Cyrus Durand was born
on 27 February 1787 in Jefferson Village, New Jersey. He was the elder brother
of the engraver Asher Durand, whose banknote portraits went on to feature on
the first stamps of the United States.
Cyrus himself is mainly
known for inventing various machines to aid the engraving of banknotes and
stamps. He invented machines for engraving straight and wavy lines and for
ovals, and he invented transferring machines, pantographs and most importantly,
a geometric lathe. In fact, at the time he was the only man who could artistically
use such a geometric lathe, and it was this talent he used on the frames of various
values of the USA 1861 definitive series, his only (known) contribution to
philately.
Cyrus Durand passed
away in Irvington, New Jersey, on 18 September 1868.
You will find Cyrus Durand's database HERE.