American Bank Note Company : The American Bank Note Company (ABNCo.) traces its roots to Robert Scot, a Philadelphia engraver, who founded his bank note printing business in 1795. In 1858, the amalgamation of seven printing companies: Danforth, Perkins & Co.; Bald, Cousland & Co.; Toppan, Carpenter & Co.; Jocelyn, Draper, Welsh & Co.; John E. Gavit; Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson; and Wellstood, Hay & Whiting, became American Bank Note Company.
An 1877 Act of U.S. Congress, transferring printing rights for all notes and securities to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving, left American Bank Note Company without significant contracts. As a result, in 1879, American Bank Note Company merged with National Bank Note Company and Continental Bank Note Company to form a new consolidated organization.
In 1897, the American Bank Note Company opened a Canadian branch office, in Ottawa, named the American Bank Note Company, Ottawa. It was incorporated by an act of Parliament on 29 June 1897. Its name was changed to the Canadian Bank Note Company on 1 January 1923, when it was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Other smaller printing companies were acquired by the American Bank Note Company, including International Bank Note Company (in 1902), and Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd. (in 1903). In 1906, a holding company, United Bank Note Corporation, was formed to acquire the stock of American Bank Note Company. In 1911, American Bank Note Company was merged into United Bank Note Corporation which thereupon changed its name to American Bank Note Company.
Throughout its history, American Bank Note Company, or its subsidiaries and predecessors, has printed Canadian stamps. It printed the first stamps of Canada in 1851; stamps of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in the 1860's; and most of the stamps of Newfoundland between 1865 and 1908. It held the contract for Canadian stamps until 1867. From 1897 on, American Bank Note Company continued to produce Canadian stamps through its Canadian branch office. The American Bank Note Company continued to design, engrave, and produce dies and rolls for Canadian stamps until the late 1940's.
On 27 February 1990, American Bank Note Company was acquired by the United States Bank Note Company. In 1992, it became American Banknote Corporation.
On 13-14 September 1990, United States Bank Note Company made available at public auction, through Christie's of New York, the archival holdings of the former American Bank Note Company's production of postage and revenue stamps for Canada and British North America. The sale also included stamp production material for other countries. Some of this material was subsequently acquired by the National Archives of Canada. CPA Research files
Accession files, American Bank Note Company fonds.
The story of American Bank Note Company / by William H. Griffiths. -- New York : American Bank Note Company, 1959.
