Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 164 27 Aug 2022
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Plain Talk as the ANA's Official Publication
Plain Talk Publishing Company. PLAIN TALK. Volume X, Whole Nos. 75 and 76 (New York, November-December 1891). Small tabloid [29.5 by 22.5 cm], original printed paper covers. 16 + 16, viii pages. Some chipping; covers loose. Three earlier issues (Nos. 22, 26 and 48, one of them folded) also included; correspondence from Q. David Bowers laid in. Generally very good or so. Bourne 1880-49. Very rare and of the highest importance for the history of the hobby in the United States. While the topic of an American Numismatic Association was discussed in many of the issues of Plain Talk published in 1891, the two issues here present record its establishment. An extensive column in the November issue reports on "The Convention of 1891," presents an outline of the Constitution, and records the last of the charter members, Nos. 41 through 60, among other things. The December issue proudly headlines Plain Talk as the "Official Organ of the A.N.A." Also featured is a lengthy biography of the "Father of the American Numismatic Association," headed by a lithographic portrait of Dr. Heath. Plain Talk was an interesting and entertaining publication touching on various activities and hobbies, "For Boys & Girls At School and Home," according to its masthead. Regular columns included "How To Do It," "Ladies' Department," "The Amateur Photographer," "Natural History," "Philately" and "Numismatics." The story of the founding of the American Numismatic Association is well summarized in ANA Historian Farran Zerbe's The Numismatist--Its Story, appearing in the 1940 Index to the first 51 volumes: "When The Numismatist was in its third volume, February, 1891, its publisher asked "What's the matter with having an American Numismatic Association? Would it be profitable? Would it be practicable? All in favor of such a scheme, send in your names.' The published exchange of ideas with Plain Talk, a New York publication with a coin department edited by Charles T. Tatman, Worcester, Massachusetts, led to a call for a national organization that was completed at a meeting held in Chicago, October, 1891, when The American Numismatic Association was organized. Plain Talk was designated as the Association's Official Organ, but was soon succeeded by The Numismatist." In less than a year's time, the largest association of coin collectors in the world was born, due almost entirely to the unstinting efforts of its dual midwives, Charles Tatman and George Heath, and their respective publications, Plain Talk and The Numismatist. The former soon faded into obscurity among coin collectors, while the latter is now in its 135th year of publication and the Association remains strong. Crawford 724. Ex M. Bourne Library.
(Estimate: $500)
Plain Talk Publishing Company. PLAIN TALK. Volume X, Whole Nos. 75 and 76 (New York, November-December 1891). Small tabloid [29.5 by 22.5 cm], original printed paper covers. 16 + 16, viii pages. Some chipping; covers loose. Three earlier issues (Nos. 22, 26 and 48, one of them folded) also included; correspondence from Q. David Bowers laid in. Generally very good or so. Bourne 1880-49. Very rare and of the highest importance for the history of the hobby in the United States. While the topic of an American Numismatic Association was discussed in many of the issues of Plain Talk published in 1891, the two issues here present record its establishment. An extensive column in the November issue reports on "The Convention of 1891," presents an outline of the Constitution, and records the last of the charter members, Nos. 41 through 60, among other things. The December issue proudly headlines Plain Talk as the "Official Organ of the A.N.A." Also featured is a lengthy biography of the "Father of the American Numismatic Association," headed by a lithographic portrait of Dr. Heath. Plain Talk was an interesting and entertaining publication touching on various activities and hobbies, "For Boys & Girls At School and Home," according to its masthead. Regular columns included "How To Do It," "Ladies' Department," "The Amateur Photographer," "Natural History," "Philately" and "Numismatics." The story of the founding of the American Numismatic Association is well summarized in ANA Historian Farran Zerbe's The Numismatist--Its Story, appearing in the 1940 Index to the first 51 volumes: "When The Numismatist was in its third volume, February, 1891, its publisher asked "What's the matter with having an American Numismatic Association? Would it be profitable? Would it be practicable? All in favor of such a scheme, send in your names.' The published exchange of ideas with Plain Talk, a New York publication with a coin department edited by Charles T. Tatman, Worcester, Massachusetts, led to a call for a national organization that was completed at a meeting held in Chicago, October, 1891, when The American Numismatic Association was organized. Plain Talk was designated as the Association's Official Organ, but was soon succeeded by The Numismatist." In less than a year's time, the largest association of coin collectors in the world was born, due almost entirely to the unstinting efforts of its dual midwives, Charles Tatman and George Heath, and their respective publications, Plain Talk and The Numismatist. The former soon faded into obscurity among coin collectors, while the latter is now in its 135th year of publication and the Association remains strong. Crawford 724. Ex M. Bourne Library.
(Estimate: $500)