PREVIEW: WORLD BANKNOTES 31 AUGUST

A very strong showing of Government of India notes comes to this auction courtesy a special collection of Paper and Proofs of the Portals Archives.

Among them is the Trial Government of India 5 Rupees from 1871 – probably a unique survivor – on offer at an estimate of £12,000-16,000 detailed in the previous Noonans newsletter.

Portals produced paper for Indian notes for well over 100 years, from the first government issues in 1860, and among the highlights here, which have never been presented on the market before,

Other highlights produced for the Government of India using the highly technical watermarked paper Portal produced include a proof 5 Rupees on larger format un-watermarked paper, at Allahabad or Calcutta.

Dated 20 January 1872, and with no signature or serial number, it has four cancellation holes, printers’ annotations in pencil and coloured crayon, and additional design elements on the extra paper around the margins. An extremely rare note, the estimate is £10,000-15,000.

Two examples of proof 5 Rupees on watermarked paper, from Kurrachee or Bombay are also in the catalogue. Both dated 20 January 1871, and with no signature or serial number, they also both have four cancellation holes, and feature ink, pencil and crayon printers’ annotations. Each is guided at £8,000-10,000.

A Bank of Madras, India, 10 Rupees, dated 1 May 1845, with serial number 12092, is hand signed by
John Heyman, and features several purple PAID handstamps, with annotation on reverse.

John Heyman began his career as a cashier at the London and Westminster Bank, before becoming an accountant at the Bank of Madras, where he spent the remainder of his working life, being promoted to the highest position of the bank as Secretary and Treasurer on 1st of February 1845. His death less than seven months later on 26 August 1845 at the young age of 28. The only notes ever signed by him are 10 Rupees, dated 1 May 1845, such as this one, making this note a true rarity among Bank of Madras notes. Hence the estimate of £7,000-9,000.