I just bought this and am still waiting for delivery of this Engraving of President Woodrow Wilson similar to the $100,000 Gold Certificate used between Federal Reserve Banks,don't know much more then the BEP printed it. 1914, Woodrow Wilson, Large Vignette by G.F.C. Smillie, Choice Near Mint. 5.5" x 4" uncolored engraved image is mounted to 10.75" x 8" card stock. Exquisitely detailed print by Smillie was completed during Wilson's term of office, and has the artist's signature and year of printing worked into the lower edge of Wilson's coat pocket. Near flawless engraving; perfect for matting, framing and display. Portrait is similar to the one that was used on the 1934 $100,000 Federal Reserve Note. $100,000 Gold Certificate This note is not mine Krispy,I put it up as a comparison to the vignett of Wilson that I do own,these notes were never issued to the public,I am showing the image from Bing.com for just a comparison ,you must be joking ! Appreciate it if anyone knows more about this engraving ,In the Engravers Line by Gene Hessler he notes that G.F.C. Smillie used it on the $100,000 Gold Certificate.Looks very similar from the neck up,perhaps the vignette die was re-worked from neck up for the Note.
Connor1.. That is a fabulous engraving..very life like! Excellent addition if I do not say so myself. Regards, RickieB
You got my approval on that engraving! I dig it. :smile Is that Gold Certificate one of your own notes as well? In my new *signed* copy of Hessler's, Comprehensive Catalog of US Paper Money (6th Edition), I read that just '42,000 of these notes were issued and were not for general circulation but for transactions between Federal Reserve Notes', so is your note considerably rare? And is the SN considered low by the surviving populations of these notes? Is there any interesting back story to how you got a note like this? I also poked around Google a little regarding Wilson engravings and portraiture: The Raab Collection web site has a 1915 engraving by a William Barmore that looks very similar to G.F.C. Smillie's portrait used on the 100,000 note. There's an example of this note's portrait engraving on Flickr from the Woodrow Wilson Family Home Rehab Project Maybe one of those BEP modern repro prints from original dies? The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum may also be a resource worth searching/contacting regarding the provenance of engravers or artists who may have worked on these images or based them on specific portraits, of which there are many of him in this particularly 3/4 portrait.
Krispy,I wish the note was mine found it on Bing.com (images) for comparison,the engraving acording to the seller is a BEP die,printed after his election if you look closely in the left bottom it says "unfinished",when I get it I'll see what it says in coat pocket lapel as to painting artists name. I asked seller if it was a repo & he says all he knows was it was printed by the BEP.
Here's is the only "etching" I was able to turn up in the Wilson e-Library image database, it dates from 1913. No engraver's name given.
I've held a uncut sheet of those $100,000 notes!! It was so nice to hold too. But they are all serial #000000.
All very similar but no Waist Coat pocket lapel with artists/engraverer & date worked into lapel.I'll take a macro of the lapel & I think that will help me find the painters name,it's dated 1914 ,GFC Smillie according to seller but he had no macro's,Thanks for the investigation work .
Wow,that would be a great experience to see and if they (BEP) would let you get a picture of you with it in your hands like the Duke did !
They do it at alot of the big shows it's part of the billion dollar collection. All Bureau of Printing and Engraving exibit and it was very memorable~
Wilson Macro Clos-up The vignette engraving of Wilson arrived and this is the Waist Coat pocket Lapel G.F.C. Smillie 1914 but the artist name looks like "Sculpe " perhaps a French artist,anyone ever here of this artist/painter ? On the back is a serial # or BEP Serial #Die # Anybody know anything on the history of this engraving?
I think "Sculpe" is short for Sculptor. G.F.C. Smillie and his kin are pictured in various portraits on page 281 of The Engravers Line. There is A LOT of attributed work to him and the other Smillie-s in the book. George Frederick Cumming Smillie's bio is on page 280.
I just have to comment on this vignette again.. It is just wonderful and so lifelike..Excellent pick up Connor. Just stunning. RickieB
Krispy,Thanks for the info I'll have to get the book out.That would make sense,the dealer who sold it sold all differt Early American things ,not paper money,so his advertisement could very well be incorrect .
