NUMISMATICS

[Marsden Squares: William Marsden, orientalist and numismatist, First Secretary to the Admiralty who broke the news of Trafalgar.] Autograph Signature to printed Admiralty 'Circular' directing ships' captains to send information on 'Coasts and Ports'

Author: 
William Marsden (1754-1836), Anglo-Irish orientalist, numismatist, and linguist, and Royal Navy official, Second Secretary to the Admiralty, 1795-1804, First Secretary, 1804-7 [Marsden Square mapping]
Publication details: 
London. ’ 'Printed by G. Roberts, Admiralty Office.' Undated, but issued during Marsden's tenure as First Secretary, 1804-7.
£320.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that ‘it fell to him in October 1805 to wake Lord Barham, as first lord of the Admiralty, with the news of victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson’. The present document is an interesting artefact in the history of data collection: Marsden’s important innovation, the system of information-gathering known as ‘Marsden Squares’ or ‘Marsden Square mapping’. 1p, folio, on recto of first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf being blank. Discoloration and wear along outer edge, and patches of light staining to leaves at head and foot.

[Marsden Squares: William Marsden, orientalist and numismatist, First Secretary to the Admiralty who broke the news of Trafalgar.] Autograph Signature to printed Admiralty 'Circular' directing ships' captains to send information on 'Coasts and Ports'

Author: 
William Marsden (1754-1836), Anglo-Irish orientalist, numismatist, and linguist, and Royal Navy official, Second Secretary to the Admiralty, 1795-1804, First Secretary, 1804-7 [Marsden Square mapping]
Publication details: 
London. ’ 'Printed by G. Roberts, Admiralty Office.' Undated, but issued during Marsden's tenure as First Secretary, 1804-7.
£320.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that ‘it fell to him in October 1805 to wake Lord Barham, as first lord of the Admiralty, with the news of victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson’. The present document is an interesting artefact in the history of data collection: Marsden’s important innovation, the system of information-gathering known as ‘Marsden Squares’ or ‘Marsden Square mapping’. 1p, folio. Discoloration and wear along inner edge, otherwise in good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into a packet. All printed, except for Marsden’s firm signature.

[William Marsden, orientalist and numismatist, First Secretary to the Admiralty who broke the news of the victory at Trafalgar.] Autograph Signature ‘Wm Marsden’ to printed Admiralty circular, sent to HMS Kemphaan.

Author: 
William Marsden (1754-1836), Anglo-Irish orientalist, numismatist, and linguist, and Royal Navy official, Second Secretary to the Admiralty, 1795-1804, First Secretary, 1804-7; HMS Kemphaan; Trafalgar
Publication details: 
London. ‘Admiralty Office, 7 July, 1800.’ 'Printed by G. Roberts, Admiralty Office.'
£120.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that ‘it fell to him in October 1805 to wake Lord Barham, as first lord of the Admiralty, with the news of victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson’. 1p, folio. Discoloration and wear along gutter, otherwise in good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into a packet. On recto of first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf being blank, apart from one word of docketing in manuscript ‘Kemphaan’.

[William Marsden, orientalist and numismatist, First Secretary to the Admiralty who broke the news of the victory at Trafalgar.] Autograph Signature ‘Wm Marsden’ to printed Admiralty circular, sent to HMS Staunch.

Author: 
William Marsden (1754-1836), Anglo-Irish orientalist, numismatist, and linguist, and Royal Navy official, Second Secretary to the Admiralty, 1795-1804, First Secretary, 1804-7 [HMS Staunch; Trafalgar]
Publication details: 
London. ‘Admiralty Office, 7 July, 1800.’ 'Printed by G. Roberts, Admiralty Office.'
£120.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that ‘it fell to him in October 1805 to wake Lord Barham, as first lord of the Admiralty, with the news of victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson’. 1p, folio. Discoloration and wear along gutter, with two leaves half detached from head; otherwise in good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into a packet. On recto of first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf being blank, apart from one word of docketing in manuscript ‘Staunch’.

