GEORGE FREDERICK KOLBE
FINE NUMISMATIC
BOOKS
John J. Ford, Jr. Sale - Results
June 3, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Numismatic literature history was made when the 1,000 lot first part of the John J. Ford, Jr. American Numismatic Library was sold at public auction on June 1, 2004 at The Mission Inn in Riverside, California. It was the most important auction of rare American numismatic literature ever held, and the first part alone brought substantially more, at 1.66 million dollars, than the four Armand Champa library sales (approximately 1 million dollars), or the five Harry Bass library sales (1.25 million dollars). The pre-sale estimates totalled just under a million dollars, but 63 registered floor bidders, 16 telephone bidders, and 150 absentee bidders combined to produce a plethora of record prices across the board. The prior record for a single day auction of numismatic literature, worldwide, is under a half million dollars, setting the sale of the Ford library in a class by itself. The auction was held by Kolbe in association with Stack’s, and a limited number of well illustrated catalogues, including a prices realized list, may still be ordered by sending $35.00 to George Frederick Kolbe, Fine Numismatic Books, P. O. Drawer 3100, Crestline, CA 92325.
A few sale highlights follow: Hiram Deats’ superb set of
the first six volumes of The Numismatist, 1888-1993, estimated
at $15,000, sold for $40,250; Adolphus Hart’s 1851 History
of the Issues of Paper Money in the American Colonies, one of
only three copies known with the Historical Chart brought $34,500
on a $12,500 estimate; opening at $10,000, the original inventory
of the legendary Waldo Newcomer Collection of American coins sold
for $19,550; also opening at $10,000, the original F. C. C. Boyd
appraisal and inventory of the massive coin collection formed
by Col. E. H. R. Green brought $42,550 to an indefatigable telephone
bidder; 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, generally brought record prices;
over twenty rare Thomas Elder auction catalogues with original
photographic plates also sold very well; 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
were avidly sought after; important Americana, including a superb
selection of early Western and other rare American Directories
generally sold well above the estimates; two original copies of
Attinelli’s 1876 Numisgraphics brought $4,025 and $6,325;
a superb set of Milford Haven’s classic work on Naval Medals
realized $5,060; classic works on large cents, including deluxe
editions and famous collectors’ copies were in great demand;
rare publications on fractional currency and Confederate currency
were likewise avidly sought after, including perhaps the finest
example known of Thian’s Register of the Confederate Debt,
one of only five issued, which sold for $35,650 on a $12,500 estimate;
classic works and unique manuscripts on American colonial coins
were in demand, and the Dr. Hall/Hays manuscript on Connecticut
coppers realized $23,000; several Eckfeldt and Du Bois works featured
actual samples of California ‘49er gold and all sold for
well over the estimates, particularly the 1842-1849 edition which
brought $9,200 on a $3,500 estimate; Ed Frossard’s own set
of his first 150 auction sale catalogues, handsomely bound in
fifteen volumes, was one of the great highlights of the sale,
opening for $6,000 on a $10,000 estimate, and ending up at $46,000;
the 1861 private letter copy book of C. G. Memminger, Secretary
of the Treasury of the Confederate States of America brought $24,150.
Those interested in learning more about this landmark sale or
in accessing the catalogue and prices realized list online may
do so by visiting: www.numislit.com
[note: all prices cited here, including the Champa and Bass
library totals, include the buyer premium]
2004 June 3