A print of the last of the three layers (underprint) of the portrait of Józef Poniatowski, the central portion of which adorns the 5 zlotych banknotes from 1919 and 1924.
Created by Eugene Gasperini, known as“Gaspe,” an engraver working in France.
The color scheme is brown, similar to the final version.
This piece is unique in form.
It is executed on a wide strip of paper, the reverse side of which bears the artist’s stamp (Atelier Eugene GASPERINI - Graveur | E.GASPE). Known, among other things, from a test print of the 1925 50 złoty note from the Lucow collection (614 R8). In the lower left corner, there is a handwritten note in pencil dated 06.05.19. There are traces of mounting on the sides.
Dimensions: 278 x 142 mm (including the printed area: ~70 x 75 mm).
Proof prints are the only surviving evidence of 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 graphics of individual layers or notice details invisible on the final banknote. Now included in the collection, they lend it a unique spirit of the era.
