Numismatic and History Discussion Forums > Classical Numismatics Books and References Discussion Forum
Old Auction Catalogue Madness!
Andrew McCabe:
--- Quote from: Carausius on June 20, 2015, 04:23:24 pm ---Received in todays mail:
Otto Helbing, Auction 63 (Coll. Prix) - April 1931. In lovely shape, except it is MISSING plates 1 and 2 ! I don't recall that being disclosed in the offer, so I'm following-up with the seller. If the seller fails to make it right, would any Forum member be able to send me a high-quality scan of plates 1 and 2 from this catalogue?
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Prix plates 1 and 2 are Aes grave. Quite high quality. It was common for aes grave plates to be in double size fold out format which might explain their loss. Since the remaining 7 plates of Republican material are high quality and given that it's a rare item I'd be inclined to keep it. The Heidelberg uni site might have this catalogue and its plates - one doesn't need an especially hi res scan for aes grave. Or I can do you a scan in time. My own copy of Prix has a high proportion of the Byzantine coins cut out, which would be a disaster if I bought it for the Byzantines. But I didn't. A high proportion of auction catalogues I've bought over time have defects such as you and I describe, because they were ephemeral collectors' aids that were lucky to escape the bin. Unless I bought it from a specialised numismatic bookseller such as Kolbe I wouldn't expect any warranties re content. Ephemera tend to come as-is.
postscript: it's online at Heidelberg, linked to from my page http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/RRAuctions.html
checking plates 1 and 2, I don't think any scan I could do would give a better result. Each page is 1100px by 800px and given a page is just one or two aes grave wide that's a reasonably high per-coin resolution
Carausius:
--- Quote from: Andrew McCabe on June 20, 2015, 05:48:35 pm ---Unless I bought it from a specialised numismatic bookseller such as Kolbe I wouldn't expect any warranties re content. Ephemera tend to come as-is.
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Thanks, Andrew. I will look at the Heidelberg site to see what I can pull from there. As it happens, I did buy the catalogue from a coin/coin literature dealer, so I would have expected disclosure of any missing plates. However, the offer was in a foreign (to me) language, which I translated before purchasing, but it's possible I missed the disclosure. If I missed it, then shame on me and I'm "stuck" with this hard to find catalogue. If there was no disclosure, I will likely still keep the catalogue, but may try to negotiate a reduced price for my reduced Prix !
Carausius:
--- Quote from: Andrew McCabe on June 20, 2015, 05:48:35 pm ---postscript: it's online at Heidelberg, linked to from my page http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/RRAuctions.html
checking plates 1 and 2, I don't think any scan I could do would give a better result. Each page is 1100px by 800px and given a page is just one or two aes grave wide that's a reasonably high per-coin resolution
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+++ I agree, the Heidleberg scans should do nicely. I will want to find paper of comparable weight to the existing plates for a closer match, and I'll need to pay attention to sizing of the prints.
Carausius:
Received in today's mail:
Rodolfo Ratto - Jan 1924 (Coll. Bonazzi), which had been on order. Cover partly detached at spine (I planned to rebind it anyway) but otherwise in fine shape. A splendid catalogue! It is hand priced in light pencil throughout, though I've no way of knowing whether these are prices realized or a bidder's strategy notes.
carthago:
--- Quote from: Carausius on June 26, 2015, 09:34:36 am ---Received in today's mail:
Rodolfo Ratto - Jan 1924 (Coll. Bonazzi), which had been on order. Cover partly detached at spine (I planned to rebind it anyway) but otherwise in fine shape. A splendid catalogue! It is hand priced in light pencil throughout, though I've no way of knowing whether these are prices realized or a bidder's strategy notes.
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That's a great sale (isn't it Riche though?)!. I've got a price list but I think it may be the estimates and not PRL. Shoot me some of your prices and I'll double check.
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