Wilding series

The Wilding series are definitive postage stamps figuring Queen Elizabeth II. They were used in the United Kingdom between 1952 and 1967 and were replaced by the Machin series.

The portrait appeared until 1966 on every commemorative stamps of the United Kingdom until its replacement by a monocolor medallion because of artistic problems.

History

The stamps reproduced a picture of Queen Elizabeth II by Dorothy Wilding, who had been working at the Royal Court since 1937. [ [http://www.stampmagazine.co.uk/content/designers/wilding.html "The Life of Dorothy Wilding"] , "Stamp Magazine" website, retrieved 21 November 2007.] The four symbolic flowers of each country of the United Kingdom are depicted, imitating one of the thirs definitive stamp design of King George VI's reign.

The series served for the first essays of mail automatic sorting in Great Britain with printing of graphite stripes, then of phosphor.

Their replacement was caused by artistic problems when the portrait was used on commemorative stamp : too large in dimension and the Queen half turned to the reader. In April 1961, artists Michael Goaman and Faith Jacques wrote their critic to the Post Office in order to propose solutions of replacement : the picture represented more the person than the monarchy, and imposed a depth alongside two-dimension designs. [Letter kept by The British Postal Museum & Archive (code POST 122/10703), quoted in Muir, Douglas (2007). "A Timeless Classic", chapter 2, "A Portrait with problems", pages 15-17.] The Stamp Advisory Committee acknowledged the need of a replacement. It was the Machin head that was issued in 1967 only, mainly because the postal and philatelic authorities could not decide themselves between a photographic portrait or an artwork inspired by a picture. [Muir, Douglas (2007). "A Timeless Classic", pages 17-19.]

Commemorations

In 1990, a commemorative booklet contained Wilding stamps, like two minisheets in 2002 and 2003 for its 50th anniversary. [ [http://www.wnsstamps.ch/fr/search?wnsNumber=&country=GB&freetext=Wilding&orderBy=numberAscending The 2002 and 2003 stamps] on the WADP Numbering System (WNS).]

Sources and references