Theme : 1st issues : 01 The Netherlands

Starting a new topic, dedicated to each 'first stamp' of a country.

The first Dutch stamp was issued January 1, 1852

After a positive evaluation (in1848, on the use of stamps in UK, the Dutch gouvernement, changed the old 'post law' and agreed on using 'stamps' for the Netherlands as well.

Belgium, next to the Netherlands, introduced stamps in 1849 already, and it was clear that the use of stamps soon would become international.

The first emission of the Netherlands was designed by the Amsterdam artist Johann Wilhelm Kaiser. The engraver, Jacob Wiener was chosen, since he also engraved the first emission in Belgium, three years earlier.

In the Dutch design, King Willem III is depicted sideways (en profil).

The first Dutch emission was printed on handmade paper, unperforated and with 3 face values according the postal rates of that time: 5cent, 10 cent and 15 cent.

The word 'post zegel' on top of the stamps is the Dutch translation of 'postal stamp'.

In those first emissions, the country name is not mentionned on the stamps.

5 cent blue, unperforated
King Willem III

sold: 19.445.818 pieces

This set was sold from January 1, 1852 until 1864 when the next emission was made.
The stamps "lost" their value on October 1879. Anyone who kept the stamps however, will not have "lost" anything.

5 cent was used for letters up to 15 g, within 30 miles range.
A 10 cent stamp (red) was used for letters of the same weight, between 31 and 100 miles.

(from Sept. 1855 on, 10 cent was required from 30 miles on)

15 cent, for letters heavier then 15 gram and for destinations further then 100 miles.

For additional postal services, extra stamps had to be bought and put on the letter.

All stamps are watermarked with a postal horn as design.

Until 1860 a brown, tropical gum was used for gumming the stamps.
Unused copies with original gum, show a stain glass structure now.

In 1895, non-official reprints were made, with small to major color shifts.

As this topic is only about "number 1" stamps, I'll post the rest of the emission in a later post, under 'the Netherlands'.