BALDWIN'S NUMISMATIC LITERATURE OFFERINGS: MAY, 2015

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V18 2015 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 18, Number 21, May 24, 2015, Article 3

Several important fixed price numismatic literature items have been posted to the Baldwin's web site. Here are some that caught my eye. -Editor

Pinkerton, J. An Essay on Medals: Or, An Introduction to the Knowledge of Ancient and Modern Coins and Medals; Especially Those of Greece, Rome, and Britain. London, 1789. Two volumes. Octavo, pp. xlviii, 302; iv, 364; 6 finely engraved plates. Beautifully bound in contemporary full crimson morocco, ruled and lettered in gilt, all edges and inner dentelles gilt. Marbled endpapers, original silk markers. Two finely engraved armorial ex-libris in the first volume, one unnamed, the other that of notorious coin thief William Durrant (d.1846), along with the distinctive bookplate of Phiroze Randeira in both volumes. Two contemporary sheets of manuscript notes, possibly in the hand of William Durrant, are loosely inserted, the first states that this volume was bought ‘at a sale at Evans July 5 1820…fine copy morocco’, this however cannot be accurate as Evans did not begin as an auctioneer until 1822.

A subsequent note in a later hand accompanies a clipping pasted onto the same sheet and states that the book was later purchased through well-known bookseller Bernard Halliday in Leicester in 1951 and that this book, along with many others, came from Scottow Hall in Norwich which was the Durrant family seat and which contained, perhaps naturally, many numismatic items. The second sheet, (dated 1802) has been inserted into the second volume and gives the prices realised and locations for coins illustrated in these plates, examples of which were sold in the contemporaneous Tyssen sale which Durrant would have attended. A beautiful set of books with a most interesting provenance. Rare thus.

Muret, E. & Chabouillet, M. A. Catalogue Des Monnaies Gauloises de la Bibliothèque Nationale. Paris, 1889. Large quarto, pp. xxvii, (1), 327, (1). Half red morocco with marbled boards, raised bands, yellow label in second compartment lettered in gilt. With; De La Tour, H. Atlas de Monnaies Gauloises Préparé Par Le Comission De Topographie Des Gaules et Publié Sous led Auspices du Ministère de L’Instruction Publique. Paris, 1892. Large quarto, pp. iv, (2), 12; 55 beautifully engraved plates by Dardel. Mean half morocco over later cloth boards, raised bands, green morocco title label to spine, lettered in gilt. Both books scuffed at extremities, contents very good with only minimal browning A good set of this major catalogue of the French National collection of Gaulish coins, complete with the very scarce volume of plates. Clain-Stefanelli 5144 & 5139*.

Farquhar, H. Seven finely bound volumes containing all thirty four papers written by Helen Farquhar, ‘the doyenne of British numismatics’, for both the Numismatic Chronicle and the British Numismatic Journal. Compiled by Helen and bound for her sister Theresa in circa 1938. London, 1906 -1936. Quarto and octavo. A wonderful archive containing a wealth of information and including Farquhar’s most important works including all of the ‘Royal Charities’ papers as well as all seven parts of the ‘Portraiture of Our Stuart Monarchs’ series.

Also inserted are two obituaries, the first written by Christopher Blunt in the Numismatic Circular and the second from the Times, both accurately confirming the importance of Helen’s work and her esteemed place within the numismatic world, ‘She was the last survivor of the generation of British numismatists which flourished before and after the First World War. Her many younger friends will remember her with affection as a very great lady”. Possibly the finest and most complete set of Helen Farquhar’s work to have been offered and especially attractive with such a personal provenance. Exceptionally rare thus.

Humphreys, H. N. The Coinage of the British Empire: An Outline of the Progress of the Coinage in Great Britain and her Dependencies. London, 1855. Quarto, pp. colour plate as frontispiece, 160, 23 plates in total, 12 line drawn, the remaining 11 are stunning chromolithographic plates produced in gold, silver and copper. Some offsetting but contents otherwise clean. Beautifully and extravagantly bound in the original papier mache boards, designed to imitate carved oak and done in the style of the reverse of a Henry VIII Sovereign complete with the original legend around the edge and surrounded in each corner by emblematic symbols representing England (a Tudor rose and acorn), Scotland (a thistle) and Ireland (the shamrock). Original cloth spine, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Hinges weak as is to be expected, boards a little worn, the back with some small cracks and the edges chipped but on the whole an exceptional example of this highly ornate Victorian binding which rarely survives intact. A wonderful copy. Rare thus.