France 1924 Olympic Summer Games
- Label : "La Poste" (France); 1924; commemorative stamps of the issue "VIIIth Olympic Summer Games 1924 in Paris"; issue of 4 stamps
Stamp datas:
- Issue Date : 01 April 1924
- Color : grey green - carmine - brownred/black - blue/ultramarine
- Watermark : none
- Nominal value : 10 (Centimes) - 25 (Centimes) - 30 (Centimes) - 50 (Centimes)
- Postage validity : to 31 December 1924
- Designed by : Edmond (Edouard) Henry Becker (1871-1971)
- Engraved by :
- - G.Daussy
- - Gaston Parison (1889-1959) (50 C.)
- Printery : "Imprimerie de Timbres-Poste", Perigueux and Paris (= official Printing Works of the French Government)
- Print Process : Letterpress printing
- Print Format :
- - horizontal format, printed area of a single stamp without signature line: 35.5 x 22.0 mm (10 C., 25 C.)
- - vertical format, printed area of a single stamp without signature line: 21.5 x 34.5 mm (30 C., 50 C.)
- Perforations : Comb perforation, K 13½ : 14
- Print Run : 25,000 each in sheets à 150 stamps
- - printed in sheets à 150 stamps, but cutted in half pieces or in pieces à 25 stamps for the sale in Post offices
- Variants :
- - all stamps also imperforate
- - all stamps: test prints with other colors
- - 10 C.: athlete with finger-ring
- - 25 C.: lacking center
- and any more
Commemorative stamps of the issue "VIIIth Olympic Summer Games 1924 in Paris"
(issue of 4 stamps)
To the single stamp motives:
All depicted stamps were created in the style of the "Art Deco".
10 C. : The stamp motive shows an ancient athlete taking an oath with raided right arm before stadium and a allegory of Paris with the "Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile" as central motive. The figure of the athlete is decorated with a laurel wreath as victory symbol awarded to him.
25 C. : The stamp motive shows an allegorical woman ("Marianne turrita"...?) holding the fresh reconstructed model of the "Victoria" (Victoria = the Roman goddess of victory). In the background is seen an allegory to Paris with the "île de la cité" (with the cathedral "Notre Dame" and the "Pont Neuf").
25 C. : The depicted stamp is postmarked in Neuilly-sur-Seine (contemporary Département "Hauts-de-Seine" in the "banlieue" of Paris), 26-07-1924.
30 C. : The stamp motive shows the statue of the "Milon of Croton" rending an oak. (an symbolic allusion to the WWI, the oak = the Germans...?) Milon of Croton was one of the most celebrated sportsmen of the ancient Greece. He won total 6 titles after victories at the Olympic Games in Olympia, 7 titles after victories at the Pythian Games in Delphi, 9 titles after victories at the Nemean Games in Nemes, and 10 titles at the Isthmian Games. His first title he becames at the Pythian Games in 540 BC. The original statue was showed to the publicity in the "Musée du Louvre" in Paris, but was replaced to Versailles in 2013 to his former place. A replica by Pierre Puget from 1682 is located in Marseilles at the "Cours Estienne d'Orves".
50 C. : The stamp motive shows an ancient athlete taking an oath with raised right arm. The figure of the athlete is decorated with a laurel wreath as victory symbol awarded to him.
