Strobridge, William H. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Seavey Collection, of American Coins, the Property of Lorin G. Parmelee of Boston. 1873. University Press, Cambridge. Very Fine.Octavo. Hardbound in contemporary maroon half morocco with marbled boards. Spine divided into six panels by raised bands, the second panel lettered in gilt, SEAVEY COLLECTION, and R.C. DAVIS at the foot of the spine. Elegant engraved bookplate of Robert Coulton Davis on the inside front cover, and the small square one of John J. Ford, Jr. at the upper left corner of the first end paper.<p>An outstanding volume recording the magnificent George Seavey Collection, a listing prepared in anticipation of the eventual auction of the property, but relegated to part of the historical numismatic record rather than a sales vehicle, upon Lorin G. Parmelee’s direct acquisition of the Seavey Collection, intact. The slightly more detailed explanation of what transpired is given in Strobridge’s introduction to this catalog. He notes therein that prominent collectors urged him to print the catalog regardless of the en bloc sale, and gives credit to Mr. Parmelee for agreeing that this catalog be made available to the public: “In accordance with this view the present owner decided to proceed with the issue of a small edition, limited strictly to one hundred and fifty copies, and to offer these to subscribers at three dollars a copy.” Later in 1873, an auction did occur under the Seavey and Parmelee names, but this is the record of the complete collection, before Parmelee selected pieces he wished to retain.<p>As a notable aside, the introduction also includes a description of Seavey’s own grading system, a <em>numerical one</em>. Though simple (a scale of 0 to 5), and likely devised only for his own use, it notably predates Dr. Sheldon’s similar but more complex and famous efforts by the better part of a century.<p>The obituary of Dr. Robert Coulton Davis, appearing in <em>The Coin Collector’s Journal</em>, November 1888, includes this brief descriptive line, “As is well known to all our readers, Dr. Davis was an active and zealous numismatist, particularly devoted to the American series.” This paints the picture of a man who might well have been among those most vigorously calling for the publication of this listing, and this copy was his personal reward. It is <em>unique</em> for a number of reasons. It is bound with five fine photographic plates, as issued, but there are also several important additions. First is the addition of the two photographic plates from Edward Cogan’s November 1874 sale of the E. Harrison Sanford collection, tipped in. One of these famously features what is believed to be the first photographic image of an 1804 dollar, the coin now known as the Parmelee-Byron Reed specimen. Another is a duplicate of the Seavey #5 Plate, as well as a trial of this plate with a different arrangement of the coins, both laid in. Also tipped in is the large cent plate from the Mortimer L. Mackenzie Collection, sold by Edward Cogan in 1869, the first plated American sale. Each bound-in plate is with tissue guards. The loose plates are a little rough at the edges.<p>The binding is interleaved, providing Davis plenty of room for his own penned annotations, most of which pertained to pattern issues he was aware of, as, in his day, he was considered an expert on that series. However, opposite page 41, there is a penciled addition, “1853 half dollar “O” mint, without arrow heads & rays—.”<p>A tipped-in envelope within the front cover includes a newspaper clipping from the <em>Daily Evening Traveller</em>, of Friday, November 16, 1877, with an impressively long article titled “A Description of the Finest Collection in the Country” under the header “Old Coins.” What follows is a fairly extensive description of the Parmelee Collection.<p>The edges of the binding are fairly rubbed, but the binding is tight and the interior pages are remarkably clean and bright, despite the obvious use of this volume as a research tool by R.C. Davis. A most impressive and historic volume.From the D. Brent Pogue Library. Earlier ex Robert Coulton Davis; F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr., the Stacks-George Frederick Kolbe sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Reference Library, Part I, June 2004, lot 890.
