(http://www.geocities.com/scottishmoney/banknotes/usa/texas501840dtl.jpg)
(http://www.geocities.com/scottishmoney/banknotes/usa/texas501840tn.jpg)
I have always been partial to the State of Texas, I lived there for several years, but more importantly for me, The Republic of Texas was home to some of my ancestors seeking refuge from the United States, President Sam Houston invited them in, and granted them a land grant in the Red River Valley. Until recently I had never owned anything from the Republic of Texas though, until I came across this perfect item in a recent auction. This $50 features an apparently bathing and very nude young lady, with what appears to be a whale and some sort of horse headed serpent behind her. I love the fantastic allegory of the note, coupled of course with the nude. These notes continued to be used until the Republic of Texas joined the United States in 1845.
Mmmmm, I love this series of notes!
I have a RoT with an Indian on it, the $5 note. It's been cancelled, but it's still history and it still counts as RoT!
Plus, it was a found item rather than a purchased item. It was found lodged between the pages of a book along with a few notes from Mexico. If only it could speak! :D
Is that 2 naked ladies? Looks like one sitting up in the clouds at the top! 8) 8) 8)
Beautifull.
I can only guess a beautiful note like this wouldn't be printed today, alas.
There must be some allegory going on with the two nudes. One appears to be holding a caduceus. I also see a chariot which may symbolize Apollo or the sun, and then there's two Hippocampi (seahorse). The foreground nude could be mythological too...maybe there are astrological connotations?
The lady up in the clouds..... possibly a mermaid? Everything else around our central figure is coming up out of the water! ;D