St. James's Auctions
Auction 74 12-13 Apr 2023
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London, Mr. Edward Moxhay's Universal Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle Street, white metal subscription tickets, winged figure of Commerce, numbered 187 (8 over 7) and 731, 42mm. (Withers 1044; D&W.58/109; MG 1345), about extremely fine; The Argyle Rooms, Casino, Windmill Street, tin admission passes (Withers 1587; D&W.64 /151a; MG 548), very fine (4)
Moxhay's "commercial news room", commenced in 1830, was opened two years ahead of the new Royal Exchange in 1843 and on the opposite side of the road. Initially a success it quite quickly went into decline. The Argyll Rooms, was finally closed down in 1878 and was described as a "moral cesspool" and was "known to be the haunts of the femmes libres of society". A customer wrote, "I paid a shilling to enter the Argyle Rooms, and received a tin check, which was given up at the door...while the entrance fee to the gallery is two shillings, and this admits, as I am told by a servant, to all the privileges of the place whatever they may be".
Estimate: 80 - 120 GBP
Moxhay's "commercial news room", commenced in 1830, was opened two years ahead of the new Royal Exchange in 1843 and on the opposite side of the road. Initially a success it quite quickly went into decline. The Argyll Rooms, was finally closed down in 1878 and was described as a "moral cesspool" and was "known to be the haunts of the femmes libres of society". A customer wrote, "I paid a shilling to enter the Argyle Rooms, and received a tin check, which was given up at the door...while the entrance fee to the gallery is two shillings, and this admits, as I am told by a servant, to all the privileges of the place whatever they may be".
Estimate: 80 - 120 GBP