The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence

Bath, Glover, Halfpence (2), milsom street edge, small [27mm] flan, 9.82g/6h (DH 28), edge grained, 9.53g/6h (DH 28b); William Gye, Halfpence, 1794 (4), no bends on arms (2), gye’s edge, 9.66g/6h (DH 32), hastings edge, 9.69g/6h (DH 32a), with bends (2), both gye’s edge, 9.11g/6h (DH 33), 9.75g/7h (DH 34); mule Halfpence by Lutwyche (10), all with bust of John Howard, revs. debtors in ilchester goal, banbury edge, 9.87g/6h (DH 35), debtors in goal (6), anglesey edge, 9.72g/5h (DH 36), dublin or london edge, 9.18g/6h (DH 36a), lancaster edge, 8.97g/6h (DH 36c), london or dublin edge, 8.57g/6h (DH 36d), masonic edge, 9.19g/6h (DH 36e), currant every where edge, 8.95g/6h (DH 36f), Britannia seated (2), large [29.5mm] flan, 10.93g/6h, small [28mm] flan, 8.47g/12h (both DH 37), seated female with drill and cog-wheel, 7.07g/4h (DH 38) [16]. DH 32, 33, 34, 36a and 36d about extremely fine and better, DH 35, 36, 36e and 38 fine, others generally very fine, DH 32a very rare (£140-180)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence.

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Collection

Provenance:
All except DH 34 Fawcett/Litman Collection, additionally:
DH 28b Yeates Collection, W. Longman Collection, Glendining Auction, 12-13 March 1958, lot 240 (part) [from Spink December 1914].
Remainder except DH 37 small flan W. Longman Collection, Glendining Auction, 12-13 March 1958, lot 240 (part) [28 a gift from R. Dalton, *32 from R. Dalton January 1913, 32a from Spink March 1912, 33 from Lincoln August 1909, 35 from Baldwin January 1910, 36 and 36f from Spink July 1912, 36a from Lincoln January 1911, 36c from S.H. Hamer January 1910, 36d acquired March 1902, 36e and 37 large flan from Lincoln February 1911, 38 gift of ‘J.E.’].

It is uncertain from the legend on the token whether the Glover hardware business based at 39 Milsom street reflects a connection between the issuer and the Bath & Somersetshire Bank, the known proprietors of which were Horlock, Mortimer & Co (later Horlock Anderson & Co), or whether, as seems more likely, that the bank had ceased trading sometime in the mid-1790s and Glover took the property over. Ironically, 39 Milsom street is now occupied by a branch of the National Westminster Bank. William Gye (1750-1802), bookseller, printer and stationer, 4 Westgate buildings and later at 13 Market place, agent to the debtors at Ilchester gaol; after his death from an apoplectic fit his widow Mary, née Batchelor, and a son, Henry, carried on the business (Longman, pp.58-9)