[William Marsden, orientalist and numismatist, First Secretary to the Admiralty who broke the news of the victory at Trafalgar.] Autograph Signature ‘Wm Marsden’ to printed Admiralty circular, sent to HMS Steady.

Author: 
William Marsden (1754-1836), Anglo-Irish orientalist, numismatist, and linguist, and Royal Navy official, Second Secretary to the Admiralty, 1795-1804, First Secretary, 1804-7 [HMS Steady; Trafalgar]
Publication details: 
London. ‘Admiralty Office, 7 July, 1800.’ 'Printed by G. Roberts, Admiralty Office.'
£120.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that ‘it fell to him in October 1805 to wake Lord Barham, as first lord of the Admiralty, with the news of victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson’. 1p, folio. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into a packet. On recto of first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf being blank, apart from one word of docketing in manuscript ‘Steady’.

[Australia: kangaroo hunting and numismatics.] Autograph Letter Signed from Robert Barton, Assayer, Royal Mint in Melbourne, to ‘Grubbe’, giving advice on hunting kangaroo and duck.

Author: 
[Australia: kangaroo hunting and numismatics] Robert Barton (1839-1930), assayer, Deputy Master of the Royal Mint in Melbourne, Australia
Publication details: 
'Royal Mint [Melbourne, Australia] / 21 May 1875'.
£120.00

Barton, who was born in London, joined the Royal Mint’s Melbourne branch as one of two assayers on its opening in 1869; in 1887 he was promoted to Superintendent, and in 1895 to Deputy Master, holding that position until his reitrement in 1904. See his entry in the Encyclopaedia of Australian Science and Innovation. In case Barton has misspelled the name, the recipient may be William Dawson Grubb (1817-1879) or his son Frederick William Grubb (1844-1923), who have a joint-entry in the Australian Dictionary of National Biography. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Signed ‘Robert Barton’.

[Llewellyn Jewitt, engraver] Autograph Letter Signed LL. Jewitt to Mr [Doxey?] mainly about editorial work (subject COINS), partly family.

Author: 
Llewellynn Frederick William Jewitt (or Llewellyn) (1816 – 1886) illustrator, engraver, natural scientist and author.
Publication details: 
Winster Hall, Matlock, 5 July 1874.
£120.00

Four pages, 12mo, bifolium, good condition. May I ask whether you have very kindly managed to make the numismatic memoranda for me from the 'Num: Chronicle' of 'Num: Jour.' which I asked in my last letter. I mean the examplesof engraved coins bearing crosses, with the vol: and page where they occur? I am rather anxious to get this information, and I thought if you (as I feel sure)) have the books you would kindly make me this note.

[ J.G. Pfister; Numismatics ] Autograph Letter Signed "J.G. Pfister" to C. Roach Smith, fellow-numismatist, on an abstruse "coin" issue., a "fibula" (broach or clasp)

Author: 
J.G. Pfister, Numismatist, author of "Stray Leaves from the Journal of a Traveller in Search of Ancient Coins".
Publication details: 
British Museum, 18 January 1856.
£220.00

One page, 12mo, fold marks, grubby but text clear and complete. "It appears to me that the fibula [broach or clasp] in question is of the XIthe century, and represents a still ruder imitation of the rude Munus Divinus of Louis-Le-Debonaire. It was for several centuries the custom in France, that all sort of coins or imitations of coins in all the different metals, bearing portraitrs with names, or religious legends & were given as mariage presents. And of course such gifts served also for other sacred and religious ceremonies. And afterwards formed into fibulae [an addition in smaller hand].

[ French numismatics. ] Anonymous Victorian manuscript lists, in English, of mainly French medals contained in the 'Largest Box'.

