VI-DO-1

Victoria - Interim period: 1901-1917.
Ordinary rate delivery form: VI-DO-1.

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Special aspects

General characteristics:

Heading and notes:	Form number E.T. - No. 1 in top left corner. COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA over POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS, VICTORIA.
Message area:	Boxed with either 7 or 6 lines.
Reverse side:	Blank.
Colours (text & form):	Blue on cream.
Size of form overall:	145 × 224 mm.
Size of datestamp box:	34 × 34 mm.

Distinctive characteristics of this form:

the same delivery form as the last general delivery form produced in the Colonial era in Victoria (VC-DO-16C- probably last printed in 1901);
heading is partially underlined with a wavy line of variable length and position;
four vertical lines of text at the left;
the main distinctions amongst the four varieties are:
1A: line for "All complaints .." is at the base of the form;
1B: long tail on N(o.) and no schedule number below the vertical text at the left;
1C: has a printed Station name;
1D: no tail on N(o.) and has a schedule number below the vertical text at the left;

Printed in 1902.	VI-DO-1A. Cheltenham to Moonee Ponds 3 January 1903. Characteristics: "COMMONWEALTH ..." heading is 2 mm high and 10.5 mm wide; form number is in small type; 7 lines of 4 unnumbered boxes; "All complaints .." at the base of the form; has no schedule number.
	Delivery envelope accompanying the above telegram. Has the same format as that used in 1895 (VC-DO-15B).
	VI-DO-1B. Spencer St., Melbourne to Bendigo. 30 January 1906. The boxed MELBOURNE and unboxed BENDIGO name stamps are in the style supplied to most telegraph offices specifically for use on telegraph forms. Characteristics: long tail on N(o.) in top right corner; has no schedule number; 6 lines of 4 numbered boxes; "All complaints .." moved to under the heading.
	VI-DO-1C. Adelaide to Melbourne 21 August 1909. A 1909 C.E.T.O. date stamp which was not in use for a long period. Also a scarce circular DELAYED/ LINES INTERRUPED hand stamp. Characteristics: has the sending station ADELAIDE printed on the form; has a schedule number below the vertical text at the left.
	VI-DO-1D. Yarrawonga to Wangaratta 8 March 1906. Characteristics: has a schedule number below the vertical text at the left; "N" of "NO." in top right corner has lost its tail; form number is in tall type; 6 lines of 4 numbered boxes; "All complaints .." under the heading; "Signature" line begins further to the right under the centre line.
	VI-DO-1D. Geelong to Melbourne (Spencer St. Telegraph Station). 20 June 1906. Very important date stamp - the earlier of only two recorded.

Details of use and rarity.

Form sub-number	Schedule number	Earliest recorded date	Rarity rating
DO-1A	None	3 January 1903 at Moonee Ponds, Victoria.	NC
DO-1B	None	12 September 1905 at Telegraph Office, Bendigo, Victoria.	NC
DO-1C	C.10396.	21 August 1909 at C.E.T.O. Melbourne	RRR
DO-1D	C. 12368.	8 March 1906 at Wangaratta, Victoria.	NC