Archive Nº 010
A small piece of paper – a great chapter in our history
Three bold numerals, nick-named the Bull’s Eyes, placed Brazil among the earliest nations to adopt adhesive postage stamps.
From stamp to puzzle
Watch the mini puzzle come together
Brazil 1843
On 1 August 1843, Brazil put its first postage stamps into circulation: the celebrated Bull’s Eyes, known in Portuguese as Olhos de Boi. Just three years after the British Penny Black, the country was already taking part in a transformation that would change the way correspondence was sent around the world.
Brazil was the first country in the Americas to issue postage stamps and the second to do so for nationwide use, after the United Kingdom. This pioneering position gives these small printed objects a prominent place in the history of communication.
The series began with three denominations: 30, 60 and 90 réis, in the Brazilian currency of the period. Rather than a landscape or a portrait, the design featured large numerals surrounded by a delicate network of lines. Its oval shape and dark appearance gave rise to the name by which the stamps would become internationally known: Bull’s Eyes.
This visual choice had a story of its own. According to the National Postal Museum, the authorities sought to avoid having Emperor Dom Pedro II’s face covered by a postal cancellation. Thus, while the first British stamp portrayed Queen Victoria, Brazil’s first stamps gave prominence to numbers. Carefully engraved, their ornamental backgrounds turned an indication of price into a visually striking composition.
Behind the design was a practical change: advance payment of postage. The reform also adopted weight as the basis for postal rates, rather than the distance travelled. On the letter itself, the stamp came to represent payment for its journey.
The Bull’s Eyes did not yet have perforated edges. They were separated with scissors, leaving margins that varied from one example to another. Today, those margins, the condition of the paper and the cancellations help tell the story of each piece—and make studying them so fascinating for collectors.
A tribute to our roots
For SWIDERSKI PHILATELIC ART™, the Bull’s Eye also carries a personal meaning. It represents Brazil, the country of origin of our founder and creator, Maria dos Reis Pereira da Silva, in a collection whose idea was born in Finland.
Bringing these two origins together is a way of telling our own story: the place we come from and the place where an idea began to take shape.
As you assemble this mini puzzle, you discover a Brazilian milestone that has endured across generations. Piece by piece, the art invites you to look closely at a small object that brought Brazil’s name into the world history of stamps.
Special thanks
Our special thanks go to Seija-Riitta Laakso, who kindly offered to review the Finnish texts. Her care with words and her generosity help this collection share its stories with greater clarity and sensitivity.
Historical sources
Correios — 180 Anos do Olho de Boi 2023
Smithsonian National Postal Museum — Brazil
