The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 23, June 10, 2007, Article 9

ALEXANDRE VATTEMARE AMERICAN ALBUM INFORMATION SOUGHT

David Gladfelter writes: "I am trying to find information about a 
collection of engraved bank notes commissioned by Alexandre Vattemare 
in 1841.

"Quite a bit of information about Vattemare himself is available, 
including some that was published in E-Sylum. Vattemare was a French 
national, collector of books and all sorts of other things, and 
promoter of free public libraries. He was quite a character -- 
reportedly thrown out of medical school because he used his abilities 
as a ventriloquist to make the cadavers "talk," and the faculty 
apparently couldn't take a practical joke. 

"He assembled and published a collection of engravings circa 1837 
which he titled "Album Cosmopolite." After visits to the U.S. he 
apparently commissioned the bank note engraving firm of Rawdon, 
Wright & Hatch to put together (or the firm independently produced, 
in his honor) a collection of bank note proofs, including some very 
rare U. S. loan certificates. He called this the "American Album." 
The full title is: "American Album,/ Selections from M. Alexandre 
Vattemare's Collections/of Drawings of the Most Distinguished Artists 
of/The United States/Being a/Continuation of the Album Cosmopolite/ 
Dedicated to the/American Nation/by/A. Vattemare./Presented by/ 
Rawdon, Wright & Hatch/Bank Note Engravers/New-York/to/Mr. A. 
attemare/for his/American Album./1841."

"One of these albums was broken up and sold at auction by Robson/ 
Lowe-Christie's in September 1982. I do not have a copy of that 
catalog. It might answer most of my questions.

"Do any of our readers know where this catalog may be consulted? 
Does anyone know how many copies of the "American Album" were 
made, and to whom they were given? Or where they are now? If any 
complete copies still exist, what do they contain and where can 
they be seen? As always, thanks for your assistance."

[The June 2005 COINage article by David T. Alexander, "Alexandre 
Vattemare: Numismatic Magician and Bibliophile" is a fascinating 
account based on recently discovered materials about this "former 
soldier and ventriloquist who went on to become an acclaimed 
bibliophile, numismatist and international cultural ambassador of 
the 19th century." In 1861 Vattemare authored "Collection des 
Monnaies et des Medailles de l'Amerique du Nord 1652-1858, Offerte 
a la Biblioteque Imperiale" (My loose translation: "Collection of 
the Monies of North America 1652-1858 of the Biblioteque Nationale") 
-Editor]

VATTAMARE APPRECIATION
esylum_v08n22a07.html

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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