the George La Borde cataloguePostface of Roman to the goldGeorge coins La Borde catalogue of Roman gold coins
Rambach
by Hadrien Rambach
the George La Borde collectionWorking catalogueonhas a pleasure – numismatists are rarely thebeen George La Borde collection catalogue has been a pleasure – numismatists are rarely ance to handle such high-qualitygiven ancient It to is true thatsuch “investigating theancient ownership thecoins. chance handle high-quality coins. It is true that “investigating the ownership n artwork, a discipline knownhistory as provenance research, is a painstaking andprovenance timeof an artwork, a discipline known as research, is a painstaking and timeask” (C. Hickley, The Munich Art Hoard. task” Hitler’s and The his secret secondHitler’s dealer and his secret legacy, second consuming (C.dealer Hickley, Munichlegacy, Art Hoard. 2016, p. 158), but it was well worth it. What is “provenance the way? A is “provenance research”, by the way? A ed., London 2016, p. 158), but research”, it was wellbyworth it. What advised meyou to hear beware of gossip, advised me to beware of gossip,dear but friend “Gossip is when something youbut like“Gossip about is when you hear something you like about don’t” (Earl Nothing here: I have no feelings for these long dead u don’t” (Earl Wilson). Nothingsomeone like thisyou here: I have no Wilson). feelings for these like longthis dead collectors, except often an admiration for of their collecting achievements. The number of anonymous xcept often an admiration for their collecting achievements. The number anonymous and of undocumented private sales,pedigree: often render d of undocumented private sales,auctions, often render it impossible to track a coin’s we it impossible to track a coin’s pedigree: we cannotfrom identify, for example, theof coins that come from important collections of the past such as those ify, for example, the coins that come important collections the past such as those Prof.Jacques Viktor von Renner (1846-1943) andwere Henri Jacques Scharp (1874-1957), which were evoked tor von Renner (1846-1943) andofHenri Scharp (1874-1957), which evoked in Max von Barhfeldt’s 1923 Roman knows Republican Barhfeldt’s 1923 book on Roman Republican gold coins. As book a rule,onwhoever the gold coins. As a rule, whoever knows the answer to who questions such as why did was a sale place, estions such as why did a sale take place, was the vendor, what thetake price, etc.,who is was the vendor, what was the price, etc., is dead or should unwilling notprevented allowed to research should not be prevented by the – legitimate or unwilling / not allowed to tell.either But research not/be bytell. the But – legitimate of factual mistakes: scholarship is not black and white, and the impossibility of knowing-ittual mistakes: scholarship is not–allfear black and white, and the impossibility of all knowing-itallinformation should not stop us from collecting as much information as possible. ot stop us from collecting as much as possible.
I am for verygiving grateful Arturo and Giuliano Russo giving me this opportunity to study and publish ateful to Arturo and Giuliano Russo metothis opportunity to study and for publish biographies, course George La Borde phies, and of course to Georgethose La Borde for hisand trustof and his to friendship. I am also for his trust and his friendship. I am also grateful to Professor emeritus of numismatics Giovanni rofessor emeritus of numismatics Giovanni Gorini, who reviewed this work (in JournalGorini, who reviewed this work (in Journal of Ancient andexpressed Archaeology, vol. that 4-1, all 2017, p. 79) and expressed the wish that all future History and Archaeology, vol. 4-1, 2017, p.History 79) and the wish future would imitate the La Borde sales. The part biographies of numismatists are an integral part to would imitate the La Borde sales.catalogues The biographies of numismatists are an integral to research, and by an the example the factMichel that the first book by the French scholar Michel Frenchis scholar research, and an example is thenumismatic fact that the first book Amandry – in of 1980 – was devoted the life and works of Henry Cohen. The celebrated German in 1980 – was devoted to the life and works Henry Cohen. Thetocelebrated German archaeologist Adolfon Furtwängler a lecture March 1899 on the subject of ancient and modern t Adolf Furtwängler gave a lecture in March 1899 the subjectgave of ancient andinmodern art collections in alter und neuer Zeit, Munich 1899), which ns (published: Über Kunstsammlungen in alter(published: und neuerÜber Zeit, Kunstsammlungen Munich 1899), which if it was required the importance of the subject amongst the field of art history. Giving t was required – the importanceproves of the–subject amongst the– field of art history. Giving personal background the ownership history collectables has always made them more precious, kground on the ownership history of collectables hason always made them more of precious, be itdream because previous one dream (for example the Duchess of Windsor and her e the previous possessor makes one (forthe example thepossessor Duchess makes of Windsor and her Cartier was jewels), or because previous possessor was an expert in his collecting field (for example ls), or because the previous possessor an expert in his the collecting field (for example Seyrig had beenAntoninus able to acquire the besthoard aurei of Uranius Antoninus in the Homs hoard g who had been able to acquire Henri the best aureiwho of Uranius in the Homs c.1925). Personally, I wanted help George achieve sonally, I wanted to help George achieve the highest possibletoresults: pedigreed coinsthe highest possible results: pedigreed coins havecautious an added-value many museums and cautious ed-value since many museums and collectorssince restrict their acquisitions to items collectors restrict their acquisitions to items with a known history that predates the 1970 UNESCO convention. n history that predates the 1970 UNESCO convention.
an to estimate was them low and theyhigher, had nohow advisor estimate was low and they had Because no advisor encourage to bid oftento encourage them to bid higher, how often have collectors “Oh I wish I hadthey bought ors complained “Oh I wish I had bought it whencomplained it was for sale”? Because had itnowhen it was for sale”? Because they had no advisor to warn thatcommon an estimate above-market arn them that an estimate was above-market forthem a fairly item,was how often have for a fairly common item, how often have collectors complained “Why I pay soauction!”? much? Another mplained “Why did I pay so much? Another one sold for halfdid in the next Thereone sold for half in the next auction!”? There always more(the forart-market sale than aascollector to buy (the art-market as a whole has been valued ore for sale than a collector can is afford to buy a wholecan has afford been valued at about billion per several annum),specimens and a choice be done when several specimens of a specific 5 billion per annum), and a choice must $65 be done when of amust specific artwork (e.g.,should whichone example an EID MAR should one buy?), therefore advice on t (e.g., which example of an EID MARexist denarius buy?),oftherefore advicedenarius on to select among thefirst material precious. Buyers in the first 2 parts of this sale were from ct among the material for sale is what precious. Buyers in the 2 partsfor ofsale this is sale were from Belgium, Canada, France, Germany,the Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom nada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom the auctions United States, and the success of thoseof auctions is a public acknowledgement of the ited States, and the success ofand those is a public acknowledgement the collector’s judicious three91-96-105 La Borde (2016catalogues by N.A.C., auctions 91-96-105 (2016udicious choices. The three La Borde catalogues by choices. N.A.C., The auctions celebrate choices,coins his ability rate George’s choices, his ability2018), at acquiring theGeorge’s most desirable within at hisacquiring means, the most desirable coins within his means, am gladsuch to have helped himcollection. select them and achieve such a memorable collection. d to have helped him select themand andI achieve a memorable
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