Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 160 22 May 2021
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The Fuld-Bass Set of Tom Elder Catalogues
Elder, Thomas L. NUMISMATIC AUCTION CATALOGUES. New York, 1903–1940. Two hundred sixty-one different catalogues and three duplicates, bound in twenty volumes numbered 1–20, plus a large-paper copy of the 1929 S.H. Chapman sale in the original card covers. The following Elder auction sale catalogues are present, listed by Adams numbers: A, 1–24, 26, 28, 30, 33–37, 39–69, 71, 73–82, 84, 86–88, 92, 96, 97, 99–106, 108, 110–112, 114, 118–120, 122–131, 133–138, 140–157, 159, 162–165, 167–169, 171, and 173–292. Nineteen volumes octavo, one volume quarto, later matching brown cloth, gilt; nearly all original printed card covers bound in. A number of catalogues are hand-priced or include printed prices realized lists. The following catalogues with original plates are included: J.B. Chase (December 19, 1907), 3 fine photographic plates; Peter Gschwend (June 15–16, 1908), 16 of 17 fine photographic plates; James B. Wilson (October 5–7, 1907), 28 fine photographic plates; Peter Mougey (September 1–3, 1910), 42 fine photographic plates; Sixty-Sixth Sale (September 27–28, 1912), 2 halftone plates. Minor faults in a few catalogues. Generally near fine. An extensive run of Elder sales, nearly ninety percent complete, as collected and bound by Melvin and George Fuld, later in the library of Harry W. Bass, Jr. Many of the catalogues were originally in the library of D.W. Valentine, and feature his name and address written on the front cover or title. A number are annotated by Valentine, sometimes including prices and names. Include five plated sales, including the exceptionally rare 1907 Chase sale. The copy in our 2018 John W. Adams Library sale brought an incredible $16,000 hammer; that is the only other copy we are aware of to have been offered at auction since the 1970s, not counting the incomplete copy in the Champa Library. The copy here present includes fine, clean plates, and the catalogue itself retains its card covers and is hand-priced. The first plate depicts war medals, mostly British; the second illustrates rare United States gold and large silver coins, patterns, two Oak Tree shillings and a few miscellaneous pieces; the third plate depicts large cents, United States dimes and half dimes, a few United States gold coins, an 1870 pattern dollar, three ancient Greek Alexander III silver tetradrachms from a hoard and a Japanese 5 momme piece from the Meiwa era. The other plated sales are better known, with the Gschwend and Mougey sales being especially noteworthy. Unplated rarities are perhaps best represented by the first sale here present: Adams A, a March 5, 1903 mail-bid sale held in "Pittsburg" (the spelling was changed in 1911), where he was living before his move to New York. This is a very rare catalogue, and the copy in the Adams Library sale (lot 123) realized $6500 hammer on what turned out to be an exceptionally low $500 estimate. Sale 97, another unplated rarity of the series, is also present. Among the over four linear feet of Thomas Elder catalogues present here is the entire numismatic world, waiting to be unlocked by a persistent and hardy researcher. Elder sold everything, and rarities in nearly all U.S., ancient and foreign series are present in abundance. Nearly every important Elder sale is present in this set and the more important the sale, the more likely it is to be priced. The addition of the five plated sales, particularly the Chase catalogue, adds spice to the mix and the estimate seems modest by any objective standard. Ex Melvin & George Fuld Library (November 27–28, 1971 Katen Sale, lot 977A); ex Harry W. Bass, Jr. Library (Kolbe Sale 77, lot 266); ex John Dannreuther Library.
Elder, Thomas L. NUMISMATIC AUCTION CATALOGUES. New York, 1903–1940. Two hundred sixty-one different catalogues and three duplicates, bound in twenty volumes numbered 1–20, plus a large-paper copy of the 1929 S.H. Chapman sale in the original card covers. The following Elder auction sale catalogues are present, listed by Adams numbers: A, 1–24, 26, 28, 30, 33–37, 39–69, 71, 73–82, 84, 86–88, 92, 96, 97, 99–106, 108, 110–112, 114, 118–120, 122–131, 133–138, 140–157, 159, 162–165, 167–169, 171, and 173–292. Nineteen volumes octavo, one volume quarto, later matching brown cloth, gilt; nearly all original printed card covers bound in. A number of catalogues are hand-priced or include printed prices realized lists. The following catalogues with original plates are included: J.B. Chase (December 19, 1907), 3 fine photographic plates; Peter Gschwend (June 15–16, 1908), 16 of 17 fine photographic plates; James B. Wilson (October 5–7, 1907), 28 fine photographic plates; Peter Mougey (September 1–3, 1910), 42 fine photographic plates; Sixty-Sixth Sale (September 27–28, 1912), 2 halftone plates. Minor faults in a few catalogues. Generally near fine. An extensive run of Elder sales, nearly ninety percent complete, as collected and bound by Melvin and George Fuld, later in the library of Harry W. Bass, Jr. Many of the catalogues were originally in the library of D.W. Valentine, and feature his name and address written on the front cover or title. A number are annotated by Valentine, sometimes including prices and names. Include five plated sales, including the exceptionally rare 1907 Chase sale. The copy in our 2018 John W. Adams Library sale brought an incredible $16,000 hammer; that is the only other copy we are aware of to have been offered at auction since the 1970s, not counting the incomplete copy in the Champa Library. The copy here present includes fine, clean plates, and the catalogue itself retains its card covers and is hand-priced. The first plate depicts war medals, mostly British; the second illustrates rare United States gold and large silver coins, patterns, two Oak Tree shillings and a few miscellaneous pieces; the third plate depicts large cents, United States dimes and half dimes, a few United States gold coins, an 1870 pattern dollar, three ancient Greek Alexander III silver tetradrachms from a hoard and a Japanese 5 momme piece from the Meiwa era. The other plated sales are better known, with the Gschwend and Mougey sales being especially noteworthy. Unplated rarities are perhaps best represented by the first sale here present: Adams A, a March 5, 1903 mail-bid sale held in "Pittsburg" (the spelling was changed in 1911), where he was living before his move to New York. This is a very rare catalogue, and the copy in the Adams Library sale (lot 123) realized $6500 hammer on what turned out to be an exceptionally low $500 estimate. Sale 97, another unplated rarity of the series, is also present. Among the over four linear feet of Thomas Elder catalogues present here is the entire numismatic world, waiting to be unlocked by a persistent and hardy researcher. Elder sold everything, and rarities in nearly all U.S., ancient and foreign series are present in abundance. Nearly every important Elder sale is present in this set and the more important the sale, the more likely it is to be priced. The addition of the five plated sales, particularly the Chase catalogue, adds spice to the mix and the estimate seems modest by any objective standard. Ex Melvin & George Fuld Library (November 27–28, 1971 Katen Sale, lot 977A); ex Harry W. Bass, Jr. Library (Kolbe Sale 77, lot 266); ex John Dannreuther Library.