First Post and Go Stamps Illustrator, Robert Gillmor, dies at the age of 85.

The death has been announced of Robert Gillmor MBE, one of the country's most popular and respected bird artists, aged 85.

Robert Gillmor at his North Norfolk studio overlooking Cley Marshes (Photo: John Walden)

 

He is best known to the stamp world as the illustrator for Royal Mail's first pictorial Post and Go Stamps, then known as Faststamps issued in September 2010, which depicted garden birds.  This first set of 6 was followed by more Garden Birds, Water Birds, and Sea Birds.

He was also responsible for the 2012 Farm Animals (Sheep, Pigs, Cattle) and 2015 Fur & Feathers series of Post and Go stamps.

Before that he produced designs for the local carriage labels of the Summer Isles, off the coast of Scotland.  

Six 'stamps' from the (Scottish) Summer Isles depicting birds often seen in the area of the western isles: Arctic Tern, Red-breasted Merganser, Gannets, Barnacle Geese, Heron and Gold Eagle.

But he was known for much more than stamps: the first publication containing one of his works appeared when he was still in his teens.  Many obituaries have been published, including this one in The Guardian.

A more personal comment appears in John Cooper's blog "Britain is no country for old men" (a quote from W B Yeats).

Robert, who has died at the age of 85, was a highly regarded by ornithologists throughout the world for his illustrations in numerous books, especially those on bird behaviour. He drew from life and his many hours of observation were reflected in the quality of his final prints, in which he captured the essence of the birds, using his brilliant draughtsmanship and beautiful compositions. From an early age, the Quaker blend of humility and a celebration of life, shone through all his work.

====== 

When Mark Avery asked Robert : "How many individual pieces of bird art have you produced?" as part of his interview for inclusion for his 2015 publication, 'Behind the Binoculars', Robert replied : "I haven’t the faintest idea!  There would be several thousand drawings altogether and then all the paintings.  All the calendars – I did calendars for over thirty years and latterly there were two calendars a year, needing twenty-four paintings, so those add up". In recognition of his work, in 2020 Robert received the 'SWLA Outstanding Contribution to Art & Nature Award'.

 

When the Norfolk & Norwich Philatelic Society commemorated its centenary in autumn 2011, the project leader compiled a book of Norfolk Posts & Personalities (still available here!) which included as many stamps associated with Norfolk, and Norfolk-related stories about stamps as he could find. 

Robert was kind enough to be interviewed, and to have photographs taken for publication in this book. He also loaned some of the original artwork for our exhibition, which he attended, signing his latest book of bird illustrations, and our souvenir covers (and some past first day covers). A charming man, and I am pleased to have a complete set of 4 of the Post and Go birds first day covers signed by him - probably unique.

Detail from signed commemorative cover, 2011.

He said, "It is a delightful thought that my stamps will appear on people's letters and packets using the very latest technology, especially as my artwork was created using a 150-year-old printing press.".

UPDATE: My fellow-blogger WhiteKnight shows on a recent post (Commonwealth Stamps Opionion) some stamps designed by Robert in 1972 for the Seychelles.

---

Royal Mail secrecy - it wasn't always so!

While it's raining I've been able to spend some time looking at the draft of SG's 2019 Concise catalogue and going back through old blog posts to check issue/discovery dates.  I was surprised to find two consecutive entries in February 2010 about the future stamp programme.

The second updated the 2010 stamp issues programme.  The first updated the 2011 programme - shown below.

I had forgotten how comprehensive the advance information used to be - not just special stamp issues but Post and Go, mixed booklets, smilers sheet setc.  So two of those categories have virtually disappeared from the modern stamp programmes, but this was 10 months before the year started.  Now we are lucky to get the outline programme before 31 December and even then there will be at least two 'to be confirmed' subjects about which even we dealers know nothing.  There are several reasons for secrecy, usually concerning copyright issues.

Royal Mail explain that they are reducing the basic cost to collectors by involving third party rights holders - Warner Bros, Disney, the music industry, etc - and that the additional income they get from people who don't normally collect stamps more than offsets the reduction in income from regular collectors.  As a way of increasing overall revenues this is a good thing, but the new policy is causing many regular collectors to either stop, or to limit what they collect to 'those that I like', only one of each stamp and not blocks', 'only definitives', or 'only up to last year", etc.