Author: 
[ Victorian French numismatics ]
Publication details: 
[ English, mid-Victorian. ]
£180.00

A total of 10pp., 12mo. Neatly written out in a close mid-Victorian hand. Accompanied by a slip of paper carrying a list of the eight sections into which the items in the 'Largest Box' were divided. Three of the eight are lacking. The five sections present are: '2 French Medals', '3 French Medals', '5 Medals of Various Countries', '7 French Sovereigns | Members of the Bourbon Family | French Statesmen.', and '8 Napoleon and his Family.

[Hampden Gurney Schools, Marylebone, London.] 'Sunday School Award of Merit' medal, manuscript 'Prize Essay written for Mr. Blair's Prize', two printed Christmas Concert progammes, and printed label signed by Rev. W. Hammersley and Rev. E. B. Ottley

Author: 
[Hampden Gurney Schools, Marylebone, London, 1889 and 1890; Rev. W. Hammersley, headmaster; Rev. E. B. Ottley, Chairman of Committee]
Publication details: 
[Hampden Gurney Schools, Marylebone, London.] The Christmas Concert programmes both printed by J. Martin & Son, Portman Printing Works, 18 Lisson Grove, NW; 1889 and 1890. The prize essay dated December 1890. The other two items undated.
£120.00

The five items, which would make for an attractive display on the theme of Victorian education, relate to the Hampden Gurney Schools, which were founded in 1863, in the newly-named Hampden Gurney Streeet, as a memorial to the recently-deceased Rev. John Hampden Gurney (1802-1862), Rector of St Mary’s, Bryanston Square. The school is now the Hampden Gurney Church of England Primary School, and is located in Nutford Place. ONE: Metal circular medal, 3.75 cm in diameter. In very good condition.

Collection of early nineteenth-century red and black wax seals, mostly displayed on leaves of vellum paper, and presented in a wooden box, said to have been collected by Mary Ann Levin Smith, mother of Sir Archibald Levin Smith, Master of the Rolls.

Author: 
[Mary Ann Lee, daughter of Zadik Levin, wife of Francis Smith (1806-1872) of Salt Hill, JP, and mother of Sir Archibald Levin Smith (1836-1901), judge, Master of the Rolls, 1900-1901; sigillography]
Publication details: 
Apparently dating from the first half of the nineteenth century.
£450.00

The collection of 307 seals is in fair condition, with only a handful showing signs of loss. As with bookplates, the designs range from armorial to classical. Among the few carrying English texts, are the seal of the 'ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE ROYAL ARTILLERY D', the great seal of the Borough of Marlborough ('SIGILLUM MAJORIS BURGI DE MARLEBERG'), the seal of the 'ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE', the 'OFFICE FOR TAXES', the 'YEOMANRY OFFICE', and 'THE PATRON OF EDUCATION AND THE FRIEND OF THE POOR'. In original boxwood box, approximately 26 x 18 x 6 cm, worn and aged with lock but no key.

Philadelphia twenty-shilling Bill of Credit, from the period of the American War of Independence, signed by Matthew Clarkson, Joseph Redman and William Smith.

Author: 
Matthew Clarkson (1733-1800), Mayor of Philadelphia, 1792-1796; Joseph Redman; William Smith.
Philadelphia twenty-shilling Bill of Credit
Publication details: 
No. 3056. Printed by Hall and Sellers. 1775.
£56.00
Philadelphia twenty-shilling Bill of Credit

Printed on both sides of a piece of 7 x 9 cm paper. Worn and aged, with damage along edges on both sides, affecting a few words of text, but not the signatures. Both sides with ornate decorative borders. On one side with printing details and decorative pattern of foliage; the other with the number filled in in manuscript, engraving of Royal Crest, and printed declaration, dated 'in the sixteenth Year of the Reign of His Majesty GEO. the Third. Dated at Philadelphia, the 8th Day of December, 1775. Signed at foot 'Jos Redman', 'Wm. Smith' and 'M Clarkson' (the second signature faded).

