Here is a quite detailed discussion of the first stamp issues of France (1849-60). It is based on a learned article extracted from The Stamp Collector’s Magazine (November 1, 1872) and written by the distinguished early philatelist Overy Taylor. It’s an interesting account of these classic stamps. It reads as follows:

As, in all that relates to the fine arts, France is among the foremost, it is but natural that her postage stamps should be distinguished, in an eminent degree, by the correctness of their designs and the delicacy of their execution. Nor is it surprising that, issuing as they do from a country, which has proved the home of revolution, they should reflect, to a peculiar extent, the political convulsions, which have rent it since their first appearance. The various emissions have been referred to with pride by every writer on postage stamps, as strongly evidencing the value of philately as a teacher of history; and, in fact, so clear from anything like doubt or difficulty are their own annals as to stamps, that the interest which attaches to them is rather historical than philatelical.

The first series saw the light just after the revolution of 1848. The government of Louis Philippe had witnessed the establishment of the cheap postage system in England eight years before, but, notwithstanding the repeated demands of the mercantile community, had taken no steps towards its introduction in France. It was reserved to the Republic to confer the desired boon on the people, and accordingly in the autumn of 1848, under the régime of Etienne Arago, the decree was issued, fixing the uniform postal rates at 20 centimes and 1 franc, and ordaining the emission of stamps, of those values on the 1st January, 1849. There remained between the issue of the decree and the date indicated for the appearance of stamps, an interval of only three months in which to prepare the supplies; and but for an accident, the work of engraving he dies and printing of the stock would have been confided to an English firm. Pressed for time, the government applied to Messrs. Bacon & Perkins (or sir Perkins, as the French work has it, from which I gather these details (footnote 1)), for an estimate. “Sir Perkins” replied that he would require six months to deliver the stamps, and that his price was one franc per sheet of 240. This being an exorbitant price, and the time demanded exceeded by law, the government broke off the negotiations, and looked about for a French engraver. Not many months before, when coin was scarce, the French finance minister had requested the Bank o France to issue a large number of 200 franc notes – and the plate, that of the 200 franc notes, and the engraving of a new plate was reckoned to cost a thousand pounds and eighteen months to a couple of years labour In this difficulty recourse was had to an engraver named Hulot, who in two months completed the plate of the present 100 franc note, and turned out a sufficient supply. To him the government now addressed itself, and a week before 1st January, 1849, every post office in France was provided with stamps, besides which there remained in stock a surplus of ten millions. It was a brilliant success for M. Hulot, and some time after he wrote a letter, containing some interesting details of the way in which he got through his work. “In five weeks,” says he,” the matrix was engraved, within an equal period the ateliers were fitted up, and the plates, containing the electrotype cast for 300 stamps, executed. Lastly, a few days’ pressing, with hand- worked presses, producing 1,200,000 stamps per day, enabled me to supply all the French post offices.”

The type, of which the printing was superintended by M. Hulot, was actually engraved by M. Barre, and remains to this day one of the finest productions , if not the finest, among stamp designs. The profile of the Republic may be described as faultless, and the minor details harmonise in their severity with the classic portrait, “In this instance,” as Dr. Magnus well observes, “ the obligatory framework does not distract attention by misplaced florets or ornaments.”

Everything s in the best of taste, and the only fault found with the design is based on utilitarian grounds, the numeral of value is not sufficiently conspicuous. Regarded, however, from an artistic point of view, can it be said that the recently issued 1 c., 2 c., and 5 c. Republic are improved by the large corner figures? Does not their presence, on the contrary, constitute a blemish?

Of the two first issued stamps, the 20 c. made its appearance in black, and the one franc in vermilion. The latter is counted among the choicest rarities in a collection, and it is not surprising that it should be so scarce, seeing that it only remained in circulation a single twelvemonth. It was then withdrawn, because the post office was about to issue the 40 c. orange, and feared that the two values would be confounded together, on account of their similarity of colour, joined to their identity of design. Pursuant to the post office circular of December 1, 1849, the stock of the vermilion one franc remaining in the stock of provincial post offices was collected and returned to Paris; hence the suppression was complete. Probably in revision of the issue of 40 centime stamps, for which orders were given in April, the one franc, as early as August 1849, was printed in carmine. No official document exists authorising the employment of this colour, and a well-informed writer suggests that directions were given to the printer to pint the stamp for the future in a colour less orange in its composition (footnote 2). Finally, about the time of the emission of the 40 c. the one franc was issued in dark carmine.

