KG6 Portraits

[Bob Watson]

I'm trying to find out something of the various portraits of George VI
found on stamps and would be most grateful for any assistance.

For starters, I've posted four stamps with George VI dressed up in
ceremonial togs along with a couple of portraits I found on the net:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bobwatson10/KG6Portraits.html

I guess my first question is: anyone know what uniform he's wearing?
Looks like "army ceremonial" to me but my understanding was that he was
more navy than army.

Secondly, anyone know the origins of the portraits used on those four
stamps? Paintings or photograph? Who by? Any particular occasion?

And thirdly, does anyone know who engraved those portraits? To my eye,
the De La Rue and Bradbury Wilkinson ones look pretty good. The Canadian
Bank Note one is ok though he got a bit of a black eye, but the Perkins
Bacon one is 'orrid - especially the ear grafted on to his cheek.

Any ideas?

All the best,
Bob Watson

[Rod]

It may not answer your direct questions,
but Malcolm Sanders site is worth a bo-peep
if you are a KG6 fan, esp under the "Glossary" pages
http://www.kg6gb.org/index.htm

HTH

"Bob Watson" <no-...@home.ca> wrote in message
news:0BMdg.3546$%Z2.3...@news20.bellglobal.com...

[Blair (TC)]

Hello Bob:

In the case of #1(coronation omnibus), there
were various printers for different colonies.

In the case of Newfoundland, it was
Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company.

The stamps were engraved, based on photographs
by Bertram Park (1883-1972), Photographer
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/OC_Data/images/weblg/8/8/mw83688.jpg

In the case of #2 (Nfld - long coronation issue), the printer
was Perkins, Bacon Limited. The portrait was engraved
by Charles Minett , based on a photograph by Bertram Park

In the case of #3, the 1946 "Victory" omnibus issue was
recess printed by De La Rue.

The Bahamas issue seems based on the same portrait.

============================

Having served in the Navy during the First World War, including
the Battle of Jutland, the King was anxious to visit his troops
whenever possible. He went to France in 1939 to inspect the
British Expeditionary Force, and to North Africa in 1943 after
the victory of El Alamein. In June 1944, the King visited his
Army on the Normandy beaches 10 days after D-Day, and
later that year he visited troops in Italy and the Low Countries.

=============================

KGVI photographs used for various stamps.

King George VI by Bertram Park, bromide print,1936
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/OC_Data/images/weblg/6/3/mw08363.jpg

King George VI by Yousuf Karsh Date: 1943
Medium: bromide print
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/OC_Data/images/weblg/2/6/mw08626.jpg

King George VI, by Yousuf Karsh. bromide print,1943
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/OC_Data/images/weblg/2/7/mw08627.jpg

King George VI. by Bertram Park, glossy bromide print,1938
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/OC_Data/images/weblg/1/9/mw83719.jpg

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; King George VI by Dorothy Wilding
cream-toned bromide print,15 December 1947
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/OC_Data/images/weblg/2/4/mw16624.jpg

http://www.armycadethistory.com/website%20small%20photos%20rescanned/King_george-VI.jpg

GB King George VI definitive stamps 1937-47, Head designed by E Dulac
http://imagesoftheworld.org/stamps/kgvi/1sdark.jpg

GB Coronation of King George VI at Westminster Abbey
on 12th May, 1937 Photographs of the King were available
from a series taken by Bertram Park in preparation for the
new coinage, and a picture of the Queen was made
available from the Royal Mint. However these photographs,
and especially those of the Queen were rejected as they
would not copy well in photogravure.

A decision was therefore made to take new photographs
of the King and Queen.

This delay led to a decision in March that there would only
be sufficient time to produce enough quantities of just one
value for the special stamps. It was agreed that if the value
of 1½d were issued, then this would decrease the printing
demand being placed on Harrison and Sons for this 'rush job'.

The hope was that the Coronation stamp would be available
on 10 May along with the three new definitives.

By mid March, Eric Gill had prepared two designs using the
unaccepted photographs of the King and Queen. He
redesigned the stamp with a lower value and new photographs
taken by Dorothy Wilding.
http://www.kg6gb.org/images/wildingcor.jpg

Edmund Dulac, Gill's co-designer on the definitive stamps, was
asked to produce an alternative design. He produced drawings
of the King and Queen based on the Wilding photographs.

The essays produced by Dulac were accepted, subject to several
alterations. The Post Master made the announcement of the new
Coronation stamp on 22 March.

Two colours for the stamp were considered - red brown (similar
to King Edward VIII 1½d value) and, the colour selected - a violet
and brown mix.

By this time, it was not possible to proceed with the planned
10 May issue date for all four stamps due to pressure of work
on the printers to produce and deliver sufficient quantities of all
the stamps. It was decided to go ahead with the definitives on
this date and to issue the Commemorative stamp on 13 May,
the day after the event (12 May was a Bank Holiday).

