The landmark public auction sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Library, to be held in association with Stack’s, will take place on Tuesday, June 1, 2004 at the Mission Inn, Riverside, California, a National Historical Landmark Hotel: www.missioninn.com. The sale will be an all day affair, probably featuring 1,000 lots, starting around 9:30 AM and ending around 6:30 PM, or possibly later.

We have been able to secure special room rates at the Mission Inn for Sunday May 30th, Monday May 31st, and Tuesday June 1st. Reservations can be made by calling (800) 843-7755 or (909) 784-0300 ext. 850. Attendees must reference the GEORGE FREDERICK KOLBE FINE NUMISMATIC BOOKS group when making reservations. The Mission Inn is about half way between Crestline (where lot viewing will be held on the days preceding the sale), and Long Beach (where the Long Beach Coin Convention will begin the day after the sale). The Mission Inn is about an hour by car from Los Angeles International Airport, and about ten minutes from the new Ontario International Airport. Riverside is a large city (approx. 300,000 residents) and offers a wide array of lodging and recreational activities. Periodic reports about the many rare and interesting things that will be in the sale will appear in the E-sylum, weekly electronic newsletter of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, and are also provided below. Those interested in subscribing to the E-sylum, free of charge, are invited to visit the society’s web site: www.coinbooks.org.

The June 1, 2004 sale will feature the most outstanding works in the Ford library, including famous American coin auction catalogues with photographic plates, classic books and periodicals, unique coin inventories, photographic records, etc. In many respects, the Ford library promises to eclipse the landmark Harry W. Bass, Jr. and Armand Champa library sales. Though perhaps not as complete in some respects, the overall condition of the library is essentially unimprovable, and the importance of the many annotated works in the library and their famous provenances will combine to make the Ford library sales a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

March 10, 2004 Update

The last JJF update follows:

Highlights include:

A large, outstanding selection of Western directories dating from the 1850s

Other important early directories

Important Banking Directories

A set of The Numismatist, 1894-1974

A fine run of 78 Mint Reports, 1878-1983

The Battle of the Ironclads: a remarkable Civil War Memento from the Commander of the Monitor, Rear Admiral John Lorimer Worden, comprising a Leather-Bound Presentation volume to his cousin containing works and papers concerning the engagement of the Monitor and the Merrimac

A fine collection of John J. Ford, Jr.s earliest numismatic publications, issued while he was a teenager.

A file of 21 most interesting letters from Eric Newman to F. C. C. Boyd on various numismatic topics

John Ford's Hardbound set of New Netherlands Sales, 1951-1960

A Very Special Run of New Netherlands Sales, 1951-1976, featuring many of the auctioneers' and other annotated copies

A 1945 letter from Assistant Mint Engraver Adam Pietz to Wayte Raymond including Pietz's comment that “The disgraceful salary at the Mint would not keep me. Art and years of experience does not mean a thing here.”

Interesting correspondence concerning the 1804 dollar, including a 1905 letter from John Nexsen to Lyman Low, and an 1884 letter, 1804 dollar photograph, and ink manuscript sent by Ivan Michels to Lyman Low.

A large file of fascinating early correspondence between Wayte Raymond and Walter Breen, dating to when Breen was attending Johns Hopkins in 1951

Three superb studio portrait photographs of Thomas Elder

A series of apparently unknown Elder photographic plates depicting rare early merchant tokens and political medals

A 1946 letter from George Clapp to Henry Hines, reading in part: “When my collection reaches the A. N. S., it will be the most complete and largest collection of the Large Cents – about 1600 – which has ever been made, a collection that today cannot be duplicated”

A loose set of Clapp 1798-1799 photographic plates

A manuscript by Harry F. Williams entitled: "A Monograph Describing the Gold Coins of Latin America and Treating of Their Rarity . . . For the Personal Use of Waldo Newcomer."

1952 correspondence and other materials pertaining to a 1785 Confederatio cent sold by James Kelly to John Ford, which was expertly plugged by Kelly but apparently was not disclosed.

1951 correspondence between John J. Ford, Jr. and Walter Breen in which an impecunious Breen is taken to task for his grooming: "It seems that you have ignored my repeated warnings about your personal appearance- everything from keeping the hair cut; daily shaving; clean nails; and last but not least, clean, pressed clothes. Walter, you are a product of a rough, unfortunate environment and you must rise above it." Breen's response begins: “Since when do your associates-or whoever it is-employ stool pigeons?” Despite such fusillades, the correspondence makes it clear that, despite their frustration, both men respect each other.

