Cover Stories

Ethiopian stamps (Part 1)

An exhibit of early stamps from Ethiopia from the beginning of the Posts in 1894 to joining the Universal Postal Union in 1908

Contents

Introduction

I have been collecting stamps of Ethiopia for several years, but it had always been a solitary pursuit except for link up online with the Ethiopian Philatelic Society, whose few hundred like-minded members are spread around the world, and who share this niche interest in the postal history of Ethiopia. Several of them have been so helpful and supportive to a newcomer like me, answering the most basic of questions and offering expert advice without a hint of condescension.

For just over a year now, I have been a member of our philatelic local group too, the Isle of Wight Stamp Club. We meet monthly and often feature exhibits by visiting speakers or by our own members. So in the summer of 2023 came my turn. Gulp! I have done public speaking and presentations and adult teaching before, but now it was time to jump into something new: my first ever philatelic exhibit!

My contribution consisted of eight “frames”, each of (usually) ten A4 pages, making a total of 80 in all, which provided half an evening’s entertainment for the couple of dozen of us gathered on a warm Tuesday evening. It took a few weeks to prepare, but I learned a great deal in the process, and I was happy that it was well received, despite no one else there specialising in Ethiopian stamps. There was however a wealth of philatelic expertise amongst the audience.

In this post I present the first of the five sections of the exhibit, the part that covers the early years from 1894 to 1908. This is reckoned by some to be one of the most difficult (and therefore interesting!) countries and periods to collect. There are many stamps available and affordable, but I estimate that the majority are fakes! But the stories and personalities behind them make even these fakes a point of interest.

The Exhibit

What next?

This exhibit is still a work in progress. My plan is to expand this section to include more materials that I have since collected, in order to show this at the Southampton and District Philatelic Society in 2024. Covers (travelled envelopes and cards) from this period are rare and consequently very expensive. But I am still on the lookout for interesting items to add, as well as filling in some “gaps”, so that I can better illustrate the story of the early Ethiopian posts.

And what about you? (Actually, if you read as far as this, then thank you!) Most families have a stamp album or two kicking around in the attic or at the back of a cupboard. Why not find it out and enjoy what might have been a childhood enthusiasm for yourself or perhaps a grandparent? Stamp collecting used to be a very popular hobby, and can still keep overgrown kids like me amused for hours. Enjoy the stamps for yourself – these little pieces of art, windows into history, culture and politics. Unless you unearth a page of Penny Blacks, you probably won’t make your fortune, but I bet you will find something to stimulate your memory or imagination. Go on, have a look!

Reach for the bookshelf

My go-to reference materials include:

  • Robert Sciaky, Ethiopia 1867-1936: History, stamps and postal history (Vaccari, 1999)
  • Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue: North-East Africa, 1st Edition (2013)
  • Archives of Menelik’s Journal, the journal of the Ethiopian Philatelic Society

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