Coronation Colours 1953

Currently featured in the Library's display of books on colour from its Rare Books and Special Collections is Coronation Colours from the British Colour Council. The document was designed to give very precise instructions to public bodies, organisations and companies on the correct colours to use for bunting, tartans and union jacks on the occasion of the Queen's Coronation in 1953. It includes textile, card and ribbon samples mounted in 6 swatch booklets, some with typewritten colour names pasted on the back, illustrating acceptable colours for use during the 1953 Coronation. The British Colour Council itself was an industry standards organisation, active from the 1930s to the 1950s, which produced indexes of named colours for use by government, industry, academia, and horticulture.