"Regional" stamps for Scotland
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The Scottish Committee under the Lord Lyon King of Arms
suggested that heraldic symbols should be used in the designs.
These were:
- Crowned Thistle (Scottish Crown)
- Saltire (may be environed of an open crown)
- Lion Rampant (in a tressured shield)
- Sejeant lion (on or off a crown or part of him holding both sword & sceptre)
- Unicorn (Crowned, may be collared and chained)
- Any or all of the Honours of Scotland (Regalia with crown, sword, sceptre and cushion if desired)
Also suggested were Pictish or Celtic symbols and designs,
and the national floral emblem of the thistle.
Proposed designers
A remarkable 12 artists were proposed by the Committee to
work on the designs, all Scottish. They were:
- Roy Benzies
- John B Fleming
- Gordon F Huntly
- George Mackie
- Conrad T McKenna
- Mrs Elizabeth Odling
- G W Lennox Paterson
- Barrie Stuart
- Archie B Imrie
- John Pottinger
- William McLaren
- Len Fullerton.
Care was taken that they were balanced between Glasgow and Edinburgh art schools and elsewhere in Scotland. Some 47 designs were submitted, the highest total of all the regions.
The design
The inclusion of the Scottish crown in designs was to cause
problems. It conflicted with the fact The Queen was already wearing the diadem
in the Wilding photograph. In Imrie’s accepted design the Scottish Crown was
replaced by the Royal Cypher E R.
Essays were produced from four designs by Fleming, Huntly,
Imrie and McLaren and these were recommended, with that by McLaren as the
reserve. The first choices were later approved by The Queen.
See Submitted, unaccepted and issued designs for Scottish "Regional" stamps
