VC-EO-3

Victoria - Colonial period: 1854-1900.
Delivery envelopes: VC-EO-3.

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Special aspects

General characteristics:

Heading and notes:	No form number.
Message area:	Blank.
Reverse side:	Blank but with red embossed seal which is 31 mm wide.
Colours (text & envelope):	Red on cream.
Size of envelope:	79 × 137 mm.

Distinctive characteristics of this form:

heading is TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGE which is embossed;
font for heading is larger then for previous (blue) envelope;
has two or three embossed octagonal frames in red;
octagonal frame in lower left corner begins ISSUED ......H...M and a date starting either 186 . or 188 .;
flap on the reverse side is rounded with curved sides.

During the 1860s, the blue colour in the octagonals was changed to red. Different embossing stamps were used with different size lettering, different spacing for the inner frame lines and different numbers of dots in the lower left octagonal frame.

	VC-EO-3Aa. Delivery to Craig's Hotel 26 June 1867 (also see accompanying form VC-DO-4). Characteristics: top frame is 14 × 55 mm; gap between lower frame of top octagonal to inner red area is wider than on other two examples; lower frame is 13 × 48 mm; many small dots between parts in lower left octagonal frame - for example 7 dots after 186 ; inner oval of the seal on the flap is blank; inner oval of the seal on the flap is blank.
	VC-EO-3Aa. Used to send a telegram from Keilor (Barred Numeral 56) to Emerald Hill. 11 November 1868. The reverse has Mansfield and Melbourne c.d.s. Has characteristics as described above. Provenance: Spink May 2015 Sale 15023, Lot 2176.
	VC-EO-3Ab. Delivery to Richmond. 13 December 1867. Characteristics: top frame is 13 × 53.6 mm; lower frame is 12.8 × 49.5 mm; fewer but larger dots between parts in lower left octagonal frame - for example 3 dots after 186 ; inner oval of the seal on the flap has MELBOURNE.
	VC-EO-3Ac. No delivery information. The front of DE-3Ac is identical to that of DE-3Ab. Characteristics: top frame is 13 × 53.8 mm; lower frame is 12.8 × 49.5 mm; inner oval of the seal on the flap is blank. Prestige Philately August 2013, Lot 398.

VC-EO-3Aa (reverse side).

VC-EO-3Ab (reverse side).

VC-EO-3Ac (reverse side).

The seals on the points of the flaps on the reverse side of the three delivery envelopes above show minor variations. They appear to be the same size - making allowances for the tears in them. The major variation is the inclusion of MELBOURNE in the second example. No other Telegraph Office had its name embossed in these seals.

A second variation is in the sizes of the stars around OFFICE on VC-EO-3Ac. It is probable however that these variations are due to pressure variations during the embossing process rather than a die variation.

Details of use and rarity.

Form sub-number	Schedule number	Earliest recorded date	Rarity rating
EO-3Aa	None	26 June 1867 at Melbourne.	RRR
EO-3Ab	None	13 December 1867 at Melbourne.	RR
EO-3Ac	None		RR