Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

Banknote issues preceding the Irish Government issues. Joint Stock Banks. Private Banks.
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callahiljo
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Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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This came with a group of Lizars proofs of mostly Scottish material. The vignette is an exact match with the one known 2nd Issue note, issued in Roscrea in 1838 (ref AG 4 in PMI). This confirms that the note too was a Lizars engraving.
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Re: Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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Here is a pic of the Roscrea note. Agricultural and Commercial Bank of Ireland. One Pound 10th June 1838

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Re: Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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That is a nice confirmation that W.H. Lizars & Co. was responsible for the engraving of the issued £1 note.

Here is a £5 note from The Yorkshire Agricultural & Commercial Banking Company which bears a resemblance to the notes of the Agricultural & Commercial Bank of Ireland. This note was also engraved by W.H. Lizars.
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Yorkshire Agricultural & Commercial Banking Co. 5 Pound Specimen ca. 1836-1842.jpg
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Re: Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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From my observations Lizars did far less reusing of stock vignettes than Perkins Bacon who had a whole book full of standing Britannias, beehives, and the like. The Lizars engraving on the higher value 3rd Issue Agricultural & Commercial notes did get reused, more or less, on an Isle of Man note and another Yorkshire bank. I must dig the scans out!
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Re: Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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I've checked the IOM note and the vignette is quite different (Bank of Mona £5 proof). This Leeds & West Riding proof seen in Bonhams about 20 years ago does however have a very similar vignette - a rare example of Lizars doubling up.
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Re: Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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That is a most impressive vignette. Given the effort and skill required to complete the design, it is understandable that the engraver would seek to use it more widely. Here is one of the Agricultural and Commercial Bank of Ireland notes mentioned which has the same vignette.
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Agricultural & Commercial Bank of Ireland 30 Shillings 1st May 1839.jpg
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Re: Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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Interesting to see the exact design reused like that.
I presume that the use of the same vignette for the notes of both banks suggests that Lizars retained the copyright to the design elements.
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Re: Agricultural & Commercial Bank proof bill

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Not sure if they legally held the copyright but these vignettes and other components such as the sum block were often held by the engraver on a master die for reuse when the opportunity arose. Lizars did far less of it than Perkins Bacon - if you study the English provincial notes Perkins produced you will see the same elements time and time again.
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