The Oriental Bank Corporation
1853-1863 - Kandy

Currency Notes in Rupees issued from 1853 to 1863 by The Oriental Bank Corporation in Kandy, with an engraving of Royal Crest. The Date is printed only as 18__ and signed and hand-dated at the time of issue. Printed by by Perkins, Bacon & Petch, London. After 1853 March was Printed by Perkins, Bacon & Co. as Henry Petch died in 1852.

Denomination: 5 Rupees
Note Color: Blue
English : Five Rupees
Sinhala : රුපියල්පහයි
Thamil : ஐந்துரூபாய்
Size : 148 x 115 mm
Date : ___ 18__
Status : Specimen
images/oba/185x_obc_kan_5r_e_pf.jpg
Click to see higher resolution proof
without Sinhala Tamil & color. 		Pick-lk Unlisted

Front : A decorated rectangular wide border with no text. Within border on top Center, below arced legend INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER crowned British Royal Court of arms within belt with legend HONO SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE (French motto of the order of Garter translates to "Shame be to him who thinks evil of it") with couchant lion crowned facing arms on left and couchant unicorn chained with garter looking back away from arms on right. Below in scroll DIEU ET MON DROIT (The French motto of the Monarch of the United Kingdom, translates to God and My Right.)
On either side alpha-numeric Denomination with unit below in decorate, with above රුපියල් Denomination in Sinhala on left and Denomination ரூபாய் in Thamil on right, with Serial No below. Centered below KANDY, CEYLON ___ 18___
Within shaded rectangle
THE ORIENTAL BANK CORPORATION Promises to pay Bearer on demand at their Office here, or at their Bank in Colombo DENOMINATION RUPEES or the equivalent in the Currency of the Island, Value received
Below By Order of the Court of Directors above in one line
Entd _____ Accountt ______ Manager
In bottom left just inside border in small script Perkins, Bacon & Petch, London. Patent Hardened Steel Plate. (? need to verify)
Back : Blank
Watermark : ORIENTAL BANK in downward arc above CORPORATION in line below darker than paper (need to confirm)
Printed : Perkins Bacon & Petch, London.
Size : Estimated assuming frame is same as circulated Rs 5 note measured from the Colombo National Museum Collection, and assuming size was adopted in inches.

Note the Sinhala or Thamil text in this early undated Specimen.
which is absent in the undated Kandy proof shown on click above and the Colombo Proof

I thank Jonathan Callaway for reference from his The Perkins Bacon Story 2015 Winter Spink Insider Issue 23 page 32.

Text and Images from Christies Auction listings Rs 5
Image estimated to be 80 dpi and displayed at 50 dpi.