DEAR SIR,---As this famous Portrait seems to be an object of interest
to several of your subscribers, I take the liberty of adding my mite
of information concerning it. In the March Number of "Current Notes,"
p. 21, it is stated that Caulfield valued a good impression of it at
£36, but your Correspondent remarks, that "this was all very well for a
dealer's valuation," adding, that the one sold at the Strawberry Hill
sale was bought by a printseller for £7. 15_s_. That Caulfield was
nearly right in his appreciation, I find confirmed by reference to the
Catalogue of the 'extensive and choice collection of Prints' formed by
my uncle, the late Robert Morse, Esq. of Clarges Street, Piccadilly,
which was sold by auction by the well-known Dodd, May 15th, 1816, and
27 following days. This portrait (Lot 1335), described as "an excellent
impression and of the utmost rarity," sold for £30 19_s_ 6_d_. This,
it is true, was in the high and palmy time of print-collecting, as the
prices of a few others will testify. James I. by W. Pas, sold for £14
3_s_ 6_d_. Edward Somerset, Earl of Worcester, by Simon Pas, for £9
9_s_. Edmond Baron Sheffield, for £10. Sir Julius Cæsar, by Elstracke,
for £10 10_s_. Frances Bridges, Countess of Exeter, by Faithorne, for
£10. Lot 3602, Strutt's Dictionary of Engravers, illustrated by 2820
prints, exhibiting specimens of the works of 1680 different engravers,
bound in 18 vols. sold for £288 15_s_. Lot 3600, Vandyck's Works, a
magnificent collection of engravings after his paintings, for £198; and
others in the same proportion.
Your obedient servant and collaborateur,
CHARLES EDMONDS.
Mr. WILLIS.
TOKENS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
The notice of Tradesmen's tokens, inserted in the "Current Notes"
of Feb. 25th, has attracted more attention than I expected, as
besides the letters published in the Notes of March 25th, I have had
direct communications from Andover and Downpatrick. In reply to the
obliging letter of "K. L." Dublin, I beg to say, that I had seen the
engraving of the Cork farthing in Mr. Lindsay's work, but as I did not
sufficiently express my meaning, I will now explain what I meant by
"_the Commonwealth Arms_," viz. that the two shields of Arms of England
and Ireland were side by side, as shewn on the Token engraved in the
"Notes," and precisely in the form they appear on the Coins of the
Commonwealth, not separate as on the Cork farthing, one shield on the
obverse, the other on the reverse side. They are all scarce: I do not
know a single example of these Arms on an English token. Dr. Smith's
Catalogue of Irish Tokens was unknown to me; I shall take the first
opportunity to procure a copy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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