The Numismatic Bibliomania Society

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Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 3, Number 39, September 24, 2000: 
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
Copyright (c) 2000, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
  

SUBSCRIBER UPDATES 

   We have two new subscribers this week:  Gregg Silvis and 
   NBS member  Jess Patrick.   Welcome aboard!  This brings 
   our subscriber count to 341. 
  

REGIONAL NBS MEETINGS 

   David Fanning asked about regional NBS meetings.  We do 
   have them on occasion when members are able to run them 
   at a regional coin show.   We typically have a meeting at the 
   Florida United Numismatists show in January, and sometimes 
   also have meetings at the A.N.A. midyear show and elsewhere. 
   If you would like to have an NBS meeting at an upcoming 
   coin show, please let me know via email at this address: 
   whomren@coinlibrary.com. 

   As for the upcoming FUN show, Fred Lake reports: "I've 
   already reserved the time and the room. It will be at 11:00 
   AM on Saturday, January 6, 2001."   If you'll be at the show 
   and would care to make a short presentation to the group, 
   please contact Fred at this address:  FredLake@aol.com. 
  

DANISH BOOK PUBLISHED 

   Jørgen Sømod has published a new book:  "Drawings of 
   all Danish Coins, known up to this time, from the period 
   1241-1377"  128 pages, 469 coins, 268 tokens, soft cover. 
   134 Danish kroner = US $ 17,- + postage + bank costs= 
   US$ 25,-. ISBN 87-87832-61-5 

   He writes:  "Because of extremely high postage rates from 
   Denmark and similar bank costs, the publisher invites book 
   sellers to distribute the book to collectors, museums, libraries 
   and minor dealers."  For more information: 

      Email:  numis@vip.cybercity.dk 
      Web site:  http://www.cam.org/~anfc/p_somod.htm 
  

SPANISH COLONIAL COIN BOOK PUBLISHED 

   As noted by Dave Bowers in the September-October 
   2000 issue of Rare Coin Review (p39), "Spanish Colonial 
   Silver Coins in the Florida Collection" by Alan K. Craig 
   has recently been published by the University Press of 
   Florida. 

   The publisher provides this description, as found at 
   the Barnes & Noble web site (http://www.bn.com): 
   "Alan K. Craig describes the minting and transporting of 
   these unique hand-made coins, a difficult process 
   complicated by intrigue and royal regulations. When new 
   gold and silver coins left the Spanish colonial viceroyalties 
   of Peru and Mexico aboard fleets of galleons headed to 
   Spain, a number of ships sank off the coast of Florida. 

   Counterfeiting was rife at the time, and Craig discusses a 
   variety of mint scandals, especially those perpetrated by 
   the notorious Francisco Gomez da la Rocha.  As both an 
   economic history and a numismatic study, this work will be 
   a resource for historians, archaeologists, coin collectors, 
   and general readers interested in maritime treasure." 

   For more information on the book, see the University of 
   Florida Press web site: http://www.upf.com/fall2000/craig.html 
  

NUMISMATIC RELATED BOOK 

   Howard A. Daniel III writes: "My wife was given a copy of 
   a book; "Dictionary of Financial Risk Management", by Gary L. 
   Gastineau and Mark P. Kritzman, a few years ago during a 
   visit to the American Stock Exchange.   After I read it, I 
   recommended it to CNBC as an item for a show, because 
   I thought it was better than anything else I had read on the 
   subject.  Gary thanked me in a nice letter at that time and 
   later sent me the updated second edition in 1999. 

   There are some really technically formulas and definitions in 
   it, but it also has very much in our numismatic realm.  I highly 
   recommend that NBS members buy it for their libraries, IF 
   they can find a copy of this nicely done hardbound book. 
   The primary author's email is ggastine@amex.com and the 
   book's ISBN is 1-883249-57-0." 
  

ROBERT HILT 

   Julian Leidman writes:  "I read David Lange's piece about 
   Bob Hilt's book.   Bob passed away in a plane crash 
   sometime during the 1990's.  He was an avid collector of 
   early US silver and gold coins by die varieties.  He came up 
   with some theories on populations of die varieties based on 
   deliveries of dies, etc.  He was very dedicated to his studies 
   on these and I remember him having discussions with Harry 
   Bass about his theories.   Harry did not dismiss his thoughts 
   and enjoyed his reflections and theories. 

   I believe that he has been unjustly maligned by other numismatic 
   scholars.  Bob was a businessman from Omaha and would have 
   undertaken the next series of coinage, if there had been enough 
   interest in his work.  There was not and he chose not to share 
   his thoughts any further.  I represented him many times at 
   auctions and always enjoyed our relationship.  The last time that 
   I saw Bob was at the COAC when Harry's coins were 
   displayed.  His collection has never surfaced since his death.  I 
   hope that this may shed some new light on Robert Hilt." 
  

