"The discussion of sales that did not
occur as scheduled suggests another numismatic publishing
byway -- great collections that would have made an
outstanding sale that were bought and then published before
dispersal:
Arguably the most important catalog I have in my library that
fits this description is the October 1890 publication by Spink
and Son of the Montague collection of milled English coins
featuring patterns and proofs. They published a special catalog
of this "unrivaled collection of English coins -- a portion so rich
in patterns of extreme rarity--we felt it would be a matter for
regret did we not make some permanent record of it"
The items were numbered (1853 lots) in the same manner as a
sale catalog. The plates, however, are photos in the text rather
than plates at the end. My copy also has the prices neatly
inked in in the same manner as sale catalogs from that era.
And another "never held" sale:
Henry Platt Hall's collection of British coins; Part III
catalogued by Glendining's for a July 26, 1950 sale but the
entire collection was purchased outright by Spink before the
sale. 423 lots with a particularly important group of Charles I
provincial issues included; 11 plates."
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