by Terry Cox
The American Bank Note Company was the world’s foremost engraver and printer of bank notes and securities. Engraving company names are recorded for only about half of the certificates in the database. Of that number, the ABNCo imprint appears on 45% of the certificates and imprints from predecessor companies account for an additional 15%. Assuming that percentage holds up as more information develops, the American Bank Note Company and its ancestors will eventually account for 60% of all railroad-related certificates.
The huge American Bank Note Company was formed from an association of seven competing companies in 1858. Because it employed the finest engravers, the images that ABNCo offered were of the highest and most durable quality. It created thousands of classic images after 1858, but continued to use images from all its ancestral companies. That is why you will find identical vignettes on many diffferent certificates with different engraving company imprints.
Unfortunately for the company, paper stock and bond certificates were eventually supplanted by electronic trading. By the 1990s, all but a tiny percentage of security ownership had become a matter of electronic record. By 1999, the amount of global security and bank note printing had dropped so precipitously that the company ultimately had to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Here is a complete list of all the predecessor companies, that I currently know of, that ultimately became part of American Bank Note Company. Please contact me if you have evidence of additional predecessor or related companies that I have missed. (Most information presented here comes from The Story of the American Bank Note Company by William H. Griffiths, 1959.)
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| American Bank Note Co. (known as the “Association” period) formed in 1858 by the merger of seven companies
merged with the National Bank Note Co. and the Continental Bank Note Co. in 1879 to form the American Bank Note Co. (the “Consolidation”) |
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| American Bank Note Co. (known as the “Consolidation” period) formed in 1879 by consolidation of
merged with United Bank Note Corp. in 1911 and continued to operate as American Bank Note Co. |
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| Bald, Cousland & Co. formed in 1853 from part of Danforth, Bald & Co. associated with six other companies:
to form the American Bank Note Co. in 1858 (13.3% share) |
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| Henry Bradbury formed engraving business in 1856 became Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd. in 1890 |
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| Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd. formed in 1890 from Henry Bradbury bought by American Bank Note Co. in 1903 operated as independent subsidiary |
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| Canadian Bank Note Co. Ltd formed in 1896 as Canadian Division of American Bank Note Co. incorporated as separate subsidiary in 1922 |
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| Charles Toppan & Co. formed in 1834 from private Charles Toppan engraving business merged with individuals from Draper, Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty to form Draper, Toppan, Longacre & Co. in 1837 |
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| Continental Bank Note Co. formed in 1863 merged with American Bank Note Co. (the “Association”) and the National Bank Note Co. to form the consolidated American Bank Note Co. in 1879 |
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| Danforth, Bald & Co. formed in 1850 from Danforth & Hufty part became Danforth Wright & Co. in 1853 part became Bald, Cousland & Co.in 1853 |
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| Danforth, Bald, Spencer & Hufty formed in 1843 from Danforth, Underwood & Co. became Danforth, Spencer & Hufty in 1844 |
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| Danforth & Hufty formed in 1847 from Danforth, Spencer & Hufty became Danforth, Bald & Co. in 1850 |
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| Danforth, Perkins & Co. formed in 1858 from Danforth, Wright & Co. associated with six other companies:
to form the American Bank Note Co. in 1858 (21.8% share) |
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| Danforth, Spencer & Hufty formed in 1844 from Danforth, Bald, Spencer & Hufty became Danforth & Hufty in 1847 |
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| Danforth, Underwood & Co. formed in 1839 from Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty became Danforth, Bald, Spencer & Hufty in 1843 |
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| Danforth Wright & Co. formed in 1853 from part of Danforth, Bald & Co. part became Danforth, Perkins & Co. in 1858 part became National Bank Note Co. in 1859 |
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| Draper & Co. formed in 1845 from part of Draper, Toppan & Co. merged with Charles E. Welsh and Jocelyn & Purcell to form Draper, Welsh & Co. in 1851 |
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| Draper, Toppan & Co. formed in 1840 from Draper, Toppan, Longacre & Co. some members became Toppan, Carpenter & Co. in 1845 some members became Draper & Co. in 1845 |
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| Draper, Toppan, Longacre & Co. formed in 1837 from members of Draper, Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty and Charles Toppan & Co. became Draper, Toppan & Co. in 1840 |
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| Draper, Underwood & Co. formed in 1828 from Fairman, Draper, Underwood & Co. became Draper, Underwood, Bald & Spencer in 1833 |
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| Draper, Underwood, Bald & Spencer formed in 1833 from Draper, Underwood & Co. became Draper, Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty in 1835 |
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| Draper, Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty formed in 1835 from Draper, Underwood, Bald & Spencer some members became Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Co. in 1837 some members became Draper, Toppan, Longacre & Co. (with Charles Toppan from Charles Toppan & Co) in 1837 |
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| Draper, Welsh & Co. formed in 1851 from merger of Draper & Co., Charles E. Welsh and Jocelyn & Purcell became Jocelyn, Draper, Welsh & Co. in 1854 |
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| Edmunds, Jones & Smillie formed in 1858 by association with Alfred Jones associated with American Bank Note Co. in 1859 |
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| Fairman, Draper, Underwood & Co. formed in 1823 from Murray, Draper, Fairman & Co. became Draper, Underwood & Co. in 1828 |
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| Franklin Bank Note Co. also known as Franklin Engraving & Printing formed in 1877 acquired by American Bank Note Co. 1880-1885 merged with Homer Lee Bank Note Co. to form Franklin-Lee Bank Note Co. in 1897 |
