Rare Book Monthly

Articles - October - 2019 Issue

U.S., Chinese & Worldwide Banknotes, Scripophily and Security Printing Ephemera to be Offered Thursday, October 10th, 2019

FORT LEE, N.J. –  The October 10th auction by Archives International Auctions will consist of 1178 different lots offered in three sessions beginning with 375 lots of Chinese and Worldwide Banknotes, Coins and Russian Scripophily. The second session features over 249 lots of U.S. Obsolete Banknotes and Security Printing Ephemera highlighted by Part 1 of the Highlands Collection of New Jersey Obsolete Bank and Scrip notes. The third session features U.S. & World Scripophily with 561 lots including an outstanding railroad stock and bond collection of CSX and related railroads with many rarities never seen previously by the collecting community.

 

“We are excited to offer part 1 of the Highlands Collection, an extensive New Jersey Obsolete Banknote collection that has been off the market for over 30 years”, stated Dr. Robert Schwartz, President of Archives International Auctions. “Our current 55th auction will offer 1187 lots of rare and desirable U.S. & Worldwide Banknotes, Scripophily and Security Printing Ephemera with many rare and desirable items seldom offered at auction including items forthe beginner to the advanced collector”.

 

Included in the sale are consignments from numerous estates and longtime collections with many items having never been offered previously at auction. A few of the many World highlights begin with a Commonwealth of Australia, 1918, 10/- Shillings, P-3b rarity; China features over 80 notes with a number of highlights including a Bank of Communications, 1913 $10, P-111As Specimen with only 2 previous auction appearances over the last 10 years; a spectacular and high grade 1905 International Banking Corp., Shanghai Branch $100 Specimen in PMG 65 EPQ is offered and is sure to attract attention as well as numerous issued and specimen Chinese banknotes being offered; An extremely rare Denmark, 1784 Copenhagen, 1 Rigsdaler Courant issued note in Fine to VF condition from the John E. Herzog Collection is offered; France is highlighted by a 1790, Caisse d’Escompte, 200 Livres, P-A24 rarity, also from the Herzog collection and having last been seen at auction in 2001 with no others appearing since; Hong Kong has a number of noteworthy offerings including a spectacular pair of Mercantile Bank of India notes, a 1930, $5 and 1937, $10, both in VF condition; Mexico includes numerous desirable notes including a Banco del Estado de Durango, 1882, 1 Peso, Remainder Banknote Rarity; Russia includes a new find of Imperial Russian Government, 1915 and 1916 Specimen Bonds never offered previously in the U.S.. Hundreds of additional desirable notes are included that should appeal to every level of collector and dealer.

 

Session 2 featuresover 249 lots of U.S. Obsolete Banknotes, National Banknotes, Small and Large Type as well as Security Printing Ephemera and Historic Ephemera. One of the main highlights is a Central Bank of Brooklyn, 1850's Uncut "Santa Claus" Proof Sheet of 4 Notes with no recent record of a sheet being offered with the desirable Santa Vignette in over 10 years; Part 1 of 2 parts of the Highland Collection of New Jersey Obsolete Scrip and Banknotes will debut in the auction. There are over 150 lots in Part 1of the auction, with many lots including multiple items that deserve further research and will offer many surprises for the serious collector and student of New Jersey numismatic history. One of the many highlights of the Highland Collection is an 1837 Issued Newark Whaling, Sealing & Manufacturing Co. 37 1/2 Cent note with a popular whaling vignette; hundred of additional notes from the collection are sure to attract attention. Two different Nevada National Banknotes are offered including a $50, 1929, T-1, Reno National Bank Charter #7038 note; Security Printing Ephemera includes numerous rare items that have been off the market for decades including several very rare and desirable items from the John E. Herzog collection. A rare group of 5 CDV’s photographed by Meserve, all of Civil War Military men including Grant and Sheridan in uniform are included. Session 2 also includes hundreds of additional desirable and rare items that will be of interest to the discriminating collector.

 

