The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 4, January 23, 2005, Article 5

NEW YORK ON STEEL EXHIBIT OPENS

>From the press release:
"New York on Steel, a new exhibition of stock certificates
and bonds with bank note-engraved scenes of New York
City and its buildings, 1840-1980s, presented by the
American Numismatic Society, will open to the public on
February 8, 2005. The exhibition contains over 70 stocks,
bonds, engraving proofs, and other production material
illustrating both the wonderful engraved views of New
York from the mid-19th century to the late 20th century,
as well as the beautiful art and process of bank note
engraving. The exhibit is from the collection of and curated
by Mark D. Tomasko, an engraving historian and collector.

Visitors can see period miniature engraved masterpieces
of well-known sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the
old Pennsylvania Station, Wall Street in 1900, the United
Nations, and the Prometheus Statue at the Rockefeller
Center skating rink, as well as less familiar locations such
as the old W & J. Sloane building at Broadway and 19th
Street, the former New York Clearing House on Cedar
Street, and the late Alexander's Department Store at 58th
Street and Lexington Avenue. Also on view will be
photographs of architects' drawings that enabled one of
the best bank note engravers in 1913 to depict Grand
Central Terminal for bonds of the New York Central and
Hudson River Rail Road; and a series of unique progressive
proofs of a 1950s engraving of the Empire State Building.

Known as the "fine art of finance," bank note engraving is
a beautiful art surviving today primarily on our nation's
currency. It is a truly American art, perfected and brought
to a high level in America around the time of the Civil War,
due to the demand created by the fact that prior to 1865
most every bank could issue its own bank notes. The
growing U.S. economy and financing needs of the late
19th century required an ever-increasing number of stock
and bond certificates, and more security for such securities,
causing even more development of the beautiful art of bank
note engraving in an effort to foil counterfeiters. New York
City was the financial and business center for America
from the 1850s to the 1960s, and had more buildings and
scenes appearing on fully-engraved securities than any
other location.

The Federal Reserve Bank New York, 33 Liberty St.,
New York, NY, open to the public Monday through
Friday, 10 am to 4 pm. For more information on visiting
the exhibition, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank
New York Public Information Division at (212) 720-6130."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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