Australia - Establishment period: 1917-1922.
Ordinary rate delivery envelopes: AE-EO-1.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: No form number.
TELEGRAM at top (centered except for EO-1F).
Message area: Blank.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & envelope): Red on cream or light brown.
Size of envelope overall: 80 × 136 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:

 

The design for the first ordinary rate delivery envelope followed the format for the Interim envelope issued by New South Wales (NI-EO-1). It simply eliminated the printed seal on the flap.

It appears however that during the later years of the Interim period - in a prelude to the Establishment period - the design based on the NSW model was accepted for Commonwealth purposes and printing began. Printing of this format continued possibly into the Brown years (post-1922).

There were at least three printings up to about 1920 - in Queensland, in New South Wales and in Victoria. At first glance, these printings all look the same but on closer inspection, the details are seen to be different.

The Queensland format.

QI-EO-1 AE-EO-1A Qld.

Used at Telegraph Branch, Queensland 19 March 1915.

See detailed scans elsewhere.

  • width of TELEGRAM is 44.5 mm;
  • top of A is narrow;
  • top hook of G has a straight end and there is a wide gap to the horizontal gap below;
  • M aligned under left side of A.

 

The New South Wales format.

AE0EO-1 nsw AE-EO-1A NSW.

Used at Wagga Wagga on 2 July 1920.

Characteristics:

  • width of TELEGRAM is 44.5 mm;
  • top of A is broader;
  • top hook of G has a slanted end and there is a wide gap to the horizontal gap below;
  • M aligned under right bar of H.

The Victorian format.

AE-EO-1 Vic 1922 AE-EO-1A Vic.

Used at Geelong (3 February 1922).

Characteristics:

  • TELEGRAM is in thick sans serif font
    5 mm high and 42 mm wide centered;
  • "CHARGES ..." in three lines in LLC;
  • printed on cream paper.

Also known used at White's Flat, SA (no date) and Dubbo, NSW possibly in 1923.

Subsequent variations.

AE-EO-1Ba AE-EO-1Ba.

Used at Maylands, SA.

Characteristics:

  • same design as previously;
  • TELEGRAM is in thick sans serif font
    4.5 mm high and 37.5 mm wide centered;
  • G has a vertical bar. Gap between hook and bar is small;
  • MESSAGE begins under C (the Victorian setting);
  • printed on thin light brown paper.
AE-EU-1Ab AE-EO-1Bb.

Used at Southport, Qld (17 December 1925)
for AB-DO-3C.

Characteristics:

  • same design as previously;
  • TELEGRAM is in sans serif font 4.5 mm high and 37.5 mm wide centered;
  • G has a vertical bar. Gap between hook and bar is large;
  • MESSAGE moved to the right.
  • printed on thicker light brown paper.
AE-EO-1Bc AE-EO-1Bc.

Used ordinary rate delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • same design as previously except no full-stop after TELEGRAM;
  • TELEGRAM is in thin sans serif font
    4.5 mm high and 41 mm wide centered;
  • G has no vertical bar;
  • MESSAGE is indented and begins under "A"of "CHARGES" (Queensland format);
  • printed on thin brown paper.
IMAGE NOT PRESENTLY AVAILABLE. AE-EO-1C.

Characteristics

  • as for type 1Ba for alignment in lower left corner but with the addition of "NSW Stores Stock No. 455";

 
AB-EO-1D AE-EO-1D.

Used at Ivanhoe, Victoria.

Characteristics:

  • TELEGRAM is in larger serif font 5.5 mm high and 42 mm wide centered;
  • "CHARGES ..." in three lines in lower left corner;
  • printed on cream paper.
AE-EO-1E AE-EO-1E.

Characteristics:

  • TELEGRAM heading still centered;
  • three lines for "CHARGES ..." raised to under the level of the TELEGRAM heading but still left justified;
  • printed on cream paper.

This envelope must have been stored against the front of a window envelope for some time before it was used. The clear impression of the window belies the fact that this is really an opaque envelope.
AE-EO-1F AE-EO-1F.

Used at Chiltern, Vic (has accompanying form)
(19 May 1930).

Characteristics:

  • TELEGRAM heading has been moved to the left;
  • three lines for "CHARGES ..." raised to under TELEGRAM heading and all lines are left justified;
  • printed on cream paper.

 

More examples are required to finalise this classification.

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
EO-1A None. 23 July 1924 at Homebush, NSW. C
EO-1Ba None.   R
EO-1Bb None. 17 December 1927 at Southport, Qld. R
EO-1Bc None.   R
EO-1C NSW Stores Stock No. 455.   R
EO-1D None. 2 June 1924 at Petersham, NSW. C
EO-1E None.   R
EO-1F None. 19 May 1930 at Chiltern. C