Description and research notes
This exceptionally large-format photographic proof pair for the 1,000 Pesos issue dated 1935 represents one of the most imposing archival presentation formats produced for the Departamento de Emisión del Banco de la República Oriental del Uruguay. Unlike standard-sized photographic proofs intended primarily for internal plate approval, this example was mounted on an oversized presentation card measuring approximately thirty-three by thirty-three centimeters, dwarfing both the standard note format and later proof mountings.
The face and back photographic proofs themselves measure approximately twenty-three by twelve centimeters, reflecting a distinct enlargement relative to the issued banknote format. This expanded scale was not accidental. Large-format presentation proofs of this type were created to allow engravers, issuing authorities, and senior officials to study line structure, tonal balance, portrait modeling, and ornamental density without the visual compression imposed by circulation dimensions.
The obverse features José Gervasio Artigas rendered in authoritative profile within a richly engraved architectural frame, accompanied by the full denomination inscription and institutional title of the issuing authority. The photographic medium preserves the full depth of engraving prior to ink application, revealing plate geometry, line convergence, and vignette transitions with exceptional clarity. The reverse presents the monumental equestrian motif of Artigas, framed by classical columns and flanked by allegorical portrait medallions, conveying national identity, authority, and continuity at a scale rarely encountered outside archival contexts.
Dated 1935, this presentation proof pair occupies a critical position in Uruguay’s monetary design evolution, preceding the refined 1939 series while already displaying the mature engraving language of the interwar period. The use of oversized mounting suggests a presentation or reference function beyond routine production, likely reserved for institutional review, senior approval, or archival retention rather than workshop circulation.
Certified by Professional Coin Grading Service Currency as Choice About New 58 and described on the holder as mounted on cardstock, this piece survives as a complete face-and-back photographic proof ensemble. Its preservation within the original large-format mount distinguishes it from later, smaller presentation proofs and standard archival dispersals. As a result, it must be regarded not merely as a proof of a banknote design, but as a physical artifact of the design and approval process itself.
Within the broader context of American Bank Note Company production for Uruguay, this 1935 large-format presentation photo proof pair stands as a museum-grade document of scale, intent, and institutional authority. It offers direct insight into how national identity and monetary legitimacy were evaluated visually at the highest levels, before reduction to circulating form.