GEORGE FREDERICK KOLBE
FINE NUMISMATIC
BOOKS
UPCOMING KOLBE SALES
April 2, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The first part of the John J. Ford, Jr. American Numismatic
Library will be sold at public auction on June 1, 2004 at The
Mission Inn in Riverside, California. It will be the most important
auction of rare American numismatic literature ever sold. The
sale is being held in association with the New York coin firm
Stack’s, and illustrated catalogues may be ordered by sending
$35.00 to George Frederick Kolbe, Fine Numismatic Books, P. O.
Drawer 3100, Crestline, CA 92325. The catalogue is also accessible
at the firm’s web site: www.numislit.com.
The estimates of the one thousand lots in the sale total a million
dollars. Many of the greatest American rarities are featured,
among them: Hiram Deats’ superb set of the first six volumes
of The Numismatist, 1888-1993; Adolphus Hart’s 1851 History
of the Issues of Paper Money in the American Colonials, one of
only three copies known with the Historical Chart; the original
inventory of the legendary Waldo Newcomer Collection of American
coins; the original F. C. C. Boyd appraisal and inventory of the
massive coin collection formed by Col. E. H. R. Green; no less
than seven different varieties of The American Bond Detector,
including a superb leatherbound edition, a salesman’s sample,
and the rare 1871 second edition; thirty-three Heath’s Counterfeit
Detectors, including two Household Editions and a deluxe leatherbound
edition; the most important assemblage of Chapman Brothers auction
catalogues ever offered, including superb examples with original
photographic plates, and many of the firm’s unique Bid Books
for their most important auctions; over twenty rare Thomas Elder
auction catalogues with original photographic plates; extremely
important manuscripts and correspondence written by Walter Breen;
numerous Wayte Raymond catalogues with photographic plates and
all four of the firm’s unique bid books of the monumental
1920s W. W. C. Wilson sales; important Americana, including a
superb selection of early Western and other rare American Directories;
two original copies of Attinelli’s 1876 Numisgraphics, one
an interleaved example from the library of J. N. T. Levick; a
superb set of Milford Haven’s classic work on Naval Medals;
classic works on large cents, including deluxe editions and famous
collectors’ copies; rare publications on fractional currency
and Confederate currency, including perhaps the finest example
known of Thian’s Register of the Confederate Debt, one of
only five issued; classic works and unique manuscripts on American
colonial coins; a remarkable four volume compilation by Francis
Worcester Doughty on Tradesmen’s Tokens, including rubbings
of his collection, historical documentation, and illustrations
and ephemeral publications relating to their issuers; numerous
rare and important early publications on counterfeit and altered
American paper currency; several Eckfeldt and Du Bois works featuring
actual samples of California ‘49er gold; many important works
and manuscripts on American pioneer gold coins; Ed Frossard’s
own set of his first 150 auction sale catalogues, handsomely bound
in fifteen volumes; correspondence and manuscripts on California
fractional gold coins; a superb five volume set of van Loon’s
classic 1732-1737 work on Dutch medals, also covering early American
medals; key works and manuscripts on Hard Times tokens; the 1861
private letter copy book of C. G. Memminger, Secretary of the
Treasury of the Confederate States of America; unique documents
and correspondence concerning American pattern coin litigation
and controversies; important British sale catalogues featuring
content on American medals and coins; early reports and documents
pertaining to the United States Mint; important works on Canadian
numismatics; runs of important American Bankers’ journals
and other early financial publications; and much more. The large
format catalogue describing the 1,000 lots in the sale is over
300 pages long and features over one hundred illustrations in
full color.
Beyond the remarkable roster of rarities mentioned above, and
many others not noted, the Ford Library stands out from virtually
all others in two additional respects: the overall condition of
the library is superb, essentially unimprovable; and it contains
an amazing number of works from the libraries of prominent American
coin collectors and dealers of the past. Those interested in learning
more about this landmark sale or in accessing the catalogue online
may do so by visiting: www.numislit.com
2004 April 2