Autograph Letter Signed from Frederic William Madden ('F. W. Madden') to W. D. Jones

Author: 
Frederic William Madden (1839-1904), F.R.S., Chief Librarian, Brighton Public Library, numismatist and antiquary [son of Sir Frederic Madden (1801-1873), Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum]
Autograph Letter Signed from Frederic William Madden
Publication details: 
29 February 1880; on letterhead of The College, Brighton.
£28.00
Autograph Letter Signed from Frederic William Madden

12mo, 2 pp. Ten lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Jones's letter has been forwarded to him, but he cannot give him 'the information you are seeking', so he has sent to letter on to 'Mr. of the British Museum, asking him to reply to it'.

Catalogue of the Valuable Collection of Coins and Medals, of the late General Ainslie, Author of "Illustrations of the Anglo-French Coinage," [...] The collection comprises his entire [...] series of Anglo-French coins.

Author: 
[Samuel Leigh Sotheby, London auctioneer; General Sir Robert Ainslie (1776-1839), army officer and numismatist]
Catalogue of the Valuable Collection of Coins and Medals
Publication details: 
At S. Leigh Sotheby's, 3 Wellington Street, Street, London, 3 to 6 June 1840.
£265.00
Catalogue of the Valuable Collection of Coins and Medals

4to, 31 pp. In original grey printed wraps, with the bookseller's ticket of Messrs. Bolster of Cork. Text clear and complete. A fair, tight copy, on aged paper. In worn red calf quarter-binding, red cloth. Neatly priced up in manuscript (the sale totalled £803 4s 6d), and ruled with red lines.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Le Directeur | de Puymaurin'), in French, from Baron de Puymaurin, Master of the Paris Mint, to Messieurs les [?secretaries?] de la Chambre des Deputés

Author: 
Baron Jean Pierre Casimir de Marcassus de Puymaurin (1757-1841), Master of the Paris Mint, 1816-1830
Baron Jean Pierre Casimir de Marcassus de Puymaurin
Publication details: 
7 July 1825; Paris. On illustrated letterhead of 'Monnaie Royale des Medailles'.
£85.00
Baron Jean Pierre Casimir de Marcassus de Puymaurin

Folio, 2 pp. 31 lines. Text clear and complete. On aged paper, chipped at extremities. The elaborate letterhead features a circular engraving by Heuer of two classical female figures in front of a press.

[printed Belgian numismatic auction catalogue] Catalogue des Monnaies, Médailles, Méreaux, etc. formant les Collections delaissées par feu M. le Major A. Daufresne de la Chevalerie et provenant de divers autres amateurs.

Author: 
[Major Auguste Daufresne de la Chevalerie (1818-1881); H. Cordemans-de Bruyne; Charles Dupriez; Belgium; printed Belgian numismatic auction catalogue]
Catalogue des Monnaies, Médailles, Méreaux, etc.
Publication details: 
Malines: Imprimerie L. & A. Godenne, Editeurs, 28, Grand' Place, 28. 1896. [To be sold 26 May 1896, 'sous la direction de H. Cordemans-de Bruyne & Ch. Dupriez, Experts, à la Salle Bluff, 10, Rue du Gentilhomme, 10, Bruxelles'.
£95.00
Catalogue des Monnaies, Médailles, Méreaux, etc.

12mo, [ii] + 28 pp. In original pink printed wraps. Card frontispiece in three panels, folding out to 18.5 x 37.5 cm., carrying facsimiles of 48 numbered coins in collotype. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with minor damp staining at foot, in chipped and faded wraps. 893 lots, beginning with 'Monnaies Grecques et Gauloises', and ending with 'Jetons' and 'Médailles'. Excessively scarce: no copy on COPAC, and the only copy on WorldCat in the Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art, Collections Jacques Doucet, Paris.

Lists Nos. 10 and 11 of 'COINS WANTED - NOT WORN OR SCRATCHED' by W. W. Smout & Son, Jewellers and Pawnbrokers, Rhyl.

