|
|
||||||||||
Alternative GB: The Wilding Portrait in Decimal Format |
![]() |
||
The front and rear cover of A Post Office Counter Decimal Stamp Booklet |
The picture above shows a booklet cover front & rear, the 10th in a series entitled " Postal History". This is depicting images of pre decimal Regional Wilding definitives. Wales ( 3d ), Northern Ireland (1/3d ) and Scotland ( 1/3d ). The booklet which contained a mixed pane of Machins cost at the time off issue £1.46p, sub titled " The Silver Jubilee of the Regional Stamp". The release date for this booklet was 26 October 1983. Below: Printed by Harrison and Sons the booklet above contained a mixed pane of 10 Machin definitives. 4 x 12 ½p (light emerald) with side phosphor band either left or right and 6 x 16p (mushroom) with two side phosphor bands. The stamps in positions 1, 2, 3 and 4 had short bands bottom, either left or right depending on the layout. They were incorporated in this way so they did not encroach on to the 2nd class rate stamps below them. |
|
|
|||||||||||||
Back to Dorothy Wilding Much has been written about Dorothy Wilding , she was the society photographer of the time (1950s) and it was one of her portraits of HM the Queen that were used to design the GB Pre decimal stamps that bear her name. Many variations and values of the Wilding stamps were released over the years, including the Nationals and Regionals from Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland. You can also add Jersey, The Isle of Man and Guernsey to the list. Wilding definatives were on sale for aprox fifteen years, they could be built up into a comprehensive specialized collection with the design consisting of many many varieties. They are a very specialized subject with many facets of interest, including none phosphor issues, early graphite’s, different watermarks and types of papers. One can add to this by including booklet panes, coils and early commemoratives. It should be needless to say, that for any relatively new philatelist to build a collection of Wildings at this time it would on doubt cost them a small fortune to complete. Introducing the Decimal Wilding Using the The Alternative Method of collecting anyone can build an interesting GB portfolio of Wilding Stamps with newer decimal values. This can also be achieved with very little outlay. In 1998 this design once again took the philatelic community by storm, it was in the form of the revival of several definitive values of the Wilding, with a difference, these were re- released in decimal values and a new type of format. In March of 1998 the first on the scene were four panes. These were issued in the form of a Prestige booklet entitled "A Definitive Portrait" Printed by Wasall Security Printers in photogravure with computer technology. |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
A gracious Accession |
|
|
|||||||||||||
You will also notice that was placed on an angle. This stamp also has the 50 watermark, but the watermark, instead being horizontal projects at the angle of the stamp. This is affectionately known to collectors as the wonky Wilding and is one of a kind. |
Wilding Miniature Sheet 01 ( Below: ) On the 5th December 2002 we see an appearance of the First Wilding miniature sheet with nine new stamps. It has a similar label to the mixed pane in Definitive Portrait booklet. This pane is printed by De La Rue on screened ( OFNP optical free non phosphorised screened paper with polyvinyl alcohol acetate lay flat gum. It has blue fluor B ( no afterglow) phosphor bands which react under a long or short-wave lamp. This sheet also has the 50 watermark as above. |
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
A Perfect Coronation |
|
|
|||||||||||||
Adding to this Collection Note: The £1.00 stamp described above was also available from a miniature sheet produced for the International Stamp Show 2000. It was laid out se-tenant with 4 x Millennium 1st class Non Value Indicated ( NVI ) Machin definitives. See Below (Left: ) |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||