HUNTER COIN CABINET MOVES TO NEW HOME

Glasgow Moves
The move of the Hunter Coin Cabinet to the new Hunterian Collections Study Centre at Kelvin Hall is at last complete and we are now operating normally again.

This is the third major move of the coins, the first being in 1807 when they were transported by waggon from London to Glasgow – “accompanied by six trusty men well versed in the use of arms.” The cabinet was housed in the specially designed museum building by William Stark in the shape of a classical temple. Situated on the Old College site beside the cathedral it was, alas, demolished at the end of the 19th century. The second move took place in 1870 when the University transferred to the west end of the city. The gothic masterpiece by George Gilbert Scott contains one of the earliest public coin rooms. Many readers of MMN will recall the climb up the hidden staircase to the imposing iron door and it was with some sadness that this was locked for the last time. However, as part of a listed building it will remain intact.

Kelvin Hall was built in 1927 and until recently functioned as a sports arena with a 1980s addition housing the City’s transport museum. When the latter moved to the new Riverside Museum, the University, City and the National Library of Scotland joined together to transform it into a refurbished sporting facility, film archive, museum stores and collections study centre. A second phase will see new exhibition galleries for The Hunterian. Meanwhile the public displays remain on the main university campus close by.

The Argyll Coin Cabinet
Another important addition to the collection is the coin cabinet belonging to the Dukes of Argyll. Made of maplewood and decorated overall with penwork, it takes the form of a Roman Imperial cinerarium. It measures 340 mms wide x 380 mms deep x 305 mms high and contains ten drawers to hold a total of 139 coins and medals.

It appears to date to c.1805 and remained in the Argyll family until late in the 20th century.This unique and outstanding cabinet is of the greatest importance and represents a rare survival of an early coin cabinet. Such cabinets were not uncommon after 1750 but the majority have long disappeared.

It was purchased through the Walter Allen Endowment Fund and the Marion Archibald Bequest. Marion generously left a legacy to The Hunterian and this use of it seems appropriate for an alumna of the University. She would surely have approved and been pleased.

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
A FRENCH COIN CABINET C1809-19 BY JACOB-DESMALTER (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n13a13.html)
MORE COIN CABINETS (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n14a18.html)
ANOTHER CHARLES PERCIER COIN CABINET (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n35a13.html)
JEFFREY LAPLANTE ON COIN CABINETS (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n18a12.html)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web