Vintage Smith Trust & Savings Bank, Morrison, Ill. Teller Endorsement Stamp

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On offer is a vintage desk stamp, known as a teller, endorsement or signature stamp, dating from the early 20th … Read more On offer is a vintage desk stamp, known as a teller, endorsement or signature stamp, dating from the early 20th century. The bottom engraving is intentionally mirrored so it will read correctly when pressed onto ink and paper. When flipped upright, it explicitly reads: SMITH TRUST & SAVINGS BANK (curving around the bottom edge); MORRISON, ILL. (curving across the top edge); H.J. (centered, just above the middle line) MORRISON (centered horizontally across the middle), all indicating that this stamp belonged to an individual named H.J. Morrison who worked at or did business with the Smith Trust & Savings Bank located in Morrison, Illinois.
The die on the stamp’s bottom is made of solid brass. It features a classic, high-quality, engine-turned guilloché background pattern—those spiral wavy lines radiating from the center. This intricate background served a security purpose, making the stamp highly difficult to forge or replicate smoothly.
The handle is turned wood, most commonly beech, maple, or walnut for utility office supplies of that era. It has a rich, aged dark brown patina from decades of handling.
This stamp dates between 1927 and the 1940s. The bank was formally active in this exact name format starting in 1927. The style of the turned wood handle, the intricate hand-cut or machine-engraved brass security background, and the abbreviation "ILL." (instead of the modern IL post office code implemented in 1963) perfectly match standard banking hardware from the late 1920s to the World War II era.
Signature/Maker’s Mark: Nonexistent. See less