The following overview summarises:
Colonial period:
Interim period:
Ordinary rate delivery envelopes - Colonial period.
Characteristics of NC-EO-1:
- Heading is ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH DESPATCH.
- Very plain front.
- Black printing on grey or white paper.
Hancock notes : "Examples .. have not been located but, from reports in old auction catalogues, they probably resembled the telegram forms then in use".
See a similar approach for the Queensland form and envelope.
Characteristics of NC-EO-2:
- Heading is ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH DESPATCH in a green octagonal frame.
- Spelling of DESPATCH has been changed to DISPATCH.
- Has IMMEDIATE in a smaller green octagonal frame in the lower left corner.
- Has an embossed green seal on the reverse side.
Characteristics of NC-EO-3:
- Heading is TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE which is printed.
- Printed on blue paper.
- Has printed rectangular frame for the heading with decorations at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.
- Has embossed seal on the flap on the reverse side:
- Outer oval of the seal has NEW SOUTH WALES/ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH;
- Has any of 26 Telegraph Office names embossed in the centre of the seal on the flap or the centre has been left blank.
- Has DE LA RUE & Co, LONDON printed under the left side of the flap.
Characteristics of NC-EO-4:
- Heading is TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE which is printed.
- Printed in blue on white to cream paper.
- Has printed rectangular frame for the heading with decorations at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.
- Inner frame line is white.
- Has printed seal on the flap on the reverse side with no Office name printed in the inner oval.
- Outer oval of the seal has NEW SOUTH WALES/ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
Characteristics of NC-EO-5:
- Heading is TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE which is printed (with a comma).
- Printed in blue on cream paper.
- Has printed rectangular frame for the heading with decorations at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.
- Inner frame line is white.
- Has printed seal on the flap on the reverse side with no Office name printed in the inner oval.
- Lettering in the lower left corner is thinner but slightly larger.
Characteristics of NC-EO-6:
- Heading is TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE which is printed (without a comma).
- Printed in blue on white paper.
- Has printed rectangular frame for the heading as previously but much wider vertically.
- Has a printed rectangular frame for the heading with larger decorations than in previous formats at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.
- Inner frame line is white.
- Has printed seal on the flap on the reverse side with no Office name printed in the inner oval.
- Lettering in the lower left corner is narrower.
O.H.M.S. Administrative envelopes.
Characteristics of Envelopes - administration
- Format can be small or large envelopes.
- O.H.M.S. in letters or words at the top and their are various references for the sending office in the ower left corner.
- Has space and words to record sending office.
- Heading was initially O.H.M.S centered above ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH OFFICE.
Ordinary rate delivery envelopes - Interim period:
Characteristics of Interim period ordinary rate delivery envelopes.
- No form number.
- Heading is TELEGRAM. in red and without border.
- Early printings has a red seal on the flap on the reverse.
- Heading was initially O.H.M.S centered above ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH OFFICE.
Urgent rate delivery envelopes - Interim period:
Characteristics of Interim period urgent rate delivery Envelopes.
- Printed in black on pink paper.
- Two octagonal frames. Top frame has URGENT TELEGRAM with no full stop after TELEGRAM.
- Has a stores number St. 7000 in lower left corner beneath the frame.
- Also in lower left corner is a note "NO FEES TO BE PAID UNLESS/STAMPED HEREON".