| Description |
Fairman, Draper, Underwood & Co. Vignette Proof Sample Sheet - Undated (Ca. 1825 or 1826) and Untitled with Center Imprint Style with Audubon Running Grouse Vignette. PCGS Very Fine 35 Apparent. An extremely significant banknote company vignette proof sample sheet. Over the course of more than fifty years of research by a number of scholars, the search for confirmed banknotes with the running grouse vignette by Audubon led in the direction of a Fairman, Draper, Underwood & Co. company sample sheet. These vignette sample sheets served as a map in the hunt for the elusive bird upon banknotes, and three different sheets were discovered with the running grouse vignette. Banknote companies prepared large plates for printing these vignette proof sample sheets, displaying them in their main and branch offices so that clients could select designs for their notes. The sheets could also be sent with traveling salesmen or posted to major clients for viewing at their own premises. The Fairman, Draper, Underwood & Co. sample sheets are among the earliest observed; this and the following two types are all rare. All three sheets from the Newman Collection with the running grouse vignette are cataloged here. The only such occurrence was in the March 2011 Stack's Bowers Galleries Baltimore sale. Those sheets were avidly sought after the 2010 publication of the Peck and Newman article, "Discovered! The First Engraving of an Audubon Bird", and were all obtained by the same private collector. This extremely important sheet type likely dates to approximately 1825 or 1826. There is a contemporary "1826" notation in the backing sheet margin of the similar sheet sold in the March 2015 Archives International Auction. No matter what the exact printing date may be, it apparently is the first appearance of the Audubon running grouse vignette, before any proof or issued banknotes known with the vignette. An India paper Proof on a large sheet, from a single copper plate, by Fairman, Draper, Underwood & Co., with the imprint near the center. Approximately, 32 cm x 41 cm. Undated and untitled. No title block, but there are eleven rows with 66 engraved elements. There are no dies or counters, only a solitary ONE panel block at the center. The smaller elements, such as base vignettes, are near the top and bottom; the larger main vignettes are closer to the center. Classic vignettes from FDU's catalog appear on this sheet. The rare scene of Penn's Treayting with Indians is in the third row from the top along with the Barbary horseman (appearing on the Long Island Bank, Brooklyn, notes which also used the running grouse vignette on the $3 and $20 notes). The running grouse vignette adapted from Audubon is on the bottom row, second from the right. This is a very visually impressive sheet. Noted with "Small Splits." These petty faults are typical to these large sheets that often received multiple folds. The juncture holes are small and visible from the back. We have seen only one other, in addition to the two examples cataloged here. The example sold in the mentioned SBG auction, lot 5018, realized $3,162.50 in equivalent condition. It is now closely held in a private collection. This choice example presents a remarkable opportunity to obtain a historic piece of art history and will display beautifully. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society.
From Newman X (Heritage Auctions, November 2018), lot 20103, realized $3360. |
