CEF Cordouan Lighthouse 3.50 F canceled stamp sheetlet illustration Jacques Gauthier

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Description

This philatelic sheet, published by CEF, features the Cordouan lighthouse. On the visible side, a French stamp of 3.50 francs depicting the lighthouse is visible in the upper left, canceled with a round "LE VERDON SUR MER" postmark. To the right of the stamp, a large illustration signed by Jacques Gauthier, Grand Prix de Rome for engraving, offers an artistic view of the lighthouse against a marine background, in bluish and dark tones, adding a poetic dimension to the presentation.

The sheet displays the title "CORDOUAN" in capital letters in the upper left, with a discreet brown frame around the composition. The text at the bottom provides a detailed description of the lighthouse's history and architecture, along with mentions of the lighting technique and the building's evolution, as well as references to several French inventors and engineers who marked the history of lighthouses.

On the left border, several technical inscriptions can be read, including "N° 729 du catalogue CEF", the CEF logo, as well as an individual copy number at the bottom left: "1522". The mention "tirage de l’émission limité à : 8000 exemplaires" (print run limited to: 8000 copies) is visible, confirming the limited nature of this sheet. The support has a smooth finish and a cardboard-like appearance, typical of CEF productions.

The whole stands out for the quality of the printing and the richness of the documentation, combining historical text, artistic illustration, and a canceled philatelic stamp. No major defects are visible on the presented side; the corners and edges appear clean in the photograph.

Condition

Used item, sold as is. The exposed side appears clean, with no noticeable signs of wear or visible alteration on the sheet or stamp.

Did you know? The Cordouan lighthouse, located at the mouth of the Gironde estuary, is the oldest lighthouse still in operation in France and has been classified as a historical monument since 1862. It is nicknamed "the Versailles of the seas" for its architectural and artistic richness, and it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2021.

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