Gerald King "Elizatoria" Cinderella/Fantasy Stamps

Presumably "fantasy" is more accurate than "cinderella". I was already familiar with the Snark Island and Lundy fantasies that Gerald King produced, but I was unaware of the Elizatoria material (Victorian and Edwardian designs reimagined with Elizabeth as the featured monarch, frequently in alternate/vibrant colors).

I was over at Denny Peoples' home in Indianapolis last week while on a shopping trip and he had a collection of approximately 250 pieces of Elizatoria items. It was just too cool for me to pass up. While the printing and perforating technology utilized isn't the greatest in the world and wouldn't fool anyone, they are still IMO great re-imagining of classic stamp designs.

Part of me wants to just flip it and move it on, but another part of me wants to use it as a basis for expansion, as the designs are just so darned cool.

1 vote for the NOT cool side.

Blimey, and I thought I wasted my time.

Wow. So much hatred for King's work... I wouldn't have expected that here.

It's one of those strange things about Philately,
Looked at from a distance, it's the currency (timeline) that is the negative.
Project forward a hundred years, and these may possibly be well sought after.

I cite the Aussie Kangaroo stamp, lambasted at genesis, now one of the
greatest stamps in the Aussie catalogue.

As a cinderella collector, I have witnessed the occasional bad press,
but one collects what one engenders interest in.
Bad press is part of the deal.

I must admit I have mixed feelings currently on these, there are so many. But try and have an open mind.

When we "show and tell" we are going to get mixed results, then someone pops up and says "I like what you are showing"
That's the payoff.

recall Sir Paul McCartney saying how he would talk to friends about his fondness of writing songs, with muted response, until one day he met John Lennon, whom replied, something like "yeah, I do that too"
A partnership of the century.

I don't hate Mr King's efforts, I simply find them unappealing and pointless. However, I prefer them to the Australian kangaroo stamps and the Beatles. I'm sure lots of others will enjoy them.

I find many of them to be quite attractive and with more eye appeal than the originals!

I like them. They show vastly more imagination and pleasing design aesthetics than many postal issues such as the recent USPS Message Monsters.

A fun idea, some of them are quite nicely done, others not so much. Thanks for showing them.

I really like those Machin Penny Blacks.

Here's a Gerald King Victorian parody from my own collection: the Wonderland "Unready" envelope: