Old Auction Catalogue Madness!

[mauseus]

Hi,
I think 737.40937 is Roman coins. It is a long time ago.
Regards,
Mauseus

[Carausius]

Recently, I bought a nice run of later (1984-2004) Munzen und Medaillen auction catalogues. Shortly after they arrived, I flipped through them and identified sales 66, 73 and 88 as those with the most Roman Republican coins.  Today, I had a free couple hours and thoroughly reviewed those three sales. To my surprise, I found one of my 2016 NYINC purchases in Sale 66 (1984), Lot 375.  My photos below.

[Carausius]

Today, I received a few old Jacques Schulman auction catalogues, and I found my below P.CLODIVS denarius in Schulman Auction 262 (14 May 1975), Lot 1249.  Before today, I knew from online searches that it had appeared in a 2012 Heritage sale, so this is a significant improvement to its provenance history.

[Andrew McCabe]

Two very beautiful denarii and well deserving of old provenances - they are the sort of coin that begs one to find a good old collection for them! Well done, excellent discoveries.

[Andrew McCabe]

I had a very mixed day of provenancing work yesterday. It felt kinda bad, but I guess it was probably good in the end. I just hate it (!!!) when I find provenances for coins I no longer own. Two instances yesterday:

- Mario Ratto, sale 5, 1933, lot 59: L.Mussidius Longus and Fulvia denarius which I've just released from my collection. Darn! It had lovely surfaces but was quite worn and I replaced it with a sharper example

- Sotheby's Nelson Bunker Hunt collection, 19 June 1991 lot 651 was a C.Vibius Pansa denarius that was EF but whose surfaces I never really liked. I'm amazed that Hunt, with so much spondulix would have chosen to acquire a coin I only bought with some doubts and then got rid of. Still, I'd have liked to own a Nelson Bunker Hunt provenance.

- These two follow from another minor calamity where I disposed of a rather worn Mark Antony denarius which turned out to be from the fabled Stack's Faelten sale in 1938. When this happens it's sounds like fingernails on a blackboard, or tastes like biting on aluminium foil by accident.

On the upside, I discovered new provenances for both my Antony cistophori on the same day (pics below). The one with Octavia on the reverse is Hess Leu 41 (24 Apr.1969) lot 64 - a great provenance for a piece I bought at retail with no prior information. That with Dionysus adds a Stack's November 1967 Hall Park McCullough provenance, a truly great collection. It now becomes

Stack's Hall Park McCullough coll. (20 Nov.1967) ex Glendining V.J.E. Ryan coll. (2 Apr.1952) lot 1929 ex J.Schulman (5 Mar.1923) lot 539 M.L. Vierordt coll. ex Jacob Hirsch XVIII (27 May 1907) lot 1835 Friedrich Imhoof-Blumer coll. = Banti-Simonetti Octavia et M. Antonivs 20 (this coin)

This is a very common coin type. What was it about this exact coin that attracted Imhoof-Blumer, Vierordt, Ryan, McCullough and McCabe to it? It must have numismatic pixie-dust on it.

Another well provenance coin added two more steps; the club symbol as below, which adds the Garrett collection - another great name and my first Garrett coin which his catalogue says he bought from Spink in 1928. It now becomes

NFA Garrett coll. Part I (16-18 May 1984) lot 653 ($180) ex Spink Num.Circ. 10 Jun.1928 ex Leo Hamburger (19 Oct.1925) lot 229 (120 RM) Niklovitch coll. ex RBW coll. = Sear RCTV (2000) vol.1 p.192,632 (this coin)

I've so much exhausted the major catalogue searches that it's very rare I find a new famous old antique provenance excepting that is for coins I've got rid of but some additional late 20th century great collectors are very welcome!

[Andrew McCabe]

Stack's Hall Park McCullough coll. (20 Nov.1967) ex Glendining V.J.E. Ryan coll. (2 Apr.1952) lot 1929 ex J.Schulman (5 Mar.1923) lot 539 M.L. Vierordt coll. ex Jacob Hirsch XVIII (27 May 1907) lot 1835 Friedrich Imhoof-Blumer coll. = Banti-Simonetti Octavia et M. Antonivs 20 (this coin)

I found yet another, and older, provenance for my cistophorus pictured above. It's a plate coin from Portraetkoepfe auf Roemischen Muenze, der Republik und der Kaiserzeit, Dr. F. Imhoof-Blumer, 1892. It's provenance is now:

Stack's Hall Park McCullough coll. (20 Nov.1967) ex Glendining V.J.E. Ryan coll. (2 Apr.1952) lot 1929 ex J.Schulman (5 Mar.1923) lot 539 M.L. Vierordt coll. ex Jacob Hirsch XVIII (27 May 1907) lot 1835 Friedrich Imhoof-Blumer coll. = Banti-Simonetti Octavia et M. Antonivs 20 (this coin) = Imhoof-Blumer, Portraetkoepfe auf Roemischen Muenze, 1892, pl.1,6 (this coin)

This becomes my oldest coin with an attested photographic record (1892). I've older attested through line drawings or later sales of earlier formed collections. The coin is cited in Imhoof-Blumer as an exemplary portrait of Octavia, which may explain how so many later collectors became attached to it.

