American Bank Note Company Rare & Historic Examples of Workmanship

American Bank Note Company Advertising Certificate

Two Album Pages With

Six Extraordinarily Rare Printer’s Samples

Provenance: The William A. Keegan family scrapbook, spanning 1856 to ca. 1903. Three members of the Keegan family worked for the American Bank Note Company, one of whom was employed as a plate printer.

Two full, uncut and attached pages from the album containing a total of 6 printer’s samples, each of extraordinary nature. Please view all scans and photographs. Pages measure 11 3/4″ x 9 3/8″.

PAGE 1

1) American Bank Note Company Advertising Card commemorating the firm’s founding in 1795, and its incorporations of other printing firms from 1858 – 1879. Black on thick white card, with ABNC advertising its offices in New York. Central vignette of an allegorical female figure standing in a vessel flanked by a winged ship’s figurehead. Under the right lighting conditions, this item takes on the appearance of engraved metal. Measures 5.5″ x 2 3/8″

2) American Bank Note Company 100th Anniversary Placard (1795 – 1895). Black and maroon on stiff glazed card, advertising branches in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. Measures 7 1/8″ x 4″

3) American Bank Note Company Specimen of Prepared Paper “by which writing in ordinary Inks is rendered permanent thereby securing Drafts, Checks, Bills of Exchange, &c. &c. from fraudulent alterations by Chemical agents.” Inscribed with the year 186__. This check-sized item measures 7 5/8″ x 3 1/2″

PAGE 2

Top and Bottom: Silver-colored medallions printed on glazed white card — astounding examples of the engraver’s art. First, the designs are composed of continuous lines and not dots and dashes. Second, they have a decidedly 3-dimensional appearance though they are in fact flat. Third, they appear to be made of actual metal though they are “merely” printing on coated card, its reflective qualities enhancing this illusion. Each 3″ in diameter. A copy of the Washington medallion was used in an American Bank Note Company presentation frame, which can be seen in this video at approx. 1:55.

Center: An ABNC advertising piece in the form of a certificate, with central portrait of Washington. Black and light red on India paper. Text reads “Bank notes, Bonds, Debentures, Stock Certificates, Bills of Exchange, Postage Stamps and other documents representing money or value engraved in a style ensuring the most complete security.” Small faults and staining mentioned for accuracy but are thought to be insignificant given the context. Measures 7 5/16″ x 4 3/4″.

Condition & Return Policy: The album pages are brittle. They will be packaged with the utmost care to prevent damage during shipping. Due to the unique and fragile nature of these items, returns on this group cannot be accommodated. Please contact us if you have any questions prior to purchase.