Author: 
W. W. Smout & Son, Jewellers and Pawnbrokers, Queen Street, Rhyl [Wales]
Lists Nos. 10 and 11 of 'COINS WANTED - NOT WORN OR SCRATCHED'
Publication details: 
[c. 1960'; Rhyl, Wales]
£56.00
Lists Nos. 10 and 11 of 'COINS WANTED - NOT WORN OR SCRATCHED'

Both lists 4to, but not uniform in size. List No. 10: Printed in black. 4to, 1 p. Fair, lightly-aged and creased. Coins divided into ten sections (from Farthings to Crowns) and three columns. The latest dated item is a 1960 crown. List No. 11: Printed in blue. Mainly advertising 'English Coin Sets in their original cases', but with 'ENGLISH SILVER' in three columns. Text clear and complete. On lightly aged paper, with some foxing along creases, and dogeared, creased edge.

Faux-metallic embossed German [Prussian] military decoration with ribbon, consisting of black Imperial eagle (Reichsadler) with Landwehrkreuz motto, over silver and gold eight-pointed star.

Author: 
German (Prussian) military decoration [Reichsadler; Landwehrkreuz; World War; Germany army]
Publication details: 
[First World War or earlier.]
£120.00

An attractive and delicate piece of ephemera, dusty and slightly tarnished, but in very good condition overall. Skilfully manufactured and giving a convincing metallic appearance. 15 cm wide from opposing points of the star, which is of gold card overlaid with silver silver card, both types embossed in a pattern of pearls of different sizes radiating out from the centre, over which sits the Reichsadler, of embossed black card, 6 cm high by 7 cm wide, crowned, with wings outstretched, orb and sceptre in its talons.

Alnwick Scientific and Mechanical Institution. Fine Art Exhibition in Corn Exchange, Alnwick, November 1882, Collection of Coins, Eggs of Farne Islands, Native and Foreign Curiosities, &c., &c., collected and exhibited by Mr. J. J. Horsley, Alnwick.

Author: 
J. J. Horsley of Alnwick, collector of coins and eggs of the Farne Islands [Alnwick, Northumberland; birds' eggs; ornithology; numismatics]
Publication details: 
1882. Alnwick: Printed by C. E. Moore.
£75.00

12mo, 11 pp. Stitched and unbound. First and last leaves loose, otherwise in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper with grubby title. The section of 'Eggs of the Farne Islands' consists of fifteen entries on pp.8-9, from '1. Eider or St. Cuthbert's Duck (Somateria mollissima)' to '15.

Autograph Letter Signed ('B Wyon') to 'J. Salland Esq.'.

Author: 
Benjamin Wyon (1802-1858), English die-engraver [Salford; Manchester; Lancashire; numismatics; coins; medals]
Publication details: 
19 December 1844; 287 Regent Street, London.
£45.00

12mo, 1 p, 7 lines. Good, on light aged paper, with 1 cm closed tear to top corner (not affecting text, which is clear and entire). Reads 'I regret having to inform you that the Salford Mayoralty Seal has broken all to pieces in the process of hardening and that I am afraid that I am obliged to engrave another which I am proceeding with as expeditiously as possible'.

Printed Deposit Book for the 'GOVERNMENT SAVINGS BANK | FALKLAND ISLANDS.'

Author: 
Falkland Islands [Islas Malvinas; Government Savings Bank; Government Press]
Publication details: 
[1930s?] 'GOVERNMENT PRESS, FALKLAND ISLANDS.'
£20.00

12mo, 8 leaves opening to make seven sets of columns running across seven pairs of facing pages. Stitched, and within original yellow printed wraps, with rough cloth weave. Lightly aged and worn, but in good condition overall, and free from any manuscript entries (i.e. not filled in). The front wrap is headed by a governmental crest, and carries eleven lines of text. Five lines of text, and the slug, on the back wrap ('The Officers engaged in the discharge of their duties under this Ordinance shall not disclose, except to the Governor, or in due course of law, the name of any Depositor.').

