The Downey Head Issues

Designed by the artists Bertram Mackennel and G. W. Eve, these issues were the first for King George V. The head was copied from a photograph taken by W. & D. Downey from who the name of the issue is taken.

The first two values, the ½d and 1d, were released on the 22nd June 1911 so as to coincide with the King's coronation. However the designs immediately met with a storm of criticism. Until this point in time, all GB issues had used a side-on profile of the King or Queen whereas the Downey issues used a three quarter profile. It was also felt that attempting to derive a typographed image from a photograph had not proved a success.

Although further values up to 1s were being prepared, the Downey issue was replaced in 1912 by new designs which saw a return to the "normal" profile head. Indeed, since the Downey issues, all GB stamps have used a profile head.

So, I guess there can't be much to collect for two stamps that lasted barely 18 months, right ?

Dies	Three different dies exist for both the ½d and 1d values.
Watermarks	There were also three different watermarks, one of which that was so cluttered as to make it difficult to see the actual design, leading to many watermark errors.
Controls	Controls letters / numbers added to the sheet margin to indicate actual and financial year of printing.
The plates	The printers used markings in the rule line at the bottom of the sheet to identify the individual printing plate.
Books and Coils	As well as being issued in sheets, the stamps were also available in books and from coil machines.
Varieties	As with almost any stamp issue there are constant flaws to be found. Indeed, the "no cross on crown" error affects both values and various plates of the Downey issues.
Used Abroad	The Downey Head issue was also overprinted for use abroad in Levant and Morocco.
Colour Essays	Early in the reign of the new king, the Postmaster General was impatient to release as many values as possible in time for the Kings coronation. The essays thus produced give us a glimps of the values that might have been.
Odds and Ends	Theres more !
Album Page [63K]	So, there is plenty of scope for a collection of the Downey Head issues, but they also look most attractive on the album page !
Checklist	To finish things off, here's my version of a checklist

THE DOWNEY HEAD ISSUES