Annigoni

For years I have been collecting the 'Annigoni Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II' on stamps and I wondered if anyone else likes this portrait so much that they also have a bit of an unusual thematic collection.
My collection also includes aerogramme's and bank notes which show this fabulous portrait.
I don't claim to have anything like a complete collection - I don't go in for perf. and watermark varieties, but I am happy with the collection I have.


This postcard shows the portrait and bears an original signature of Pietro Annigoni - I know it is genuine and have provinance.


Australian stamps issued for the Queen's 80th birthday. This sheet was only available to buyers of the 2006 year album

Love the pose and the idea but no special collection. Thanks for posting the scan though - jeff

That's a wonderful project you've got there Ken.

This Canadian one is a good example in my opinion.



On the other hand "If You've Seen One, You've Seen Them All"

Thanks for the replies. It's true - seen one seen them all - I'm no serious philatelist (Hovercraft mail and postcards are my really deep interest, see 'Hovercraft' forum) but even I can see the difference in printing, the Canadian engraving -v- photo printing. Of course it isn't just the portrait on stamps, many stamps have other illustrations alongside the portrait, so many thematic collectors would have the Annigoni portrait in their collections of several themes.
The portrait was commissioned by (an ancient English peculiarity) The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers in 1953 to commemorate the coronation. Some years ago I wrote to them for information about the painting and I received a very interesting reply with an invitation to visit the Guild (in Fishmongers Hall, London) by appointment. I duly arranged a business trip to London to coincide with a visit to see the painting which is not on public display. A chap showed my wife and I around the Hall and to the painting, which is about life size and is located on one side of a staircase. A matching painting of (I think) Princess Margaret is on the other side of the stairs. Then the chap went into the strong room and brought out the Guild's collection of Annigoni stamps. I imagine that the Guild have copyright on the portrait and a deal is made that they get some stamps showing it. The stamps were in a pretty poor condition and I could well imagine that they were passed around the table when the Guild met and had dinner and drinks in the huge hall!
As I have said, I am not "deeply" philatelic but my stuff was in a better state than their's!
The thing about "Stamp Collecting" is nobody is right and nobody is wrong! If only life were that simple. It's the different approaches to collecting that make the world go round. Many years ago I was at a meeting of my local philatelic society (no longer in existence) when a bloke put up a display of Green Shield Trading Stamps at a Members Evening (during which you can get away with anything!) He had taken it upon himself to use his specialist philatelic skills (in other collecting interests) to bear on the trading stamps, and what a light hearted and, surprisingly interesting, brief talk he gave.

Ken, thanks for a great story. You should be a writer.

I had to laugh when I read about the condition of the stamps
and how they were handled.

Welcome Ken

Your collection sounds wonderfull. I look forward to seeing more.

Dianne

I think I've welcomed you already !

Anyway.....

Nice portrait for sure. Maybe this would have been better in the main forum. It would get more views and replies.

Nice thread though.

Londonbus1