[Molinari]

That's a really great provenance from one of the most respect numismatists of all time!  Congratulations!

[Andrew McCabe]

A few nice 1960s provenances from Italian fixed price lists:

RRC 45/1 (incuse denarius variety)
Aes Rude Titano 58 (24 Sep.1994) lot 120 ex Luigi de Nicola FPL Sep.1963 lot 177 (Lit 20,000)

RRC 489/2 Lepidus denarius
NAC78 (26 May 2014) lot 489 JD coll. ex Lanz 88 (23 Nov.1998) lot 824 Benz coll. ex Giuseppe Nascia Ars et Nummus FPL Dec.1968 lot 223 (Lit.65,000)

RRC 525/4 Caesar portrait with Ti.Sempronius Gracchus
NAC78 (27 May 2014) lot 1900 JD coll. ex Kricheldorf 38 (28 Nov.1984) lot 555 ex Luigi de Nicola FPL June 1964 lot 384 (L.It 35,000)

RRC 546/3 Scarpus for Mark Antony
CNG e294 (16 Jan.2013) lot 608 Goldman Imperatorial coll. ex NAC63 (17 May 2012) lot 602 RBW coll. ex Émile Bourgey (17 Jun.1985) lot 113 ex Giuseppe Nascia Ars et Nummus Jan-Feb 1972 lot 150 (L.It. 135,000) = RBW1853

[Carausius]

Those are terrific FPL finds, with three  being pre-1970, and one quite close.  I'll need to keep an eye out for de Nicola lists. Were the lists generally well-stocked with RR plates, or was it hit and miss?

[Andrew McCabe]

Those are terrific FPL finds, with three  being pre-1970, and one quite close.  I'll need to keep an eye out for de Nicola lists. Were the lists generally well-stocked with RR plates, or was it hit and miss?

The de Nicola lists were especially rich in RR, the Nascia less so, and the Simonetti (no provenances) also less so. De Nicola were comparable to Crippa in quality of RR.

[agord]

I don't normally collect old catalogues as I mostly collect LRB's, but I saw this passing on ebay at a very low bid and bought it as a curiosity. I thought this might be of interest to some of the viewers of this thread.  Joseph Hamburger June 17 1908 Auction Catalog Greek And Roman Coins . Attached is one of the sellers photos. If there is interest I will scan and post the other plates when the book arrives.

[Andrew McCabe]

A nice provenance for a Julius Caesar portrait denarius

NAC78 (27 May 2014) lot 1882 JD coll. ex UBS83 (8 Sep.2009) lot 124 ex UBS78 (9 Sep.2008) lot 1113 ex Münzen und Medaillen Basel (unspecified, noted in UBS sale)

becomes

NAC78 (27 May 2014) lot 1882 JD coll. ex UBS83 (8 Sep.2009) lot 124 ex UBS78 (9 Sep.2008) lot 1113 ex Münzen und Medaillen Basel FPL 109 (Jan.1952) lot 137 (CHF 115)

That's pretty far back in the M&M sequence. It's interesting that this coin doesn't appear in Alfoeldi's book on Julius Caesar portraits. The reason is old M&M fixed price lists include obverse photos only, from which I found this coin, and Alfoeldi needed both obverse and reverses for his die study.

[carthago]

A nice pedigree run, Andrew.  I'm always envious of the high quality coins that used to be offered up in FPL's in the 50's, 60's and even 70's.  Today, we fight over nice coins in auctions like gasoline in a Mad Max movie. 

[Carausius]

I don't normally collect old catalogues as I mostly collect LRB's, but I saw this passing on ebay at a very low bid and bought it as a curiosity. I thought this might be of interest to some of the viewers of this thread.  Joseph Hamburger June 17 1908 Auction Catalog Greek And Roman Coins .

That J. Hamburger sale was pretty large, over 1600 lots. There are only 8 plates, but they are evenly split between Greek and Roman, which is nice. You may find these old catalogues addictive, particularly if there's any chance of finding one of your own coins in the plates. Let us know how you like it when it arrives.

A nice provenance for a Julius Caesar portrait denarius

I'll say!  From 2008 to pre-1970 in one stroke, and an attractive style portrait to boot. 

[Andrew McCabe]

I'll say!  From 2008 to pre-1970 in one stroke, and an attractive style portrait to boot. 

So attractive, that I bought a second portrait from the same die.

[mlkrt_2]

Hi Everyone, just wondering if anyone has by any chance a copy of Auction Münzen und Medaillen Basel Cahn VII (1948)?

[curtislclay]

Harlan Berk has a copy.

