Lot 2910

Description

The Colonial Bank of Australasia, Melbourne, one pound, dated 2nd January 1866 (date fully printed), issued note No. 443966, signed, on paper, no watermark, imprint of 'Sands & McDougall Stationers Melbourne', vignette on left and right of gold miner, and round portrait of Queen Victoria upper left and lower right, in centre, Royal Arms, a mining and pastoral scene, value tablets as round ornamental with 1 on upper right and another lower left, and ONE in rectangular tablet lower left, large denomination figures at top flanking the central vignette, inside the figures are an emu on left and kangaroo on right, all within rectangular border, states below, 'Promise to pay the Bearer on Demand at Melbourne the sum of ONE POUND Stg. Value received, by order of the Board', black on white (Vort-Ronald, type two (a), comments on bank and type p.128-132). Slightly uneven edges, back half of note with some soiling, 2 mm. tear left hand side base of note, otherwise very fine and extremely rare.

The Colonial Bank of Australasia Limited (1856-1918) used a local producer for this note. The type was evocative of the era and lacked the British professionalism of notes from London printers and engravers. The bank in its prospectus emphasised the colonial intentions, which it reflected by the use of colonial and local scenes and symbols fitting into the total space a wide range of vignettes and devices to make this local note a very attractive and artistic example of the gold mining period.