London 2022 International Stamp Exhibition

The international philatelic event of the decade, London 2022, will take place between 19 to 26 February. The Postal Museum will display original wood engravings crafted and used by David Gentleman during his distinguished career as one of Britain’s best-known stamp designers.

1966 Battle of Hastings pull taken by David Gentleman, Image © The Postal Museum

David Gentleman transferred his entire collection of wood engravings, which he used for British postage stamps, to The Postal Museum in 2021 to act as their long-term custodian. The Postal Museum are delighted to display a selection for the very first time this February, before they are catalogued, digitised, and made available for research purposes for years to come.

David Gentleman’s stamp-designing career spanned five decades. He has designed more British postage stamps than any other person, utilising many styles and techniques in his trademark modernist approach. These include watercolours, lithographs, pencil drawings and wood engravings to name a few.

David used this technique for many stamp designs including an issue commemorating the 900th Anniversary of Battle of Hastings in 1966. This work, alongside the 1964 Shakespeare Festival, 1965 Commonwealth Arts Festival, 1963 Ninth International Lifeboat Conference, and in his 1977 take on the Twelve Days of Christmas will be displayed at London 2022 at the museum’s stand number 135, sitting alongside a pull and the final stamp in which the pull features.

This unique display is to complement the issue of the miniature sheet for The Stamp Designs of David Gentleman by Royal Mail, on sale from 18 February 2022.

The Postal Museum will also have a range of products on sale, including Post & Go first day covers and presentation packs and a range of books including signed copies of Senior Curator Douglas N. Muir’s new book Just Large Enough, A Guide to The Postal Museum’s Philatelic Collections.

In addition, while London 2022 is taking place, there will be a further pop-up display of David Gentleman’s never-before-shown craftsmanship at The Postal Museum. On display for the first time will be wood engravings, essays, and stamp artwork for unadopted designs from David Gentleman’s 1966 album of experimental designs and from 1968 anniversaries issues: Suffragette, Captain Cook and RAF bi-plane. The Battle of Hastings 1966 stamp issue will also feature with a showcase of wood engravings, stamp artworks, sketches, first day cover signed by David and a selection of engraving tools. The display can be enjoyed with entry to The Postal Museum.

There will be special overprints on the Post & Go machines at The Postal Museum to mark the international exhibition.

London 2022 International Stamp Exhibition
19 – 26 February 2022
The Postal Museum exhibits at stand 135

Visit www.london2022.co for more information and the full programme of events.

David Gentleman’s Pop-Up Exhibition at The Postal Museum
18 – 27 February 2022

Admission to the Museum (£16 online) is separate to London 2022 – book your visit on The Postal Museum website.