Featured Banknote building blocks

Recently, I acquired an intriguing lot of banknote engravings that may be of interest to collectors of stocks, checks, and obsolete notes from the 1830s to '80s. These aren't vignette proofs, they are ornaments and elements used to "build" a banknote product. As the more mundane components of a note, proofs like these usually get little attention, so I thought I'd give them their own spotlight for once. I'm also including examples of usage, to give a better understanding of their placement.

Underprint patterns. These patterns were printed repetitively across a note or security, usually in a second color, to create a fine-line undertint that was difficult to counterfeit. The patterns on this proof are a little too large for a banknote and were probably used on a stock or bond.




Revenue stamp fields. Around the time of the Civil War the federal government began imposing taxes on all manner of transactions. Checks, stocks -- even commercial photographs were taxed and required to affix a revenue stamp on the document. Banknote printing firms created ornate fields for merchants and bankers to place the stamps.




Large corner elements. Larger elements like these were likely used on stocks and bonds, but could also have been part of engraved invitations, menus, labels, taxpaid stamps and other products. Sometimes geometric lathe work was incorporated, like the six-sided rosette on the left, but others, like the cotton flowers and buds, were entirely engraved by hand. Some banknote engravers specialized exclusively in this type of work.

 

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Open corner elements. "Hollow" corners, most often used on banknotes, were intended to leave room for denominations, or sometimes left open as a porthole motif. These smaller ornaments were typically hand engraved, as well.



Miscellaneous ornament. "Pendants" and "tiaras" tended to adorn the top and bottom of a large numeral or vignette. Used on banknotes and wide range of other products.




Number and dollar fields. These were used interchangeably on banknotes, stocks, bank checks, and a variety of serial numbered products.

 

This proof has a little of everything -- a "5" corner denomination (probably for banknote), a very small $3 denomination, two number fields, a corner ornament, and a "Shares" field for a stock certificate.



Cameo or medallion engraving. I consider this the most interesting piece in the lot. Dimensional engravings like this adorn many banknotes and some early stocks. An engraved plate was created using a ruling machine that slowly dragged a set of "pins" over an actual carved bas relief cameo or medal. This produced a series of tight, parallel lines that wavered according to peaks and valleys of the carving, much like a topographical map. Very difficult to forge, but also quite laborious to produce.

 

And here's a stock certificate for the 17th & 19th Streets trolley in Philadelphia that has it all going on: fancy share and number fields, floral corner ornaments at top, porthole corner ornaments below, and even cameo engraved elements on either side, all enclosed by a subtle lathework frame. Another home run by the American Bank Note Company!

 

Great write up Greg, love the samples!

 

You are our engraving Guru. :>)

 

This thread is awesome.

But I still do not have a firm handle on the process, for instance the landing of the pilgrims engraving was featured on 1 dollar national notes, it was also featured on later issued 5 dollar national notes, and later still on 5 dollar large size federal reserve notes, how were the elements recreated unto a new plate for printing?

 

Ah, now you're talking process -- I was just showing the pieces. It takes a whole team to create a note or certificate. The Noost posted a great thread about it some years ago. Beyond engravers, you need siderographers, plate makers, and skilled printers. At least it did before the computer age.

 

Fascinating post and great examples!

 

Happy Birthday Greg! Hope you have a great day!!!!

 

Fantastic post and info - thanks!

 

I found another good example in my collection. Apparently "hollow" corner ornaments were sometimes used to frame vignettes, in this case a small portrait. The vignette below it also has a nice frame with a pendant, which may have been engraved as a single piece.



This is from an 1866 Philadelphia water bond, which is posted on the stocks and bonds thread --

 

To provide a few more examples of security against counterfeiting:
the 2 is from a steel engraved die:


Notice the Roman numeral " L "; might could change the number 50 but the L ?


How about fancy art and scroll work; Roman numeral " V" for five:


And a really good example, notice the 3 has three rows of scroll work and the 5 has five rows of scrollwork. The teller had only to count the number of rows, regardless of the number.

 

Nice additions! And that large "2" at the top of your post is also a good example of a cameo/medallion engraving -- you can see the parallel lines running through it. Here's a proof of a "Lazy 2" from my collection that was engraved the same way using a ruling machine.

 

I just posted a new pickup of mine that is the exact same note that engraved $2 is from... the signature portion even matches!

I also posted an obsolete with a lazy five of very similar design to that lazy two above...

 

I've got that Lazy 5! Or at least something very similar. I bought both proofs some years ago in an auction where nobody recognized what they were. I always assumed they were used as underprints and never thought to look for them on the backs of obsolete notes. MEC, I hope you don't mind if I repost your note here for comparison.

 

While reorganizing my collection I happened upon an exact match for one of my corner element proofs. This one appears on the back of a Chicago, Rock Island railroad bond, circa 1900 -- it's a mighty good line!

 

In reference to the lazy deuce and five posted earlier, just thought I'd point out Lot 979 in the next Archives International auction. I probably should have guessed there was a one and three, but had never seen them before.

 

And a Roman one at that. Nice.

 

While sifting through eBay I came across a match to the cameo of my maiden head proof posted earlier. The banknote (not mine) was printed in 1838 by Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty so that helps narrow down the time period the cameo was engraved.