EU Single Market Stamp / First Day Cover (13 October 1992) by David Hockney

£15.00

This first day cover features the stamp designed by David Hockney to mark the advent of the European Single Market. Each of the 12 member countries produced a stamp to commemorate the occasion. The UK commissioned David, who created this. 

These first day covers are on bright blue envelopes with an image of Salts Mill that were specially produced for the issue. The printing was limited to 5000 copies worldwide, and each cover has its own unique number printed on it. Each comes wrapped in clear cellophane.

The stamp was launched in the 1853 Gallery here at Salts on 13 October, 1992. David's brother Paul gamely dressed up as a postman and cycled round the Gallery, whilst the artist himself designed a bright red cubist postbox in which to post Hockney-stamped letters. We obtained a daily collection licence from Royal Mail for one month and all mail posted in the gallery post box was hand-franked as a special issue to mark the event. What larks! The gorgeous post box is still on show in the gallery today; the first day cover is a piece of pre-Brexit history. 

Dimensions: 31 x 11.5 cm