Description: This vintage British philatelic item is an authentic, completely unopened Royal Mail "Orchids" Presentation Pack (Presentation Pack No. 236). The upper decorative cover showcases a macro photographic study of a green-and-white striped orchid petal, superimposed with the elegant serif typography reading "ROYAL MAIL MINT STAMPS" and the bold title "ORCHIDS" printed in a deep plum hue. Protected safely inside the original clear cellowrap sleeve is a pristine, unsevered horizontal strip of five commemorative stamps, spanning denominations of 18p, 24p, 28p, 33p, and 39p. Each stamp showcases a unique, highly detailed scientific botanical illustration of a distinct orchid species against a crisp white background, anchored in the top-right corner by the solid green silhouette profile of Queen Elizabeth II.
Circa: 1993
Condition: MNH intact pack
Notes:
The beautiful botanical illustrations featured on this five-stamp strip were custom-commissioned from renowned British artist Pandora Sellars, who was highly celebrated for her mathematically precise and vibrant watercolors of tropical flora. The five species captured in chronological order across the face of the strip are Dendrobium unicum (18p), Paphiopedilum Maudiae Magnificum (24p), Cymbidium lowianum (28p), Vanda Rothschildiana (33p), and Dendrobium ‘GoldMohur’ var. albescens (39p). This set was highly anticipated by thematic collectors because orchids hold a fascinating place in British horticultural history, tracking back to the intense "Orchidadelphia" craze of the Victorian era when wealthy aristocrats built sprawling glass hothouses to cultivate rare global imports.