An Interesting WWII Cover

Several British colonies used the Queen Victoria Chalon head portrait on their stamps, which is certainly not a profile; and then there are the ghastly Victorian (Aus.) first issues - poor QV.

Interesting thread.

However after having read the various postings I think one can safely say that there are exceptions to every rule and that is true for 'profile' stamps versus 'full face' stamps. I am inclined to think that the "Chalon" full face stamps of New Zealand and Ceylon, to name only a couple, would be this particular contradiction.

Some countries such as Spain and Sweden (and others) have issued a lot of stamps portraying 'full face' views of their leaders.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Perhaps this is an urban legend, but in Britain there is a convention that monarchs alternate between facing left and facing right, with Edward VIII as the outlier. I think it predates stamps.

Corrections? Confirmation?

giraffestamps posted
The "Ae" cancellation is the indication that the censor has censored the mail inside.


This is not quite correct. The cover has not been censored, it has not been opened. The "Ae" mark is a passing-mark and indicates, that the cover had been through the censor-station at Cologne but was not censored.


Peter

The most straight-on George V portrait that I can recall seeing to date (on a philatelic item, that is).

I remember reading years ago that Hitler was Very vain. A stamp had been designed with Him facing right, he was so displeased that the artist was sent to prison.

British Monarchs always face left on stamps.
There are a couple of exceptions
KG6 faces right on 2 that I know of
QE2 has full frontal on several.

of the 900 KG5 issues I viewed
these were the only ones not facing left or at least skewed
in that direction. Full face Vignettes appear in all definitive sets shown

George VI frequently faces to the right, I'd say, and QE goes back and forth in the same set.

The Southern Rhodesia jubilee is pretty straight-on, as I recall.

Vicky faces right occasionally, the small queens of Canada coming first to mind.

[Now I'm confused...]

Flipping through the GB listings of SG vol.1, it is not until the coronation issue of KGVI, and then again with his silver wedding set, that the monarch isn't facing left, so the colonies and dominions perhaps played faster and looser with tradition? I should re-read the earlier posts in this topic...maybe someone already pointed that out.

Indeed, you have a strong case for KG6
on balance I would hesitate a guess for a majority
facing left, nearly balanced by the vast array of issues for the Malay States, and the "key plate" issues.

Just looking through my first couple of albums - A:
Aden - George VI, all facing R; QE II, mixed, more facing L than R
Antigua - George VI, all facing R; QE II (1st set) all facing R
Ascension - QE II, (1st set) all facing R
Bahamas - George VI, all facing R; QE II (1st set) all facing R
Barbados - George VI, all facing front on; QE II (1st set) mixed L & R
Basutoland - all facing L
Bechuanaland - QE II (1st set) facing R
Bermuda - George V (1st pictorial set) facing front on
There are several further on for George VI and QE II that are mixed L & R
The 1st Southern Rhodesian set shows George V facing front on, and all the George VI are facing front on.

Excellent work 22crows.
I guess we can now append our opinions.

Generally speaking most stamps of GB show the monarch
facing left, until George6, who, it seems,
appeared to prefer his right profile, in facing right.

As all emissions were subject to the monarchs approval,
personal preference would have been the final arbitor.

(personally I see facing left as "looking forward")

I would propose an amendment to the above...

George VI opened the door, as he looks to the right on two Great Britain stamps, and generally forward on one (Coronation); on the rest of the GB issues, he's still looking to the left (or, if you prefer, to his right ). The common theme of the three outliers is that his wife is pictured, too...what do you think the chances are that she didn't like her left profile?

Once you get past GB, and on to the Commonwealth issues, all bets are off.

You might find this of interest (looks like it was the king's choice):

http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/co...al%20wedding

I think he made the right choice. The essay is okay, but it strikes me as more of a jubilee design than an anniversary.

Nothing wrong with her left profile...