Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 161 18 Sep 2021
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The Schlessinger Bidbooks: A Remarkable Group of Catalogues, and a Family Treasure
Schlessinger, Felix. SCHLESSINGER FIRM BIDBOOKS FOR THEIR NUMISMATIC AUCTION SALES, RECORDING BIDS RECEIVED, SALE PRICES AND BUYERS, WITH ADDITIONAL MATERIALS LAID IN. Fourteen catalogues (Berlin-Charlottenburg and Amsterdam, 1928–1937), bound in five volumes. Included are the following (listed in order of binding, while the numbering denotes the chronological arrangement): 1. Schlessinger, Felix, with Henry Seligmann. BRAUNSCHWEIGISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Hannover, 22. Oktober 1928 und folgende Tage. (4), 112, (2) pages, interleaved; 2174 lots; 19 fine plates. [bound with] 2. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG VON TALERN UND GOLDMÜNZEN FERNER SCHWEIZ-ANTIKE GOLDMÜNZEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 24. Juni 1929 und folgende Tage. (6), 93, (3) pages, interleaved; 2753 lots; 21 fine plates. [bound with] 3. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS NORDDEUTSCHEM BESITZ. I. ABTEILUNG: KAISER– UND KÖNIGREICHE, GEISTLICHE UND STÄDTE. POLNISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 11. November 1929 und folgende Tage. (4), 58 pages, interleaved; 1451 lots; 18 fine plates. [with] 4. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS NORDDEUTSCHEM BESITZ. II. ABTEILUNG: MEROVINGER–KAROLINGER–ENGLAND–FRANKREICH–NIEDERLANDE. ALTFÜRSTLICHE UND NEUFÜRSTLICHE HERREN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 31. März 1930 und folgende Tage. (4), 69, (1) pages, interleaved; lots 1452–3512 lots; fine plates numbered 19–37. [bound with] 5. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG SCHWEIZER MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 26. Mai 1930 und folgende Tage. (2), 31, (1) pages, interleaved; 591 lots; 11 fine plates. [bound with] 6. Schlessinger, Felix, with Leo Hamburger. SAMMLUNG DES HERRN M. FRANKIEWICZ IN POSEN POLNISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 15. September 1930 und folgende Tage. (2), 49, (1) pages, interleaved; 957 lots; 19 fine plates. [with] 7. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS NORDDEUTSCHEM BESITZ. III. ABTEILUNG: ITALIEN–SPANIEN–RUSSLAND–HAMBURG–MITTELALTER. NUMISMATISCHE BIBLIOTHEK. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 20. Oktober 1930 und folgende Tage. (4), 69, (1) pages, interleaved; lots 3513–4174 + 429; fine plates numbered 38–45. [bound with] 8. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG KIRSTEN. HAMBURGISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. DEUTSCHES REICHSGOLD. ANTIKE. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 16. März 1931 und folgende Tage. (4), 59, (3) pages, interleaved; 1876 lots; 17 fine plates. [bound with] 9. Schlessinger, Felix. MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN VON MECKLENBURG, ROSTOCK, WISMAR. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 7. Dezember 1931 und folgende Tage. (4), 112 pages, interleaved; 1756 lots; 34 fine plates. [with] 10. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS AUSLÄNDISCHEM MUSEUMBESITZ. DEUTSCHLAND, RUSSLAND, FRANKREICH, ENGLAND, SCANDINAVIEN, ITALIEN, SCHWEIZ, NIEDERLANDE. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 2. Mai 1933 und folgende Tage. (2), 65, (1) pages, interleaved; 1640 lots; 27 fine plates. [bound with] 12. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS AUSLÄNDISCHEM MUSEUMBESITZ. 3 ABT. SOWIE AUS PRIVATHAND. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 27.–28. Februar 1934. (4), 45, (1) pages, interleaved; lots 402–1405; 18 fine plates. [bound with] 14. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG SUNE EBERHARD CRONA, GÖTEBORG. SCHWEDEN. KÖNIGLICHE UND IM KRIEGE GEGEN SCHWEDEN GEPRÄGTE MEDAILLEN. Amsterdam, 27.–28. Oktober 1937. (8), 56 pages, interleaved; 1199 lots; 10 halftone plates. [with] 11. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS AUSLÄNDISCHEM MUSEUMBESITZ. 2. ABT.: ANTIKE. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 26. Februar 1934. (2), 21, (1) pages, interleaved; 401 lots; 12 fine plates of ancient coins. [bound with] 13. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG GRIECHISCHER MÜNZEN AUS MUSEUMBESITZ. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 4. Februar 1935 und folgende Tage. (2), 93, (5) pages, interleaved; 1655 lots; 2 map plates; 59 fine plates of coins. 4to, later matching maroon cloth, gilt. Annotations vary somewhat from catalogue to catalogue but generally record absentee bids on the interleaves, with the printed catalogue pages being hand-priced and annotated with the buyers' names; what would appear to be live bids are at times also recorded on the interleaves; most sales feature handwritten lists of absentee bidders on a blank leaf at the front of the catalogue. Additional materials including printed or typewritten prices realized lists, clipped newspaper articles, accounting paperwork and the like occasionally laid in. While well-used, condition overall is very good. An exceptionally important offering and, in many ways, the heart and soul of the library. Present here are the bidbooks for all of the Schlessinger auction catalogues except for the last-their sale held 31 January–1 February 1939 in Amsterdam-which may well have not survived. A brief outline of these sales is as follows: 1. A notable sale of the coinage of Brunswick. 