February 29, 2004 Update

Additional Ford Sale Highlights:

Photographic Plate Paste-ups for the 1952 A. N. A. Sale Catalogue and other New Netherlands catalogues

Rare Bankers Directories, including Rand, McNally and others

Important Business Directories, including Dunkley and Woodman's 1867-8 Business Directory of the Principal Cities in the West and South, Dun & Co.'s 1867 Mercantile Agency. United States Business Directory, etc.

An interesting handwritten 1862 letter from J. A. Bolen to "Mr. Mason," concerning tokens and including a drawing of one

A group of eight scarce monographs on Medicina in Nummis

A February 23, 1856 Bill of Lading for the Clipper Ship Midnight, recording the shipment of 70,424 pounds of “Sweeps,” i.e., precious metals, from the San Francisco Mint to the New York Assay Office

A February 3, 1870 letter from Secretary of the Treasury Geo. S. Boutwell, to O. H. Lagrange, Supt. Branch Mint, San Francisco, concerning regulations pertaining to "when gold or silver shall be cast into bars or ingots, or formed into disks at the Mint of the United States, or any of its branches thereof…”

A January 13th, 1858 letter from the Superintendent’s office, Branch Mint of the United States, to J. M. Eckfeldt, Esqr. Coiner &c., reading: “Enclosed you will please find a printed copy of notice of the closing of this branch on and after the 19th inst. The bullion received for coinage to the 19th inclusive will be refined and coined before we cease operations.”

An original manuscript by Archibald Firestone entitled Descriptive List of California Gold Dollars 1853 – 1876, describing over fifty pieces, accompanied by Samuel W. Comstock’s inventory of Octagon & Round California Gold Dollars, Half Dollars, Quarter Dollars, including 389 pieces: 75 dollars, 165 halves, and 149 quarters

A beautifully bound 1942 military commission on vellum, presenting First Lieutenant Hans Karl Sattler with the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, signed by Adolf Hitler

Various research papers, correspondence, and other materials relating to Private Gold Coins, Bars, Ingots, etc., featuring several early papers on pioneer gold coins written by John J. Ford, Jr., along with early correspondence with Paul Franklin

United States vs. John W. Haseltine. Affidavit of Defence. June 23, 1910. An original document pertaining to United States pattern coins. The resolution of this lawsuit reaffirmed the right of individuals to own patterns without fear of government confiscation

A remarkable body of correspondence pertaining to the disposition of the two 1877 $50 gold coins acquired circa 1909 by William Hartman Woodin, documenting a number of aspects concerning this great controversy that, up to now, have been often misunderstood

An appraisal by Wayte Raymond of 1,350 pattern coins in the Newcomer collection

The original manuscript/typescript of John J. Ford, Jr.’s First Numismatic Work

The original 1909 letter/invoice from John W. Haseltine to William H. Woodin, establishing the date acquired and the price paid by William H. Woodin for the unique set of controversial United States $50 gold pattern coins which now reside in the national collection

The Original Walter Breen Manuscript on New Jersey Coppers, written circa 1956-1958

Two superb sets of Nagy photographs of New Jersey Coppers

A remarkable 1863 Payroll Document from the San Francisco Mint, listing “F. B. Harte Clk. To Superintendent,” as an employee, and featuring Bret Harte's autograph acknowledging receipt of his salary

A revealing body of correspondence pertaining to the estate of Ard W. Browning, including the appraisal of his collection by F. C. C. Boyd

A fine photograph depicting Farran Zerbe's "Unique Money of the World" booth at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition/World's Fair in San Francisco

Rare Bankers' Magazines and Journals, including Homans and Rhodes

An appraisal by Wayte Raymond, B. Max Mehl, and M. Schulman comprising a record of Waldo Newcomer’s numismatic holdings at the time of his death in 1934

The Complete, Original Inventory of the Waldo C. Newcomer Collection and F. C. C. Boyd’s Original Appraisal/Inventory of the Remarkable Colonel E. H. R. Green Collection. Two of the most remarkable items in the Ford Library

A Separate Inventory of Col. Green's Latin American Gold Coins

An 1864 letter from Henry Phillips, Jr. to Joel Munsell concerning Phillips' numismatic magnum opus

A rare 1865 Civil War military periodical, the "Soldier's Letter," reporting that “The amendment to the Constitution of the United States, abolishing slavery, has passed!”

February 2, 2004 Update

Additional Ford Sale Highlights:

The Bid Book of Wayte Raymond's Rare 1917 A. N. A. Sale

The Bid Book of the Extremely Rare Fourth and Final W. W. C. Wilson Sale

Henry Chapman’s Bid Book of the Final W. W. C. Wilson Sale

Two 1853 California Gold Rush Letters, one reading in part: “Enclosed I send you a Gold 1/4 Dollar…”, another: “…get all the 16¢ pieces and the French one franc pieces…and send them out here and I can get 25¢ for all”

Apparently a Proof or Sample impression of Levick's 1869 Plate of 1793 Cents, Inscribed

A. M. Hart's 1851 History of the Issues of Paper-Money in the American Colonies, Complete With the Large Folding Historical Chart

A Superb 1869 American Bank Note Company Sample Book, with Text in Several Languages

Ed Frossard's Own Set of His First 150 Auction Sales, Leatherbound in 15 Volumes, virtually all Handpriced with Plates, Including Several Unrecorded Catalogues

One of the most remarkable items thus catalogued is a four volume compilation by Francis Worchester Doughty. In it, Doughty illustrates via rubbings his work on New York Tradesman's tokens which appeared in 1885-1886 issues of the Coin Collector's Journal. Important alone for the well-executed rubbings of the tokens in his collection, also included are "thousands of illustrations of various kinds, including engraved views and maps, early photographic views, halftone, engraved, lithographic, and other illustrations of tokens, etc.; along with a bewildering variety of printed and other ephemera, including newspaper articles and advertisements, documents, correspondence, flyers, etc." Among these are many wonderful examples of Numismatica Americana relating to 19th century coin dealers and collectors who were involved in issuing tokens. Present are many photographs of these famous early American numismatists, rare printed ephemera issued by them, and on and on. One of the most delightful items, quoting Doughty, is a remarkable silhouette of the father of the American coin trade, “Edward Cogan; cut at a Numismatic dinner given at Coney Island about 1860. From Mr. Geo. B. Mason, to whom Mr. Cogan presented it.”

Two very fine original 1876 editions of Attinelli's "Numisgraphics," one being J. N. T. Levick's interleaved and annotated copy

A complete eleven volume set of the American Numismatic Society Library Dictionary Catalogue, including all three supplements

Seventeen bound volumes of Glendining Coin and War Medal Catalogues, 1908-1925

Barry Goldwater's 1979 Memoirs inscribed "To my neighbor the Bomp" (a family nickname for John Ford)

An Original Manuscript of Dr. Thomas Hall's Coins of Connecticut belonging to W. W. Hays

A remarkable manuscript by Edgar H. Adams on Varieties of Early U. S. Gold, including a Supplement of Private Gold Coinages of California, all photographically-illustrated

A complete very fine set of the American Journal of Numismatics, uniformly bound

The Private Letter Copy Book of C. G. Memminger, Secretary of the Treasury of the Confederate States of America, covering his activities, many of great numismatic interest, from appointment until the outbreak of war

An 1861 Abraham Lincoln letter, signed

Lyman Low's Extensively Annotated & Extra-Illustrated Interleaved Copy of his 1899 work on Hard Times Tokens

A superb example of the rare 1904 promotional volume issued by the Birmingham Mint

F. C. C. Boyd's personal annotated copy of Valentine's 1925 Fractional Currency work

The "Nineteenth" Edition of Wayte Raymond's Standard Catalogue, the original manuscript by Walter Breen

Breen's Specialized Catalogue of U. S. Coins, including Colonials, an original 1953-1957 typescript, extensively annotated

January 25, 2004 Update

The Chapmans' Bid Book of the 1906 Wetmore sale, with plates

Two additional American Bond Detectors, bringing the total to seven copies, all different in one respect or another. One of these last two is inscribed by Ordway, and the other is the 1871 Second Edition.

