Catalogue France

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
contact me if you want to purchase it.

Training and Test stamps

Training stamps, these stamps were used for learning purposes (instruction courses of the postal services), they have the inscription "SANS VALEUR", and exist in many values, small and large sizes and even overprints.

These training stamps are not very rare. There are 207 different kinds of 'postage' stamps and 16 different kinds of 'postage due' stamps ("TAXE"). In France they are called 'Simili-Timbres' or 'timbres fictifs', they replaced the previously used stamps with overprint "ANNULE" or "SPECIMEN". They were first issued in 1930 and was used upto at least 1960 (when values in 'nouveau Francs' were issued).

Palissy labels

Test stamps (or 'vignettes expérimentales') with the image of Palissy, inscription "B. Palissy":

These test stamps exists in many different colours (even more colours on the same stamp). Bernard Palissy was a French potter and lived from 1510 to 1589. I don't know why his image has been chosen on these test stamps.

Stamps issued by chambres of commerce

1909 Amiens, inscription "CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE AMIENS", issued during a postal strike

Besides the misprint 'missing C', one stamp was printed upside down in the sheet, creating a tete-beche variety. 2000 sheets of 25 stamps were printed, thus a total of 50000 stamps. These stamps were printed by Yvert et Tellier.

1914 Valenciennes, inscription "Chambre de commerce de Valenciennes service postal interimaire", issued during the German occupation

This emergency stamp was issued during the German Occupation and before overprinted German stamps came into use. On letter:

Dangerous forgeries of these stamps exist. According to http://www.philatelie-populaire.com/spip.php?article188 forgeries were made in Paris and Geneva. Their perforation and centration is usually better than in the genuine stamps. The letter "A" of "CHAMBRE" has a perfectly horizontal central stroke, while it is slanting in the forgeries. Genuine stamps are perforated 11 1/2, while the Geneva forgery is perforated 13 1/2.

1945 Inscription "CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE DE SAINT-NAZAIRE FRONT ATLANTIQUE"

Forgeries exist of these stamps; I have seen modern Hialeah forgeries of the 2 F, made with a scanner and printer.

1953 "Chambre de Commerce d'Orleans et du Loiret 10 Fr TAXE d'acheminement"

Telephone stamps

I have seen many values, with slightly different inscriptions; ("Service telephonique international.", "A partir des cabines telephoniques publiques." or "A partir des cabines telephoniques ouvertes au public.").

Stamps of France, overprinted "POSTES SERBES"

Another overprint "POSTES SERBES" and the arms of Serbia on a row of three 10 c 'semeuse' stamps. Seems to have been used on Corfu during World War I:

Issues for the government in exile of Montenegro in Bordeaux

These stamps were issued for the government in exile of Montenegro in Bordeaux (south west of France).

Parcel post stamps for Paris

Besides the above 60 c black on green, I have also seen the values 85 c black on green. I've also seen 25 c black on lilac in two types (both without the inscriptions "REMBOURSEMENT"). They exist in tete-beche.

I have seen other stamps in a similar design (it seems that the large part with "RECEPISSE" was given to the customer) with inscription '96 Rue Amelot', the above stamps have the inscription "23 Rue du Louvre".

With inscription "96 RUE AMELOT 96". The same design also exists with inscription "23 RUE DU LOUVRE 23".

1870 Arms of Paris and "L M" (Lorin and Maury) at both sides of the arms.

The top part was supposed to be torn off and pasted on the letter (note the perforation) and the bottom part acted as a receipt.

The above stamps have the inscription "CHARGEMENT", "LETTRE" (red) or "IMPRIME" (green, 2 types, one with "5 CENTIMES" on top and another with "Timbre Commission 5c Avis" below). I have never seen these stamps in used condition. They were issued in May 1871 by Mrs. Lorin and Maury in Paris during the Commune (civil war) which isolated Paris about 2 months. Post from Versailles was brought to St.Denis and brought in Paris by Lorin. Outward going mail was also brought to St.Denis. In May 28 French troops entered Paris and this post ceased to exist. Outgoing letters used the above labels (together with French stamps), the bottom part of the stamp was teared off and kept for accounting purposes.
Three similar stamps exist in slightly different designs (but same colours and "CHARGEMENT", "LETTRE" and "IMPRIME" inscription) but with the additional inscription "Timbre" and value, "Commission" and value and "Avis". If I'm informed well, these stamps were used on letters brought in from St.Denis.
Reprints exist of these stamps.

These labels were printed in minisheets of 10 stamps, containing both types, these ones on top and the ones from the previous image below.

Advertisement poster with these stamps pasted on them. The address Rue St.Lazare 80, is apparently the address of the shop of stamp dealer Arthur Maury.

The above 15 and 20 c labels are bogus products from a printer in Versailles (see https://www.franceandcolonies.org/philatelist/223.pdf) during the siege of Paris. This person also made labels of a similar kind of 5 c ("RECEPTION"), 10 c ("PARIS A VERSAILLES") and 50 c ("PARIS ET L'ETRANGER RECEPTION", same design as the 5 c).

Another bogus issue, "COMMUNE DE PARIS OFFICE MOREAU"; 15 c green. The values 5 c red, 10 c violet and 25 c red also exist.

The inscription on this envelope indicates that the letter is supposed to be put inside this envelope and then send to Moreau. After which it would be send by Moreau across the blockade I suppose? I have seen used letters.

Bogus issues

A description of (these?) stamps is given in 'Les timbres de phantaisie' of Georges Chapier. The image on the stamps is supposed to be general Boulanger, who wanted to take power in France in 1887. He didn't succeed, but a german enterprise printed these stamps (maybe hoping to sell them if the general succeeded with his revolution?). These stamps seem to be quite rare and exist in perforated or imperforated condition. The following values are listed:

  1 c green and grey
  5 c red and grey on blue
  10 c red and grey on yellow
  20 c blue and grey on blue
  25 c lilac and grey
  30 c green and grey on blue
  50 c blue and grey on yellow
  75 c lilac and grey on blue
  1 F red and grey
  5 F blue and grey
  10 F green and grey on blue
  20 F bronze and grey on blue

Military Permit Stamps

Stamps issued for soldiers after World War II (1947 to 1951), for permits to travel to Germany, Austria and Triest.

The following values exist:
Large size  
  1 $ red (large size)
  2 $ blue (large size)

Smaller size
  "GRATIS" blue
  1 $ red
  2 $ violet
  4 $ orange
  10 $ green
  20 $ orange
  50 $ grey

Value in DM
  5 DM violet
  10 DM green
  15 DM lilac

Surcharged
  "DM 5" on 1 $ red
  "DM 10" on 2 $ violet
  "Fifty U.S. Cents" on 1 $ red
  "Eine Deutsche Mark" on 1 $ red
  "DM 2" on 1 $ red
  "DM 4" on 1 $ red
  "DM 4" on 10 DM on 2 $ violet
  "DM 6" on 1 $ red
  "DM 8" on 2 $ violet
  "DM 16" on 4 $ orange
  "DM 40" on 10 $ green
  "DM 80" on 20 $ orange
  "DM 200" on 50 $ grey

Ship Labels

1875(?) Delfosse et Cie from Paris labels, image of a steamship

Here "Via LISBONNE" 10 blue and handwritten "Vor PORTUGAL". If my information is correct, the nr 10 indicates the ship.

I've seen other labels in this design, "Via BORDEAUX" 5 red, "Via St.NAZAIRE" 8 blue, "Via SOUTHAMPTON" 12 green and "Via BRINDIS" 9 blue. .

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
10 c	***	***

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
10 c	RR	RR

FRANCE Miscellaneous