The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 23, June 6, 2004, Article 3

KOLBE FORD I SALE RESULTS

  George Kolbe forwarded the following Press Release for
  Tuesday's landmark sale of the first part of the Ford
  library.  I couldn't be there in person, but participated by
  phone.  We'd love to hear some first-hand reports from
  attendees at the sale - please send us your thoughts for
  the next E-Sylum.

  "Numismatic literature history was made when the 1,000 lot
  first part of the John J. Ford, Jr. American Numismatic Library
  was sold at public auction on June 1, 2004 at The Mission Inn
  in Riverside, California. It was the most important auction of
  rare American numismatic literature ever held, and the first part
  alone brought substantially more, at 1.66 million dollars, than
  the four Armand Champa library sales (approximately 1 million
  dollars), or the five Harry Bass library sales (1.25 million
dollars).
  The pre-sale estimates totaled just under a million dollars, but
  63 registered floor bidders, 16 telephone bidders, and 150
  absentee bidders combined to produce a plethora of record
  prices across the board.

  The prior record for a single day auction of numismatic literature,
  worldwide, is under a half million dollars, setting the sale of the
  Ford library in a class by itself. The auction was held by Kolbe
  in association with Stack's, and a limited number of well
  illustrated catalogues, including a prices realized list, may still
be
  ordered by sending $35.00 to George Frederick Kolbe, Fine
  Numismatic Books, P. O. Drawer 3100, Crestline, CA 92325.

  A few sale highlights follow: Hiram Deats? superb set of the
  first six volumes of The Numismatist, 1888-1993, estimated at
  $15,000, sold for $40,250;

  Adolphus Hart's 1851 History of the Issues of Paper Money in
  the American Colonies, one of only three copies known with the
  Historical Chart brought $34,500 on a $12,500 estimate;

  opening at $10,000, the original inventory of the legendary
  Waldo Newcomer Collection of American coins sold for
  $19,550;

  also opening at $10,000, the original F. C. C. Boyd appraisal
  and inventory of the massive coin collection formed by Col.
  E. H. R. Green brought $42,550 to an indefatigable telephone
  bidder;

  the most important assemblage of Chapman Brothers auction
  catalogues ever offered, including superb examples with original
  photographic plates, and many of the firm's unique Bid Books
  for their most important auctions, generally brought record prices;

  over twenty rare Thomas Elder auction catalogues with original
  photographic plates also sold very well;

  numerous Wayte Raymond catalogues with photographic plates
  and all four of the  firm's unique bid books of the monumental
  1920s W. W. C. Wilson sales were avidly sought after;

  important Americana, including a superb selection of early
  Western and other rare American Directories generally sold well
  above the estimates;

  two original copies of Attinelli?s 1876 Numisgraphics brought
  $4,025 and $6,325;

  a superb set of Milford Haven's classic work on Naval Medals
  realized $5,060; classic works on large cents, including deluxe
  editions and famous collectors? copies were in great demand;

  rare publications on fractional currency and Confederate
  currency were likewise avidly sought after, including perhaps
  the finest example known of Thian?s Register of the Confederate
  Debt, one of only five issued, which sold for $35,650 on a
  $12,500 estimate;

  classic works and unique manuscripts on American colonial
  coins were in demand, and the Dr. Hall/Hays manuscript on
  Connecticut coppers realized $23,000;

  several Eckfeldt and Du Bois works featured actual samples
  of  California ?49er gold and all sold for well over the estimates,
  particularly the 1842-1849 edition which brought $9,200 on a
  $3,500 estimate;

  Ed Frossard?s own set of his first 150 auction sale catalogues,
  handsomely bound in fifteen volumes, was one of the great
  highlights of the sale, opening for $6,000 on a $10,000 estimate,
  and ending up at $46,000;

  the 1861 private letter copy book of C. G. Memminger,
  Secretary of the Treasury of the Confederate States of America
  brought $24,150.

  Those interested in learning more about this landmark sale or in
  accessing the catalogue and prices realized list online may do so
  by visiting: www.numislit.com

  [note: all prices cited here, including the Champa and Bass library
  totals, include the buyer premium]"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization 
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

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