The 40 c. orange made its appearance in December, 1849, or January, 1850, and the provincial offices received their supplies during the first ten days of February. This stamp is found in several shades of orange.

By the law of the 15-18th May, 1850, a retrograde step was made in the postal tariff, the weight for a single weight letter being thereby fixed at 25 centimes. This necessitated the issue of the 25 c. blue, which took place on the 1st July following, blue being chosen to replace the black of the 20c., because the latter colour was reserved for the  postmarks. The change in the rate gave rise to another call on M. Hulot’s energies, and led incidentally to the printing off of a supply of a provisional stamp, which was never issued.

When after the passage of the law, M. Hulot was requested to prepare a new plate, he was unable to assure the Minister o Finance that it would be ready in time, and it was therefore agreed that he should print a supply of stamps in blue from the 20 c. dies, and surcharge them with the figures 25 c. in red. This was accordingly done, and a machine was employed to print “25 c.” in red in red on each stamp, the machine being a wheel, with types of the figures at the extremity of the spoke (footnote 3). M. Hulot was able to get ready the plate of the new 25 c., and to print a sufficient supply from it within the given time; so the provisionals were all destroyed, save some very few specimens, of which only three or four are known to exist. Some of the 20 c. blue without the surcharge not mixed, it is supposed, with the supplies of the 25 centime blue, as an obliterated 20 c. blue is in the possession of a Parisian collector.

On the 12th (or the 23rd) July, 1850, the 15 c. green made its appearance, and on the 12th of the following September, the 10 c. brownish yellow, or cinnamon, completed the series. All the values, except the 1 franc vermilion, but including the embryo 20 c. blue, were reprinted in 1862. The reprints are distinguishable by the lightness and brightness of their tints. The obliterations are of three kinds: (1) a lozenge formed of seven crossed bars, – the well-known “grid-iron mark; (2) a six-pointed star of dots; and (3) a lozenge formed of dots, with the post office number in the centre. The two latter are also found on the imperial stamps.

On the 2nd December, 1851, occurred the coup d’état, which gave to Prince Louis Napoleon the actual supremacy, and enabled him to prepare the way for his assumption of the purple. The profile of Liberty on the stamp was no longer appropriate. The Republic existed I name, but the President was the de facto ruler. This state of things is accurately indicated on the presidential stamps. The title, REPUB. FRANC.,  remains, but the portrait is that of Napoleon.

They were, moreover, in their essence, “provisional” stamps, destined to remain current for a brief time. The 25 c. blue was issued on the 12th August, 1852. The portrait of the Prince-President is by no means a bad one, and it is executed with the same carefulness, and by the same hand, as the profile of Liberty. Beneath the neck appears a minute capital B – the initial of Barre, the engraver’s name. The blue 25 c., like the blue stamps for the Republic and the Empire, differs very much in the intensity of shade, varying from a light to a full dark blue.

After the declaration of the Empire, it became time to think of changing the obsolete description on the stamp, REPUB. Was taken out and replaced by EMPIRE, and the metamorphosis was complete. The issue of the imperial stamps commenced in August, 1853, with the 10 c. cinnamon; the value used for the Parisian rate. A few days after wards, the 1 franc carmine followed, a stamp, which is now getting of a certain rarity. Then came, on the8th November the 25 c. blue. This last had but a brief currency, for it was soon after decided to return to the old rate of 20 centimes, and it is consequently a trifle rarer than its companion low values.

The 20 centimes blue came out on the 1st July, 1854. A universally recognised very dark variety o this colour exists. In October, 1854, appeared the 80 centimes green, inaugurating the establishment of low rates for printed matter, was issued. From that time up to 1866, no further change was made.

 

Footnotes:

(1)  La Poste Anecdotique & Pittoresque. Par Pierre Zaccone. Paris. Faure. !867.

(2)  “An Interesting Embryo,” The Stamp Collector’s Magazine, Vol.vii., p.85

(3)  Idem.