Five editions of Hodges' Bank Note Safeguard 1859-1863, and Dye's 1855 Bank Note Plate Delineator, generally in exceptionally fine condition

A 1910 work by James Cannon on 1907 Clearing House Loan Certificates, with 21 plates of the currency, mostly printed in colors

The author's copy of Reed's 1879 Sketch of the Early History of Banking in Vermont, with specimens of Vermont State Bank notes and other items

A deluxe leatherbound edition of Dietz's 1929 Postal Service of the Confederate States of America

Wayte Raymond's 1875 Crosby in the Nova Constellatio binding

A very fine plated 1882 Bushnell sale

David Proskey's Priced and Named auction room copy of the Chapmans' 1882 Bushnell sale, with plates

David Proskey's Priced and Named auction room copy of the Chapmans' 1884 Warner sale

A superb plated 1905 John G. Mills sale

A superb plated 1906 H. P. Smith sale

The Chapmans' Bid Book of the 1906 H. P. Smith sale, with plates

An exceptionally fine Post-Sale Hardbound 1909 Zabriskie Sale with Plates

A “Mint” Plated 1909 Jewett Sale

The Bid Book of the 1911 Julius Brown Sale

William H. Woodin's superb leather-bound 1912 George H. Earle sale, with plates

A "near new" plated 1916 Charley Gregory sale, in the original gilt-printed white paper covers

A superb 1920 W. H. Hunter sale, with plates

The Bid Book of the Hunter Sale

A very fine copy of Marvin's 1880 Medals of the Masonic Fraternity; also the most complete example we have ever encountered of the Supplement.

Wayte Raymond’s own copy of the 1925 W. W. C. Wilson Sale, With 56 Plates (the additional 11 plates depict Wilson's Bouquet Sous and all of the items depicted in the text as halftones)

The Bid Book of the 1925 W. W. C. Wilson Sale

The Bid Books of Parts II & III of the W. W. C. Wilson Sale

By far the finest original set of Frossard's Numisma that we have ever encountered

A 1792 French work comprising the documentary basis for the issuance of the Castorland Medal

J. N. T. Levick’s Annotated Low on Hard Times Tokens, With Adams Plates

The Chapmans' Bid Book of the 1882 Bushnell sale, with plates

The Chapmans' Bid Book of the 1904 Mills sale, with plates

S. H. Chapman’s Priced and Named 1909 Zabriskie Sale

S. H. Chapman’s annotated sales room copy of the 1914 Parsons Sale

Wayte Raymond’s Hardbound United States Coin Company Sales, Including a Plated Lardner Catalogue and a Number of Bid Books

J. N. T. Levick’s own annotated 1884 Levick sale, with a remarkable comment on cataloguer Woodward: “His one eye didn’t see it - as I did have it”

October 25, 2003, Update

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1903 Disbrow and Friedman Fractional Currency sale

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1904 Ralph Barker sale with Plates, including two additional plates virtually unknown

Storelli's Extremely Rare 1896 Work on Jean-Baptiste Nini Medals

A 1771 Mexico City Mint Ordinance, comprising Rules and Regulations of the First Mint in the New World

A fine example of S. H. Chapman's 1909 Zug sale with Plates, intact in the original gilt-printed pictorial paper covers

A superb example of S. H. Chapman's 1923 Beckwith sale with Plates, with a letter from Chapman to Virgil Brand reading in part: "The plates in the Beckwith are, I think, the finest I have ever taken"

A superb example of S. H. Chapman's 1921 Henderson sale with Plates, in Original State

The Bid Book of Henry Chapman's 1908 A. N. A. Sale

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1904 Charles Morris sale with Plates

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1897 CM. A. Brown sale with one of only two surviving sets of Photographic Plates

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1895 Chaloner sale with Plates

A large collection of Heath Counterfeit Detectors, both Pocket and Banking & Counting House Editions, including a deluxe Leatherbound Edition and two Household Editions

Works on British medals and decorations, including Creagh & Humphris, Tancred, Payne, Mayo, et al.

A very fine set of Mason's Coin and Stamp Collectors' Magazine

A very fine copy of Exkfeldt & Du Bous' 1849 Manual of Gold and Silver Coins, the first edition to contain samples of '49er Gold

A set of 1945 Photographs of George Clapp's Large Cents

A Specially Printed Second Edition of Bushnell's 1859 "First three Business Tokens," the first we've seen

An extremely rare Leatherbound Edition of Raymond's "United States Gold Coins of the Philadelphia and Branch Mints," featuring a record of Waldo Newcomer's collection of double eagles

A "Mint" example of S. H. Chapman's 1913 Lyman Sale with Plates; also, the Lyman Sale Bid Book with Plates