At the same time, they restrict more and more the availability of news from those of us who have it.  Restrictions over copyright and tie-ins with the royal family have, in the past few years, meant that ordinary collectors are left in the dark about what subjects are being covered, which makes innovation and personalisation of collections very difficult. Maximum card collectors have very little time to source the cards they need, and collectors who produce individual one-off or very low volume first day covers have far too little time to source their designs and produce the covers.

Little of the above is news to most readers so, rant over - just browse and remember the better days.

Friday, 26 February 2010

Great Britain 2011 Programme (updated)

Royal Mail have provided their outline programme for 2011 as follows:

11 January - Classic Children's Television: Gerry Anderson set, MS + retail booklet

24 January - Pictorial Faststamps - Birds 2

1 February - Classic Railway Locomotives miniature sheet

24 February - West End Stage Musicals - set & MS expected (postponed from autumn 2010)
24 February - Retail Booklet: Medical Breakthroughs Beta-Blockers, British Heart Foundation

8 March - Magical Heroes of Fiction
8 March - Low value self-adhesive definitives: 1,2,5,10,20p

22 March - World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund)
22 March - New retail booklets, 1st Large, 2nd Large

29 March - new Machins and Country Stamps on tariff change

12 April - Royal Shakespeare Company 50th Anniversary set & MS

21 April - Royal Wedding MS

5 May - William Morris & Co 150th Anniversary, incl PSB

19 May - Pictorial Faststamps - Birds 3

14 June - Rev Wm Awdry Birth Centenary (Thomas the Tank Engine author), set MS & booklet
14 June - Prince Philip 90th Birthday Commemorative Sheet

27 July - Olympics/Paralympics III, booklet 5, commemorative sheet and composite sheet

28 July - Philanippon, Japan, Exhibition Generic Smilers Sheet.

23 August - Crown Jewels
23 August - Classic Locomotives of England retail booklet

9 September - World's First Scheduled Airmail, Windsor

14 September - Arnold Machin Birth Centenary miniature sheet

15 September - Kings + Queens, House of Hannover (Stampex issue)
15 September - Olympics/Paralympics retail booklet 6
15 September - 350th Anniv of the Postmark - Generic Smilers Sheet

16 September - Pictorial Faststamps - Birds4

13 October - A-Z of the United Kingdom (A-L 12 stamps)

25 October - retail booklets with FSC Logo - 6 x 1st, 12 x 1st, 12 x 2nd, 4 x 1st Large, 4 x 2nd Large

8 November - Christmas (religious) [400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible]

This programme list will be added to and amended from time to time: there will be Smilers sheets, retail booklets and commemorative sheets.

---

Missing from many Post and Go Faststamp collections - artist signed covers now available.

Pictorial Faststamps were introduced on 17 September 2010 with the first Birds series, followed on 24 January, 19 May and 16 September 2011.  The stamps were designed by Kate Stephens using illustrations by Robert Gillmor (Wikipedia entry)

In October 2011 the Norfolk and Norwich Philatelic Society (NNPS) marked its Centenary with a week-long exhibition.  Robert Gillmor lives and works on the north Norfolk Coast and the Society was pleased to be able to display some of his original artwork for the Birds stamps.  He visited the exhibition and signed copies of his book, "Birds Blocks and Stamps" and some of souvenir covers.

The latest additions to our shop stock are 18 different birds stamps on NNPS Centenary souvenir covers signed by Robert Gillmor at £5 each (5 are shown below).

 

For some birds we have only 1 (for some we have none at all).  All we have is now listed so if you want to add one to your collection, don't delay!  Take a look now.

---

Perforations are Go! Imperforate Thunderbirds miniature sheet reported! sheet

The Thunderbirds miniature sheet issued in January 2011 was notable for having lenticular images and thus being much thicker than normal stamps.

Some people thought it wasn't gummed and others thought that if individual stamps were used they would be pulled off the envelope by the sorting machinery.  Thankfully this didn't happen and examples exist on normal (albeit) philatelic mail.

Now two years after the issue Rushstamps have reported that an imperforate miniature sheet has been discovered on a combination FDC!

This sheet, like the only known mint example, was purchased on the day of issue at Tuckton, Bournemouth.  The collector who prepared the cover only recently realised that he had an error when he was mounting his mint stamps and miniature sheet - and realised that the sheet was different to the one on his cover.
Rushstamps will have this at Spring Stampex next week.

---

Major phosphor shift on Aerial Post Machin stamp pane

A correspondent in the USA has reported a significant phosphor shift which I don't think has been reported elsewhere.

