BERNARD POINDESSAULT (1935-2014)

Do you remember the days when there was only one public television channel per country in Europe? Then, TV carried a totally different weight. Every evening the whole family was gathered in front of the telly and the very next morning everybody would discuss the last evening’s programs.

The United Kingdom had the BBC, Germany the ARD, and France RTF Télévision. Between 1961 and 1967, the latter aired the series ‘Avis aux Amateurs’ (opinion of the amateurs) every week at prime time featuring week after week one collector presenting his most valued collection piece. Bernard Poindessault, too, was invited to talk. He spoke so enthusiastically about his coins that he received over 1,200 letters from the audience which caused him to change his profession. He became a coin dealer and founded the Centre Numismatique du Palais Royal in Paris.

More than 50 years have passed since and, of course, times have changed. Today you cannot even count the broadcasting channels; and a weekly series featuring somebody talking about his collection would not survive a single week not to mention seven years. One thing, however, has not changed: numismatics needs enthusiasts who infect others with their enthusiasm for numismatics.

Bernard Poindessault was one of these enthusiasts. We mourn about a man who had the gift of carrying others along with his enthusiasm.

In Paris in the 1970s there was a little joke circulating. Yes, there was a numismatic heaven, ruled by God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. God the Father – and this is hardly a surprise – was identified with great Jean Vinchon, ‘veteran’ of the Parisian coin trade since 1945. The Holy Spirit was Emile Bourgey. Finally, God the Son – that could have been no one else than Bernard Poindessault, zealous prophet and herald of the numismatic message who became very talented in getting laypeople enthusiastic about numismatics. Not only the family grieves for Bernard Poindessault, the numismatic world has lost one of its leading figures. He died on 12 July, 2014.

Bernard Poindessault was born as the child of two lawyers on 13 July 1935. Unsurprisingly, he chose to study law after finishing school. Between 1958 and 1961, however, he had to serve in the army, and that gave his life a new direction. At the very beginning of his military career he was sent to Algeria, in order to help setting up a training center at Khenchela. During his stay there the young enthusiastic man witnessed the thermae of ancient city of Mascula being archaeologically excavated. Amongst the material unearthed were numerous coin finds. Bernard Poindessault was thrilled. Being a child he used to binge-read the novels written by Alexandre Dumas with their historical backdrop and he owned his own collection of Roman sestertii. And there he was, experiencing an excavation first-hand, even unburying a few items himself that are on display today in the showcases of the museum of Constantine.

When he returned to Paris, Bernard Poindessault worked at an insurance company. All of his leisure time, on the other hand, he spent on numismatics. He collected Roman coins. In addition, he felt the profound need to share his passion for numismatics. That was the reason for him to become a foundation member of Société d’Etudes Numismatique et Archéologie whose presidency he was to assume later. He created the journal Les Cahiers numismatiques and served as its editor. In 1965, his finest hour had come. The television broadcast “Avis aux Amateurs”, produced by T.F. 1 had invited him to speak about his hobby. Today, this is no big deal, but back then it was something of a sensation: T.F. 1 was the only television channel available in France. And so everybody watched Bernard Poindessault. But even the television experts did not see this incredible feedback coming: more than 1,200 letters arrived at the station – an unparalleled number. It took Bernard Poindessault 15 months to answer them all, and during that time he decided to switch careers. He terminated his assurance business and became a coin dealer.

Just two years later, the business premises in the Rue Montpensier already proved too small. In 1969, he moved to the coin dealers’ street, to Rue de Richelieu # 38 where the Centre Numismatique du Palais Royal is located until the present day, run by his wife Josiane.

Apart from his daily routine as a coin dealer – as an expert, he conducted several auction sales at Hotel Drouot Paris, but he also organized auctions at Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Roubaix, Bordeaux and Poitiers – Bernard Poindessault always had the desire to actively promote numismatics. He published three monographs, two of which became standard works of reference to many collectors: Repertoire de la Numismatique Française Contemporaine as well as Repertoire des Monnaies Napoleonides. He initiated the journal Archeonumis and, in his function as secretary general, vice-president and president, played an active part in the French association of coin dealers called Syndicat National des Experts Numismates et Numismates Professionnels whose honorary president he was.

