Lépine

Letter sent by Philippe (France). I guess that the picture doesn't give the idea of the beauty of this hand-painted envelope.

The stamp, issued on 27 April 2017, is about the Concours Lépine, This is a French competition for inventors created in 1901 by Louis Lépine. It was originally intended to encourage small toy and hardware manufacturers, but over the years it has grown into an annual event that includes a multitude of innovative ideas.

L'épine means 'the thorn'... And, as you can see on the envelope, this original rose won the first prize. Another clever pun!