Madagascar is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world.
The first stamps used in Madagascar were general issues for the French Colonies. In 1889 the French colonial general issues were overprinted with new face values.[1][2]
The 1891 issue.A 1930 stamp of Madagascar.French stamp overprinted for use in Madagascar, 1895.
The 1891 issue was printed locally on sheetlets of 10 stamps. The hand preparation of the die meant that each of the 10 positions had its own identifying traits. The differences usually pertain to the number of dots (points) in the two rows above and below the value. A quick count of the dots in the two pair of rows will usually discern the type, as well as indicate forgeries.
The first set of definitives was issued in 1896. From 1912 to 1950, Madagascar stamps were also used in the Comoros.
Sainte Marie de Madagascar is an island off the eastern coast of Madagascar ceded to the French in 1750. Stamps were issued for Sainte Marie de Madagascar in 1894.</ref>[4]
British interests in Madagascar organised two different posts on the island.
A runner service between Tananarive and the French Post Office at Tamatave was organised by British residents before 1884. It was made official by the British Vice Consul in 1884. It used locally produced stamps between 1884 and 1897 after which stamps were discontinued but the service continued with handstruck marks.[1]
During the French war of occupation the British ran an inland postal service using special stamps between January and September 1895.[1] This was not an official service of the British Post Office.
A stamp of the earlier British post in Madagascar supported by the British Vice Consul.
Stamps from the 1895 British inland postal service.
