is a commemorative stamp issued for the occasion, with a face value of 4.00F. The stamp depicts a scene related to the Concours Lépine, accompanied by a special cancellation "CONCOURS LEPINE – 400 inventions – 23-09-99 – Paris," marking the anniversary date.

The sheet is printed on smooth white paper with a gray frame. In the top left, the mention "N°1041 du catalogue CEF" is visible, confirming its issuance by CEF (Courrier d’Entreprise Philatélique), a specialist in official French philatelic souvenirs. Several perforations are present on the left side, allowing for easy storage in a sheet binder. An individual print number "3046" is printed in the bottom left.

The dominant colors are beige, brown, red, and green for the poster, while the text and frame are in black and gray. The overall appearance is neat and well-preserved, with no visible defects on the presented side.

Condition

Used item sold as is. No major signs of wear, creasing, or visible stains on the photographed side. The print and colors are well-preserved.

Did you know? The Concours Lépine was founded in 1901 by Louis Lépine, then Prefect of Police of Paris, to stimulate the creativity and innovation of small inventors. Many everyday inventions, such as the ballpoint pen or the washing machine, were presented there for the first time.

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