2. Important for Swiss coins, a continuing focus for Mark Salton. 3. The first offering of coins from the collection of Edmund Nordheim (the "Norddeutscher Besitz"). This first sale focuses on coins of Germany and Poland. Clain-Stefanelli 9162. Grierson 304. 4. The second offering of coins from the collection of Edmund Nordheim. This second sale focuses on medieval coins and coins of southern Germany. Clain-Stefanelli 9162. Grierson 304. 5. A very scarce sale of Swiss coins and medals. 6. Scarce and important. Clain-Stefanelli 11039. Grierson 107. Gumowski 382. 7. The third and final offering of coins from the collection of Edmund Nordheim. This third sale focuses on coins of Germany, Italy and Spain. It also includes Nordheim's numismatic library, and the present sale of the Salton Library includes a number of Nordheim's books. Clain-Stefanelli 9162. Grierson 304. 8. The eighth sale brought together a significant collection of the coins of Hamburg. 9. The major collection formed by R. Gaettens. Important and very scarce. Clain-Stefanelli 9444. 10. The first of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum, this initial offering focusing on European coins. Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. 11. The second of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum, and the first of two featuring ancient coins (about 1900 of which are illustrated between the two catalogues). Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. Clain-Stefanelli 1939. Grierson 279. Spring 659. 12. The third of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum. Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. 13. The last of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum, and the second of two featuring ancient coins (about 1900 of which are illustrated between the two catalogues). Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. Clain-Stefanelli 1994. Grierson 279. Spring 660. Felix Schlessinger was born in Mainz on February 18, 1879. He trained as a banker, and entered that profession, but was drawn to the numismatic sphere through the influence of his relation, Leo Hamburger (1846–1929), who operated a successful auction firm in Frankfurt. Felix joined the Hamburger company in 1911, but his early years as a professional numismatist were interrupted by the First World War. He was reported as wounded in the 3. Mai 1916 edition of the Deutsche Verlustlisten, but survived the war and continued his numismatic work. He established his own firm and moved to Berlin in 1928, where he began to conduct auctions. His son Max (later Mark Salton) began to assist in the business during his teens. Dr. Ira Rezak has recalled how young Max "profited by coming in close contact with and learning from the many amateur collectors and curatorial experts who interacted with the Hamburger and Schlessinger firms. In later years, Mr. Salton often recalled with pleasure, and with the precision that revealed his extraordinary memory for numismatic detail, his engagement with such eminences as Leonard Forrer, the Grunthals, Henry Seligman, Dr. Richard Gaettens, Dr. Jakob Hirsch, Prof. Kurt Regling, Chief Curator of the Berlin Coin Cabinet, and many others in the prewar period." The present lot of house-annotated catalogues represents the material remnants of this special era. Sadly, with the ascent to power of the Nazi party in Germany, and the concomitant restrictions of the ability of Jews to conduct business in that country, the Schlessinger family had to flee to Amsterdam in 1935. Here they conducted their final auction sale, offering Russian coins and Greek and Roman gold coins from the collection of Baron Albert de la Chapelle, on January 31 and February 1, 1939. The family's business operated until May 1940, when Germany invaded the Netherlands, quickly forcing the Dutch to surrender. The business was forced to close and its assets were seized. The family was separated during the war, with Felix and his wife Hedwig sent first to Theresienstadt and then to Auschwitz, where they were killed. Their son Paul ended up in Palestine, while Max escaped from Holland and eventually reached neutral Portugal, where he joined the Free Dutch Forces in Lisbon. Once the war had ended, he made the decision to emigrate to the United States and a new chapter in the family's history began. The present lot is more than just the archives of a coin firm. It represents the end of an era, and a fundamental shift in the numismatic trade. On a more personal level, it encompasses the story of a family's business during a time of crisis-a crisis that led to horrors the modern world had never seen before. Mark Salton did much to rescue and reconstitute his family's library, of which this is the most significant part.