POWELL'S BOOKS 

   Carl Honore writes: "The Strand is good for east coast 
   bibliophiles but out here on the west coast there is Powell's 
   City of Books in Portland Oregon ... one city block filled 
   with books, many on numismatics ... chanced thru there 
   during the Portland ANA and found some auction 
   catalogs."   [Editor's note:  The web address for Powell's 
   is http://www.powells.com/ ] 
  

GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH 

   Paul Schultz writes: "If anyone would like more information 
   on Andrew Elliot, they might want to check on the following 
   if they have not seen it already: "The Colonial Clergy and 
   Colonial Churches of New England" by Frederick Lewis Weis. 
   I do not have access to a copy to see if he is listed, but it is a 
   well known reference in the genealogy field and might contain 
   useful information. 

   As a general rule, anyone trying to find information on early 
   coin collectors and dealers should become familiar with the 
   techniques and tools for genealogy research.  Finding personal 
   details on obscure individuals who lived 100 to 350 years ago 
   can be challenging, but the same approaches are necessary 
   regardless of whether the person was a coin collector or an 
   ancestor (or perhaps both!).  In reading about early collectors 
   and dealers, I have frequently noticed that genealogical 
   techniques and resources would either be useful, or have 
   already been used." 
  

FROSSARD 

   David Fanning reports that Tom Sheehan sent him copies of 
   Frossard's 1892 biography in The Numismatist as well as the 
   AJN obituary.  With the Numismatist obituary your editor sent 
   him, he's fulfilled his original request.  Good luck with your 
   research! 
  

EARLY NATURE PRINTING REFERENCES 

   In response to last week's question, George Kolbe, who 
   always seems to know everything about anything in numismatic 
   literature, sent the following note in response to the question 
   about references on nature printing: 

   "Lot 447 in Bass 3 provides, I think, some interesting information. 
   Incidentally, it sold for $2100. The lot description follows: 

   Bradbury, Henry. NATURE-PRINTING: ITS ORIGINS 
   AND OBJECTS. A LECTURE AS DELIVERED AT THE 
   ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN, ALBEMARLE 
   STREET, ON FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 11, 1855. SIR 
   CHARLES FELLOWS, VICE-PRESIDENT, IN THE 
   CHAIR.  London: Printed by Bradbury and Evans, Whitefriars, 
   1856. 28 pages. 

   (bound with) Bradbury, Henry. NATUR-SELBST-DRUCK: 
   SEINEN URSPRUNG UND ZWECKEN.  EIN VORTRAG 
   VOR DER ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN, 
   ALBEMARLE STREET AN DEM ABENDE VON FREITAG 
   DEN 11TEN MAI, 1855, VORGELESEN. SIR CHARLES 
   FELLOWS, VICE-PRÄSIDENT, VORSITZENDER. London: 
   Verlag von Bradbury und Evans, Whitefriars, 1856. 20 pages. 

   (bound with) Bradbury, Henry. ON THE SECURITY AND 
   MANUFACTURE OF BANK NOTES. A LECTURE AS 
   DELIVERED AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT 
   BRITAIN, ALBEMARLE STREET, FRIDAY EVENING, 
   MAY 9, 1856. HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF 
   NORTHUMBERLAND, PRESIDENT, IN THE CHAIR. 
   London: Printed by Bradbury and Evans, Whitefriars, Printers 
   and Bank Note Engravers, 1856. (6), 30 pages, 3 superbly- 
   engraved bank note facsimile plates, one printed in two colors. 
   Quarto: 28 x 21.5 cm. Original dark maroon-brown full 
   morocco, sides intricately paneled in gilt and blind, flat spine 
   lettered in gilt, board edges decorated in gilt, gilt inner 
   dentelles, recased at some time, with new endsheets, 
   extremities a trifle worn. Fine.     (1,500.00) 

   The author was the son of William Bradbury, of the firm of 
   Bradbury & Evans, who were the proprietors of Punch, 
   founder of the Daily News and other major periodicals, and 
   publishers for Dickens and Thackeray.  Born in 1831, he entered 
   as a pupil in the Imperial Printing Office of Vienna in 1850, where 
   he became acquainted with the art of nature printing. He 
   subsequently employed the process in London.  He also paid 
   great attention to bank notes and the security of paper money. 
   Bradbury wrote several works of considerable merit, 
   culminating in 1860 with his magnum opus, Specimens of Bank 
   Note Engraving . The above works are prominently cited in the 
   complete title of that volume. 

   Tragically, as noted in the Dictionary of National Biography, 
   "He died by his own hand 2 Sept. 1860, aged 29, leaving a 
   business he had founded which was carried on under the name 
   of Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co." Up to the present time, the 
   Bradbury firm continues as a major banknote printer. 

