Evening star., 1896-08-05
ARTISTIC CREATIONS
First Lot Of the New Two and FivecDollar
Silver Certificates.
They Will Probably De Ready for
General Issue Next Monday
Work ON Them Described.

The United States treasurer has received
from the bureau of engraving and printing
the first lot Of the new two-dollar and five
dollar silver certificates, and expects to
have them ready to issue to the public m
the redemption of old and worn-out notes
By Monday of next week. They are fresh
from the press, and will have to be dried
and conditioned before they will be con-
sidered suitable for general circulation.
These two notes complete the series of the
new silver certificates prepared by the
artists now employed by the bureau of en-
craving and printing They are destined
to mark an era in the design of United
States paper currency. The public is al
ready familiar with the appearance Of the
new one-dollar certificate. which was the
1rst OF the series to be issued. The interest
In that note shows no material abate-
ment however, and it still commands
the country. where it is something Of a
monetary curiosity. The demand for them
is far in excess Of the capacity OF the bu-
reau, and it las been found necessary to
scale all reQuisitions for such supplies.
Ambitious Artistic Creations.
The two-dollar and five-dollar notes bic
fair to excite as much attention and criti.
cism as the one-dollar note. Like it. they
are ambitious artistic creations, and are
totally unlike anything the people are IA
mliar with in the. way Of paper money
Their fronts arc printed in black ink and
their backs in the more familiar green
The two-dollar note was designed by Mr.
Edwin H. Blashfield Of New York. The
frontispieoe is an allegcrical representa-
ton of Science presenting steam and elec.
tricity to commerce and manufacture" and
consists of five partly nude female figures
in graceful poses. The treatment is de-
scribed almost distinctively American
The general idea Of the main design il
carried out on the back of the note, the
main decorations Of which are vignettes OF
Fulton and Morse, the eXponents of steam
and electricity, respectively
strfkingIy Original.
Mr.. Walter Shirlaw Of New York design.
ed the s. note, which is. IL anything, more
strikingly original than either of the othel
two. 1he face is almost entirely taken up
with an allegorical picture representing
America enlightening the world" Amer.
lea is represented by a beautiful female
partly nude. holding in her right hand, up
Lifted, lighted incandescent lamp. She
STANDS upon a representation Of the North
American continent, and the rays from hel
lamp are ched in all directions. Reclining
at her feet is female figure of Fame with
the traditional trumpet and few clothes
ranking these hgures, which occupy tht
ceEter Of the 'front.' is on one side a repre-
sertat1on of Jupiter in his aerial chariot II
the act Of hurting thul derbolt, typifyine
force. On the other side is q representation
of peace, with dove. &C. There is also 9
fiLe view Of the Capitol. The general efrec-
Is tnat of liberal display Of lighting aid
electricity and beautiful women. The treat
n'ent OF the idea. including decoration, is
that of the modern school of renaissance
Inc DICK of the note contains portraits OF
III MI III
On the 81 and s. notes, which are arranged
IN the middle, the vignettes on the s. notes
are at opposite ends
The notes are beautiful specimens of the
eigraEers handicraft, and In that respect
VIII >mpare favorably with the best work
in that line.