The Fine Art Covers Collection
£568.00
Preserved for over forty years
This is the complete Fine Art Cover Collection — preserved intact since the mid-1980s and now offered as a unified whole. Comprising eight original First Day Covers, each created at the time of issue and presented in its original wallets and slipcase, it represents a rare opportunity to acquire the collection as it was intended to be seen. What survives today are not individual examples, but a small number of complete sets held together through time.
Today, only 250 complete sets remain from the original edition.
The Collection Includes
- Christmas - The traditional festive issue, interpreted through a specially commissioned illustration.
- Famous Trains - Celebrating Britain’s railway heritage, with imagery inspired by steam, engineering, and motion.
- British Insects - A playful and imaginative scene inspired by early scientific discovery and observation.
- Classic Composers - Presenting Lennon and McCartney as future classics, bridging popular music and musical tradition.
- Safety at Sea - A dramatic tribute to Britain’s maritime heritage and the role of lightships and lifesaving services.
- Post Office Anniversary - Marking 350 years of the British postal system through a still life of historic correspondence tools.
- Arthurian Legend - Drawing on the mythology of King Arthur, centred on the moment the sword is drawn from the stone.
- British Film Year - A cinematic tableau celebrating the glamour and craft of British filmmaking in its early years.
Shipping & Insurance:
All orders are dispatched using services appropriate to the value and collectable nature of the Collection. Every shipment is fully tracked, insured, and requires a signature on delivery.
United Kingdom:
FREE shipping via Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, fully tracked, insured for the full value of the Collection Signature required.
European Union:
£35.00 via premium courier service (such as DHL), fully tracked, insured. Signature required.
Any local taxes, VAT, or customs charges applied by the destination country are the responsibility of the buyer and are collected by the carrier upon delivery.
Rest of World:
£50.00 via international express courier, fully tracked, insured. Signature required.
Any customs duties, import taxes, or handling fees are the responsibility of the buyer and are collected by the carrier upon delivery.
Quantity
Eight Exemplary Editions
A Box Set of
.jpg)
Christmas 1984
Legend holds that Saint Joseph of Arimathea arrived at Glastonbury Tor in AD 63. Upon thrusting his staff into the ground, it miraculously rooted to become the Glastonbury Thorn, which still blooms every December. This cover features a 16th-century illustration of the Saint from Langport Church, marking the historic site where Glastonbury Abbey was founded.
.jpg)
Gateway to the Great Western Railway
Opened in 1854, the Great Western Royal Hotel at Paddington Station was the historic gateway to the West Country. Commissioned by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and designed by P.C. Hardwick, this landmark celebrates the golden age of steam and the legacy of the Great Western Railway's famous express trains, such as the 'Cornish Riviera'.
.jpg)
Robert Hooke
Famed scientist Robert Hooke, who revealed the microscopic world in his 1664 work Micrographia, was born in Freshwater, Isle of Wight. This cover is postmarked directly opposite St. Agnes Church, which was historically built using the stones from Hooke’s demolished birthplace.
.jpg)
Lennon & McCartney
Celebrating the song writing partnership of the 20th century, this cover highlights "Mendips," the Liverpool semi-detached house John Lennon shared with his Aunt Mimi. As a popular meeting place for the Beatles, this historic home is where much of their early music was conceived and written.
_edited.png)
Safety at Sea
Once a vital guardian of the British coast and a survivor of the Second World War, the Trinity House lightship Nore was fully restored as part of the Historic Ship Collection. This cover was posted directly from her deck while she was moored at St Katharine Docks, London, creating an authentic and verifiable link between the First Day Cover and Britain’s maritime heritage.
.jpg)
Post Office Anniversary
Commemorating the 1635 opening of the King's mail to the general public, this cover celebrates the origins of the modern postal service. It honours the proclamation of King Charles I, with historical ties to the artifacts and records preserved within the Post Office archives in London.
.jpg)
Arthurian Legend
Inspired by Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, this cover depicts the legendary moment Arthur proves his right to the throne. Following the death of his father, Uther Pendragon, Arthur pulls the sword from the stone at St. Paul's, fulfilling the ancient prophecy to become the true King of England.
.jpg)