Philatelic sheet CEF Laurent Mourguet Guignol puppet Lyon cancelled

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Description

This CEF philatelic sheet honors Laurent Mourguet, creator of Guignol, accompanied by two other iconic puppets. The main part of the sheet features a colorful, gouache-style illustration depicting three traditional Lyonnaise puppet characters on a plain beige background. To the right, a canceled stamp, with a face value of 2.80 francs, is integrated into the composition. The cancellation bears the inscription "Premier jour 9-6-1990 Villeurbanne Guignol" (First Day 9-6-1990 Villeurbanne Guignol).

The sheet is inserted into an archival plastic sleeve with three side perforations, typical of CEF editions. At the top left is the mention "N°1163 du catalogue CEF", and at the bottom left, the individual number "2324" is printed, indicating a limited edition. The support features a white finish with a screened effect, typical of presentation philatelic sheets.

The text printed at the bottom recounts the biography of Laurent Mourguet (1769-1844), inventor of Guignol, and details the genesis of the character as well as the tradition of Lyonnaise puppets. The illustration on the sheet is signed by Claude Andro, as indicated at the bottom right of the image.

The stamp, inserted in the sheet, features the portrait of Laurent Mourguet and a puppet show scene. The "Premier jour" (First Day) cancellation attests that this sheet was specially issued for a commemorative philatelic issue, a common practice in French thematic philately.

The back and inside of the sheet are not visible in the photo. The presented front is in good apparent condition, without visible folds or tears, and the protective plastic sleeve appears intact.

Condition

Used item, sold as is. The visible front of the sheet and the sleeve are clean, with no noticeable visual defects.

Did you know? The character of Guignol, created by Laurent Mourguet in Lyon in 1808, has become an icon of French puppet theater. Originally, Guignol served as a popular social and political satire, and his name is now synonymous with glove puppets in the Lyonnaise tradition.

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Keywords: CEF sheet, first day stamp, Laurent Mourguet, Guignol Lyon, French puppet, thematic philately, commemorative envelope, FDC France, puppet theater, CEF 1163, canceled stamp, French stamp sheet