2624) Who Designed Ottoman Bank Notes?

Who designed Ottoman Bank notes during the period the Ottoman Bank /Osmanli bankasi [1] held the privilege of issue?

The designing and printing of almost all Ottoman Bank notes was carried out in London. The first banknote issued in 1863 was designed and printed by the T.H. Saunders [2] printing house, the banknotes issued from 1868 to 1908 were the work of the Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co.[3] press, and Waterlow & Sons designed those issued from 1908 to 1914. Only one banknote was designed and printed in Istanbul, a temporary one-lira bill produced, between August and September 1914, when a delay occurred in the banknotes expected from London. The Zellich press [4]- one of the most important printing houses in Istanbul at the time - printed and probably designed the note.. . .

[1] It operated as the Imperial Ottoman Bank from 1863 to 1924. Privileged as a state bank, it carried out the functions of a central bank.

[2] Thomas Harry Saunders (19 September 1813, London - 5 February 1870, Dartford), usually called T. H. Saunders, was a British paper-maker known especially for his watermarks.These high quality watermarks attracted many leading banks as customers, and made T.H.Saunders & Co important suppliers of postage stamps and banknotes to many countries in Europe, the British Empire and South America. The technology for this had been invented by William Henry Smith,and the design was created by "thin brass plates upon the bottom of the mould".

[3] Bradbury Wilkinson & Co were an English engravers and printers of banknotes, postage stamps and share certificates. The original company was begun in 1856 by Henry Bradbury (1831-60). In 1861 the company was established at New Malden in Surrey where it remained until the 1986 when it was acquired by De La Rue.

[4] A. Zellich Fils. In 1831 the first litho press was founded in Istanbul by Henry Cayol and his cousin Jacques Cayol under the patronage of Husrev Pasha in the grounds of Ministry of War. In 1836 they moved the presses to Kulekapi and obtained permission with a firman from the Sultan Mahmud II to produce in other languages and printing in due course the Armenian monthly "Panacer/The Philologist". Printing works burned down due to a type foundry accident in 1852 and reopened in 1855 at the corner of the street leading to the French Embassy in Pera. Henry Cayol died of cholera in August 18, 1856. The printing house continued under the management of Antoine Zellich

Vth Emission Bank of Istanbul 1 Lira banknote front and rear face. (TL) and carries the serial number 000001 A This was the first banknote to be exported on 17 August 1914. It carries the signature of Ferid bey , Nias and Tristam. This banknote was printed by Zellich printers and the Ottoman bank safe receipt is pressed on the rear. The safe receipt on the bank is formed in thin red lines.

Source: Mavi Boncuk.