The King's Stamp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The King's Stamp |
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Silver Jubilee 1.5d x 2 on cover 1959 Gravesend Kent
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| Directed by | William Coldstream |
| Produced by | Alberto Cavalcanti |
| Starring | Barnett Freedman et al |
| Music by | Benjamin Britten |
| Cinematography | F.H. Jones H.E. Fowle |
| Editing by | Richard McNaughton |
| Release date(s) | 1935 |
| Running time | 20 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The King's Stamp is a short film made in 1935. It was created by the GPO Film Unit and produced by Alberto Cavalcanti. William Coldstream directed the film. This movie was made to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee in 1935. A famous composer, Benjamin Britten, wrote the music for it.
Contents
The Story of The King's Stamp
The film begins by showing a commercial artist named Barnett Freedman. He is sketching different designs. Then, he works by hand to create a special printing stone called a lithostone. This stone is used to print images.
From Old Ideas to New Stamps
The movie then compares Freedman's easy work with postal officials to the challenges faced by Rowland Hill. Hill worked hard to introduce the "penny post" system. This system made sending letters much cheaper. Even after Hill succeeded, some people found it hard to understand using stamps.
The film shows how Britain changed over time. It suggests that people in Victorian times were less open to new ideas. But in the 1930s, Britain was shown as a place of smart managers and new inventions. As the stamp is being printed in the film, the movie changes from black and white to color. This shows the excitement of new progress.
The Fun of Collecting Stamps
The last part of the film looks at how popular stamp collecting became. It shows that people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy this hobby. The film ends with pictures from King George V's own stamp collection.
The King loved collecting stamps, and this made him even more popular. It was also special that his Silver Jubilee was on May 6th. This date was exactly 95 years after the first Penny Black stamp was released. The pictures of his huge 328-album stamp collection make the film very interesting for stamp lovers. Because stamp collecting is still popular, this movie remains one of the most watched documentaries about the hobby.
Main Actor
- Barnett Freedman