"Recently I ordered a First UK Aerial Post Prestige Book from Royal Mail.

"When it arrived late last week, I noticed that the mixed Machin pane had its phosphor bands shifted 6mm left. This leaves the right column of stamps with what looks like a center band instead of two side bands, and the stamps in the center and left columns have a double-wide band covering the right half of each stamp from the stamp centerline to just inside the right perfs. Even the center label of KGV has a phosphor band.

"I realize that phosphor shifts do not command the prices that a visible color would get, but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. It is not often one gets an EFO direct from the source.  As these panes were printed as multiple panes on one sheet, I assume there should be more examples out there, have you heard of any?"

If a picture can be obtained, I'll add it here in due course.

Do let us know if you have any significant phosphor shifts or any other errors.  It's a very long time since we had a book with any duplicated pages!

---

Festive Greetings! A Merry Christmas !!!

---

To all our readers, customers, contributors

MERRY CHRISTMAS and

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Our offices will be closed from late tonight, Thursday 22 December, to Tuesday 3 January.

As we remember those who are no longer with us, and 

enjoy the company of the family and friends that we have,
we hope you will be able to enjoy this time with your family and friends as well. 

-

When we return it is certain that there will be more news - 10 days is a long time in philately! 



All emails will be dealt with as soon as possible after the holidays.
If you order through our online shop (www.norphil.co.uk/catalog) the stock will be reserved for you.

---

Golden Machin Horizon label mark III update

Steve has sent a picture of 4 new labels..... and another showing an earlier date of 21/11/11 17/11/11, so if anybody has an earlier date than this, please let us know!

Also shown below is an FP label that I sent to Australia

Post and Go v2 produces 40g Birds 4 - and Birds 3!

As reported here, the 40g Faststamps are rolling out.  

Thanks to a correspondent in cold and snowy Scotland we can now report that machine 2 at the St James Centre, Edinburgh PO, was dispensing Birds 3 earlier this week (shown below at left).  At the same time machine 3 at the St Vincent Street, Glasgow, PO was dispensing Birds 4 with the original Wincor font, thus printing over the picture.

Let us know of any other errors found after the v2 update!

Machin M11L code continues in 2012 with Dahl PSB

Just when we thought we would see a new year code early in January in the Roald Dahl Prestige Stamp Book we find that they have the M11L code for 2011!


The conventionally gummed PSB pane has 2p, 10p & 68p stamps in, with the 68p having security features. The image shows all the stamps with security slits but that would only happen if they were self-adhesive.

 

So your 2011 Machin collection isn't finished yet!  The good thing from all points of view is that each pane provides 4 of these stamps with little postage left over. (Thanks to Richard P for the picture)

See Comments below about printing process and printer for this pane.

Post and Go version 2 update brings 40g for Birds 4

The delayed upgrade of Post and Go machines to software version 2 is now under way in earnest.  We're told that about half of the machines have now been upgraded in bulk by an internet download, rather than the attendance of an engineer to each machine.


Although many offices are using Machin Faststamps we have received Birds 4 and we're hoping to get Birds 3 later this week.  Just how many offices have Birds 4 is unknown, although as distribution was originally very limited (due to stock-control errors at Swindon which were later corrected) many offices will be back on Birds 4 after having initial stocks exhausted.  Just how many still have Birds 3 is more difficult to determine.  We had very few reports of Bird 3 continuing until September.


With version 2, the scanning equipment is now operative, so customers can purchase non-stamp products such as stationery which are on sale at many offices.  Shown here alongside the Birds 4 40g stamps is a receipt for a roll of tape from Old Street machine 1.

Spotted on eBay: Birds 3 40g from Ludgate Circus PO in London - 7/12/11.
Birds 3 also reported (10/12/11) from Dartford machine no 1. (Thanks KH)

December week 1.  - see separate blog entry for images

St Vincent Edinburgh dispensing Birds 3

St James Glasgow dispensing Birds 4 but with original font, printing over image.

6/12/11 - Paignton, Plymouth & Exeter on v2, but Paignton shut down on the same day - see Comment.

Further update 11/12/11 (thanks Malcolm)

Barnet EN5 5UU dispensing Birds 4

The following are dispensing Machins

Holloway N7 6HY,   Upper Holloway N19 5TA   Golders Green NW11 8RT

Balham SW12 9AF and Hampstead NW3 1QL

Clapham Common SW4 7ST is still version 1 dispensing Machins

10/12/11
Norwich both machines converted, one at least has Birds 4. (thanks to IS)
14/12/11
DR Confirms that Boston has 40g but no Birds.

