Discussion about “A french mystery stamp”

1. AdA wrote:
   

   It’s definitely not a stamp, but more a cinderella. There’s no value on it. (it’s called ‘vignette’ in French)

   I guess it comes from Brittany (Plougastel is a city in Finistère), and this label was put on products that were to be exported.

   Hope it helps.

2. Keijo wrote:
   

   Hi AdA,

   all information, and even guessess are highly wellcome. I just hope that somebody, someday tells me what this exactly is….

   -keijo-

3. ian - Norvic wrote:
   

   I’ve seen the label before – probably in the 1950s when it was stapled to a box of fruit from France. That’s the best I can do!

4. Thomas wrote:
   

   Hi

   I am also wondering what this is, but for me it’s obvious that this is not a stamp (as Ada says).

   I have the same thing in my book, but without the ‘Plougastel’ overprint.

   I can’t really tell you more about it, although it seems to have something to do with the food industry. It seems to be an indication that the exported products have been checked before transport. (’regulated quality’)

5. Keijo wrote:
   

   I found two pretty similar items in Delcampe: one without location (similar to Thomas’s item I believe), one with Datte instead of Plougastel – both have reserve/starting price for 1-2 euros. So these are not rare (as I suspected)… But nobody seems to know anythnig more detailed about these…

6. AdA wrote:
   

   I don’t know why, but when I think about it, I represent it on a box, not on letters. I mean, I think this cinderella was put on boxes that were to be exported.

7. Keijo wrote:
   

   OK… Let’s assume this was put on (fruit etc) box that were to be exported.

   But by whom? The custom officials? Or by business/company that owned the exported goods? Or by the cargo/export company who delived the boxes?

8. Blair wrote:
   

   Since the region is famous for its production of strawberries (fraises de Plougastel), I will guess that this label was applied to a box of strawberries. However, since the label is also known without the overprint, I would say that these are generic labels that producers can overprint them (as a control) and attach to boxes of their products. This is to assure that the proper regulations have been carried out before export. I assume this is to guarantee the quality.

   Blair

9. Blair wrote:
   

   Here is a painting called Women of Plougastel, by Charles Cottet (1903). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_cottet_plougastel.jpg Notice the basket of strawberries to the left of the woman at the back of the group. Too bad we cannot see this label (etiquette) on it. 8*)
   Blair

10. goron wrote:
    

    N’est ce pas un des timbres mais La Vignette certainement tres Une Coopérative d’exportation de produits … Ne sera jamais catalogué .. valeur zéro
    J.G

11. Heather wrote:
    

    I have a banknote from France that looks similar to this stamp. Clearly it’s the same time frame. You can see a picture of it on this website to judge for yourself: http://usampc.tripod.com/ I looked in many books and online to try and figure out if it was worth anything, but I came up completely empty handed. My problem was that I looked at the money, and because it appeared French, I assumed that it was. It turns out that was a Military Payment Certificate. During WWII, American soldiers needed to have money that they could spend in whatever country they were stationed in, and the American Government needed to make sure that the money that their soldiers were given wouldn’t just be worthless if France’s government (for example) didn’t make it out of the war. It’s American money for use in France. I don’t know if this will point you in the right direction, but clearly this money and your stamp appear to be in the same time frame and look similar, and if both were issued in WWII, you might look into some kind of partnership France may have had with another country for exports. Maybe even military historians might be able to help? Hope this helps.

12. Heather wrote:
    

    Your stamp is for sale here:
    http://www.rigastamps.biz/servlet/the-3048/France–dsh–4-Produce/Detail
    There is some additional information that you may find useful. In case this listing is removed, the lot is a set of 4. Each has a letter stamped at the bottom behind the 7 digit black number. Here’s the description from the seller:
    France – 4 Produce Product Stamps
    Four export quality control stamps with different series designations: large red A, small red E, large red G, and large green G. Size of each: 45mm x 45mm.

    I think that finding the significance of A, E, and G will help.

13. Keijo wrote:
    

    Hi Heather,
    and thanks…I’ll be definitely spending some time during the weekend browsing the websites in more detail

14. Heather wrote:
    

    Any luck? I’m curious.

15. Keijo wrote:
    

    Hi Heather,
    unfortunately no.

16. lopemopay wrote:
    

    This leads to a collecting item not mentioned here: PLU’s [meaning price look up] or fruit labels, the little plastic item put on fruits or vegetables with a number designating the specific product. Recent ones even have bar codes. They are found in many countries and there are folk who collect them. The various fruit and vegetable companies put these out and will sometimes even share some “mint” copies with collectors. I have a little collection of these.

17. Keijo wrote:
    

    @lopemopay… I recall seeing a display of “Chiquita labels” few years back. They looked really nice.

18. mike b wrote:
    

    In the early 1960s before I finished school i worked in a greengrocers in Manchester England and have two of these stamps in my collection
    they were on boxes of fruit from the fruit and vedge supplier not sure which fruit but it was from France

    hope this solves the mystery

    mike b

19. Keijo wrote:
    

    @Mike B… Thanks. I think this one is now solved

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