The first postcard was issued by Germany in comparatively recent times; its use was suggested by Dr. von Stephan, a high authority in postal matters. The pioneer letter-card emanated from the Kingdom of Belgium, and bore a red ten centimes stamp with the head of Leopold II.
Having discussed the earliest forms of postal stationery, it will be interesting to examine certain of the adhesive stamps which claim notoriety on account of their positions as pioneers. The first stamp of all, as we have said before, was the penny black of Great Britain, but the earliest issue of foreign stamps (i.e., omitting those of Great Britain) dates from the year 1843, and came from Brazil. The labels are not attractive in appearance; they are large, and bear large numerals surrounded by a circular background of filigree work. They have been nicknamed, not inappropriately, the bull's eye stamps of Brazil. The stamps remained in currency but one year, and are, therefore, rare.
It is rather curious to think that Brazil—a republic not usually associated with progressive measures—should have been, with Great Britain, the only country to issue stamps for nine whole years after their introduction. In short, no other Government issued adhesives until the January of 1849. On the first of that month, however, both Belgium and France provided stamps for the convenience of their people. The Belgian stamp consisted of two varieties—the ten centimes, dark brown, and the twenty centimes, blue, both bearing a head and shoulder engraving of Leopold I. In France one label was issued; it bore the value of ten centimes, in dark brown, and was ornamented with the head of Ceres. These three specimens were, therefore, the first adhesives to receive recognition on the Continent.
It is pleasing to note how Brazil, Belgium, and France, all imitated Great Britain in the colour and values of their first issues; it is also an interesting coincidence that the earliest labels of all these countries, Great Britain included, were extremely short-lived.
The first colonial stamps were the two Mauritius "line-engravings," which were described at length in the chapter dealing with rare specimens.
The first picture stamp is often taken to be the large Congo adhesive bearing a view of the port of Matadi, whilst sometimes pride of place is awarded to the Columbus ship stamp of the Argentine Republic. In reality neither of these can claim the honour of being the forerunner of our picture issues, an honour which rightly belongs to the early "Sydney Views" of New South Wales. These latter stamps are extremely scarce, and change ownership for from £5 to £10 a copy.
Turning now to the stamps of our Mother Country, the penny black may be again mentioned as being the first adhesive to bear the head of Queen Victoria. King Edward was first revealed to us philatelically by the halfpenny, penny, twopence-halfpenny, and sixpenny values of Great Britain—these four stamps being issued on the same day, January 1, 1902. King George's earliest stamp was the twopence-halfpenny label issued by the Union of South Africa.