All philatelists Sower type fans know by heart the day when this pretty female figure, famous allegory of the French Republic, began e-mailing in our country: it is the Thursday, April 2, 1903!
Its charm will quickly make, and his reign will last until the Second World War, setting a record still unmatched today! It will even
chosen again in 1960 to mark the arrival of the new franc.
When offered for sale at Post Office counters, people are said to be rushed, especially in the Paris office, for be served first and acquire this new stamp to 15 cents for mailing letters to the simple procedure: the sower line was born, so named because of long lines that were better provide relief: a feat due to the large talent of Oscar Roty Mouchon and Eugene, its creators.
There are therefore quite easily letters mailed that day. They are also very sought after by collectors, like any first day of issue of a stamp.
Is emotion due to this big news that shook that day the fingers of an employee of the office of the Rue Jouffroy ?
Or a moment of inattention while as every morning he would update the date stamp on it?
Or has it been a victim on the eve of an April Fool? No one will ever know!
fact remains that the letter mailed flights to Sarlat is found indeed freed from any one of these new stamps, with his vintage Bridge 3 (for 1903), and obliterated the February 2, 1903 instead of April 2!
A nice piece for my collection: it is certainly the most known early cancellation on a stamp type Sower!
And even better since the patch did not exist in February!
But, you say (the most ingenious of you) why the employee did it not err in setting the year, rather than in months? An error occurred
February 2 of the following years would naturally remained without the slightest interest for posterity.
It could just as easily have been mistaken in both the day and month.
Nothing says that this letter was actually mailed on the day of issue stamp. And
well yes! Simply return the letter to discover that she has arrived in the Dordogne after the famous first day: April 3, 1903 in Sarlat, irrefutable evidence that it has been sent from Paris the day before! The hallmark of the postmark.
Like what the postman from Sarlat, in putting their stamp on the back stroke, has transformed the error of his fellow Parisian, which could very well not remain anecdotal, in a great curiosity for philatelist! May his memory be thanked!
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