This was a legacy of the previous system of calculating postage, which partly depended on the number of sheets of paper used.ĭuring the U.S. If desired, a separate letter could be enclosed with postage remaining at one penny provided the combined weight did not exceed half an ounce (14 grams). The 'envelope' used to launch the Penny Post component of the British postal reforms of 1840 by Sir Rowland Hill and the invention of the postage stamp, was a lozenge-shaped lettersheet known as a Mulready. Any handmade envelope is effectively a lettersheet because prior to the folding stage it offers the opportunity for writing a message on that area of the sheet that after folding becomes the inside of the face of the envelope. As of 2009 there is no international standard for window envelopes, but some countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom, have national standards.Īn aerogram is related to a lettersheet, both being designed to have writing on the inside to minimize the weight. The treated area became sufficiently translucent for the address to be readable. One innovative process, invented in Europe about 1905, involved using hot oil to saturate the area of the envelope where the address would appear. In some cases, shortages of materials or the need to economize resulted in envelopes that had no film covering the window. Callahan in 1901 and patented the following year. The window is normally covered with a transparent or translucent film to protect the letter inside, as was first designed by Americus F. They are generally arranged so that the receiving address printed on the letter is visible, saving the sender from having to duplicate the address on the envelope itself. Window envelopes have a hole cut in the front side that allows the paper within to be seen. They are most commonly used for enclosing and sending mail (letters) through a prepaid-postage postal system. Although in principle the flaps can be held in place by securing the topmost flap at a single point (for example with a wax seal), generally they are pasted or gummed together at the overlaps. When the folding sequence is such that the last flap to be closed is on a short side it is referred to in commercial envelope manufacture as a pocket – a format frequently employed in the packaging of small quantities of seeds. In this manner, a rectangle-faced enclosure is formed with an arrangement of four flaps on the reverse side. These shapes allow for the making of the envelope structure by folding the sheet sides around a central rectangular area. Traditional envelopes are made from sheets of paper cut to one of three shapes: a rhombus, a short-arm cross or a kite. It is designed to contain a flat object, such as a letter or card. An envelope is a common packaging item, usually made of thin, flat material.

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