A lovely example of Ormsby's 1852 Description of the Present System of Bank Note Engraving

A Very Fine 1923 Edition of Chapman on 1794 cents

A Deluxe Leatherbound Edition of Newcomb's Cents of the Years 1801-1802-1803, Ex Henry Hines and Homer Downing

A Deluxe Leatherbound Edition of Clapp's Cents of the Years 1798-1799. Copy No. 3, Inscribed to Henry Hines

A superb example of F. C. C. Boyd's Deluxe Leatherbound Browning on Quarter Dollars, One of Only Five Issued

An Original 1969 Showers Half Cent Inventory, No. 10 of only 12 issued with photographic plates

A 1944 Leatherbound Newcomb work on late dates, inscribed by the Stacks "To Johnie Ford"

Copy No. 1 of the Deluxe Leatherbound Beistle Book on Early Half Dollars, Inscribed to Colonel Green

An Inscribed copy of Herrera's Classic Work on Ptoclamation Medals

Early Mint Reports and Documents, one concerning "The probability of the abolition of the mint establishment"

The Bid Book of J. Schulman's 1930 Amsterdam sale of the Fernand David Collection of "The Coins and Medals of America"

A Superbly Bound set of Phillips' 1865-1866 "Historical Sketches of the Paper Currency of the american Colonies"

A Superb Plated Beckwith Sale With Plates, including a letter from Beckwith to Henry Hines, reading in part: "You ask why I am parting with my coins. I am not going to try to pull off any moth eaten stuff about failing eyesight or interested along other lines. The plain unadulterated truth is I need the money. That is I don’t feel as if I can afford to keep so much money tied up. I have succeeded in bringing together a collection which suited my fancy and I can’t go much further without going into minute varieties and that I don’t want to do."

A "Near New" example of a Plated Alvord Half Cent Sale

A Very Fine Copy No. 4 of Gilbert's 1916 work on half cents, ex libris Wayte Raymond

The 1751 Edition of William Douglass's "Discourse Concerning the Currencies of the British Plantations in America"

Five Superb American Bond Detectors: One with a rare variety of the coin plates; one beautifilly bound in full morocco, and one a
"Salesman's Sample"

Thomas Elder's rare Plated 1910 Gilbert Sale, with the Coin Plate Legends Fully Intact

A Very Fine Example of Thian's 1880 "Register of the Confederate Debt"; One of Only Five Copies, and by far the finest of the three that we have seen

Homer Downing's 1945 Newcomb Cent Sale With Photographic Illustrations

Spencer M. Clark's Letter Record of the National Currency Bureau, June 10, 1863 to March 2, 1864

The Bid Book of Lyman Low's 1907 Hays-Phelps Sale of 1794 Cents

October 5, 2003 Update

Work on the John J. Ford, Jr. Library continues. Among the more interesting items catalogued since the last report are:

H. P. Smith’s Plated “Large Paper” 1890 Parmelee Sale, Priced With Buyers’ Names

The Chapman Brothers’ Bid Book of the 1888 Scott Stamp & Coin Co. Linderman Pattern Sale

From the library of Hiram Deats, the finest set of the first six volumes of The Numismatist, 1888-1893, that we have ever encountered, including the Zabriskie set.

Dr. Maris’s Sales Room Copy of the 1886 sale of his collection, also a priced and named example with the extremely rare 4 plates

More unique Chapman bid books, including A. C. Nygren

W. W. C. Wilson’s 1911 Adams Sale of Woodin Patterns With Plates

The Bid Book of the 1892 New York Coin & Stamp Co. sale of the Woodside Collection of patterns

A superb set of Van Loon’s 1732-1737 work in French on Dutch medals, which includes European medals relating to colonial America

A Superb Set of Milford Haven’s Magnificent “Medallic History of All Navies”

Two very fine 1915 United States Coin Co. Granberg sales with plates, one being S. H. Chapman’s Plated, Priced and Named example

David Proskey’s Priced and Named 1883 Crosby Sale of colonials

A Large Paper copy of Strobridge’s September 1863 Seavey sale, the first we recall ever having encountered

The 1866 auction catalogue of the E. I. Barra collection, “Probably the first coin sale on the Pacific Coast”

Robert Coulton Davis’s Interleaved, Extra-Illustrated, and Annotated 1873 Seavey/Parmelee Catalogue

