Smillie Family Archive

Dallas, Texas: A treasure trove of American engraving art by U.S. Treasury Engraver George F.C. Smillie has been discovered in a small estate sale in Pennsylvania, and will be dispersed by Heritage Numismatic Auctions over several upcoming auctions. More than 1,200 vignettes, mostly engraved by G.F.C. Smillie (plus some by his father, James, and by other important engravers) were discovered.

G.F.C. Smillie, while best known to students of American currency history as the premiere engraver at the U.S. Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving & Printing at the dawn of the Twentieth Century, also produced security engraving work for the American Bank Note Company, the National Bank Note Company, and the Homer Lee Bank Note Company. The family archive of vignettes, tools, and documents passed down to his son, Judge Frederick Brandon Smillie, whose estate was recently sold at auction.

This treasure trove of art history also includes the engraver's tools owned by George's renowned father, James Smillie, and material related to some of America's most famous designs of currency: correspondence regarding the design of the famous Education trio of currency, original vignettes for Bison and Oncpapa designs, and the original photograph that served as the basis for the engraved reverse of the National Gold Bank Notes. Many of the vignettes are signed by G.F.C. Smillie. The family archives also include several of Smillie's employment contracts with the major securities printers of the time, including the B.E.P. In addition to his currency engravings, Smillie also executed many vignettes for stocks and bonds.

The material will be sold over at least four auctions at CurrencyAuction.com, starting with the August 16th online sale. Additional information can be obtained from Holli Hughes, Consignment Coordinator CurrencyAuction.com, at 1-800-872-6467 Ext. 283, or e-mail holli@currencyauction.com.