British Coins and Numismatic Books

Evans, Sir J., The Coins of the Ancient Britons, London, 1864, xi + 424pp, 26 engraved plates (Manville 427). Publisher’s brown cloth, gilt; base of spine frayed, library stamps, dedication to Charles Roach Smith by the author, 1864, on first free endpaper, 4pp ALS from Evans at Nash Mills to Roach Smith, 18 February 1866, pasted on inside front cover, printed review of the book by J.B. Davis from the Reliquary, July 1864 (Manville 427a), pasted-in, an interesting volume by association £100-150

Provenance: Ex libris Charles Roach Smith; de-accessed from Hereford Free Public Library; ex libris Alan Morris.

The letter from Evans begins: “My dear Roach Smith, I have been wishing to write to you for some time but have been so busy I could not manage it. The coin of Allectus must be interesting & I should think worth a wood-cut – I only wish there was less cause to be anxious about Fairholt [the engraver of the plates in Evans’ book]. I have not been able to call upon him myself but Mrs Evans called and saw him last week and though he had been out he still seemed to be very ill – His illness has thrown us back a little with this No. of the Chronicle, but I hope you will have it in a day or two – I wish you could have arranged to have come on here when you were in London and have brought the flint with you. Messrs. Trimnell and Beirsted have lately found two more specimens near Reculver – You will be glad to learn that I have arranged with Mr Warren of Ixworth for the purchase of his collection – I should be sorry to separate the old gentleman from it but as he had determined to part with it I thought it might as well come here as go anywhere else or be dispersed – I must go down there some day shortly and arrange about bringing them away – I am sorry to say that his niece continues very unwell – I forget whether I have written to you since I was in France last month – In Paris I met with two gold bracteate ornaments from Denmark very like some of those from A.S. graves – I also got a very fine Gallienus in gold & an Aurelian – At Amiens I saw some very good Merovingian ornaments and made an offer for them but have not heard of its being accepted…”