1946 Victory
 

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2½d designed by H. L. Palmer :

3d designed by Reynolds Stone

Printed in photogravure by Harrison & Sons.

Perforated 15 x 14

     
Issued 11 June 1946  

240 million of the 2½d and 24 million of the 3d were printed before issue. A reprint of 160 million 2½d and 18 million of the 3d was made about a month later.

Numbers sold - 2½d 307,832,500  - 3d 43,085,700

The War against Germany ended on 9 May 1945 and Japan on 2 September 1945, but a formal peace declaration was not signed until 8 June 1946.

Celebrating victory with symbols of peace and reconstruction

Watermark

Requests were made for a special set of stamps to celebrate victory well before 1946, but shortages of supplies and manpower led to their issue being delayed.

28 February 1946, the Assistant Postmaster-General (Mr.Burke) announced; "With your permission, Sir, I should like to make a short statement on a proposal of His Majesty's Government that a special commemorative issue of postage stamps shall be made in connection with the forthcoming victory celebrations. Our manufacturing resources and the time available are severely limiting factors. But my Noble Friend intends to issue one, and if time permits, two commemorative stamps of the lower denominations for inland and Imperial letters, and foreign letters, respectively. This will provide for the great majority of inland and overseas letters.

In order to give scope for a worthy design, the stamps will be of double size, that is, the equivalent of two of the current stamp side by side. A number of artists have been invited to submit designs, and they have been asked to emphasise peace and reconstruction in their designs rather than victory in war. My Noble Friend is in consultation with the Council of Industrial Design, and it is his intention also to seek the co-operation of the Royal Fine Arts Commission and the Royal Fine Arts Commission for Scotland, in choosing the final designs for submission to His Majesty
."     HC Deb 28 February 1946 vol 419 cc2111-2

Design

The design process was controversial and often confused. The Council of Industrial Design, (COID - formed in 1944) was asked to submit names of artists. The Postmaster General, Lord Listowel, was also asked by Sir Stafford Cripps, the President of the Board of Trade, to allow the COID a say in the final selection of essays. Although the COID was accepted, the Postmaster General also took advice from several other groups including, the Garter King of Arms, the Director of the National Gallery, and the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland. It became very much a case of too many cooks which resulted in the Postmaster General going against his initial design brief given to the COID. Originally he had stated there would be two values with a unified design - in the end King George was requested to select two final designs from three submitted essays, (by Reynolds Stone, H.L.Palmer and Edmund Dulac). The COID complained that not only had they not seen the essay for the 2½d stamp for which their name was associated, but also that the design was inferior to those which they had actually selected, (the Dulac design being their second choice).

The 2½d with shades of ultramarine, has the King's profile head and crown centred inside a radiating Victory 'V'. Below the head is an olive branch, (peace). Floral emblems for the UK are placed in a square on the left, and opposite is a square with the value. The words POSTAGE and REVENUE are centred horizontally. Outline symbols of reconstruction are placed in the four corners - a tractor (agriculture), a house (building), a ship (trade), and a factory (industry).

The 3d violet has the words POSTAGE and REVENUE printed vertically with the value along the left and right sides. The King's profile and crown are towards the right hand side. A celebratory ribbon surrounds a dove with olive branch, (peace), a trowel with bricks, and a set square with dividers, (reconstruction). These tools are often compared with similar masonic symbols - King George was a senior Freemason.

 The philatelic and general press subsequently condemned the 2½d design as weak and confused, and praised the strength and simplicity of the 3d.

 Extract from an article by Alan de Luca issued in the 'Chingford Area Masonic Social Group' Newsletter, No.28, January 2010;

'The dominating feature of the 3d stamp is the face of King George VI surmounted by a crown. Significantly, if the stamp is properly oriented, as a map with north to the top, the King is in the east. In the centre flies a dove carrying the olive branch, from time immemorial the symbol of peace. It is a familiar emblem, being found on the wands and collars of the Deacons. Brotherly love amongst men is symbolized by the combination of the square and compasses.

The compasses are at an angle of 45º, one point above and the other below the square, the position of the Fellowcraft. It should be noted that the older form of the square is portrayed this type is seen particularly in connection with the Masters Jewel, also that of a Past Master.

The two arms are of unequal length and represent the Greek letter "G" Ѓ "Gamma"(upper case), denoting "God, the Grand Geometrician of the Universe" The presence of a trowel and portion of a brick wall are not without significance, both in the operative and the speculative sense.

It was reported in The Freemason’s Chronicle that "It is singularly appropriate that the message thus conveyed by these emblems should be found, one may be almost permitted to surmise with purpose aforethought on the part of our M.W. Brother, the King, Past Grand Master, on the 3d issue of the new stamps, used only for postage to foreign lands where the full significance of these emblems may not be lost, and the need for their reminder have greater force."

Cylinder Numbers and varieties

Both values were issued with the control number S46

2½d cylinders

Varieties

Perforations

3nd 3d  

Type A

4nd 4d  
  - 6d  
7nd 7d  
8nd 8d
Extra port-hole fore (Cyl 8d, row 5/6)
9nd 9d  
9nd 9d

 

nd - Type B

d - Type C

10nd 10d  

Type A

11nd 11d
Extra port-hole aft (Cyl 11nd, row 16/1)
12nd 12d  
13nd 13d  
15nd 15d
17nd 17d  

 

Specimen  /  Cancelled

 

   
Small mark at back of ship, cyl?, row 14/4 Dot at right of crown    

 

3d cylinders

Varieties

Perforations

2nd

-

 

Type A

2nd 2d

a. Joined pearls on top right side of crown (Cyl 2d, row 6/4)

b. Hairlines through right hand loop and value (Cyl 2d, row 16/6)

nd - Type B

d - Type C

4nd 4d

c. Broken branch just above 1st junction (Cyl 4nd, row 5/1)

d. Semi-circle of dots at top of lower wing (Cyl 4nd, row 7/1)

e. 7 berries (Cyl 4nd, row 12/5)

f. Perforated leaf (Cyl 4d, row 1/5)

g. Ragged leaf (Cyl 4d, row 13/3)

Type A
4nd 4d

nd - Type B

d - Type C

5nd 5d h. Shiny ink (all stamps from Cyl 5) Type A


   
e. 7 berries i. Gash in temple (thank you to Chris Watson for the picture)    

i. Gash in temple and broken upper wing (Cyl 2d, row 9/6) : wing retouched (Cyls 4d, 5d - row 9/6)

j. Broken lower wing (Cyls 2nd, 4nd, 5nd - row 16/1)

k. Slight long feather and spot in parting (Cyls 2nd, 4nd, 5nd - row 17/1) - my example also has spot between body and upper wing (Cyl 2nd)

l. Spot on King's temple (Cyls 2nd, 4nd, 5nd - row 17/3)

m. Long lower tail feather (Cyl 2nd - row 19/1 shown) : retouched (Cyls 4nd, 5nd - row 19/1)

Specimen  /  Cancelled

First Day Covers

Cover by The Courier Stamp Co.

Messages read : Victory Compliments To You All /

"Wot No Victoly ? / A'int it a Slame Eh, Aint It A Slame".


Cover by J.Sanders - stamp dealer

Overprints

'Tangier' on both values

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Contact : Malcolm Sanders kg6gb@hotmail.com