BALDWIN'S CHRISTOPHER COMBER LIBRARY SALE

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V23 2020 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 23, Number 41, October 11, 2020, Article 3

Coming up on October 15, 2020 is the Christopher Comber numismatic library sale by Baldwin's of St. James. Here are some selected lots. -Editor

Carlyon-Britton, Major Philip William Poole (1863-1938): The Carlyon-Britton Collection of Coins: the collector's unique record of the coins in the collection: two quarto index books, bound in three-quarter morocco and cloth boards, his bookplate to both; each volume with some hand-written notes and the coins individually and lovingly described on a moveable tab, 6 to a page, in red and black inks, showing purchases from c. 1910-1918; Vol. I, dated May 1913, 'Hammered English Gold Coins 1257-1662'; Vol. II, Henry VII – Charles II (though ending with Elizabeth), a superb record recorded in immaculate detail (Manville, Biographical Dictionary, p.50; cf. also BNJ 1917, p. 242 & BNJ 2001, p.144), in excellent condition (2)

Lot 5026: Richard Cyril Lockett Collection

Lockett, Richard Cyril: Catalogue of the Celebrated Collection of Coins formed by the late Richard Cyril Lockett, Glendining Auctions, London 1955-1961, the English series, complete in 5 parts; Pts. I & II with added 'Collections and Finds', printed prices in catalogue; Pt. III hand-priced throughout and (copied) list of buyers' names; Pt. IV, printed prices; Pt. V, hand-priced throughout and (copied) list of buyers' names, separately bound in brown cloth, titled in gilt on spine; Lingford, Herbert M.: Catalogue of the important Numismatic Collection, Part II, Gold, Silver and Copper issues of James VI of Scotland and James I of Ireland, Glendining Auction, 20-21 June 1951, with prices realised and buyers' names, hard bound, leather spine; Moon, J. E., Sotheby Auction, 1901, hand-priced with buyers' names, modern hard bound, leather spine; Noble, B. R., Glendining Auction, December 1975, hard bound, some foxing, stains and one repair to Moon, otherwise all in excellent condition (8)

Lot 5032: Numismatic Letters

Numismatic Letters: Four leather-spined book-like holders containing a collection of letters on numismatic subjects by many of the most recognisable names: (I) to Richard Cyril Lockett from George Brooke, with manuscript notes on the coinage of Offa and the gold penny of Edward the Confessor, with a miscellaneous 'hotch-potch' of letters, notes, etc., relating to numismatics, 18th – 20th century; (II) to Robert Day of Cork, Irish antiquarian, upwards of 60 letters, c. 1875-1900, from other antiquarians, collectors, Irish peerage, etc, covering a wide range of mostly Irish topics (with list); (III) to F. S. Cockayne, many token-related and including a typescript catalogue of Anglesey tokens autographed and from R. Dalton; (IV) to J. H. Burn and including notes in his hand; to and from Helen Farquhar, including Max Rosenheim; to R. A. Holbyn, including from Hyman Montagu, all have been sorted and with typed descriptions of most; with a signed reprint by Michael Dolley on letters from Aquilla Smith to Richard Sainthill, 1972, a fascinating record of a more gentle and less money-driven age (lot)

Seaby [B. A. Seaby, Ltd.]: Coins and Medals offered for sale; the early duplicated lists in roneoed typescript on foolscap, 1926 – 1938 and believed by Comber to be the most complete set extant; most re-stapled and generally in good order and very rare , 1935: January, M.238; February, X.239; March, M.240; March, M.241 [Brand Collection]; April, M.242; May, M.243; May, LM.244; May, LM.245; June, C.246; [July], 248, this 'Catalogue of the Coins and Medals of the Tudors and Stuarts', 22pp., printed in 2-column style, soft card; August, M.249; September, M.250; September, C.251; October, E.252; October, M. 253; November, M.254; December, M.255

B. A. Seaby Ltd. H. A. (Bert) Seaby (d. 1979), son of the artist, illustrator and print-maker, Allen William Seaby (1867-1953), joined the coin department at Spink & Son in 1919 and whilst there, in 1926, he published his first catalogue, The Milled Silver Coinage of England. Later that same year he was able to establish his own business, B. A. Seaby Ltd., and right from the start he produced duplicated lists of stock for sale. Lots 5034 to 5043 are not a complete set and it is believed only one or two such sets survive, but it is an amazing record of the range of coins and medals for sale. Generally, the lists are in good order, but many have been folded and the old rusted staples have been replaced throughout. In 1929 he published the first edition of A Catalogue of the Coins of Great Britain and Ireland and an excellent set follows.