France 1940-59: Les Semi-Modernes

Following Rod's excellent thread on post-1960 French issues, I suggested to him that I open a similar thread for what Yvert calls the "Semi-Moderne" period. This covers the period from the establishment of the collaborationist French State, headed by Marshal Petain, to the revaluation of the French franc at the end of December 1959. French and French area stamps of this period, which are chiefly engraved, are probably my favourites, together with those of Czechoslovakia. They're also, in the main, affordable.

The first issue, of 12 October 1940, showed the aviator Guynemer, and was plainly intended for air-mail use. This was followed, on 12 November, by three charity stamps using designs familiar from earlier issues of the "Intellectuals" series.





Further charity issues followed in 1940-41, before the issue, on 25 January 1941, of the first stamps bearing Petain's image. These also saw the replacement, not yet permanently, of the words "Republique francaise" by "Postes francaises". 1941 also saw the issue of overprinted definitives from the Third Republic.

Indeed, these are some of the most beautiful stamps ever created.

Peter

Nice work, Geoff.

Opinion:
Like the page scans, for me puts everything in perspective,
the individual crops of stamps, not so fond, brings some disjointedness.
The clear mounts are nice, I use both Black (with my Turkey collection)
and clear with France.
Both have their own flavour.

These are Yvert numbers? Pages by ?

Keep up the excellent work.

PS: That 1941 "Cancer" stamp, what a brilliant design !

Rod

Thank you. Cropped the opening stamps to preserve the Petain starting point - won't need to do it again! Yvert numbers and Yvert hingeless pages. I don't buy many pre-printed albums - -although I've picked up a few in auction lots - but I decided to blow some money on these, as it's where I think I'll put my collecting energies for a while. Oddly, these ritzy new pages have less detail (titles of issues, space for varieties etc) than the older Yvert pages (which are still available in a non-hingeless form). Interestingly, MOC pages for French Colonies combine both mount approaches - clear mount, printed black border on the page.

As always, comprehensive free pages for France and Colonies available here

http://www.album.france-timbres.net

Geoff

Geoff, I guess this is from the Yvert packages you were talking about. They look like they were worth it. Absolutely lovely, and a super example of the engraver's art.

Tim

Yes - lots of cash wasted on the Yvert albums (which, incidentally, are less detailed than their older pages)! These are some blocks etc accompanying the previous pages. Will be properly arranged once I receive a long-delayed order of accessories from France.

Geoff, if you're trying to induce stamp envy, you're doing a very good job Gorgeous items!

Jenny

No, I'm more interested in encouraging the French Collection! Blocks were in a large, cheap lot I picked up a while ago. I have loads of the things, which I need to make into manageable ebay lots. But I have a large backlog of ebay material already ...

Geoff

Does anyone agree that there was a decline in the overall quality of French stamps during the Petain years, from mid-1940 until 1944, when republican France's insignia, RF, was excluded from its stamps? I think there was, but it's possible my distaste for the Marechal has affected my vision.

I'll be putting the next lot on shortly, to assist judgment!

Issues from the shameful period between 1941 and 1943, when a French government, of its own volition, implemented a range of conservative legislation, including the anti-Semitic measures of Autumn 1940.

France had Petain - in Norway we had Quisling. Years of shame indeed - still beautiful stamps tough!
Nice display of blocks

And we still have Farage... No mention of any others!

After an extremely long hiatus, France continued. This period marks the end of the Vichy regime, its power even further circumscribed after November 1943, when Germany occupied the whole country, and the liberation. Allied forces brought with them the rather basic set of stamps showing the Arc de Triomphe, which were designed and printed in the US. These were put into use as the Allies moved across France. They were soon followed by a further definitive series, featuring the cockerel and Marianne (known as "Marianne d'Alger", as the stamps were printed there).