This autumn a new set of Royal Mail stamps are set to tell the story of one of the world’s most famous bears and all his friends.

The Winnie-the-Pooh stamp collection, issued on 12 October, celebrates the enduring popularity and universal appeal of the hunny-loving character, famously created by A.A. Milne for his son, Christopher Robin.

Royal Mail is issuing a total of 10 stamps using the E.H. Shepard book illustrations from the original Pooh stories, Winnie-the-Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner and the book of verse, Now we are Six.

Pooh and his friends: Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit, Kanga, Roo and Owl – feature on the six sheet stamps, while the friendship between Pooh and Christopher Robin is the focus of the four 1^st Class stamps in the Miniature Sheet.

 Philip Parker, Royal Mail Stamps spokesperson, said: “We know that Winnie-the-Pooh is a stamp issue that will rekindle many fond memories for people of all ages.

“He is rightly regarded as the world’s most popular classic children’s book character and we are delighted that we could use E.H. Shepard’s original illustrations to bring Pooh and his friends to life on millions of stamps.”

Winnie-the-Pooh is Royal Mail’s contribution to the PostEurop theme for 2010 of ‘children’s books’ The “Europa” logo is included on both 1^st Class stamps.

1^st Class – Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Christopher Robin

 Pooh, Piglet and Christopher Robin illustration taken from A.A. Milne’s book of verse Now we are Six 

 58p – Winnie the Pooh and Piglet

 Pooh and Piglet walk off into the wind on their way to Kanga’s house in ‘A very grand thing’ from The House at Pooh Corner

 60p – Winnie the Pooh and Rabbit

 Pooh informs Rabbit about the ‘Expotition to the North Pole’ from Winnie-the-Pooh.

 67p – Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore

 Pooh sings ‘Cottleston Pie’ to Eeyore from ‘Eeyore has a birthday’ in Winnie-the-Pooh.

 88p – Winnie the Pooh and friends

 Pooh is joined by Rabbit, Kanga and Roo, Owl and Piglet for a Pooh party in ‘We say good bye’ from Winnie-the-Pooh.

 97p – Winnie the Pooh and Tigger

 Pooh discovers that Tiggers don’t like honey in ‘Tigger has breakfast’ from The House at Pooh Corner.

 The Winnie-the-Pooh Miniature Sheet Stamps 

1^st Class – Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin and Pooh illustration taken from A.A. Milne’s book of verse Now we are Six 

60p – Christopher Robin reads to Winnie the Pooh

 Pooh eats too much on a visit to Rabbit’s burrow and is too fat to get out of the hole. Christopher Robin reads to him while he waits to slim down from ‘Pooh goes visiting’ in Winnie-the-Pooh.

88p – Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin set sail

Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin set sail in an umbrella named The Brain of Pooh when ‘Piglet is surrounded by water’ in Winnie-the-Pooh.

97p – Christopher Robin pulls on his Wellingtons

In preparation for ‘The Expotition to the North Pole’ Christopher Robin pulls on his Wellington boots from Winnie-the-Pooh.

published July 25th, 2010