A look at earlier Elizabeth II definitives shows how innovative the Centennial set was.
Centennial Essays
Stamp essays provide a glimpse of how a particular stamp design came about. Fortunately, digitized images of many essays have been posted on the Canadian Postal Archives websites permitting us to see aspects of the design process. This posting is organized as follows:
1.Queen Elizabeth with scene or other design element
2. Queen Elizabeth without scene
3. BABN Essays
4. Harvey Prosser Essays
a) Queen Elizabeth with flag
b) Queen Elizabeth with Canadian regions
1. Queen Elizabeth with scene or other design element
The essays in this section show different images of the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a fishing boat
Image of boat, denomination and typography sketched in charcoal,
with gouache retouch on denomination. Image shows typographic layout:
2¢.
Queen Elizabeth II, with a view of Niagara Falls
Printed portrait with background scene, typography and
denomination drawn in charcoal. Image (8.5 x 10.3 cm) shows typographic
layout: 3¢.
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a lakeshore view
Printed portrait on card within penciled frame. Lakeshore scene,
typography and denomination drawin in pencil on a tracing paper overlay
hinged with tape to card support. Image (8.5 x 10.3 cm) shows
typographic layout: 4¢.
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a map of Canada
Printed portrait and map image with background in watercolour,
typography and denomination in gouache. Image shows typographic layout:
5¢.
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a conifer branch
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a conifer branch
Print of portrait with branch, typography and denomination added
in pencil. Image (8.5 x 10.3 cm) shows typographic layout: 5¢.
Queen Elizabeth, shown with skyscrapers
Photomechanical portrait image mounted on card support, with
buildings, typography and denomination added in watercolour and gouache
to card. Image (8.5 x 10.3 cm) shows typographic layout: 5¢.
Queen Elizabeth II shown with maple leaves
Maple leaves, background and typography in watercolour.
Denomination added in gouache. Image shows typographic layout: 2¢.
2. Queen Elizabeth without scene
This is a traditional design for low-value definitives.
2. British American Bank Note Company (BABN) Essays
The BABN prepared watercolour essays which are dated September 30, 1965. The artist was not identified.
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with the Peace Tower
The First 100 Years
Queen Elizabeth II
4. Harvey Prosser Essays
a) Queen Elizabeth with Canadian Flag
a) Queen Elizabeth with Canadian Flag
Printed portrait with flag in watercolour and denomination in
gouache painted on card support. Image (10.7 x 12.4 cm) shows
typographic layout: 5¢. Mounted on card with wrapper with a set of 5
printed colour miniatures in the bottom margin.
b) Queen Elizabeth with Views of Canadian Regions
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a view of the Northern regions
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a view of the Pacific Coast
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a view of a prairie scene
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a view of the mid-Canada seaway
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a view of the Atlantic Coast- Rocher Percé
Queen Elizabeth II, shown with a view of the Atlantic Coast (Lighthouse and Lobster pod)
(similar to approved model)
Approved Models
Prosser`s regions designs were approved for the stamp issue. 1 cent to 3 cent views shown above were redone before approval.
Prosser`s regions designs were approved for the stamp issue. 1 cent to 3 cent views shown above were redone before approval.
Approved November 1, 1966
Approved November 5, 1965
Approved October 28, 1965
Approved October 18, 1965