Australia - Brown years: 1922-1939.
Urgent rate delivery envelope: AB-EU-3.
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: No form number.
URGENT TELEGRAM across top of envelope.
Message area: Blank with two slogans.
Reverse side: Two slogans.
Colours (text & envelope): Black on deep pink.
Size of envelope overall: 88 × 145 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of the form:
Under the influence of Brown, slogans were added to delivery and transmission forms in 1929. As this format for an urgent rate delivery envelope is not elsewhere recorded, it is assumed that it was printed in 1929 (or perhaps in 1930). The advertisements, especially on the reverse side and on the flap, also parallel those used on the ordinary rate delivery envelopes published in the early 1930s (AB-EO-3 and AB-EO-4).

Only two used examples of this format of URGENT rate delivery envelopes are known - one example being used well beyond its date of issue.

AB-EU-3A AB-EU-3 (USE THE TELEGRAM ...).

Used opaque delivery envelope.
Glen Iris, Victoria.
4 April 1931.

Characteristics:

  • has two advertising slogans front and back which vary in their focus.

This envelope is the earlier of the two used examples recorded.

It contained a delivery form(AB-DU-6A).
AB-EU-3A AB-EU-3 (USE THE TELEGRAM ...)
- reverse side.

Characteristics:

  • has two advertising slogans promoting TELEPHONES and POSTAL USE.
AB-EU-3A AB-EU-3 (LET THE TELEGRAM ...).

Used opaque delivery envelope.
Everton Park, Queensland.
23 January 1943.

Characteristics:

  • has two advertising slogans front and back which vary in their focus.

This envelope is the later of the two used examples recorded.

It contains a delivery form (AW-DO-9C).
AB-EU-3A rev AB-EU-3 (LET THE TELEGRAM ...).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope showing the two advertising slogans.
AB-EU-3B AB-EU-3 (LET YOUR CORRESPODENCE ...).

Alternative combination of slogans on front of envelope but the same basic format.
AB-EU-3B rev AB-EU-3 (LET YOUR CORRESPODENCE ...) (reverse).

Alternative combination of slogans on the reverse side of the above envelope but the same basic format.

 

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
EU-3 None 4 April 1931 at Glen Iris, Victoria. RRRR