Australia - International - Brown years: 1922-1939.
Cablegram transmission form: IAB-TC-1.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: No form number.
CABLEGRAM
TRANSMISSION FORM.
Message area: 10 lines.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & form): Black on cream.
Size of form overall: 259 × 215 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:
 It is considered that the first cablegram forms with the Commonwealth of Australia - Postmaster-General's Department heading were issued in 1921 although this date has not been confirmed. The Interim forms issued by four of the States carried the reference to the Pacific Cable but there was no printed reference to Eastern. This form is considered to be the first cablegram transmission form printed in the Establishment period and it contained the reference to Eastern which may have been part of the Government's intention to better balance the two competing organisations. Eastern had, by that time, not just several international cables to Australia via Java but also the cable to South Africa via Cocos Island and Mauritius.
IAB-TC-1 IAE-TC-1.

Used transmission form used for a message possibly sent to Germany from Sydney regarding payment for a second shipping order.
(29 October 1924).

Message written in German.

Given that the typing is aligned down, this form is a copy made using carbon paper.

Characteristics:

  • no date for printing but date at base has ___192-. It is possible this form was issued in 1921.
  • no schedule number or printing date;
  • has serrated top which shows this form was prepared in stapled pad form with two staples above;

In January 1928, the Post Office Monthly Circular contained the following announcement:

Telegraph - Cablegram Transmission Forms:

"Approval has been given for the amendment of the transmission cable forms used by the Eastern Extension Company to include the name, address and telephone number of the Company. This only applies to the acceptance of cablegrams from the public when lodged on forms issued by the Company. The Departmental Form E.T. No. 7 is the only cable form to be retained at the Post Office for the use of the public".

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
IAB-TC-1 None 29 October 1924 at Sydney (maybe). RR