Autograph Note Signed ('Geo: Macdonald') to unnamed male correspondent [the autograph collector Rev. E. J. A. Davies?]

Author: 
Sir George Macdonald (1862-1940), numismatist, classical scholar, archaeologist and civil servant
Publication details: 
13 March 1931; on embossed letterhead '17 LEARMOUTH GARDENS | EDINBURGH'.
£20.00

One page, 12mo. Very good, with a little light spotting at foot. 'Dear Sir, | I suppose it will suffice if I sign myself | Yours faithfully | Geo: Macdonald'. Docketed in pencil at foot.

Typewritten 'List of chief and under gravers to the Mint', signed in autograph.

Author: 
Charles Anthony, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh [THE ROYAL MINT; NUMISMATICS]
Publication details: 
04/06/37
£67.00

Four pages, on four A4 leaves. Entirely legible, though dogeared and with some wear to extremities. Rust staining from paperclip. Complete from 1066 to 1937, beginning with the Cuneators and giving dates of Chief and Under Gravers together with Remarks on each individual. Dated and signed by Anthony.

Autograph Letter Signed to the bookseller [George] Offor.

Author: 
Robert Mushet
Publication details: 
24 Augt 1819 | Mint'.
£65.00

Mushet (died 1828) was an officer of the Mint, and author of 'An Inquiry into the Effects Produced on the National Currency, and Rates of Exchange, by the Bank Restriction Bill' (1810). The recipient (1787-1864) edited Bunyan. One page, octavo. Good, on slightly grubby discoloured paper with one spike hole. Two short printed accounts of Musket laid down at foot of page. Reads 'Dear Sir | I shall be obliged to you to send me this afternoon or early tomorrow morning a Copy of Ede's Book of Coins'. Signed 'R Musket' and addressed, on revese of second leaf of bifoliate, to 'Mr.

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Aunt Emily'.

Author: 
John Byrne Leicester Warren, 3rd Baron de Tabley
Publication details: 
67 Onslow Square; 27 June 1874.
£75.00

English aristocrat (1835-95), poet, numismatist, archaeologist, writer on natural history, etc. Two pages, 12mo. Good, but with blank verso of second leaf of bifoliate adhering to docketed remains of leaf from autograph album. Had he not been 'so busy that I hardly knew where to turn' he would have answered the letter 'on the subject of the seal' sooner.

Autograph Letter Signed to Sir H[enry]. T[rueman]. Wood[, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts].

Author: 
Rev. Hugh John Dukinfield Astley
Publication details: 
10 June 1913; on crested letterhead 'THE VICARAGE, | EAST RUDHAM.'
£28.00

British archaeologist, anthropologist and numismatist (1856-1930). Two pages, 12mo. Very good. Docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp. He is forwarding a cheque for his subscription of two guineas. 'My wife & I hope to be present at the Conversazione on the 17th., but I am hardly ever able to get to a meeting. | Do you think an architectural or archaeological Paper wd. be out of place on some evening?' Signed 'H. J. Dukinfield Astley'.

Five Typed Letters Signed, and one letter in a secretarial hand signed in autograph, to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Rev. Allan Gairdner Wyon
Publication details: 
1916 to 1925; on letterhead '80, Boundary Road, | St. John's Wood, | London, N.W.'
£180.00

British sculptor (1882-1962) and 'MEDALLIST AND ENGRAVER | TO | HIS MAJESTY THE KING' (as per letterhead). All six items one page, quarto. All six signed 'Allan G. Wyon'. Five bearing the R.S.A. stamp and two docketed. All six very good though dusty (but see secretarial item below). ITEMS ONE (19 October 1916, typed) and TWO (21 October 1916, typed) discuss the practicalities and cost of repairing the R.S.A. 'broken Seal Press'.

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