HUGO VAN DER MOLEN'S
Scripophily site
a collection of historic bonds
and shares
Music
note script
(update: July 8th 2001)
Dr. Hugo H. van der Molen - Wederikweg
114 - 9753 AE Haren, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)50 534 8795; Fax: +31
(0)50 534 0852; email:
[email protected]
See page
on explanations, sales conditions, costs of shipping and on how to order
and to pay.
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Music note script
In 1814 the then recently established Nederlandsche Bank (Dutch national
bank) issued it's first - preliminary - banknotes, without watermark, but
with a for that time complex border decoration. This particular border
decoration is called "the music script". Already in the Middle Ages several
character cutters were occupied with characteristic character types. But
it was Joan Michael Fleischmann (1701-1768), at the time in the service
of the famous Dutch printing company Johan Enschedé, who was largely
responsible for drawing "Fleischmann's music script".
Until the end of the 18th century one found litle use for this wonderful
music note print. Around 1795 an employee of Johan Enschedé started
experimenting with the music stamps cut by Fleischmann in order to compose
borders for securities that could not or hardly not be counterfeited. One
of their first products was a loan certificate, issued in 1797 by the Province
of Holland, a precursor of the present State Loans.
Apart from stocks and paper money the first cheques were also printed
with this beautiful border type.
The "music note border" has been used for a long time. The first bank
notes had borders all around, but later issues had these borders only on
the left and right hand sides. These so called Robins were printed until
1862, but remained in circulation until 1921. After 1862 modern printing
techniques made the music note borders unnecessary for the prevention of
counterfeiting. However, for the printing of bonds and shares, the technique
has still been in use for many years after.
This piece is a free translation of an article by W.J. Nieboer in the
quarterly journal of the Duch stock collector's societey VVOF, March 1996,
p. 6 and 8.
Examples of music note script borders
Bank of the United States of America: this concerns a certificate in
Dutch language, issued in the years 1842 and later (items are available
from 1942, 1944 and 1945) in Amsterdam against a share of 100$. The issuing
bank was the very famous group of Hope & Comp. Ketwich and Voombergh
and the widow of Willem Borsky. The certificates are in condition EF, without
folds, very clean with complete coupon sheet; the certificates have an
ornate border of the so called "music note" type (a type of security print).
Hope & Co. represented the Dutch or European shareholders in the US
Bank when it ran into difficulties (at the same time as another 1000
banks) after cotton speculations that went wrong. Price f 75 = 34 Euro.
See
picture.
Gemeente Rotterdam, Restantbewijs bij obligatie, 1-12-1936, bruine
muzieknotensierrand
op geel veld; Eng: brown music
note type decorative border, on yellow field, see
picture, orange tax stamp, EF, but in left border 2 small ordner holes,
unfolded, municipal armour in relief seal; 23 Euro = f 50.
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sales conditions, costs of shipping and on how to order and to pay.
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