George V stamps

Our collection of King George V stamps reflects the fact that his reign saw many ‘firsts’ for British stamps.  These included:

• The first commemoratives
• The first stamps printed by photogravure
• The first ‘postage due’ labels

We also hold a number of temporary or provisional printings. These were the result of two important changes. Firstly new printers (Harrisons) were employed. Secondly, responsibility for the production of stamps was transferred from the Inland Revenue to the Post Office.

'Seahorse' design

Unlike the low value definitives, the high value stamps in the ‘Seahorse’ design were recess printed (sometimes known as intaglio printing) at the suggestion of the King. We have dies and rollers for these but no plates as these were destroyed at the time.

Low value definitives, printed letterpress

We have the metal dies, rollers and plates used for the letterpress printing method used for the low value definitives of the period.  The artwork and essays or proofs for these are also in our archive.  As George V was a philatelist, other pieces of stamp artwork are now in the Royal Philatelic Collection.

'Downey head' and 'profile head'

'Downey head' (left) and 'Profile head' (right) three halfpence stamps

George V definitives were originally based on a three-quarters photograph by W & D Downey, referred to as the 'Downey head'. This was replaced by the 'Profile head' in 1912.

Trial sheets, dies and plates for the designs for both the ‘Downey head’ (1/2d and 1d) and the profile head are in our collection.  We also keep the imperforate registration sheets of all the issued stamps of the reign. These include all different printings and trials. 

In the 1930s printing changed from letterpress to gravure. The collection holds a large number of essays of different proposed designs. 

1933 gravure essay for three halfpence stamp

First commemorative stamp

All the submitted artwork for the competition to design the first commemorative stamp (the 1924 British Empire Exhibition issue) is in the collection. The artwork for all subsequent issues is also held here. 

The BPMA holds all the material for these issues from artwork through essay to sheets of the issued stamps.  This also applies to British stamps overprinted for use overseas in the Levant, Morocco Agencies, Bechuanaland and Nauru.

First 'postage due' labels

Lastly, our collection holds the following material for the new labels introduced in 1914:

• some of the metal dies
• some of the rollers and plates
• imperforate registration sheets

These labels were designed and printed to collect any postage due on mail.

Access

The best way to see all our philatelic and postal history collections is by appointment with the Curator of Philately, Douglas Muir. To make an appointment, please call 020 7239 2570 or email info@postalheritage.org.uk.