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The following four lots each contain superb vignettes attributed to Thomas Allom. Thomas Allom was a renowned artist who practiced in the first half of the 19th Century. He never visited the Far East, but when artists of much lesser ability did visit, often British Army or Naval personel, Thomas Allom improved upon their work and much of this was reproduced as engravings in a magazine of the first, The China Illustrated. One hundred years later, the printers of these notes Waterlow & Sons Ltd when looking for a Chinese theme used Thomas Allom's work to an excellent effect.
Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, specimen $5, Peking, 1 3anuary 1922, blue and orange, the west wall of Peking at top centre, cherub with cornucopia at left, Bank arms at right, printed signature of R.C. Allen, Agent, bottom right, rev. olive-green and brown, Bank Headquarters in Hong Kong at centre (P.S340s), diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint on obverse, three offical perforations, good extremely fine, magnificent, very rare
Details
Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, specimen $5, Peking, 1 3anuary 1922, blue and orange, the west wall of Peking at top centre, cherub with cornucopia at left, Bank arms at right, printed signature of R.C. Allen, Agent, bottom right, rev. olive-green and brown, Bank Headquarters in Hong Kong at centre (P.S340s), diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint on obverse, three offical perforations, good extremely fine, magnificent, very rare