[Andrew McCabe]

A nicely provenanced gold aureus found browsing Christies catalogues:



NAC72 (17 May 2013) lot 1362 ex Christies, Lord Astor of Hever coll. (28 May 1963) lot 1, John Jacob Astor (1886-1971) 1908 Olympic gold medallist, owner The Times newspaper, MP for Dover 1922-1945

[Andrew McCabe]

I've been browsing English auctions and found a few more decent provenances for relatively recently purchased coins (pics below)

Octavian with Oxen
ex Sotheby's London (30 Mar.1995) lot 1034 (£330)

P.MAE.ANT
ex Christies Roma (18 Dec.1980) lot 138 (L.It.160,000)

Livineia with gladiators - a really stunning reverse
ex V.C Vecchi & Bonhams IV (4 Dec.1980) lot 358 (£400)

[Carausius]

A nicely provenanced gold aureus found browsing Christies catalogues:

NAC72 (17 May 2013) lot 1362 ex Christies, Lord Astor of Hever coll. (28 May 1963) lot 1, John Jacob Astor (1886-1971) 1908 Olympic gold medallist, owner The Times newspaper, MP for Dover 1922-1945

Beautiful aureus, and congratulations on the great provenance. Coincidentally, I recently acquired a denarius by the same moneyer, and using acsearch and Banti, I found a nice provenance for it. Dealer's photo below.

Crawford 494/38; Banti 67/10 (this coin).  Ex Künker Auction 280 (26 Sep 2016), Lot 396; ex Peus Auction 328 (1990), Lot 507; ex Kunst und Munzen, June 1977, Lot 209.

[Carausius]

Today, I received a few old Jacques Schulman auction catalogues, and I found my below P.CLODIVS denarius in Schulman Auction 262 (14 May 1975), Lot 1249.  Before today, I knew from online searches that it had appeared in a 2012 Heritage sale, so this is a significant improvement to its provenance history.

Perusing tonight through Sear, The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators, I came across the plate for coin #184 and quickly realized that the plate coin is my P. CLODIVS denarius pictured several posts earlier in this thread! Of course, this occurred whilst researching a different coin entirely.

[Molinari]

Today, I received a few old Jacques Schulman auction catalogues, and I found my below P.CLODIVS denarius in Schulman Auction 262 (14 May 1975), Lot 1249.  Before today, I knew from online searches that it had appeared in a 2012 Heritage sale, so this is a significant improvement to its provenance history.

Perusing tonight through Sear, The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators, I came across the plate for coin #184 and quickly realized that the plate coin is my P. Clodius denarius pictured several posts earlier in this thread! Of course, this occurred whilst researching a different coin entirely.

What a nice surprise!

[Andrew McCabe]

I was provenancing yesterday; found just one coin but it was a good one - in a 1943 (!) Italian fixed price list. Regardless of finds, Provenancing is anyways fun, because one comes across all sorts of curiosities. Photos below all from yesterday.

1. A Cahn catalogue where quite a few of the plates were printed upside down ... but the page numbering and coin numbers were printed the right way. Rather amusingly, the printer from Munich included his name on each plate thus taking credit for the incomprehensible mess! I like to think about the conversation Cahn had with his printer when he discovered...

2. Santamaria fixed price lists from the 1950s with a curious format: a blank was left in the middle of one page and the FPL was then folded and glued in such a way that the blank bit was used as the address field. The addressee in this case was Bernareggi, another famous numismatist. Postage was 5 Lire.

3. Another Italian FPL from dealer Barzan and Ravioli in 1949 that has an obituary of Rodolpho Ratto on its front cover. A nice touch of respect. No photos in these FPLs unfortunately, a friend noted that one would have expected such a list to be literally stuffed with photos.

4. A 1943 FPL from Oscar Rinaldi in Mantua. That's in the far north of Italy i.e. occupied territory. It features the Bonacini collection and contained eight excellent plates of high quality Roman Republican coins. I contacted Kolbe and Fanning who confirmed that they have not handled this catalogue in 30 years of trading, nor were aware of it. A true rarity.

5. Lot 231 from the Bonacini collection (my coin). I'll likely never own a copy of this catalogue unicorn but am immensely pleased to have a coin from the Bonacini collection.

Each day provenancing brings up magic like this. It's a great ancillary hobby.

Andrew

[Andrew McCabe]

Further googling on Professor Bonacini, I've narrowed him down as being an expert in script and calligraphy in the university of Verona in the 1940s. He wrote a book on the subject:

Bonacini, Claudio, Bibliografia delle arti scrittorie e della calligrafia (Firenze, 1953).

What pins down the link to him being the collector is that he illustrated a postcard for the Philately society of Verona (below) in 1948. And I suspected he bought his coins with keen attention to their lettering and legend style and layouts. My coin ex this sale certainly has nice lettering.

I intend to have another look at the Bonacini RR sale plates from the perspective of typeface and legends.

[mlkrt_2]

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