Reynolds Stone
Encyclopedia
Alan Reynolds Stone CBE
RDI
was a noted English
engraver, designer, typographer and painter of the 20th century.
Much of his work was done in the field of printing and publishing, as a designer of typefaces, book jackets and bookplates. In 1949 he redesigned the famous clock logo of The Times
. In 1951 he was invited to carve the Second World War memorial in the Grand Entrance of the Victoria and Albert Museum
. He engraved the Royal Arms for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 and the official coat of arms for Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1955 - still reproduced today on the cover of the UK passport.
He also designed the coat of arms for The British Council.
In 1954 he designed the Minerva typeface for Linotype
. He designed the £5 and £10 bank notes respectively in 1963 and 1964 - including the Queen's portrait - for the Bank of England. In 1965 he carved the memorial to Sir Winston Churchill
in Westminster Abbey
and in 1966 one for T. S. Eliot
. One of his later works, in 1976, was the gravestone of composer Benjamin Britten
.
In 1953 he was awarded a CBE
and moved to The Old Rectory in Litton Cheney
near Dorchester, Dorset
where he lived until his death.
He was married to the photographer Janet Stone and had four children. In order of birth, they are painter Edward Stone, designer Humphrey Stone, illustrator Phillida Gili, and Emma Beck, wife of artist Ian Beck
.
A major exhibition of his work was held in the library of the Victoria and Albert Museum between July and October 1982. Another, to honour the centenary of his birth, was held at The Red House, Aldeburgh
, Suffolk
in April 2009.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
RDI
Royal Designers for Industry
Royal Designer for Industry is a distinction established by the British Royal Society of Arts in 1936, to encourage a high standard of industrial design and enhance the status of designers. It is awarded to people who have achieved "sustained excellence in aesthetic and efficient design for...
was a noted English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
engraver, designer, typographer and painter of the 20th century.
Much of his work was done in the field of printing and publishing, as a designer of typefaces, book jackets and bookplates. In 1949 he redesigned the famous clock logo of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. In 1951 he was invited to carve the Second World War memorial in the Grand Entrance of the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
. He engraved the Royal Arms for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 and the official coat of arms for Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1955 - still reproduced today on the cover of the UK passport.
He also designed the coat of arms for The British Council.
In 1954 he designed the Minerva typeface for Linotype
Linotype machine
The Linotype typesetting machine is a "line casting" machine used in printing. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over manual typesetting....
. He designed the £5 and £10 bank notes respectively in 1963 and 1964 - including the Queen's portrait - for the Bank of England. In 1965 he carved the memorial to Sir Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and in 1966 one for T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
. One of his later works, in 1976, was the gravestone of composer Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
.
In 1953 he was awarded a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
and moved to The Old Rectory in Litton Cheney
Litton Cheney
Litton Cheney is a village in south west Dorset, England, nine miles west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 348, according to the United Kingdom Census 2001....
near Dorchester, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
where he lived until his death.
He was married to the photographer Janet Stone and had four children. In order of birth, they are painter Edward Stone, designer Humphrey Stone, illustrator Phillida Gili, and Emma Beck, wife of artist Ian Beck
Ian Beck
Ian Archibald Beck is an English children's illustrator and author. In addition to his numerous children's books, he is also most famous for his cover illustration on Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album...
.
A major exhibition of his work was held in the library of the Victoria and Albert Museum between July and October 1982. Another, to honour the centenary of his birth, was held at The Red House, Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh is a coastal town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. Located on the River Alde, the town is notable for its Blue Flag shingle beach and fisherman huts where freshly caught fish are sold daily, and the Aldeburgh Yacht Club...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
in April 2009.