A very fine plated 1924 Simpson sale

Lyman Low’s 1904 H. G. Brown Bid Book, On Large Paper With Plates

Eighteen plated Elder sales, generally in superb condition, including many great rarities

A unique illustrated work on Bryan Money by Howland Wood

A number of important plated Woodward catalogues, including Vicksburg sales

A superb set of Scott’s Coin Collector’s Journal in the publisher’s cloth

Very fine 1869 and 1870 editions of Maris on 1794 cents

Homer Downing’s deluxe leatherbound Oscar Pearl catalogue

An exceptionally fine plated 1919 S. H. Chapman Sleicher sale

Likely the finest copy extant of the 1904 Chapman brothers’ Ralph Barker sale with plates

And more.

September 21, 2003 Update

This past week, cataloguing began on the John J. Ford, Jr. Library. Slowly. Delightful surprises abound.

Among items catalogued from several cartons randomly unpacked are the following:

F. C. C. Boyd's deluxe leatherbound 1941 Dunham sale catalogue, the finest example we recall ever having encountered.

Three leatherbound volumes of Bureau of Engraving and Printing vignettes, any one of which would be the finest, condition-wise, compared to any previously encountered. Two are official productions, issued circa 1876, each with nearly 150 superb engravings. The third is a monumental volume, containing over 200 BEP engravings assembled privately by Joseph K. Edgerton, who served in Congress from 1863 to 1865 and presumably obtained them as perquisites of office.

Several unique Chapman brothers bid books. Among them: Colin E. King with plates; Boeing-Bridgman with plates; and McCoye with a handwritten note stating that “The plates for this catalogue proved failures and were not issued but were all destroyed.”

S. H. Chapman's priced and named Stickney sale catalogue with superb plates no doubt handpicked by the photographer, i.e., S. H. himself.

A fine example in the original printed card covers, with plates, of the 1914 Foster Lardner sale of large cents, along with a flyer promoting Lardner's skills as a magician and lecturer, and a superb photograph of Lardner.

S. H. Chapman’s plated, priced and named 1915 Granberg Sale, perhaps the finest of the four or five plated examples that have come to market in the past quarter century.

A superb example of the 1925 W. W. C. Wilson sale with the full complement of plates. Ex F. C. C. Boyd and perhaps Henry Chapman, whose lengthy invoice for the sale - including $15.00 for a plated copy of the catalogue - is included. Also catalogued were priced and named copies of the second and third Wilson sales.

David Proskey's 1885 bid book of the Thian sale of Confederate paper money.

Quite a start. Will future reports be as exciting? I do not know. Stay tuned.

Previous press releases ...

Web site:
www.numislit.com

eMail:
GFK@numislit.com

GEORGE FREDERICK KOLBE
P.O. Drawer 3100
Crestline, CA 92325-3100
USA
Phone: (909) 338-6527
Fax: (909) 338- 6980

The landmark public auction sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Library, to be held in association with Stack’s, will take place on Tuesday, June 1, 2004 at the Mission Inn, Riverside, California, a National Historical Landmark Hotel: www.missioninn.com. The Mission Inn is about half way between Crestline (where lot viewing will be held on the days preceding the sale), and Long Beach (where the Long Beach Coin Convention will begin the day after the sale). The Mission Inn is about an hour by car from Los Angeles International Airport, and about ten minutes from the new Ontario International Airport. Riverside is a large city (approx. 300,000 residents) and offers a wide array of lodging and recreational activities. Periodic reports about the many rare and interesting things that will be in the sale will appear in the E-sylum, weekly electronic newsletter of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, and are also provided below. Those interested in subscribing to the E-sylum, free of charge, are invited to visit the society’s web site: www.coinbooks.org.

The June 1, 2004 sale will feature the most outstanding works in the Ford library, including famous American coin auction catalogues with photographic plates, classic books and periodicals, unique coin inventories, photographic records, etc. In many respects, the Ford library promises to eclipse the landmark Harry W. Bass, Jr. and Armand Champa library sales. Though perhaps not as complete in some respects, the overall condition of the library is essentially unimprovable, and the importance of the many annotated works in the library and their famous provenances will combine to make the Ford library sales a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

October 25, 2003, Update

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1903 Disbrow and Friedman Fractional Currency sale

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1904 Ralph Barker sale with Plates, including two additional plates virtually unknown

