Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 164 27 Aug 2022
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Very Rare Leatherbound Pearl Catalogue
Kosoff, A. THE OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF UNITED STATES LARGE CENTS FORMED BY MR. OSCAR J. PEARL, NEW YORK CITY. FOR SALE AT FIXED PRICES. New York: Numismatic Gallery, 1944. 4to [28.5 by 22.5 cm], original cream-white full baby calf; upper cover and spine lettered in gilt. 24, xl pages; 479 listings; 16 plates of Pearl large cents; 7 other plates of large cents. Extremities somewhat worn, as usual; endpapers a little toned. Housed in a later white half morocco clamshell box; two spine labels ruled and lettered in gilt. Very good or better. The Deluxe Leatherbound Edition. Inscribed in black ink on the front free flyleaf: "To Sol Kaplan with the Compliments of the Numismatic Gallery, (signed) A. Kosoff." Additionally signed "With love, Oscar J. Pearl." An important catalogue, produced with the usual Kosoff flair. After listing 479 large cents of overall exceptionally fine quality and depicting both sides of 288 of them, Kosoff appended illustrated reprints of Crosby on 1793s and Chapman on 1794s. This famous catalogue is virtually unknown in this deluxe binding. The only examples we recall ever having seen are Homer K. Downing's, sold in our June 1, 2004 Ford Library sale, and W.W. Neil's, sold in our 2015 New York Book Auction (and earlier in the Stack Library sale). Suave and debonair, Abe Kosoff carefully cultivated his best clients, hoping ultimately one day to handle their collections. Some of his competitors and contemporaries, perhaps in envy, are known to have termed him "the widow's friend." A note from Armand Champa is laid into this copy, stating that four copies of this presentation edition were prepared and distributed to Kosoff, Kreisberg, Kaplan and Pearl. Adding Neil and Downing to this list makes a total of six, which seems plausible. Ex Dennis Mendelson Library (Kolbe Sale 52, lot 47); ex Armand Champa Library (Davis/Bowers Sale III, lot 2412); ex Jim Neiswinter Library.
(Estimate: $1000)
Kosoff, A. THE OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF UNITED STATES LARGE CENTS FORMED BY MR. OSCAR J. PEARL, NEW YORK CITY. FOR SALE AT FIXED PRICES. New York: Numismatic Gallery, 1944. 4to [28.5 by 22.5 cm], original cream-white full baby calf; upper cover and spine lettered in gilt. 24, xl pages; 479 listings; 16 plates of Pearl large cents; 7 other plates of large cents. Extremities somewhat worn, as usual; endpapers a little toned. Housed in a later white half morocco clamshell box; two spine labels ruled and lettered in gilt. Very good or better. The Deluxe Leatherbound Edition. Inscribed in black ink on the front free flyleaf: "To Sol Kaplan with the Compliments of the Numismatic Gallery, (signed) A. Kosoff." Additionally signed "With love, Oscar J. Pearl." An important catalogue, produced with the usual Kosoff flair. After listing 479 large cents of overall exceptionally fine quality and depicting both sides of 288 of them, Kosoff appended illustrated reprints of Crosby on 1793s and Chapman on 1794s. This famous catalogue is virtually unknown in this deluxe binding. The only examples we recall ever having seen are Homer K. Downing's, sold in our June 1, 2004 Ford Library sale, and W.W. Neil's, sold in our 2015 New York Book Auction (and earlier in the Stack Library sale). Suave and debonair, Abe Kosoff carefully cultivated his best clients, hoping ultimately one day to handle their collections. Some of his competitors and contemporaries, perhaps in envy, are known to have termed him "the widow's friend." A note from Armand Champa is laid into this copy, stating that four copies of this presentation edition were prepared and distributed to Kosoff, Kreisberg, Kaplan and Pearl. Adding Neil and Downing to this list makes a total of six, which seems plausible. Ex Dennis Mendelson Library (Kolbe Sale 52, lot 47); ex Armand Champa Library (Davis/Bowers Sale III, lot 2412); ex Jim Neiswinter Library.
(Estimate: $1000)