One of the unique proof prints documenting the stages of the creation of the first 5-złoty banknote of the Second Polish Republic.
A superbly executed portrait of Prince Józef Poniatowski by Eugene Gasperini“Gaspe,” the central portion of which adorned the 5 zlotych banknotes from 1919 and 1924.
A precise, three-layer print in shades of blue and violet.
Composed of a main layer, an intermediate layer, and an underprint.
The entire piece is mounted on a display card and backed with parchment on the front, with a window left for the portrait (à la passe-partout).
Dimensions: 105 x 163 mm (including a diameter of 68 mm).
Proof prints are the only surviving witnesses to the complex process of banknote production. These are usually extremely rare, one-of-a-kind items documenting the successive stages of production. They allow one to closely examine the artwork of each layer and notice details invisible on the final banknote. Now included in the collection, they lend it a unique spirit of the era.
