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25 Francs Saint-Louis
| Issuer | Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale |
|---|---|
| Year | 1917 |
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| Designer(s) | Obverse: Henri Jules Ferdinand Bellery-Desfontaines Reverse: Georges Duval |
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| Reverse description | Printed entirely in reddish-brown, the reverse carries an elaborate geometric and arabesque border design derived from Islamic decorative arts, with interlaced strapwork panels filling the outer frame. A central hexagonal medallion is flanked by two blocks of Arabic script text giving the denomination and payment conditions. The designer's signature 'Georges DUVAL fecit.' appears in the lower left margin. |
| Reverse lettering | بانك دي لافريك الغربي إنبوز خمسة وعشرون فرنكاً جورج دوفال Georges DUVAL . fecit. |
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| Comments |
The Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale was the sole bank of issue for French West Africa, and its wartime notes were produced under genuine pressure — by 1917, paper shortages and the demands of the Western Front had already disrupted French printing schedules significantly. That this series was completed at all, to the standard of the Banque de France's own ateliers, reflects how seriously colonial monetary stability was treated in Paris during the war years.
Bellery-Desfontaines was primarily an illustrator and poster artist, not a conventional banknote designer — an unusual choice. The Florian brothers handled engraving on several BAO issues of this period.