In addition, Bernard Poindessault often was called in as an expert both by Tribunal de Commerce de Paris and Cour d’Appel in Paris. His most important ‘case’ was connected with the great heist at the Naples museum. Back then, it was his task to examine 3,500 confiscated ancient coins in order to identify the specimens that had been stolen from the museum at Naples.

Bernard Poindessault was always open to the new media. His numismatic career having started with a television appearance, the end was marked by a new website www.infomonnaies.com that is currently hosted by the French journal Numismatique et Change.

With Bernard Poindessault the numismatic world is losing a dedicated representative who successfully managed to likewise fill outsiders and non-collectors with enthusiasm. I have lost a colleague and a friend whom I have been close to through numismatics. My sympathy goes to his widow, Josiane Vedrines-Poindessault, and his entire family.

In 1981, I attended two international book auctions, one in London in March, another in Düsseldorf in October. Typically, from this time on, anytime I travelled overseas I spent a few days in London, visiting Douglas Saville and buying books at Spink and, often, from Baldwins, Seaby’s, and David Edmunds. If memory serves, it was during the course of one of the 1981 trips that I flew from London to Paris one morning and returned to London later the same day. My goal was to meet Bernard Poindessault and to view his growing stock of rare and desirable numismatic books. After an uneventful flight, I arrived at 38 rue de Richelieu and met Bernard and Josiane Vedrines. Soon, we ascended well-worn, narrow circular stair steps to an upper floor, where the firm’s book stock was shelved. That day, I learned how deeply the French love their books. All were well cared for, most were in an excellent state of preservation, often in quality leather bindings of the period.

Midday we adjourned for a leisurely repast. I gave it little justice; I wanted to be looking at books! When we returned to the shop, I selected a goodly number of volumes, from which I purchased a respectable number. While Bernard’s prices were highly optimistic, many of the works in his stock were exceptional in one or more respects. I particularly recall acquiring a set of Barbier’s 1872–79 Dictionnaire des Ouvrages Anonymes, a classic bibliographic reference work I have used to advantage over the years. Another tool I acquired was Engel and Serrure’s Répertoire des sources imprimées de la numismatique française, both volumes handsomely bound in recent French red quarter morocco. A number of years later I was able to acquire a nicely bound set with the rare third supplementary volume, yet Bernard’s copy still resides in my library in a place of honor.

Whatever other books I acquired that day do not come to mind but I do recall tarrying too long at rue de Richelieu, and the—beyond the call of duty—courtesy extended to me by a Parisian who, upon my inquiry, escorted me to the proper train traveling to the airport. Heavy briefcase in hand, I raced through the corridors of Charles de Gaulle Airport, only to just miss my flight. Fortunately, another flight left an hour later with me, if a bit dishevelled, on board. As noted by Ursula Kampmann and Fritz-Rudolf Künker, Bernard Poindessault was a force of nature in the numismatic world. His devotion to coins was scarcely exceeded by his love of numismatic books. A few years later I visited Bernard once more. At the time he had a set in stock of Loubat’s magnificent Medallic History of the United States of America, inscribed by the author to Ulysses S. Grant. The price at the time was hefty; my regret at not buying it has haunted me ever since.

A few years ago I “met” Bernard once again, at the 2010 numismatic book auction conducted in Osnabrück by Künker GmbH with the assistance of Douglas Saville. Among the over 2,000 lots on view were a number of instantly recognizable “Bernard” books: classic works often identifiable by their outstanding condition or, in the case of more modern titles, by their well-crafted French morocco bindings. Several made their way into the stock of Kolbe and Fanning, all of them quickly disappearing. I did not know Bernard Poindessault well on a personal basis. In the world of books we were simpatico.

Archives International Auctions, Part XXI
4th Annual Wall Street Coin, Currency & Collectible Show Auction

U.S. & Worldwide Banknotes, Coins,Scripophily, Autographs & Security Printing Ephemera

October 25th & November 4th, 2014

Highlights include:

Lot 759 Palestine Currency Board, 1929 High Grade Issue Banknote

ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL AUCTIONS, LLC
1580 Lemoine Avenue, Suite #7
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Phone: 201-944-4800
Email: info@archivesinternational.com
WWW.ARCHIVESINTERNATIONAL.COM