12/12/11

Dartford v2 dispensing Birds 3

Orpington v2 dispensing Machin but wrong typeface (up to 40g seems correct though, see attachment)

 

17/12/11

Clapham Common still v1

Blackfriars Road and London Bridge v2 dispensing machins

Acton v2 dispensing birds 3

Sutton v1 dispensing birds 4

Christmas 2011 - staff bonus

For several years Royal Mail and Post Office employees (and sub-postmasters who are neither) have received a Christmas card from the organisation together with 50 1st class Christmas stamps.  

Since at least 2003 the self-adhesive Christmas stamps on sale to the public have had the paper surrounding the stamps (or 'matrix') removed to make it easier to remove the stamps from the sheets, and to make them easier to separate into singles/blocks at the PO counter.  But the 'staff' versions have been sent out with the matrix intact, providing a collectable variation.  Employees are not permitted to sell their stamps, but many are available to collectors either by exchange or through dealers.


We understand that there were production problems with the 2011 Christmas stamps.  Although most of the 1st class were printed in June and the 2nd class in July, we're told that some were printed in November.  And the ones included in Christmas cards - which are always split into two sheets of 25 - might be any combination of top sheet (with printing date and sheet number) and lower sheet (with cylinder numbers) - and more seem to exist with matrix removed than intact.  Despite the warnings to staff of dire consequences some have appeared on eBay, and we have seen 17/06/11 and 20/06/11 with both matrix removed and matrix intact.  

If you've seen any other dates - for staff freebies or those over the counter or from the Bureau - we'd be interested to know.

---

Christmas 2011 Personalised Smilers - update

I mentioned earlier the confusion about what was available this year and where to get them from. 

The confusion was not aided by Royal Mail's website being down for maintenance last weekend with problems affecting various modules all week.

Graham Howard, on his Smilers-info website has probably now cracked it, though we would still be interested in the experience of other Smiler-seekers.

In brief, Snapfish are producing Smilers sheets, known there as Photostamps, for the 2nd & 1st class values only.  No personalised Smilers sheets are available through Royal Mail's website, but all four values (including the 68p & £1.10 airmail stamps) can be obtained from Royal Mail Tallents House, by phone, e-mail or written application form (which ought to be available at POs though I haven't yet seen any.

---

Christmas 2011 Personalised Smilers - how and which?

Christmas is supposed to be one of the most popular times for people to get personalised stamps - Smilers.  Sometimes they use the Christmas stamps, sometimes they use one of the many greetings stamp alternatives.  But this year they could have a problem (especially today as Royal Mail's website is totally unavailable!).


As we know, Royal Mail philatelic have produced the usual Generic Smilers Sheet containing 2nd & 1st class stamps and the two airmail rates 68p & £1.10.  The Christmas catalogue shows the inland stamps personalised in sheets of 10 & 20.  The philatelic listing also mentions these but not the airmail stamps.


Go to www.royalmail.com/smilers as usual and there is no sign of the 2011 Christmas stamps at all!  So what's happening?  Have we actually got a pair of philatelic stamps (the 68p & £1.10) that are in a generic sheet but which are NOT available for personalisation?  


Has anybody ordered - better still received - any Smilers stamps this Christmas?  How did you get them??

Update:  

As I expected, Graham Howard at www.smilers-info.com is on top of this (click on 'News').  Royal Mail won't answer any questions about the Snapfish part of the operation, even a simple one like "why only 1st & 2nd class?".  I would have expected the principal to this contract (rather than the sub-contractor) to say, "yes the airmail values should be available and we will contact Snapfish and make sure it is so."  

And, says Graham, the ordering process at Snapfish is not entirely without its problems. 


Update 2:

This morning's post brought proof that this year's Smilers so exist!

Christmas 2011 booklets

Stock arrived today, and in what is probably an unrepresentative sample our packs of 50 of each booklet each contained 10 with cylinder numbers.


Cylinder numbers start level with the bottom of the lower stamp and are Magenta, Yellow, Cyan, Black and Gold, all D1.  I can't see any phosphor cylinder number on either 1st or 2nd.  Package dates are 05/07/11 for 1st class and 30/08/11 for 2nd class.