Storelli's Extremely Rare 1896 Work on Jean-Baptiste Nini Medals

A 1771 Mexico City Mint Ordinance, comprising Rules and Regulations of the First Mint in the New World

A fine example of S. H. Chapman's 1909 Zug sale with Plates, intact in the original gilt-printed pictorial paper covers

A superb example of S. H. Chapman's 1923 Beckwith sale with Plates, with a letter from Chapman to Virgil Brand reading in part: "The plates in the Beckwith are, I think, the finest I have ever taken"

A superb example of S. H. Chapman's 1921 Henderson sale with Plates, in Original State

The Bid Book of Henry Chapman's 1908 A. N. A. Sale

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1904 Charles Morris sale with Plates

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1897 CM. A. Brown sale with one of only two surviving sets of Photographic Plates

The Bid Book of the Chapman brothers' 1895 Chaloner sale with Plates

A large collection of Heath Counterfeit Detectors, both Pocket and Banking & Counting House Editions, including a deluxe Leatherbound Edition and two Household Editions

Works on British medals and decorations, including Creagh & Humphris, Tancred, Payne, Mayo, et al.

A very fine set of Mason's Coin and Stamp Collectors' Magazine

A very fine copy of Exkfeldt & Du Bous' 1849 Manual of Gold and Silver Coins, the first edition to contain samples of '49er Gold

A set of 1945 Photographs of George Clapp's Large Cents

A Specially Printed Second Edition of Bushnell's 1859 "First three Business Tokens," the first we've seen

An extremely rare Leatherbound Edition of Raymond's "United States Gold Coins of the Philadelphia and Branch Mints," featuring a record of Waldo Newcomer's collection of double eagles

A "Mint" example of S. H. Chapman's 1913 Lyman Sale with Plates; also, the Lyman Sale Bid Book with Plates

A lovely example of Ormsby's 1852 Description of the Present System of Bank Note Engraving

A Very Fine 1923 Edition of Chapman on 1794 cents

A Deluxe Leatherbound Edition of Newcomb's Cents of the Years 1801-1802-1803, Ex Henry Hines and Homer Downing

A Deluxe Leatherbound Edition of Clapp's Cents of the Years 1798-1799. Copy No. 3, Inscribed to Henry Hines

A superb example of F. C. C. Boyd's Deluxe Leatherbound Browning on Quarter Dollars, One of Only Five Issued

An Original 1969 Showers Half Cent Inventory, No. 10 of only 12 issued with photographic plates

A 1944 Leatherbound Newcomb work on late dates, inscribed by the Stacks "To Johnie Ford"

Copy No. 1 of the Deluxe Leatherbound Beistle Book on Early Half Dollars, Inscribed to Colonel Green

An Inscribed copy of Herrera's Classic Work on Ptoclamation Medals

Early Mint Reports and Documents, one concerning "The probability of the abolition of the mint establishment"

The Bid Book of J. Schulman's 1930 Amsterdam sale of the Fernand David Collection of "The Coins and Medals of America"

A Superbly Bound set of Phillips' 1865-1866 "Historical Sketches of the Paper Currency of the american Colonies"

A Superb Plated Beckwith Sale With Plates, including a letter from Beckwith to Henry Hines, reading in part: "You ask why I am parting with my coins. I am not going to try to pull off any moth eaten stuff about failing eyesight or interested along other lines. The plain unadulterated truth is I need the money. That is I don’t feel as if I can afford to keep so much money tied up. I have succeeded in bringing together a collection which suited my fancy and I can’t go much further without going into minute varieties and that I don’t want to do."

A "Near New" example of a Plated Alvord Half Cent Sale

A Very Fine Copy No. 4 of Gilbert's 1916 work on half cents, ex libris Wayte Raymond

The 1751 Edition of William Douglass's "Discourse Concerning the Currencies of the British Plantations in America"

Five Superb American Bond Detectors: One with a rare variety of the coin plates; one beautifilly bound in full morocco, and one a
"Salesman's Sample"

Thomas Elder's rare Plated 1910 Gilbert Sale, with the Coin Plate Legends Fully Intact

A Very Fine Example of Thian's 1880 "Register of the Confederate Debt"; One of Only Five Copies, and by far the finest of the three that we have seen

Homer Downing's 1945 Newcomb Cent Sale With Photographic Illustrations

Spencer M. Clark's Letter Record of the National Currency Bureau, June 10, 1863 to March 2, 1864

The Bid Book of Lyman Low's 1907 Hays-Phelps Sale of 1794 Cents

October 5, 2003 Update

Work on the John J. Ford, Jr. Library continues. Among the more interesting items catalogued since the last report are:

H. P. Smith’s Plated “Large Paper” 1890 Parmelee Sale, Priced With Buyers’ Names

The Chapman Brothers’ Bid Book of the 1888 Scott Stamp & Coin Co. Linderman Pattern Sale

From the library of Hiram Deats, the finest set of the first six volumes of The Numismatist, 1888-1893, that we have ever encountered, including the Zabriskie set.

