MORE SELECTED LOTS FROM KOLBE-FANNING SALE #137

Lot 23: Bushnell's Account of Three New York Tokens
Bushnell, Charles I. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST THREE BUSINESS TOKENS ISSUED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. New York: Privately Printed, 1859. 12mo, contemporary brown half morocco, gilt, with marbled sides; marbled endpapers; original pink printed wraps bound in. Lithographic frontispiece depicting a Mott token and two Talbot, Allum and Lee tokens, printed in metallic ink; 17, (1) pages; advertisement leaf. Near fine.

A charming copy of this important work. Originally published by Bushnell in a limited large-paper edition, he issued this more commonly encountered (though still scarce) edition to satisfy demand for the work. He continued to add to it, however, issuing a very rare second edition that was generally unknown until the first Kolbe Ford sale. The frontispiece is a lithograph in bronze ink, and the overall production values are well above average. Includes an appendix listing sales of these tokens at auction. The advertisement leaf contains four ads, all by die sinkers. Davis 163.

Lot 83: The Virtuoso's Companion

Denton, M. THE VIRTUOSO'S COMPANION, AND COIN COLLECTOR'S GUIDE. London: M. Denton, 1795-96. The first four volumes, bound in one. 12mo, 19th-century brown half calf with marbled boards; spine with four raised bands, ruled and decorated in blind; red morocco spine label, gilt; marbled endpapers; all page edges red. calf. Finely engraved frontispiece; four engraved titles; 120 finely engraved plates, each depicting both sides of four tokens; 15, (1) page index. Slight rubbing, else a fine copy.

An attractive copy of the first four volumes. Issued serially over several years, complete sets of this, the only comprehensive early work depicting 18th-century English tokens, are today decidedly rare. The preface proposed to issue "fac-similes of four hundred and eighty different Coins, in four Volumes twelves, with an elegant frontispiece, at the price of twenty shillings." After the four volumes here present had appeared, such a wealth of tokens remained un-illustrated that it was decided to extend the series to eight volumes.

Initiated by Denton, the last two parts were published by Thomas Prattent. The work appeared at ten- to fourteen-day intervals in printed wrappers, price sixpence: twelve tokens of three plates comprising a number. Given the method of distribution, the change in publisher (many sets are comprised of only the first 180 plates), and the proclivity of early collectors to cut up plates to illustrate other books (the famous Conder work, for example), it is not surprising that few complete sets have survived.

Lot 96: Elder's Miller Sale Catalogue

Elder, Thomas L. CATALOGUE OF THE SPLENDID RARE COIN COLLECTION OF THE LATE HENRY C. MILLER, ESQ. New York: Daniel R. Kennedy, Auctioneer, May 26-29, 1920. Small 4to [25.5 by 21.5 cm], original black cloth, upper cover lettered in gilt. 154, (6) pages; 2212 lots; 28 superb photographic plates on original cloth hinges. Original prices realized list laid in. Binding slightly rubbed. Near fine.

A magnificent collection of early English coins, Roman silver coins and important American colonial coins. By far best remembered today, however, for including Miller's collection of Connecticut coppers, on which he wrote what is still the standard reference (based partly on prior work by Dr. Thomas Hall).

Plated Miller sales are noted rarities and have always been desirable: in his description of a copy in a 1929 auction catalogue, Elder wrote: "Very rare. Not over 8 or 10 Plate catalogs were issued. Probably none other to be had anywhere for sale. Ought to bring $15 to $20." (The market for these has, suffice to say, increased.)

The first eight plates depict British coins from Celtic times to Queen Victoria, including several Roman Republican coins; the ninth through twenty-second plates illustrate a wide variety of ancient Roman coins, along with a few Byzantine pieces and several coins of Roman Egypt; and the final six plates are devoted to American colonial coins.

Rare, especially in the original binding. Adams 172. Clain-Stefanelli 14081. Davis 365. Ex Richard Picker library (June 1984 Kolbe sale, lot 267).

For more information on the sale, see:
www.numislit.com

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