   The first title is dedicated by Bradbury to Alois Auer, Director 
   of the Imperial Court and Government Printing-Office at Vienna, 
   "in memory of his sojourn at Vienna, and studies in the 
   establishment over which he resides." Nonetheless, Bradbury 
   boldly chastises Auer in the text for improperly claiming to have 
   discovered the process of nature-printing, though he credits the 
   Imperial Printing-Office at Vienna for bringing it to "a practical 
   state of perfection." Bradbury cites a 1572 work as containing 
   "the first recorded hint as to taking impressions of plants" and 
   mentions that instructions are given in de Moncoy's 1650 Journal 
   des Voyages. He also notes that "Linnaeus, in his Philosophia 
   Botanica, relates that in America, in 1707, impressions of plants 
   were made by Hessel." 

   The dénouement comes on pages 26 et sequentia, where 
   Bradbury excoriates the dedicatee of the work, Alois Auer, 
   and accords high praise to this volume's recipient, Paul Pretsch: 
   "First, it is evident, that, in more circumstances than one, 
   Councillor Auer, who has arrogated to himself the sole discovery 
   of Nature-Printing, has given proof of a selfish and unfair desire 
   to aggrandise himself at the expense of others: his passion for 
   fame has led him even beyond the warrantable bounds of 
   propriety " 

   And, of working manager Pretsch, Bradbury writes that Auer 
   owes to him "much of his present high position by reason of 
   energetical and practical and even scientific capability." 

   The German translation, "Natur-Selbst-Druck," appears to 
   confirm the success of his linguistic studies in Vienna as well. 
   The final title present here is of special interest to numismatists. 
   It is a very detailed account of the technology at the time and 
   the author's recommendations to curb the counterfeiting of 
   bank notes. 

   Though "beautiful as their execution is," he is critical of 
   American bank notes and also relates the following: "Whilst 
   making reference to the American Notes, I will allude to a 
   circumstance that would most puzzle the ingenuity, in 
   reference to the prevention of forgery. The fact of America 
   being divided into so many States, and each State being 
   represented by a different note, the forgers did not think it 
   worth their while to imitate any one, and therefore concocted 
   a note of their own." 

   All three of these publications appear to be extremely rare - 
   it is the first time we have handled any of them. The author's 
   presentation inscription coupled with the patently inappropriate 
   dedication in the first two titles makes this volume all the more 
   desirable as the combination may provide insight into the 
   mental instability leading to their brilliant author's regrettable 
   early demise." 

   [Editor's note: the lot description has been edited for inclusion 
   in The E-Sylum; refer to the catalog for full details. 

   That "Bradbury wrote several works of considerable merit" 
   before his death at age 29 is quite an accomplishment, and 
   enough to make the rest of us feel like slackers.  As the 
   satirical songwriter Tom Lehrer once said, "When Mozart 
   was my age, he'd been dead for two years..."] 
  

FEATURED WEB SITE 

   This week's featured web page is in keeping with the theme 
   of bank note engraving in the 1850's.  A description of the 
   Francis W. Edmonds Papers in the William L. Clements 
   Library at  The University of Michigan, it describes the 
   fascinating life of Edmonds (1806-1863) who "divided 
   his life between the art and banking worlds and came to be 
   well-known and respected in both.... Edmonds did 
   professional engraving for bank note companies while 
   working as a banker....At the behest of publishers, he also 
   wrote for newspapers and periodicals on art and art 
   exhibitions, and at some point in  his life produced an 
   autobiography (unpublished) with many details of the early 
   New York art scene....  Amid all this activity, and with a 
   growing family, Edmonds continued producing 2 to 3 
   paintings a year.... 

   After a brief withdrawal from professional life, Edmonds 
   took up an old activity which had combined his business 
   and artistic talents, the engraving of bank notes.  With Alfred 
   Jones and James Smillie he formed the Bank Note Engraving 
   Company in 1857.  The next year the American Bank Note 
   Company began to absorb most of its competition, and the 
   three men sold out under favorable terms.  Edmonds became 
   director and secretary of the larger company and contributed 
   original drawings for engravings." 

   The bibliography lists two books with more information on 
   Edmonds: 

   Clark, Henry Nichols Blake. Francis W. Edmonds. American 
   Master in the Dutch Tradition (Washington,  D.C.: Smithsonian 
   Institution Press, 1988) 

   Mann, Maybelle. Francis William Edmonds. Mammon and Art 
   (N.Y.: Garland Publishing Co., 1977) 

   http://www.clements.umich.edu/Webguides/EF/Edmonds.html 

  Wayne Homren 
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society 
  

  The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a 
  non-profit organization promoting numismatic 
  literature.   For more information please see 
  our web site at http://www.coinbooks.org/ 
  There is a membership application available on 
  the web site.  To join, print the application and 
  return it with your check to the address printed 
  on the application.   For those without web access, 
  contact Dave Hirt, NBS Secretary-Treasurer, 
  5911 Quinn Orchard Road, Frederick, MD 21704 

  (To be removed from this mailing list 
   write to me at whomren@coinlibrary.com)   

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