Basel Dove (Basler Taube)

Overview

The Basel Dove (Basler Taube in German) is celebrated as one of the most beautiful stamps ever produced and a technical landmark in printing history. Issued on July 1, 1845 by the Swiss canton of Basel, it was the world's first multicolor (three-color) stamp — predating even the Penny Black's sophistication in printing technique. The stamp depicts a white dove carrying a letter against a deep blue background, with a carmine-red postal ribbon and black inscriptions. The complex three-color printing required extremely precise registration — each color had to be placed exactly right over the previous layers. Executed by the firm of Wilhelm Haas & Söhne in Basel, the stamp is considered a masterwork of 19th-century printing technology. Unlike the big-value rarities of philately, the Basel Dove is not extraordinarily scarce — several thousand survive — but its beauty, historical significance, and technical achievement make it universally beloved among collectors.

Design & Technical Details

An embossed white dove on a deep blue background, carrying a letter. The dove is surrounded by a carmine-red ribbon bearing the text 'STADT POST BASEL' (Basel City Post) in black. 'IIII RAPPEN' below denotes the denomination. Three-color printing (blue + carmine + black) with embossed white dove — a technical marvel for 1845.

Historical Facts

• Issued July 1, 1845 — one of the world's first official postage stamps
• First tricolor (three-color) postage stamp ever printed
• Designed and printed by Wilhelm Haas & Söhne, Basel
• Approximately 35,000–40,000 copies were printed between 1845 and 1848
• Used only within the city of Basel for local letter delivery
• The embossed dove design required a custom die to achieve the raised white effect
• Basel joined the Swiss Federal postal system in 1849, ending the Dove's use

How to Identify This Stamp

If you believe you may have found a Basel Dove (Basler Taube), here are key identification characteristics to check:

• The embossed (raised) white dove is the key distinguishing feature
• Three distinct color layers: blue base, carmine ribbon, black text
• Imperforate — no perforations on any authentic example
• Paper watermark: cross and post horns (visible when held to light from behind)
• Used examples typically have clear cancellations; the blue background shows through
• Reproductions and fakes exist — the embossing depth is difficult to replicate

Frequently Asked Questions