Each of my pieces are unique due to the fact that they are all made using old stamps, many of which have been through the postal system and show this wear and tear. This brings character to each piece. However being able to go that step further and personalise a work to your specific situation can truly elevate the work to that next level of meaningfulness and enjoyment.

Whether you are looking to celebrate a wedding, anniversary, birthday, valentine or other special event there are a range of customisations that can be done to make your art work special to you.

The Initial Design

I have a few initial templates I currently start with and then make numerous colour and other variations from. But I am always looking at what alternatives there and happy to explore options with clients. So if you have seen a general design you like but perhaps want to have a specific colour or King and Queen combination for example then we can definitely explore.

Do you have an idea for a completely different design, something larger or smaller, perhaps? These can be explored, but be aware due to the pixel size (a stamp) we are working with there are physical limitations, we will need to get creative.

All designs I can create digital mock-ups of to allow us to visualise designs before committing to the production of the art work.

Corner Letters

In the early part of Queen Victoria’s reign stamps included identifying letters in the either the bottom two corners, or later on in all 4 corners. This was to identify the stamps position in the 20 x 12 sheet in which they were printed. Thus there are Queen Victoria stamps available with initials in the ranges from AA-TL (bottom corners) and AA-LT (top corners). The result of this is that if you have initials that are included within these ranges we can potentially include such stamps within the design.

Postmarks

These are the cancellation marks used to signify that the stamp has been through the postal system and has now been used. Over the years there have been many many different postmarks used. The most common interesting ones include locations and date/time stamps. There are however many others that leave words or numbers on the stamps as well. So there are all kinds of things that can be represented.

  • A special date, birthday, wedding day etc

  • A memorable location, perhaps where someone was born, lived or was married.

  • Meaningful word(s)

The challenge with these postmarks however are many. Trying to find a specific one is tricky/lucky to start with. Then finding a clearly printed on on a stamp of the right colour to fit within a specific design reduces the likelihood of finding the right one even more. But we are building a database of such items to allow us to provide a quick response when someone is looking for somethign specific. The key thing here is to embrace compromise. We might be able to find you a location which is only partially on the stamp or a date that is the correct day and month but not the exact year perhaps.

Overprints

Overprints are different from Postmarks. These were printed onto the original stamp before they were issued. They are typically very clear black lettering. There is a much smaller range of these in comparison to postmarks but if they happen to align to something specific relevant to you they can work really well. Overprints include;

  • Army Official

  • Admiralty Official

  • IR Official (Inland Revenue)

  • Morocco Agencies

Regionals

Each of the countries that make up the United Kingdom have a small range of stamps that are specific to them;

  • England

  • Guernsey

  • Isle of Man

  • Jersey

  • Northern Ireland

  • Scotland

  • Wales

There is the option to include stamps from a specific country or perhaps even make a whole design purely from such stamps.

Countries of the Commonwealth

There have been stamps printed for many of the countries that are now within the commonwealth. And though many of those countries have independence, and in many cases have changed their names, there are stamps available to represent specific memories for you. Perhaps a holiday in Cyprus or you were proposed to in Malta. Maybe that someone special is Canadian.

Smiler and Cinderella

During Queen Elizabeth II’s reign there have been definitive sized stamps created that did not include her image as the main image. Plus there are also stamp sized images produced that were not actual valid postage stamps. Each of these allows additional possibilities.