Ethiopia year 1894 – Emperor Menelik stamps lot

In 1894, Ethiopia under Emperor Menelik II issued its first official postage stamps. Here are some key details about this inaugural stamp issue:

Designs:

• Featured a portrait of Emperor Menelik II in profile view facing left
• Surrounding inscriptions in Amharic script read “Ethiopia Post”
• Dominated by the large central portrait design in an ornate frame

Values:

• The first set included 8 different values ranging from 1/8 gersh to 16 gersh
• Denominated in the gersh currency unit of Ethiopia at the time
• Higher franking rates requiring multiple stamp combinations were common

Printing:

• Produced by the typography (letterpress) printing method at the government printing works
• Stamps were issued imperforate, requiring scissors/pen-knife separation
• Printed on fairly rudimentary paperstock with no watermarks

Colors:

• Each denomination issued in a different single color ink
• Colors included green, orange, purple, rose-red, yellow, blue and brown printings

Significance:

• These represented the first real postage stamps issued for the Ethiopian Empire
• They highlighted the autocratic rule of Emperor Menelik as the design focus
• Despite crude printing quality, they remain very popular with collectors today

While basic in design compared to Western stamps of the period, the 1894 Emperor Menelik II issue broke new ground in Ethiopian postal history. These historically significant lithographed stamps can be quite affordable for the beginning collector grades.