A. R. Service - Avis de Reception en Retour

The A. R. Service - Avis de Reception en Retour (Advice or acknowledgment of receipt) - is a postal service returning to the sender a form or card signed by the recipient and was adopted by the UPU (Universal Postal Union) in 1879. It was rarely used in Queensland, meaning that examples are few and far between and all can be considered 3R. Some of the A.R handstamp examples seen on Queensland stamps may have been used in British New Guinea.

I have provided an extract from Campbell (pp. 83-3) discussing the service followed by examples owned or seen by me.

Three examples from my collection

Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 141

 Seen at Phoenix auction no 64

Seen on Ebay

 Brisbane dated 9 January 1913. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane dated January 1913. Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 98 lot no 1909 use of KEVII 3d Registration Envelope HG C1 to USA with 2½d x2 & 5d tied by 'REGISTERED/BRISBANE' cds, red Brisbane registration label, two strikes of the rare rounded-boxed 'A.R.' (Avis de Reception) h/s. Ex Campbell

Brisbane dated January 1914. Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 129 flapless cover to Ipswich (b/s) with very scarce franking of First Watermark ½d green (torn) and 6d ultramarine (Cat $400 on cover) tied by 'REGISTERED/BRISBANE' cds in blue as is the fine strike of the rare capsule 'A.R.' h/s below, scarce red/black registration label, minor blemishes that hardly detract from the very fine and attractive appearance. Ex Arthur Gray. [Avis de Reception covers are rarely seen in this period, especially from Queensland. The rate was 1d postage + 3d registration + 2½d for the reply 

Brisbane dated 1900. Seen at Mossgreen auction no 210 lot no 510 to Germany of unstamped 'Avis de Reception en Retour' envelope with printed 'R'-in-oval at upper-left, repaired opening tear & a little soiled. These envelopes are rare from all Colonies & this is the first example we have seen from Queensland. [Hugh Campbell made no mention of AR envelopes]. It is also worth noting that these forms were issued at the direction of the Universal Postal Union for transmission of returned Avis de Réception forms between post offices in different countries

Stampless OHMS cover to Germany with lovely combination of 'LONGREACH' cds, double-oval 'POST OFFICE/LONGREACH' d/s in blue & superb 'REGISTERED/LONGREACH' h/s, Brisbane transit b/s. Plus the enclosed German AR form with a second strike of the oval d/s & 'REGISTERED/ROCKHAMPTON' cds, reinforced along the folds. Dated 27 and 28 February 1900, Seen at Abacus auction no 234 lot no 228

stampless OHMS cover to Missouri, USA endorsed "Returned ackt of delivery" with 'REGISTERED/BRISBANE' cds & 'R'-in-oval h/s, light 'ST LOUIS MO/DEC 18 1894' d/s in red on the face. [The AR service was introduced when Queensland joined the UPU on 1.10.1891. International mail between post offices was sent free of postage]. Dated 16 Novemebr 1894. Seen at Abacus auction no 234 lot no 227