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]


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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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