Visitors to the Musée de La Poste will discover remarkable items along the way: a late 18th-century travel clock, a 1850 mail coach watch, historical photographs (from 1887 to the present), postal history and philately artefacts (including date stamps, cancellations, covers…), and other fascinating objects—among them around fifty almanacs ranging from the early 18th century to today.
All of these treasures and curiosities are placed in dialogue with contemporary artworks that explore the concept of timekeeping, offering a fresh and dynamic reading of these heritage objects. Through an inspiring exhibition design, around fifty contemporary works—videos, photographs, installations, objects, sculptures—challenge our perception of time, offering poetic, philosophical, and at times humorous perspectives on the subject.
La Poste, through its history is inextricably linked to the notion of time and, for centuries, has played a key role in the measurement and management of time.
As early as 1839, the postal administration—whose operations were affected by the lack of synchronisation between local time in different communes—secured a decision from the Ministry of the Interior to standardise the setting of public clocks, using tables provided by the Bureau des Longitudes. This marked the first steps towards a shared “national time”.
The rise of the railway in the mid-19th century further strengthened the need for a unified time across the country, and it was the telegraph that enabled the synchronisation of public clocks to the time kept at the Paris Observatory.
These technical advances reflect La Poste’s enduring challenge: to deliver a service that is fast, reliable, and precise. By standardising time and embracing new technologies, La Poste established itself not only as a key player in time harmonisation, but also as an institution deeply embedded in societal change.
It is this relationship with time that the Musée de La Poste has chosen to highlight through the exhibition The Making of Time (La fabrique du temps). To explore this theme, the museum has drawn upon its own holdings as well as external collections. Over one hundred objects are on display.
The exhibition will run until 3 November 2025.
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https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/time-800.jpg800800Costas Chazapishttps://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fepanews_logo-107x138-1.pngCostas Chazapis2025-06-21 16:37:462025-06-21 16:37:46La fabrique du Temps
Mark Banchik was elected president of the American Philatelic Society (APS). The APS has announced that all newly elected APS and APRL Board members will take the oath of office following the annual membership meeting on Saturday, 16 August, during the Great American Stamp Show in Schaumburg, Illinois. Mark Banchik was elected president for his first term and will replace current president Cheryl Ganz RDP. Banchik currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Vice Presidents. He was most recently elected back to the APS Board in 2022.
In his address to APS members, the president elect wrote (American Philatelist, May 2025): “I look forward to working as APS President with a talented, dedicated elected leadership team which brings many strengths to the table. Though as previously noted, we are currently in a state of professional leadership transition. I have full confidence in our existing and incoming leadership that I can promise you, our members, that the APS will continue to supply services and evolve with expectations in a fiscally responsible manner.”
[image credit: The American Philatelist]
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https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Mark-Banchik-800.jpg800800Costas Chazapishttps://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fepanews_logo-107x138-1.pngCostas Chazapis2025-06-19 13:34:442025-06-28 18:34:47New APS President: Mark Banchik
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has launched the new WNS app, making stamp identification easier, faster and more accessible than ever before. With a user-friendly interface and AI-supported image recognition, the application allows users to search and identify stamps registered in the WADP Numbering System (WNS) database.
The app, available for iOS and Android, grants access to nearly 120,000 officially issued stamps from nearly 200 UPU member countries and territories. As the only global stamp database based entirely on official data submitted by issuers themselves, the WNS plays a crucial role in protecting collectors and the global multi-billion-dollar philately market from counterfeiting.
The app’s development has led to broader enhancements of the WNS database. New metadata fields, including printing techniques, artists, engravers and issue quantities, are being added to enrich the collector’s experience. The UPU is also addressing historical gaps by allowing Posts to pre-register stamps issued between 1840 and 2001 via a dedicated platform.
La fabrique du Temps
Visitors to the Musée de La Poste will discover remarkable items along the way: a late 18th-century travel clock, a 1850 mail coach watch, historical photographs (from 1887 to the present), postal history and philately artefacts (including date stamps, cancellations, covers…), and other fascinating objects—among them around fifty almanacs ranging from the early 18th century to today.
All of these treasures and curiosities are placed in dialogue with contemporary artworks that explore the concept of timekeeping, offering a fresh and dynamic reading of these heritage objects. Through an inspiring exhibition design, around fifty contemporary works—videos, photographs, installations, objects, sculptures—challenge our perception of time, offering poetic, philosophical, and at times humorous perspectives on the subject.
La Poste, through its history is inextricably linked to the notion of time and, for centuries, has played a key role in the measurement and management of time.
As early as 1839, the postal administration—whose operations were affected by the lack of synchronisation between local time in different communes—secured a decision from the Ministry of the Interior to standardise the setting of public clocks, using tables provided by the Bureau des Longitudes. This marked the first steps towards a shared “national time”.
The rise of the railway in the mid-19th century further strengthened the need for a unified time across the country, and it was the telegraph that enabled the synchronisation of public clocks to the time kept at the Paris Observatory.
These technical advances reflect La Poste’s enduring challenge: to deliver a service that is fast, reliable, and precise. By standardising time and embracing new technologies, La Poste established itself not only as a key player in time harmonisation, but also as an institution deeply embedded in societal change.
It is this relationship with time that the Musée de La Poste has chosen to highlight through the exhibition The Making of Time (La fabrique du temps). To explore this theme, the museum has drawn upon its own holdings as well as external collections. Over one hundred objects are on display.
The exhibition will run until 3 November 2025.
…
New APS President: Mark Banchik
Mark Banchik was elected president of the American Philatelic Society (APS). The APS has announced that all newly elected APS and APRL Board members will take the oath of office following the annual membership meeting on Saturday, 16 August, during the Great American Stamp Show in Schaumburg, Illinois. Mark Banchik was elected president for his first term and will replace current president Cheryl Ganz RDP. Banchik currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Vice Presidents. He was most recently elected back to the APS Board in 2022.
In his address to APS members, the president elect wrote (American Philatelist, May 2025): “I look forward to working as APS President with a talented, dedicated elected leadership team which brings many strengths to the table. Though as previously noted, we are currently in a state of professional leadership transition. I have full confidence in our existing and incoming leadership that I can promise you, our members, that the APS will continue to supply services and evolve with expectations in a fiscally responsible manner.”
[image credit: The American Philatelist]
…
AI meets philately: UPU launches global stamp identification app
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has launched the new WNS app, making stamp identification easier, faster and more accessible than ever before. With a user-friendly interface and AI-supported image recognition, the application allows users to search and identify stamps registered in the WADP Numbering System (WNS) database.
The app, available for iOS and Android, grants access to nearly 120,000 officially issued stamps from nearly 200 UPU member countries and territories. As the only global stamp database based entirely on official data submitted by issuers themselves, the WNS plays a crucial role in protecting collectors and the global multi-billion-dollar philately market from counterfeiting.
The app’s development has led to broader enhancements of the WNS database. New metadata fields, including printing techniques, artists, engravers and issue quantities, are being added to enrich the collector’s experience. The UPU is also addressing historical gaps by allowing Posts to pre-register stamps issued between 1840 and 2001 via a dedicated platform.
Details: https://www.upu.int/en/press-release/2025/ai-meets-philately-upu-launches-global-stamp-identification-app
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