Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 164 27 Aug 2022
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John Ford's Exceptionally Fine Plated 1914 William F. Gable sale
Chapman, S.H. CATALOG OF THE MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION OF THE GOLD, SILVER AND COPPER COINS OF THE UNITED STATES OF WILLIAM F. GABLE, ESQ., ALTOONA. Philadelphia: S.T. Freeman & Co., May 27-29, 1914. 4to, later red cloth, gilt. (2), 116 pages; 1865 lots; halftone full-page portrait plates of Gable and Chapman; 14 very fine photographic plates. Hand-priced in ink; original printed prices realized list laid in; original sale announcement letter dated April 30, 1914 laid in. Fine. Adams 13, with plates. Rated A- overall: "NE shilling. 1792 disme. 1843 proof set. MS 1798/7 $10. Proof 1875 $3. Excellent silver, copper, patterns." Seldom offered with plates. Gable was the proprietor of an "immense department store" and, according to Chapman, his coin collection was formed "between the years 1890 and 1901, since which time he has been so engrossed in affairs that he has added practically nothing to it." Nonetheless, it was an exceptional collection of American coins in all metals, particularly rich in United States gold coins. The first plate depicts ancient Greek and Jewish coins, along with European crowns; the second plate illustrates colonials; five plates depict choice United States gold coins; three plates illustrate silver dollars, and one depicts other United States silver coins; two plates are devoted to cents and a few half cents; the final plate depicts rare patterns. The attractive halftone portraits of Gable and Chapman were both taken in the photographic department of Gable's establishment. The coin photography was, as usual, superbly executed by Samuel Hudson Chapman, producing "plates printed by direct contact from the original negatives." In the sale announcement flyer, he continues: "The object of plates in the catalog of an auction sale is to represent the state of preservation of the coins and it is, therefore, essential to use the process that will give us the most exact reproduction of the original. After trying all other processes, I went back years ago to the original method. The half-tone process cannot equal it because a screen is interposed to break up the image so that it can be printed in ink; and this image, of course, will not bear magnification for examination as to die varieties or preservation because it then separates into its component dots." Clain-Stefanelli 11974. Davis 223. Fanning, Ancient Coins in Early American Auctions, 20. Ex John J. Ford, Jr. Library (Kolbe Sale 93, lot 321) at $2400 hammer; ex Twinleaf Library (Kolbe Sale 107, lot 32), at $2600 hammer; ex Cardinal Collection Library.
(Estimate: $2000)
Chapman, S.H. CATALOG OF THE MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION OF THE GOLD, SILVER AND COPPER COINS OF THE UNITED STATES OF WILLIAM F. GABLE, ESQ., ALTOONA. Philadelphia: S.T. Freeman & Co., May 27-29, 1914. 4to, later red cloth, gilt. (2), 116 pages; 1865 lots; halftone full-page portrait plates of Gable and Chapman; 14 very fine photographic plates. Hand-priced in ink; original printed prices realized list laid in; original sale announcement letter dated April 30, 1914 laid in. Fine. Adams 13, with plates. Rated A- overall: "NE shilling. 1792 disme. 1843 proof set. MS 1798/7 $10. Proof 1875 $3. Excellent silver, copper, patterns." Seldom offered with plates. Gable was the proprietor of an "immense department store" and, according to Chapman, his coin collection was formed "between the years 1890 and 1901, since which time he has been so engrossed in affairs that he has added practically nothing to it." Nonetheless, it was an exceptional collection of American coins in all metals, particularly rich in United States gold coins. The first plate depicts ancient Greek and Jewish coins, along with European crowns; the second plate illustrates colonials; five plates depict choice United States gold coins; three plates illustrate silver dollars, and one depicts other United States silver coins; two plates are devoted to cents and a few half cents; the final plate depicts rare patterns. The attractive halftone portraits of Gable and Chapman were both taken in the photographic department of Gable's establishment. The coin photography was, as usual, superbly executed by Samuel Hudson Chapman, producing "plates printed by direct contact from the original negatives." In the sale announcement flyer, he continues: "The object of plates in the catalog of an auction sale is to represent the state of preservation of the coins and it is, therefore, essential to use the process that will give us the most exact reproduction of the original. After trying all other processes, I went back years ago to the original method. The half-tone process cannot equal it because a screen is interposed to break up the image so that it can be printed in ink; and this image, of course, will not bear magnification for examination as to die varieties or preservation because it then separates into its component dots." Clain-Stefanelli 11974. Davis 223. Fanning, Ancient Coins in Early American Auctions, 20. Ex John J. Ford, Jr. Library (Kolbe Sale 93, lot 321) at $2400 hammer; ex Twinleaf Library (Kolbe Sale 107, lot 32), at $2600 hammer; ex Cardinal Collection Library.
(Estimate: $2000)