Jeu Philatélique
Cards with French postage stamps featuring famous literary figures.
With the French Post Office (La Poste) having a long tradition of producing stamps featuring famous authors, it was not difficult to find twelve to grace the court cards of this pack. They include La Fontaine, Rousseau, Flaubert and George Sand. On the aces and Jokers are different stamp values from the Marianne series of 1945 designed by Pierre Gandon (1899-1990). Every card has a cream-coloured background. A block of Marianne stamps designed and engraved by Gandon can also be found on the reverse, either in blue (as here, 15F) or in red (3F) • See the box



Above: Jeu Philatélique made and published by France Cartes, Saint-Max, France, 1990. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + leaflet in French in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. © S.P.A.D.E.M. et © A.D.A.G.P. 1990
The pack was conceived by Jacques Hiver, with authorisation from La Poste. French stamp dealers and catalogue publishers Yvert & Tellier also contributed to the publication of this pack • See the leaflet

By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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