Hi! I am trying to find a copy of the following Christie’s 1985 October 8th auction catalogue to verify a provenance. Does anyone have a copy and could be helpful to look up a coin for me? Also, does anyone know if the sale was of a single collectors collection? Thanks for any input on this! All the best
It is indeed a single-collector sale (and a very high quality collection at that): "The Property of a Lady: Part II." (See: BCD Library Duplicates 2014: 46.) I just received the Part I catalog (notes below) from Kunker's Wenninger Library Sale. Both included lots of very high value ancient gold coins (none in my collection!). Many were acquired by Victor Adda (collection published as Face of Power), sold in recent years. Unfortunately, after looking through my usual sources, I've so far been unable to learn the identity of the collector. But I'd like to know. There's a good chance that following up on other publications of the coins included one might learn the collector's name. EDIT: A pair of old Kolbe & Fanning sales call it the "Adler Collection" but definitely needs confirmation... There are a few reasons a mix-up might be possible, including a 1990 novel of the same name. (I've also seen this collection confused with the "Adda Collection.") I don't think it's publicly known. (I'm certain it's a different collector from the 1945 Glendining's "Property of a Lady." But there's also a 1985 Glendining "Property of Lady"; no idea yet if that could be the same.) My notes on the Part I catalog so far: CHRISTIE’S London Christie, Manson & Woods, Ltd. Auction [Lady I]. 9 Oct 1984. Highly important Ancient Coins. The Property of a Lady: Part I. 313 Lots f. ill. inline (b&w, w/ enlg.), plus 6 color plates (redundant); 98 pp. + back matter. Hardcover, linen + dustjacket. 1-p. Foreword re: collection history/“pedigree”; very high quality coins; some Greek coins silver, but mostly gold (all the Roman/Byzantine, most of Greek, incl. many Ptolemaic large AV). [BCD 2014: 45 & 2015: 200 (“Superb Roman and Ptolemaic gold as well as one of the finest Cleopatra VII portraits…”)] Note: Part II of the same collection was sold by Christie's, 8 Oct 1985, with similar content (see: BCD Library Duplicates 2014: 46). Not to be confused w/ 1945 Glendining's "Property of a Lady." Uncertain: 1985 Glendining "Property of Lady". Possibly other collections so-named exist. Ex Bibliothek Alois Wenninger (no ownership marks)
The property of a Lady or Gentleman is likely code for either an estate or someone facing financial difficulties. But they didn't want their name publicized - either it would be embarrassing, or the Infernal Revenue would want their cut. Or: https://james-bond-literary.fandom.com/wiki/The_Property_of_a_Lady
Property of a Lady or Gentleman merely means the owner wanted to remain anonymous. Most of these collections are sold after someone has quit collecting or passed away and did not want buyers to know who previously owned the coins. There is a current auction firm that uses the term quite a bit, even though you can sometimes find that coins have recently been bought at another auction and flipped, so the never really resided in "the collection of a Lady/Gentleman". The terms have increasingly become very loosely used and even sort of a running joke. On FAC I have even labeled my galleries as "from the collection of a Southern gentleman!"
Thanks a lot for your insights! Fun that you just received Part 1 of the sale. It’s specifically lot 106 from Part 2 I need a confirmation on, so if anyone could help out it would be great!