Publicity images of the booklets. Scans of cylinder booklets will be added soon.

Post and Go version 2 update

We reported that version 2 was introduced to Broadway PO on 13 October, and later were told that six more London offices and Luton had been added.

We now have the full list including go live dates:

Label		Machin	Birds
Code	Branch	Live Date	Live Date
010011	Broadway	13/10/2011	17/10/2011
028003	Old St (205)	21/10/2011
030003	The City Of London	21/10/2011
006134	Arndale	21/10/2011
041005	Camden High Street	28/10/2011
004003	Houndsditch	31/10/2011
003009	Baker Street	01/11/2011

As you can see, Birds IV were available on 17 October but few if any FDCs were done, and as yet we have no Birds IV 40g labels.

More details as we get them.

---

Christmas 2011 early use of booklets

We've had a report that a village post office near Norwich was selling 2nd class Christmas booklets as early as mid-October (precise date not known). In the USA the 'earliest known use' (EKU) covers are prized by some collectors, but they might have trouble here when there is no guarantee of a readable dated postmark!

New printings of higher value Machins at last?

We have heard that the first of the high values to be reprinted since the original issue in 2009 may soon appear.  The first is expected to be the £1 ruby, with the security code M11L:

Update:

The 2011 £1 stamp with year code M11L is now available with printing date 30/08/11.  This will be kept for existing customers and will be available in our shop as soon as we have time to scan etc.

Other new printings are:

1st class gold 24/08/11

68p 26/08/11

76p 31/08/11

1st class Large - a new MA10 printing has appeared, with a printing date of 17/09/10. (Our previous date was 25/04/10)
We have limited numbers of date blocks for these, and date and cylinder blocks for the £1.  Even if you are an existing customer, please let us know if you would like these blocks.



Thanks to Richard P for the picture.

---

Remembrance Poppy revival at the end of October

Royal Mail have confirmed that the strip of 3 s-tenant Poppy stamps will be available from Post Office branches again this year.

 

The stamps, first issued in 2008, will be in sheets of 60 and will be available at POs from 31 October, although postmasters are permitted to sell them earlier if they want to, as this is not a new issue.  The stamps will also be available from the Philatelic Bureau at Tallents House. (Thanks, Keith W, for news of this!)

---

Don't leave it too late to get Birds 4 Faststamps!

If you usually get your own sets of Faststamps from your nearest Post and Go machine, don't leave it too late.  For the two machines in Norwich, 3 rolls were provided.  They have all been fitted in one machine as far as I know.

From installation on Friday, and with the office open all day on Saturday, until about 11am this morning (Monday) two whole rolls have been dispensed.  I had the third one installed to complete my purchases.  I know that there is at least one other big buyer in Norwich, but unless there are more stocks forthcoming from central stores, there is no chance of getting a 40 g set from Norwich because by the time the software upgrade is completed there will be no Birds 4 left.

Sets of 36 different bird/value stamps will be difficult to get: even sets of 30 (without the 40 g) won't be plentiful.  So while we dealers are sorting out what we have and who for, maybe it's time to nip into the PO and buy some to put aside (not that I would ever suggest stamps as an investment opportunity!)  But when they're gone they're gone, and if more do materialise, you can always use them for postage.

Update:

We understand that the initial distribution was low because the Swindon Stores Depot changed the unit of issue from a box (of 5 rolls) to a roll.  Consequently initial supplies were very limited.  The unit of issue has now been changed back to box, and any PO now ordering should get a box of 5 rolls which should last a while!  There may even be an automatic distibution to get the seabirds out of the way before the sheep come in next year!

Stampex Post & Go Hytech - 16 September 2011

The fourth and final set of Birds Faststamps was issued today, and as expected one of the 'backroom' machines at Stampex (number 93) was producing these in strips of 6, while the other (number 94) remained producing Machin Centenary Faststamps:

One would expect that the self-service machines - or at least one of them - would also be loaded with Birds 4: I await confirmation.

Meanwhile, an early release of the Birds 4 pictorials has been reported. A first class faststamp showing an arctic tern has been seen on an envelope from Paisley (id 007859) dated 12^th September 2011. The session number was 26868. (Thanks to John McCallum for this news: follow John's Postal Mechanisation updates on http://sites.google.com/site/pmechuk/

Does anybody have news of P and G machines in Post Offices producing the new 40g label as shown above??  First Day Cover producers need them for the full set!