Canada
Printer : Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited
Portrait engraved by William F. Ford
Based on a photograph by Bertram Park
Designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000290k.jpg

Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited
Portraits engraved by William F. Ford
Based on a photograph by Peter North (Queen)
Based on a photograph by Bertram Park (King)
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000289k.jpg

Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited
Creator(s):
Portraits engraved by William F. Ford
Based on photographs by Dorothy Wilding
Designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz
Border engraved by Charles H. Milks
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000307k.jpg

Portrait of His Majesty King George VI in Royal Air Force uniform,
from a portrait by Hugh Cecil of London, England.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000311k.jpg

Portrait of His Majesty King George VI in military (army) uniform.
Based on a photograph by Richard Neville Speaight
Portrait engraved by Elie Timothée Loizeaux
Designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000312k.jpg

Portrait of His Majesty King George VI in naval uniform,
from a portrait of Hugh Cecil of London, England.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000313k.jpg

The "Revised Designs," reproduced contemporary
portraits of the King by Dorothy Wilding Portraits,
Limited, London.

Based on a photograph by Dorothy Wilding
Designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz
Portrait engraved by John Hay

Left profile portrait of His Majesty King George VI.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000343k.jpg

Full portrait of His Majesty King George VI.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000364k.jpg

Left three-quarter portrait of His Majesty King George VI.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000345k.jpg

Medallion profile of His Majesty King George VI. This
likeness was designed from the portrait appearing
on the 1-cent stamps
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000365k.jpg

Right profile portrait of His Majesty King George VI.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/s/s000351k.jpg

I hope that this is helpful to you.

Blair

[Bob Watson]

So, he's wearing the uniform of Admiral of the Fleet which clears up one
question. That's a pretty informative site - thanks for the pointer!

All the best,
Bob Watson

[Bob Watson]

Many thanks Blair - that's given me a whole lot to work with!

I did a quick search on Charles Minett (engraver of the Newfoundland
series) and see he is not listed in the Canadian Archives list of Stamp
Creators. Actually, I couldn't find him in Google at all. Not too
surprised, really.

I just spent some more time looking at those four stamps which are all
from reputable printers and the difference in quality (and style) is
substantial.

[malcolm]

Note than the monarch is Commander-in-Chief(Honorary )of all 3 arms of
the armed forces - this is seperate from any rank attained as a serving
officer during normal military service ( before becoming the monarch).
Additionally members of the Royal Family are "Colonel-in-Chief"
"honorary" of various Regiments and other formations.
For example the Prince of Wales served in the Royal Navy as an active
officer attaining command of a minesweeper, but is "Colonel-in-Chief"
of the Parachute Regiment ( among others).
Her Majesty the Queen served as a driver in the ATS(Later Womens Royal
Army Corps) during World War ll. Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy
as a helicopter pilot and saw active service during the Falklands War,
and Prince Charles' sons are both currently at the Royal Military
Academy,Sandhurst ( the UK "West Point" ), and will serve a currently
unspecified length of time in the Regular Army on graduation. Prince
Edward joined the Royal Marines but chose not to complete his basic
training.
For those Royals likely to reach the higher levels of the
"pecking-order" with the most active public profile it is deemed
helpful for them to serve in the forces to prepare them for the
discipline necessary to undertake these roles.
Malcolm

[Pierre COURTIADE]

Malcom,

Many thanks for your interesting explanations.

After 4 years in the French Embassy in London I had been able to learn
most of what you explained here, but I was please to learn some details
I was not yet aware of.

[BTW : I could not catch the meaning of "pecking-order" at the end of
your post. My dictionary says nothing on this word]

--
All the best,
Pierre Courtiade
courtiade at free dot fr

[A.E. Gelat]

Hi, Pierre. I could not find the translation of pecking order in my
Cassel's English-French dictionary, so I will give you what my Webster's New
Collegiate Dictionary defines it.
Pecking order: 1. the basic pattern of social organization within a flock
of poultry in which each bird pecks another lower in the scale without fear
of retaliation and submits to pecking by one of higher rank. 2. a social
hierarchy.

Whether you meant the definition of 1. or 2. depends on the context. If you
need more, please contact me directly.

Amities,

Tony

"Pierre COURTIADE" <inv...@invalid.fr> wrote in message
news:447a3a92$0$29784$626a...@news.free.fr...

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[Pierre COURTIADE]

Tony,

Many thanks for your very quick answer !
Your detailed response explains everything I needed.

My dictionary is an English <==> French one, thus more limited than an
English only one like your Webster's.
Mine is published by Robert & Collins and I have the CD ROM version :
very helpful to have it always available within seconds on my hard disk.

Thanks again.

[Blair (TC)]

As a behavior among hens, pecking order (1928)
translates Ger. hackliste (T.J. Schjelderuo-Ebbe, 1922);
sense of "human hierarchy based on rank or status" is from 1955.

Blair

[Pierre COURTIADE]

Blair (TC) <stan...@sonetis.com> a écrit :

> As a behavior among hens, pecking order (1928)
> translates Ger. hackliste (T.J. Schjelderuo-Ebbe, 1922);
> sense of "human hierarchy based on rank or status" is from 1955.

Thanks Blair.

BTW I now found "pecking order" in the "peck" section of my Eng-French
dictionnary.