Anatoly Martynovich Aksamit
Russian 1923 -

A native of the USSR, Anatoly Martynovich Aksamit graduated from secondary school in 1939. Although he passed entrance exams to the Moscow Art School, he never attended because his mother had developed serious health problems. In 1940 he was hired at an assembly plant and, in 1941, was drafted into the Red Army. For bravery in battle during World War II, Aksamit was decorated with several medals of honor, including the Order of the Patriotic War. After the war, he began freelancing for various publishing houses. In 1953, he was admitted to the Design and Commercial Art Department of the Moscow Polygraphic Institute. Aksamit soon began working for a variety of publishing houses, creating illustrations, book cover designs and posters. Between 1957 and 1973, he served as Chief Designer for the advertising department of Aeroflot magazine. In 1966, Aksamit created his first stamp design, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the French air wing "Normandy-Neman." Since that time he has created numerous stamp designs, most notably History of Soviet Aircraft Construction, Tourism in the USSR and the Icebreakers of the USSR (this series showcased the development of ice-breaking fleets).