James Bannister was born in England in 1821. He
would move to the United States, probably in the early to mid 1840s. There, he
worked as an engraver, a portrait painter and an illustrator. In the 1860s he
worked for the American Bank Note Company, although he is also linked to the
Franklin Engraving & Printing Co, with some sources naming him as one of
the founders in 1877. The Franklin company would be acquired by the ABNC some
three years after its foundation. Bannister’s stamp work was all done for the
ABNC.
In the 1860s, Bannister engraved a number of definitives
for New Brunswick. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Most of these bore the
portrait of Queen Victoria.
His profile Victoria portrait first appeared on the Nova Scotia definitives of 1860, but it made further appearances on the Newfoundland 1865 definitive set and even on Canada's Second issue Bill Stamps of 1865. Unusually, his engraving was subsequently on a number of banknotes, which were issued in Mexico and Peru.
More Victoria was to follow. For New Brunswick he engraved the Chalon portrait
on the 1860 definitive set and for Newfoundland he engraved a more mature
portrait of Victoria, while also engraving stamp portraits of Prince Albert and
King Edward VII when he was still Prince of Wales.
For Argentina, too, Bannister would engrave two
portrait stamps: those of the generals Belgrano and San Martin from the 1867
definitive set.
James Bannister passed away in New York on 11
October 1901.
You will find James Bannister's database HERE.