Schlessinger, Felix. SCHLESSINGER FIRM BIDBOOKS FOR THEIR NUMISMATIC AUCTION SALES, RECORDING BIDS RECEIVED, SALE PRICES AND BUYERS, WITH ADDITIONAL MATERIALS LAID IN. Fourteen catalogues (Berlin-Charlottenburg and Amsterdam, 1928–1937), bound in five volumes. Included are the following (listed in order of binding, while the numbering denotes the chronological arrangement): 1. Schlessinger, Felix, with Henry Seligmann. BRAUNSCHWEIGISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Hannover, 22. Oktober 1928 und folgende Tage. (4), 112, (2) pages, interleaved; 2174 lots; 19 fine plates. [bound with] 2. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG VON TALERN UND GOLDMÜNZEN FERNER SCHWEIZ-ANTIKE GOLDMÜNZEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 24. Juni 1929 und folgende Tage. (6), 93, (3) pages, interleaved; 2753 lots; 21 fine plates. [bound with] 3. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS NORDDEUTSCHEM BESITZ. I. ABTEILUNG: KAISER– UND KÖNIGREICHE, GEISTLICHE UND STÄDTE. POLNISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 11. November 1929 und folgende Tage. (4), 58 pages, interleaved; 1451 lots; 18 fine plates. [with] 4. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS NORDDEUTSCHEM BESITZ. II. ABTEILUNG: MEROVINGER–KAROLINGER–ENGLAND–FRANKREICH–NIEDERLANDE. ALTFÜRSTLICHE UND NEUFÜRSTLICHE HERREN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 31. März 1930 und folgende Tage. (4), 69, (1) pages, interleaved; lots 1452–3512 lots; fine plates numbered 19–37. [bound with] 5. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG SCHWEIZER MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 26. Mai 1930 und folgende Tage. (2), 31, (1) pages, interleaved; 591 lots; 11 fine plates. [bound with] 6. Schlessinger, Felix, with Leo Hamburger. SAMMLUNG DES HERRN M. FRANKIEWICZ IN POSEN POLNISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 15. September 1930 und folgende Tage. (2), 49, (1) pages, interleaved; 957 lots; 19 fine plates. [with] 7. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS NORDDEUTSCHEM BESITZ. III. ABTEILUNG: ITALIEN–SPANIEN–RUSSLAND–HAMBURG–MITTELALTER. NUMISMATISCHE BIBLIOTHEK. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 20. Oktober 1930 und folgende Tage. (4), 69, (1) pages, interleaved; lots 3513–4174 + 429; fine plates numbered 38–45. [bound with] 8. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG KIRSTEN. HAMBURGISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN. DEUTSCHES REICHSGOLD. ANTIKE. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 16. März 1931 und folgende Tage. (4), 59, (3) pages, interleaved; 1876 lots; 17 fine plates. [bound with] 9. Schlessinger, Felix. MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN VON MECKLENBURG, ROSTOCK, WISMAR. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 7. Dezember 1931 und folgende Tage. (4), 112 pages, interleaved; 1756 lots; 34 fine plates. [with] 10. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS AUSLÄNDISCHEM MUSEUMBESITZ. DEUTSCHLAND, RUSSLAND, FRANKREICH, ENGLAND, SCANDINAVIEN, ITALIEN, SCHWEIZ, NIEDERLANDE. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 2. Mai 1933 und folgende Tage. (2), 65, (1) pages, interleaved; 1640 lots; 27 fine plates. [bound with] 12. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS AUSLÄNDISCHEM MUSEUMBESITZ. 3 ABT. SOWIE AUS PRIVATHAND. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 27.–28. Februar 1934. (4), 45, (1) pages, interleaved; lots 402–1405; 18 fine plates. [bound with] 14. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG SUNE EBERHARD CRONA, GÖTEBORG. SCHWEDEN. KÖNIGLICHE UND IM KRIEGE GEGEN SCHWEDEN GEPRÄGTE MEDAILLEN. Amsterdam, 27.–28. Oktober 1937. (8), 56 pages, interleaved; 1199 lots; 10 halftone plates. [with] 11. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG AUS AUSLÄNDISCHEM MUSEUMBESITZ. 2. ABT.: ANTIKE. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 26. Februar 1934. (2), 21, (1) pages, interleaved; 401 lots; 12 fine plates of ancient coins. [bound with] 13. Schlessinger, Felix. SAMMLUNG GRIECHISCHER MÜNZEN AUS MUSEUMBESITZ. Berlin-Charlottenburg, 4. Februar 1935 und folgende Tage. (2), 93, (5) pages, interleaved; 1655 lots; 2 map plates; 59 fine plates of coins. 4to, later matching maroon cloth, gilt. Annotations vary somewhat from catalogue to catalogue but generally record absentee bids on the interleaves, with the printed catalogue pages being hand-priced and annotated with the buyers' names; what would appear to be live bids are at times also recorded on the interleaves; most sales feature handwritten lists of absentee bidders on a blank leaf at the front of the catalogue. Additional materials including printed or typewritten prices realized lists, clipped newspaper articles, accounting paperwork and the like occasionally laid in. While well-used, condition overall is very good. An exceptionally important offering and, in many ways, the heart and soul of the library. Present here are the bidbooks for all of the Schlessinger auction catalogues except for the last-their sale held 31 January–1 February 1939 in Amsterdam-which may well have not survived. A brief outline of these sales is as follows: 1. A notable sale of the coinage of Brunswick. 