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| Franklin-Lee Bank Note Co. formed as an American Bank Note Co. subsidiary in 1897 by merger of Franklin Bank Note Co. and Homer Lee Bank Note Co. became Franklin-Lee Division of American Bank Note Co. in 1904 |
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| John E. Gavit formed in 1845 from John E. Gavit & Co. became Gavit & Duthie in 1849 |
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| John E. Gavit formed in 1851 from Gavit & Duthie associated with six other companies:
to form the American Bank Note Co. in 1858 (2% share) |
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| Gavit & Duthie formed in 1849 from John E. Gavit became John E. Gavit in 1851 |
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| Hall, Packard & Cushman formed in 1839 became Packard, Gavit & Co. in 1840 |
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| Hartford Graphic Bank Note Engraving Co. formed in 1817 became Jocelyn, Darling & Co. in 1831 |
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| Homer Lee Bank Note Co. formed prior to 1891 acquired by American Bank Note Co. in 1891 merged with Franklin Bank Note Co. to form Franklin-Lee Bank Note Co. in 1897 |
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| International Bank Note Co. formed in 1878 bought by American Bank Note Co. in 1902 which continued to operate Manhattan facility until 1911 |
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| Jocelyn, Darling & Co. formed in 1831 from Hartford Graphic Bank Note Engraving Co. became N. & S.S. Jocelyn in 1834 |
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| Jocelyn, Draper, Welsh & Co. formed in 1854 from Draper, Welsh & Co. associated with six other companies:
to form the American Bank Note Co. in 1858 (8.4% share) |
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| Jocelyn & Purcell formed in 1850 from N. & S.S. Jocelyn merged with Draper & Co. and Charles E. Welsh to form Draper, Welsh & Co. in 1851 |
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| John E. Gavit & Co. formed in 1843 from Packard, Gavit & Co. became John E. Gavit in 1845 |
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| Alfred Jones started engraving business in 1841 merged with Edmunds & Smillie to form Edmunds, Jones & Smillie in 1858 |
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| Murray, Draper, Fairman & Co. formed in 1810 from Robert Scot’s business became Fairman, Draper, Underwood & Co. in 1823 |
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| National Bank Note Co. formed in 1859 by some previous members of Danforth, Wright & Co. merged with American Bank Note Co. (the “Association”) and the Continental Bank Note Co. to form the consolidated American Bank Note Co. in 1879 |
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| New England Bank Note Co. formed in 1833 merged with Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson in 1847 |
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| N. & S.S. Jocelyn formed in 1834 from Jocelyn, Darling & Co. became Jocelyn & Purcell in 1850 |
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| Packard, Gavit & Co. formed in 1840 from Hall, Packard & Cushman became John E. Gavit & Co. in 1843 |
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| Ralph Rawdon formed engraving business in 1816 became Rawdon, Balch & Co. in 1818 |
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| Rawdon, Balch & Co. formed in 1818 from Ralph Rawdon business became Rawdon, Clark & Co. in 1823 |
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| Rawdon, Clark & Co. formed in 1823 from Rawdon, Balch & Co. became Rawdon, Wright & Co. in 1828 |
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| Rawdon, Wright & Co. formed in 1828 from Rawdon, Clark & Co. became Rawdon, Wright & Hatch in 1832 |
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| Rawdon, Wright & Hatch formed in 1832 from Rawdon, Wright & Co. became Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson in 1847 |
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| Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson formed in 1847 from Rawdon, Wright & Hatch merged with New England Bank Note Co. associated with six other companies:
to form the American Bank Note Co. in 1858 (23.9% share) |
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| Robert Scot formed bank note engraving business in 1795 became Murray, Draper, Fairman & Co. in 1810 |
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| Southern Bank Note Co unofficial subsidiary of American Bank Note Co. seemingly formed in 1861 after the beginning of the Civil War equipment seized by Confederate forces in 1862 |
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| Toppan, Carpenter & Co. formed in 1845 from part of Draper, Toppan & Co. became Toppan, Carpenter, Casalear & Co. in 1850 |
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| Toppan, Carpenter & Co. formed in 1857 from Toppan, Carpenter, Casalear & Co. associated with six other companies:
to form the American Bank Note Co. in 1858 (22.4% share) |
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| Toppan, Carpenter, Casalear & Co. formed in 1850 from Toppan, Carpenter & Co. became Toppan, Carpenter & Co. in 1857 |
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| Charles Toppan formed engraving business in 1829 became Charles Toppan & Co. in 1834 |
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| Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Co. formed in 1837 from members of Draper, Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty became Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty in 1838 |
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| Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty formed in 1838 from Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Co. became Danforth, Underwood & Co. in 1839 |
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| United Bank Note Corporation formed in 1906 as a holding company to acquire stock of American Bank Note Co. companies merged in 1911 later changed name to United Banknote Corporation |
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| Charles E. Welsh started engraving business in 1841 merged with Draper & Co. and Jocelyn & Purcell to form Draper, Welsh & Co. in 1851 |
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| Wellstood, Benson & Hanks formed in 1848 became Wellstood, Hanks, Hay & Whiting in 1852 |
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| Wellstood, Hanks, Hay & Whiting formed in 1852 from Wellstood, Benson & Hanks became Wellstood, Hay & Whiting in 1855 |
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| Wellstood, Hay & Whiting formed in 1855 from Wellstood, Hanks, Hay & Whiting associated with six other companies:
to form the American Bank Note Co. in 1858 (8.2% share) |
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| Western Bank Note Co. formed in 1865 bought by American Bank Note Co. in 1901 operated as subsidiary until 1911 operated as Western Division of American Bank Note Co. after 1911 |
