Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 164 27 Aug 2022
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Original 1875 Crosby, with 1873 Introduction, &c.
Crosby, Sylvester S. THE EARLY COINS OF AMERICA; AND THE LAWS GOVERNING THEIR ISSUE. COMPRISING ALSO DESCRIPTIONS OF THE WASHINGTON PIECES, THE ANGLO-AMERICAN TOKENS, MANY PIECES OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN, OF THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES, AND THE FIRST PATTERNS OF THE UNITED STATES MINT. Boston: Published by the New England Numismatic and Archaeological Society, 1873 / Published by the Author, 1875. 4to, later black half morocco, gilt; spine with five raised bands, ruled and lettered in gilt. 1873 and 1875 title pages and introductions present. (2), v, (1), (2), v, (5), 11-381, (1) pages; 110 wood engravings in the text; 2 folding heliotype manuscript facsimiles; 10 fine heliotype plates of coins and tokens. Bound in are six original printed leaves (two front, four rear) and the September 1879 issue of Mason's Coin Collectors' Herald. The paper covers, two plates, several leaves of text, and the Mason publication have all been covered in conservator's tissue, which allows them to be read clearly while protecting them. Occasional marginal chipping. Signature of the original subscriber, William E. Saunders, on verso of first plate. Very good or better, overall. An interesting copy of what is arguably the best and certainly the most enduring work on American numismatics ever written. Sylvester Sage Crosby began gathering information for his magnum opus in the late 1860s. Nominally the head of a committee of six appointed by the New England Numismatic and Arch¾ological Society to publish a work on early American coinage, he soon found himself alone in that pursuit. Not only was the research and composition of the work done almost entirely by Crosby, ultimately he also had to publish it. "It is truly the keystone to any library of American coinage." -- Eric P. Newman. This copy includes some of the materials that were only sent to original subscribers to the text, which was printed in installments and sent to subscribers in eleven separate installments. State with overprinted coin numbers on Plates IV and V. Coin 15a on Plate VII hand-numbered in pencil, apparently as always. Without the handwritten correction, sometimes seen, to Miss Eliza Susan Quincy's name in the subscribers' list on page 381. Voted No. 2 on the Numismatic Bibliomania Society's "One Hundred Greatest Items of United States Numismatic Literature." Attinelli 105. Clain-Stefanelli 12115*. Davis 291. Grierson 218. Sigler 603. Ex Essex Institute Library (Kolbe Sale 10, lot 759); Austin Ryer, Jr. (Kolbe Sale 43, lot 45); ex Jim Neiswinter Library.
(Estimate: $1200)
Crosby, Sylvester S. THE EARLY COINS OF AMERICA; AND THE LAWS GOVERNING THEIR ISSUE. COMPRISING ALSO DESCRIPTIONS OF THE WASHINGTON PIECES, THE ANGLO-AMERICAN TOKENS, MANY PIECES OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN, OF THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES, AND THE FIRST PATTERNS OF THE UNITED STATES MINT. Boston: Published by the New England Numismatic and Archaeological Society, 1873 / Published by the Author, 1875. 4to, later black half morocco, gilt; spine with five raised bands, ruled and lettered in gilt. 1873 and 1875 title pages and introductions present. (2), v, (1), (2), v, (5), 11-381, (1) pages; 110 wood engravings in the text; 2 folding heliotype manuscript facsimiles; 10 fine heliotype plates of coins and tokens. Bound in are six original printed leaves (two front, four rear) and the September 1879 issue of Mason's Coin Collectors' Herald. The paper covers, two plates, several leaves of text, and the Mason publication have all been covered in conservator's tissue, which allows them to be read clearly while protecting them. Occasional marginal chipping. Signature of the original subscriber, William E. Saunders, on verso of first plate. Very good or better, overall. An interesting copy of what is arguably the best and certainly the most enduring work on American numismatics ever written. Sylvester Sage Crosby began gathering information for his magnum opus in the late 1860s. Nominally the head of a committee of six appointed by the New England Numismatic and Arch¾ological Society to publish a work on early American coinage, he soon found himself alone in that pursuit. Not only was the research and composition of the work done almost entirely by Crosby, ultimately he also had to publish it. "It is truly the keystone to any library of American coinage." -- Eric P. Newman. This copy includes some of the materials that were only sent to original subscribers to the text, which was printed in installments and sent to subscribers in eleven separate installments. State with overprinted coin numbers on Plates IV and V. Coin 15a on Plate VII hand-numbered in pencil, apparently as always. Without the handwritten correction, sometimes seen, to Miss Eliza Susan Quincy's name in the subscribers' list on page 381. Voted No. 2 on the Numismatic Bibliomania Society's "One Hundred Greatest Items of United States Numismatic Literature." Attinelli 105. Clain-Stefanelli 12115*. Davis 291. Grierson 218. Sigler 603. Ex Essex Institute Library (Kolbe Sale 10, lot 759); Austin Ryer, Jr. (Kolbe Sale 43, lot 45); ex Jim Neiswinter Library.
(Estimate: $1200)