2. Important for Swiss coins, a continuing focus for Mark Salton. 3. The first offering of coins from the collection of Edmund Nordheim (the "Norddeutscher Besitz"). This first sale focuses on coins of Germany and Poland. Clain-Stefanelli 9162. Grierson 304. 4. The second offering of coins from the collection of Edmund Nordheim. This second sale focuses on medieval coins and coins of southern Germany. Clain-Stefanelli 9162. Grierson 304. 5. A very scarce sale of Swiss coins and medals. 6. Scarce and important. Clain-Stefanelli 11039. Grierson 107. Gumowski 382. 7. The third and final offering of coins from the collection of Edmund Nordheim. This third sale focuses on coins of Germany, Italy and Spain. It also includes Nordheim's numismatic library, and the present sale of the Salton Library includes a number of Nordheim's books. Clain-Stefanelli 9162. Grierson 304. 8. The eighth sale brought together a significant collection of the coins of Hamburg. 9. The major collection formed by R. Gaettens. Important and very scarce. Clain-Stefanelli 9444. 10. The first of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum, this initial offering focusing on European coins. Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. 11. The second of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum, and the first of two featuring ancient coins (about 1900 of which are illustrated between the two catalogues). Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. Clain-Stefanelli 1939. Grierson 279. Spring 659. 12. The third of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum. Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. 13. The last of four important sales featuring coins from the Hermitage Museum, and the second of two featuring ancient coins (about 1900 of which are illustrated between the two catalogues). Though billed as duplicates, in many cases they were not. Clain-Stefanelli 1994. Grierson 279. Spring 660. Felix Schlessinger was born in Mainz on February 18, 1879. He trained as a banker, and entered that profession, but was drawn to the numismatic sphere through the influence of his relation, Leo Hamburger (1846–1929), who operated a successful auction firm in Frankfurt. Felix joined the Hamburger company in 1911, but his early years as a professional numismatist were interrupted by the First World War. He was reported as wounded in the 3. Mai 1916 edition of the Deutsche Verlustlisten, but survived the war and continued his numismatic work. He established his own firm and moved to Berlin in 1928, where he began to conduct auctions. His son Max (later Mark Salton) began to assist in the business during his teens. Dr. Ira Rezak has recalled how young Max "profited by coming in close contact with and learning from the many amateur collectors and curatorial experts who interacted with the Hamburger and Schlessinger firms. In later years, Mr. Salton often recalled with pleasure, and with the precision that revealed his extraordinary memory for numismatic detail, his engagement with such eminences as Leonard Forrer, the Grunthals, Henry Seligman, Dr. Richard Gaettens, Dr. Jakob Hirsch, Prof. Kurt Regling, Chief Curator of the Berlin Coin Cabinet, and many others in the prewar period." The present lot of house-annotated catalogues represents the material remnants of this special era. Sadly, with the ascent to power of the Nazi party in Germany, and the concomitant restrictions of the ability of Jews to conduct business in that country, the Schlessinger family had to flee to Amsterdam in 1935. Here they conducted their final auction sale, offering Russian coins and Greek and Roman gold coins from the collection of Baron Albert de la Chapelle, on January 31 and February 1, 1939. The family's business operated until May 1940, when Germany invaded the Netherlands, quickly forcing the Dutch to surrender. The business was forced to close and its assets were seized. The family was separated during the war, with Felix and his wife Hedwig sent first to Theresienstadt and then to Auschwitz, where they were killed. Their son Paul ended up in Palestine, while Max escaped from Holland and eventually reached neutral Portugal, where he joined the Free Dutch Forces in Lisbon. Once the war had ended, he made the decision to emigrate to the United States and a new chapter in the family's history began. The present lot is more than just the archives of a coin firm. It represents the end of an era, and a fundamental shift in the numismatic trade. On a more personal level, it encompasses the story of a family's business during a time of crisis-a crisis that led to horrors the modern world had never seen before. Mark Salton did much to rescue and reconstitute his family's library, of which this is the most significant part.