South West Africa - the future Namibia - was declared a German Protectorate on 7 August 1884. Just under four years later, on 7 July 1888, the first stamps were used in Otjimbingue. In 1891 the Eagle issue appeared and was used in the whole country. So the first stamps used in SWA had a bird as their image, be it "only" a graphical Reichsadler.