Australia - Brown years: 1923-1939.
1934 Congratulatory Telegram: AB-GC-34.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: Form Number T.G. 42G (one printing has T.G. 86 for reasons unknown).
Envelopes printed by photo-lithography had the form number T.G. 65G.
Heading is CONGRATULATORY TELEGRAM.
Message area: Blank.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & form): Multicolour on cream.
Size of form overall: Forms: 152 × 202 mm.
Envelopes: 91×146 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:

 

 

 

The success of the Christmas Greetings forms and the Sydney Harbour Bridge issue led the PMG to extend the range of the ornamental greetings forms in 1934 to Mothers' Day, Birthday and Congratulations forms.

The Congratulatory Telegram was first issued in May 1934. It was then printed by chromo-lithography and later by photo-lithography in the following year. Both types of form and envelope were available for many years and so it is not uncommon to have the form printed with one method delivered in a delivery envelope printed by the other method.

The Congratulatory Telegram was available during the whole year. This format remained on sale until 1942 when all ornamental telegram forms were withdrawn as a war-time measure. Significant advertising in the form of a small brochure and press advertisements accompanied the release and availability of this form.

1. Printing by chromo-lithography.

GCF-34A AB-GCF-34A.

Crookwell to Enfield
18 July 1934.

Characteristics:

  • printed in 1934 by chromo-lithography;
  • has "Station from" starting under column 6 of the heading at left;
  • the background is bright blue;
  • this form has 34 small squares along the top;
  • squares 2-4 from the right are red.
GCE-34A

AB-GCE-34A.

Presumed to have been used at Enfield (19 July 1934) and therefore tied to the form above although no date stamp.

Characteristics:

  • printed in 1934 by chromo-lithography;
  • this form has 34 small squares along the top;
  • no form number;
  • squares 2-4 from the right are red;
  • flap has a rounded peak with slightly curved sides.

 

 
GCF-34B AB-GCF-34B.

Melbourne to Richmond
22 September 1936.

Characteristics:

  • printed in 1935 by chromo-lithography;
  • has "Office of Origin" starting under column 6 of the heading at left;
  • squares 2-4 from the right are red;

This message illustrates a significant part of the use of telegrams - for commercial promotional endeavours.
GCE-34B AB-GCE-34A.

The same format envelope as above but here used at Richmond (22 September 1936) with "No. 98" in TRC - so tied to above form GCF-34B.

Characteristics:

  • printed in 1935 by chromo-lithography;
  • no form number.
2. Printing by photo-lithography.  
GCF-34C AB-GCF-34C.

Melbourne to Richmond
27 May 1935.

Characteristics:

  • printed from 1935 by photo-lithography;
  • the background is grey blue to light blue;
  • has "Office of Origin" starting under column 2 of the heading at left.
  • this form has 35 small squares along the top;
  • squares 3 & 4 from the right are red;
  • all dots are evenly coloured and aligned.

 

 
TG86 AB-GCF-34D.

Form number changed to T.G. 86 - very rare.
Only recorded used form TG 86.

Sydney to Hobart West.
27 February 1942.

Characteristics:

  • printed from 1935 by photo-lithography;
  • details are the same as for AB-GCF-34Ba;

Also known with SPECIMEN COPY overprint - see http://www.ozrevenues.com/exhibits/nz/14.JPG page 1/14.
GCE-34C GCE-34D
AB-GCE-34C.

Opaque delivery envelope used at Fern Tree Gully, Victoria
on 15 February 1938.

Characteristics:

  • printed by photolithography;
  • the background is grey-blue;
  • has form number (T.G. 65 G) in top left corner;
  • has 34 squares at the top like the opaque delivery envelope
    for the chromo-lithography printing;
  • flap has a rounded peak with slightly curved sides.
 AB-GCE-34D.

Window delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • printed by photo-lithography;
  • the background is grey-blue;
  • has form number (T.G. 65G) in the top left corner;
  • no border around the window;
  • flap has a rounded peak with slightly curved sides.
GC-34 358 AB-GC-34.

Set of a form and an envelope from the first printing used in a publicity set (shown by the 358 handstamp).

Printed by chromo-lithography and has "Station from".

The envelope from the chromo-lithography set over-printed SPECIMEN COPY is recorded.
Brochure A brochure was also printed to advertise the availability of the 1934 Congratulatory Telegram forms.

This brochure was inserted into various delivery envelopes and also distributed from Post Offices.

 

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
GCF-34A None. 18 July 1934 at Enfield, NSW.

RR if form and envelope are tied together with appropriate postal markings.

C for either the form or the envelope unused.
GCF-34B None 22 September 1936 at Richmond.
GCF-34C None. 27 May 1935 at Richmond, Vic.
GCE-34A None 18 July 1934 at Enfield, NSW.
GCE-34Ba None. 5 November 1938 at Rockdale, NSW.
GCE-34Bb None. Not recorded used. RR