Lot 1614

Description

Union Bank of Australia, Melbourne, fifty pounds, dated 11 March 1854 in pencil (18- printed), not numbered, proof, stamped SPECIMEN, on card, no watermark, imprint of Perkins Bacon & Co. London Patented Hardened Steel Plate, vignette of Britannia and colonial wharf scene, with ships between in background, all within scroll border which includes MELBOURNE at the sides, black on white, (Vort-Ronald, Type two (a), Fig.228, [p.224], similar note but for one pound, further comments p.223-8). Gum adhesion on corners of back, and scattered light stains, otherwise nearly extremely fine and extremely rare.

The Spink sale of the Perkins Bacon Archive collection contained many proof and specimen items of this bank. However no Å“50 notes were present of this type from Melbourne, although similar examples from Sydney and Adelaide were sold. The pencil date on this card proof is very early but is consistent with the Archive material.