The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 16, April 17, 2005, Article 10

19TH CENTURY NUMISMATISTS AND LATIN AMERICAN NUMISMATICS

Al Buonaguro writes: "By way of introduction, my numismatic
specialty is Latin American coinage. For over thirty years I
have maintained and expanded a reference collection of Latin
American silver coins with which I perform selected research
projects. I recently corresponded with Dave Bowers about
some very interesting information published by his firm in the
current Eliasberg sale catalog. Below is what I wrote to him.
He advised that I post this query to E-Sylum subscribers.

Basically, I am seeking information about nineteenth century
numismatists and their activities which relate to Latin America.
For example, for the past year I have been identifying participants
at the famous Fonrobert sales of Latin American coinage
conducted by Adolf Weyl in 1878/1879. The Eliasberg catalog
mentions an individual named Harry Williams who seems to
have been a pivotal figure in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth century. He may also have been an absentee bidder
at at least one of the Fonrobert sales. Consequently, I am
specifically seeking information about him but would welcome
correspondence with any individuals who might have knowledge
of personalities and activities relative to Latin American
numismatics.

My words to Dave Bowers were:

I have been reading your superb catalog of the Eliasberg
collection. Congratulations – yet again – on an important
contribution to numismatic research. Since my own collection
and related research is almost exclusively focused on silver
issues, I am not attending the sale. However, the catalog
provides much information about personalities and pedigrees
that bear on my own research. One specific project has
been to delve into late nineteenth century numismatists
involved in Latin American coinage

Consequently, I am eager to learn more about Harry Williams
beyond the Numismatist articles which I have already read.
He seems to have had excellent contacts within South America.
He may well be involved with much more than just the extreme
gold rarities that eventually went to Newcomer and then
Eliasberg. For example, might he have been a bidder at the
famous Fonrobert sales of Latin American coinage conducted
by Adolf Weyl in 1878/1879? Interestingly, I have a copy of
the bid book for the Central American portion of the Fonrobert
sale and there is an absentee bidder whose last name seems to
begin with “Wi.” Could it have been Williams? I have found
out that Harry Williams was born in 1861 and married Emma
Magnus in February 1886 so he would have been 17 or 18 years
old and unmarried during the 1878/1879 Fonrobert sales. The
“Wi” bidder was not nearly as well heeled as most of his rival
bidders and bought only a few lower cost items after submitting
many low bids. Might you know of any source of information
that might shed light on Harry Williams very early collecting
activities? Just knowing when he began collecting and how
soon he gravitated to Latin American coins would be of great
interest.

Lastly, there is mention in the Eliasberg catalog of a body of
correspondence between Williams and Newcomer which was
graciously made available to you by its current owner. There
is surely a gold mine of information relative to Latin American
numismatic personalities and pedigrees in those letters. Might
there be any possibility of a serious researcher such as myself
gaining access to this material? Obviously, I would acquiesce
to any conditions imposed by the owner in order to have the
privilege of examining such a wealth of data.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide."

[Al adds: "By all means please publish my Email address. I
would welcome correspondence from knowledgeable researchers
and would be happy to share my findings: abuonag at msn.com
-Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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