Isle of Man Stamps and Coins in collaboration with Manx National Heritage and Lloyds Bank, is pleased to present a set of ten stamps in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Archibald Knox and on the occasion of a landmark exhibition at the House of Manannan in Peel.
 
Archibald Knox is an internationally renowned Manx artist, designer and leading exponent of British Celtic revival, a design style of the early 20th century. Knox is most known for his work with silver and pewter designs for Liberty, however to his Manx contemporaries in the 1910s and 1920s he would have been known better as a graphic designer producing designs for everything from illustrations for a book of fairy tales to the cover of a theatre programme.
 
Whatever his designs are used for and whether they be cast in silver, carved in stone or printed on paper they are all characterised by a common motif of intricate interlace designs and knots that show Knox’s lifelong fascination with the carved Norse and Celtic stone crosses that surrounded him from his childhood onwards.
 
The commemorative stamps capture the vibrancy of Knox’s intricate interlace and calligraphy. The images used originate from Knox’s illuminated manuscript The Deer’s Cry, which he commenced whilst working at the Knockaloe Civilian Interment camp during WW1. Based on an early Irish prayer, it is a masterpiece of lettering in watercolour and is widely acknowledged as his greatest achievement. Knox had a strong Anglo-Catholic faith and The Deer’s Cry can be seen as both a work of religious meditation in its production and something to meditate on as each page was completed.
 
Tony Pass, Chairman of the Manx Museum and National Trust said: “The Deer’s Cry is undoubtedly one of Archibald Knox’s greatest masterpieces. It brings together many of the aspects of his artistic and personal life, and of his Christian Faith. The work illustrates his love of the early Manx Crosses and the Celtic and Viking heritage of the Isle of Man expressed in his distinctive interlace designs. His connection with the workshops of Liberty of London gave him a place in the Celtic/Arts and Crafts Revivals. A century later, his work is renowned across the world.
 
I am pleased that in the 150th anniversary of Knox’s birth and during the Island of Culture 2014 celebrations, Manx National Heritage and Isle of Man Stamps, with the support of Lloyd’s Bank, are able to bring The Deer’s Cry to a wider audience”.
 
Peter Reid, Island Director of Lloyds Bank said: “Lloyds is delighted to be partnering Manx National Heritage in celebrating this milestone anniversary of one of the Island’s most famous artists.  We are also extremely proud of our involvement in the sponsorship of the commemorative stamps.  This year is very significant in terms of celebrating our culture and as one of the leading community Banks, it is important that we are involved”.
 
Maxine Cannon, General Manager Isle of Man Stamps and Coins said: “We are delighted with the stamps, they capture and frame the images from The Deer’s Cry. They are a more than fitting tribute to someone who helped provide the foundations of Manx art and bring it to an international stage. Knox’s legacy and influence continues to live on and the stamps capture an important part of cultural history that we are currently celebrating in 2014 with the Island of Culture.”
 
To view the Archibald Knox stamps and to pre-order please visit - https://www.iompost.com/stamps-coins/collection/archibald-knox-celtic-style-celebrating-the-150th-anniversary-of-his-birth/.

Photo - (Left to right) Peter Cropper, Operations Director of Isle of Man Post Office, Tony Pass, Chairman of the Manx Museum and National Trust and Peter Reid, Island Director of Lloyds Bank.