The 3rd Session of 561 lots consists of U.S. & World Scripophily, featuring the Stephen Beck Collection of CSX and Predecessor Railroad Bonds and Shares and ends with additional selections from the American Bank Note Commemoratives Inventory of Show & Souvenir Obsolete Banknote and Vignette cards. Some of the many highlights include very possibly one of the first Coca-Cola Share Certificates, a 1919 Specimen Voting Trust Certificate Temporary Stock Certificate. No other earlier Coca-Cola certificates have been found in issued or Specimen condition; 2 different Puerto Rico, 1893 and 1895, Credito y Ahorro Ponceno Sociedad Anonima Specimen Bond rarities; a Historic U.S. Department of the Interior, 1894 Specimen U.S. Federal Cherokee Nation Bond codifying the U.S. Government purchase from the Cherokee tribe the lands in Oklahoma known as the “Cherokee Outlet”; an extremely rare North American Italian Steam Ship Co., 1866 with Red 25cts Imprinted revenue RN-T3; a unique, New York, Twenty Third Street Railway Co., 1889 Specimen Equipment Bond from the ABN Archives; a NY, Staten Island Rail-Road Co., March, 1864 Stock Certificate With William H. Vanderbilt Signature and hundreds of additional stocks and bonds from a large variety of topics from railroads, automobiles, technology, Government, Foreign, mining and dozens of additional topics.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000
  • Sotheby's Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: Balthus, Emily Brontë. Wuthering Heights, New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1993. 6,600 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens. Complete Works, Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company & Chapman & Hall, LD, 1850. Limited Edition set of 30 volumes. 7,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Handwritten Letter from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to their Chauffer. 1971. 32,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Winston Churchill. First edition of War Speeches, Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1941. Set of 7 volumes. 5,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Andy Warhol, Julia Warhola. Holy Cats First Edition, Signed by Andy Warhol. 1954. 30,000 USD.
  • Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 11. Blaeu's Superb World Map on a Polar Projection (1695) Est. $5,500 - $7,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 36. Schedel's Ancient World Map with Humanoid Creatures (1493) Est. $14,000 - $17,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 49. One of the First Lunar Globes to Show the Far Side of the Moon (1963) Est. $1,000 - $1,300
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 5. The First World Map with Lavish Allegorical Vignettes of the Continents (1594) Est. $15,000 - $17,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 55. Anti-British Propaganda Map with Churchill as an Octopus (1942) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 197. One of the Most Influential Maps of Westward Expansion (1846) Est. $9,500 - $12,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 10. Scarce Pitt Edition of Carte-a-Figures Map of the World (1680) Est. $9,500 - $11,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 220. A Fine, Early Rendering of San Francisco (1874) Est. $2,200 - $2,500
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 707. Hand-Colored Image of the Presentation of Jesus with Gilt Highlights (1450) Est. $1,600 - $1,900
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 80. One of the Most Important Maps Perpetuating the Myth of the Island of California (1680) Est. $3,250 - $4,000
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 725. Homann's Atlas Featuring 26 Folio-Sized Maps in Original Color (1715) Est. $4,500 - $5,500
    Old World Auctions (Feb 11):
    Lot 169. One of the Earliest Maps to Show Philadelphia (1695) Est. $4,750 - $6,000
  • Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: DALVIMART, Octavien ou d’ALVIMAR(T). The Costume of Turkey
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: DALVIMART, Octavien ou d’ALVIMAR(T)]. CLARK. The Military Costume of Turkey
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: HOMMAIRE DE HELL, Ignace-Xavier. LAURENS, Jules. Voyage en Turquie et en Perse
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: POSTEL, Guillaume. De la République des Turc
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: PREZIOSI, Amadeo. Stamboul. Souvenir d’Orient.
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: COSTUMES. EMPIRE OTTOMAN.
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: PRISSE D'AVENNES, Achille Constant T. Emile. L'Art Arabe
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: PRISSE D'AVENNES. Histoire de l'art Egyptie
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: BESANCENOT, Jean. Costumes et types du Maroc.
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: COSTUMES OTTOMANS. Suite de figures ottomanes à l’aquarelle
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: LES MILLE ET UNE NUIT, contes arabes
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: SCHLEGEL, Hermann et A. H. VERSTER van WULVERHORST. Traité de Fauconnerie - Planches
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11: THEVENOT, Melchisédec. Relation de divers voyages curieux
    Gros & Delettrez, Feb. 11:
  • Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 40
    Ramasvami (Kavali Venkata). A Digest of the Different Castes of India, 83 charming hand-coloured lithographed plates, Madras, 1837. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 50
    Watson (John Forbes) & John William Kaye. The People of India: A Series of Photographic Illustrations...of the Races and Tribes of Hindustan, 8 vol., 480 mounted albumen prints, 1868-75. £4,000-6,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 53
    Afghanistan.- Elphinstone (Hon. Mountstuart). An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, first edition, hand-coloured aquatint plates, a fine copy, 1815. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 57
    [Album and Treatise on Hinduism], manuscript treatise on Hinduism in French, 31 watercolours of Hindu deities, Pondicherry, 1865. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 62 Allan (Capt. Alexander). Views in the Mysore Country, [1794]. £2,000-3,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 76
    Bird (James). Historical Researches on the Origin and Principles of the Bauddha and Jaina Religions..., first edition, lithographed plates, Bombay, American Mission Press, 1847. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 100
    Ceylon.- Daniell (Samuel). A Picturesque Illustration of the scenery, animals, and native inhabitants, of the Island of Ceylon: in twelve plates, 1808. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 123
    D'Oyly (Charles). Behar Amateur Lithographic Scrap Book, lithographed throughout with title and 55 plates mounted on 43 paper leaves, [Patna], [1828]. £3,000-5,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 139
    Gandhi (known as Mahatma Gandhi,) Fine Autograph Letter signed to Jawaharlal Nehru, Sevagram, Wardha, 1942, emphasising the importance of education in rural communities. £10,000-15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 140
    Gantz (John). Indian Microcosm, first edition, Madras, John Gantz & Son, 1827. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 146
    Grierson (Sir George Abraham). Linguistic Survey of India, 11 vol. in 20, folding maps, original cloth, Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, 1903-28. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 195
    Madras.- Fort St. George Gazette (The), No.276-331, pp.493-936 and Index to all of 1834 at end, modern half calf, Madras, 2nd July - 31st December 1834. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 205
    Marshall (Sir John) and Alfred Foucher. The Monuments of Sanchi, 3 vol., first edition, 141 plates, most photogravure, [Calcutta], [1940]. £3,000-4,000

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