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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;AnYangMan, post: 3200184, member: 87271&quot;]Quoting [USER=21445]@Mat[/USER] from a recent topic, I too thought I would remain a CNG virgin for quite a while. They usually don’t have any Chinese coinage from the era I am interested in, and their non-Chinese ancients are usually a little too expensive for me. A few years ago they did have some of the nicer coins from the J.P. Righetti collection of Chinese coins up for auction, but sadly I was not yet collecting back then. Earlier this month however, a few more coins from this collection found their way to CNG’s E-auction, interestingly enough in the form of several lots. I managed to scoop up two lots for rather decent prices, outbidding our new member [USER=98035]@Finn235[/USER] in the process (sorry again <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie93" alt=":troll:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />). The package arrived today, and they are certainly pretty...</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]828041[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The main selling point for the first lot were the pointed-tip knives (see <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-evolution-of-the-yan-state-knife-coin.322097/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-evolution-of-the-yan-state-knife-coin.322097/">this</a> topic for a write-up on the type). I have recently decided I want to expand this sub-collection a bit, so this was the perfect opportunity. Five in total (from right to left): two different varieties of <i>Ding </i>丁, Liu 六, an unreadable character obscured by a crusty patina and at the left edge another <i>Ding</i> 丁, but with the character on the reverse instead of on the obverse! Also included were two straight knives. The patina is absolutely gorgeous, but sadly the inscriptions were cast in even lower relief than usual. These two were not pictured, so I had hope they would be better, but alas. Both belong to the <i>Bai (Ren) Bi </i>白人匕 group<i>, </i>but identification was only possible due to the vaguely teardrop-shaped character near the tip.The inscription on the square foot spade is read as <i>Qi Bei </i>齊貝<i>, </i>although this reading is highly contested. As some of you might know, I collect these square foot spades by inscription and they form the main back-bone for my collection. <i>Qi Bei </i>is one of the most common ones, nevertheless I did not yet posses a specimen, never being able to find the right one for the right price. So a new inscription, but given the condition, I’ll most likely add another specimen sometime soon.</p><p><br /></p><p>I would consider the rest bycatch: three Kai Yuan’s (including a Southern Min lead one, although rather corroded), a nice Wu Zhu, an Annamese cash from the 1820’s and lastly a Ming one wen. Nothing too spectacular.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]828043[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Alternatively, this topic could also have been titled “I bought a Ming knife hoard, part two” (check <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/i-bought-a-ming-knife-hoard-sort-of….322350" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/i-bought-a-ming-knife-hoard-sort-of….322350">this</a> topic for the first part, as well as a write-up on the type), because the second lot consisted of 20 Ming knives. All intact, although some were sort of wavy and missing a tiny fragment here and there. A nice selection of knives with some diverse types: from the early broad ones (top rows) to the later stone-chimed shaped knives. And not unimportantly, an equally diverse selection of reverses:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]828044[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Some of my favourites:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]828042[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>From left to right:</p><p><br /></p><p>-&nbsp; <i>Nei San </i>内三<i> (</i>Interior three), Hartill 6.H. Not that rare of an inscription, but I lacked a <i>Nei</i> + number type. And it is an exceptionally clear inscription in hand!</p><p><br /></p><p>-&nbsp; <i>Nei Ren </i>内人 (Interior man), Hartill --. This combination of characters is not listed in either Hartill or Coole (haven’t checked the Shanghai catalogue yet), which is always a nice thing. And look at that gorgeous blue patina!</p><p><br /></p><p>-&nbsp; <i>Zuo Wu </i>左五 <i>(</i>Left five<i>),</i> Hartill 5<i>.</i>H<i>.</i> A nice, clear example!</p><p><br /></p><p><i>- You shi ding </i>右十丁(Right ten ‘fourth heavenly stem&#039;), Hartill 4.G. Although I must admit I don’t agree with the reading of the last character (but don’t have a better suggestion…), I love three character reverses!</p><p><br /></p><p>-&nbsp; The last reverse has me intrigued. What on earth is that first character? Just a variety of <i>Nei </i>内 partly obscured by the heavy patina? Or perhaps You 右? Or is it something else? Any opinions, [USER=78244]@TypeCoin971793[/USER]&nbsp; and [USER=76086]@Ken Dorney[/USER]?</p><p><br /></p><p>I’d love to see some of your first ever CNG purchases or something from the J.P Righetti collection! But feel free to post anything <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mika[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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