[SPECIMEN BOOKS] [BINDINGS] U. S. Treasury Department Specimens

Washington DC: U. S. Treasury Department Bureau of Engraving and Printing, 1875. Hardcover. Near fine. Small quarto, unpaginated. Bound in full red crushed morocco, with gilt borders, edges, spine title, and compartments. All edges gilt. 144 engravings, plus frontispiece and engraved title page. A near fine example, with some small nicks to the boards, and some mild scattered foxing internally. An extraordinary volume, one of a small and undetermined number of these U. S. Treasury specimen books. These were printed and bound by the Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and presented to a select few diplomats, cabinet secretaries, and members of Congress. The proof engravings contained within were designed for use on official US banknotes, though some of the images were likely never used on actual money. At the turn of the 21st century, numismatic experts had counted 47 known examples. Several more have come to auction (primarily numismatic) since then, but they remain extremely rare in the trade. No two specimen books are exactly alike; they usually contain a number of portraits of Presidents and other notable politicians, but some, as in our copy, contain a number of vignettes of major events and places in US history, along with more abstract concepts, such as "Loyalty" and "Liberty and Union." Some significant examples herein include "Reconstruction," "Valley Forge," "The Patent Office," and far too many more to list. A number of the engravings have no caption, and some of these are the most alluring. For example, one of the largest images depicts a Native American man sitting on a cut-down tree, head in hands as though he is weeping. Before him is a modern city, with dozens of billowing smokestacks. Clearly this image is meant to portray the imminent conclusion to the United States Government's closing of the frontier and final usurpations of land from Indigenous people. It almost goes without saying that each and every one of the vignettes and portraits is of the most excellent quality, both in design and execution, as both the artists and the printing tools were of the highest order of the day. Though undated, the title page names George B. McCartree as Chief of the BEP on the title page, a position he held from 1869-1876, which would approximate the date.

When these books do occasionally come to auction, there is much buzz. It is difficult to imagine a more interesting and treasured sort of volume for anyone who has an interest in numismatics and rare books. A rare chance to own a special volume of American printing history.