Lot 1553

Description

Bank of Victoria, Melbourne, ten pounds, not dated (18- printed), although in pencil in bottom margin May 14, 1853; not numbered, proof, with SPECIMEN stamp in black, on card, no watermark, imprint at base for Perkins Bacon & Co. London, Patented Hardened Steel Plate, vignette of globe surrounded by symbols of trade and agriculture, and oval vignettes of Queen Victoria (Chalon head) to left, and value tablet to right, all within rectangular spiral border, black on white, (Vort-Ronald, type one, Fig.120, [p.113] for similar note but for one pound, further comments p.113-6, same design and value but Geelong in Spink sale of Perkins Bacon Archive lot 545). Gum adhesion on corners on back, and minor stain spots on front, otherwise very fine and very rare.

The Bank of Victoria (1852-1927) was incorporated in October 1852 by Victorian Act of Council. It merged with the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney in 1927. It opened for business on January 3, 1853. Notes were issued and by August some Å“222,525 was in circulation. Perkins Bacon & Co prepared various notes and submitted designs and provided proofs for approval. A specimen of this type of the ten pounds for Geelong was in the Spink, Perkins Bacon Archive sale and it was pencil dated Sept. 21, 1853. This above note for May 14 1853, the earliest of the proof hand dated pieces, indicates that approval, ordering and printing these notes were all occurring almost concurrently with their release.