Dr. Maris’s Sales Room Copy of the 1886 sale of his collection, also a priced and named example with the extremely rare 4 plates

More unique Chapman bid books, including A. C. Nygren

W. W. C. Wilson’s 1911 Adams Sale of Woodin Patterns With Plates

The Bid Book of the 1892 New York Coin & Stamp Co. sale of the Woodside Collection of patterns

A superb set of Van Loon’s 1732-1737 work in French on Dutch medals, which includes European medals relating to colonial America

A Superb Set of Milford Haven’s Magnificent “Medallic History of All Navies”

Two very fine 1915 United States Coin Co. Granberg sales with plates, one being S. H. Chapman’s Plated, Priced and Named example

David Proskey’s Priced and Named 1883 Crosby Sale of colonials

A Large Paper copy of Strobridge’s September 1863 Seavey sale, the first we recall ever having encountered

The 1866 auction catalogue of the E. I. Barra collection, “Probably the first coin sale on the Pacific Coast”

Robert Coulton Davis’s Interleaved, Extra-Illustrated, and Annotated 1873 Seavey/Parmelee Catalogue

A very fine plated 1924 Simpson sale

Lyman Low’s 1904 H. G. Brown Bid Book, On Large Paper With Plates

Eighteen plated Elder sales, generally in superb condition, including many great rarities

A unique illustrated work on Bryan Money by Howland Wood

A number of important plated Woodward catalogues, including Vicksburg sales

A superb set of Scott’s Coin Collector’s Journal in the publisher’s cloth

Very fine 1869 and 1870 editions of Maris on 1794 cents

Homer Downing’s deluxe leatherbound Oscar Pearl catalogue

An exceptionally fine plated 1919 S. H. Chapman Sleicher sale

Likely the finest copy extant of the 1904 Chapman brothers’ Ralph Barker sale with plates

And more.

September 21, 2003 Update

This past week, cataloguing began on the John J. Ford, Jr. Library. Slowly. Delightful surprises abound.

Among items catalogued from several cartons randomly unpacked are the following:

F. C. C. Boyd's deluxe leatherbound 1941 Dunham sale catalogue, the finest example we recall ever having encountered.

Three leatherbound volumes of Bureau of Engraving and Printing vignettes, any one of which would be the finest, condition-wise, compared to any previously encountered. Two are official productions, issued circa 1876, each with nearly 150 superb engravings. The third is a monumental volume, containing over 200 BEP engravings assembled privately by Joseph K. Edgerton, who served in Congress from 1863 to 1865 and presumably obtained them as perquisites of office.

Several unique Chapman brothers bid books. Among them: Colin E. King with plates; Boeing-Bridgman with plates; and McCoye with a handwritten note stating that “The plates for this catalogue proved failures and were not issued but were all destroyed.”

S. H. Chapman's priced and named Stickney sale catalogue with superb plates no doubt handpicked by the photographer, i.e., S. H. himself.

A fine example in the original printed card covers, with plates, of the 1914 Foster Lardner sale of large cents, along with a flyer promoting Lardner's skills as a magician and lecturer, and a superb photograph of Lardner.

S. H. Chapman’s plated, priced and named 1915 Granberg Sale, perhaps the finest of the four or five plated examples that have come to market in the past quarter century.

A superb example of the 1925 W. W. C. Wilson sale with the full complement of plates. Ex F. C. C. Boyd and perhaps Henry Chapman, whose lengthy invoice for the sale - including $15.00 for a plated copy of the catalogue - is included. Also catalogued were priced and named copies of the second and third Wilson sales.

David Proskey's 1885 bid book of the Thian sale of Confederate paper money.

Quite a start. Will future reports be as exciting? I do not know. Stay tuned.

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