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THBSmillie Signed Engraved George Washington Oval Portrait Die Sunk Proof Vignette
Lot 97
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$500 - $600
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About Auction
Live
By Early American History Auctions
Oct 19, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-10-19 12:00:00
2019-10-19 12:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Historic Autographs-Currency-Political-Americana-Militaria-Guns
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/early-american-history-auctions/historic-autographs-currency-political-americana-militaria-guns-4513
326 Lots of Rare, Historic Autographs, Americana, Civil War Era, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Black History, Revolutionary War Era, Colonial America, Federal Period, War of 1812, Colonial Currency, Indian Peace Medals & more... Early American History Auctions auctions@earlyamerican.com
326 Lots of Rare, Historic Autographs, Americana, Civil War Era, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Black History, Revolutionary War Era, Colonial America, Federal Period, War of 1812, Colonial Currency, Indian Peace Medals & more... Early American History Auctions auctions@earlyamerican.com
View Full Catalog (325)
- Lot Description
Autographs
G(eorge) F(rederick) C(umming) Smillie Signed Engraved George Washington Oval Portrait Die Sunk Proof Vignette
GEORGE FREDERICK CUMMING SMILLIE (1854 - 1924). Master Engraver, specialising in portraits and human figures. While working at AMERICAN BANKNOTE CO., Smillie studied drawing at the Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design.
George Washington Engraved Die Sunk Proof Oval Vignette on Card, after Gilbert Stuart on U.S. $1 Note, Signed in pencil at lower die edge, "G(eorge) F(rederick) C(umming) Smillie" nice signature at bottom, measuring 4.5" x 5" die sunk on larger card to 6" x 8", not framed. Exceptional in its sharp quality, Choice Crisp Mint.
George Frederick Cumming (Fred) Smillie was born in New York on 22 November 1854. His uncle James Smillie taught him the art of engraving. Smillie was so talented that at only 17 years, he was taken on as an apprentice by the ABNC, in 1871. Within a few years he was one of their Master Engravers, specialising in portraits and human figures. While working at ABNC, Smillie studied drawing at the Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design.
Smillie left the ABNC in 1887, to go and work for his uncle William Cumming Smillie, at the Canadian Bank Note Co. However, Smillie did not enjoy working there so a year on he moved back to the United States and started working for Homer Lee Bank Note Co. Seemingly restless, he also worked for the Hamilton Bank Note Co. and the Western Bank Note Co., in the years 1890 to 1894.
Smillie finally settled down in March 1894, when he started working for the BEP. He became not only their Master Engraver but also the Head of the Engraving Department. Here at the BEP his career really blossomed and he became known for his magnificent engravings.
1922 saw a change in management at the BEP which would become Smillie's downfall. Until then, being fully aware of his own skills and the importance of the engravers working at the BEP, Smillie would always negotiate better pay and working conditions for himself and his fellow engravers. The new management were having none of this, though, and basically just sacked him by registered mail. What bothered Smillie most was that no allowance was given to his 28 years of dedication to the firm, and the fact that he was not informed personally.
Luckily for him, his talents were too well-known for him to be long without a job. The ABNC welcomed him back with open arms.
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