John Purnell - Hans Sloane 1734-11-25

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John Purnell

John Purnell - Hans Sloane 1734-11-25
FINA IDUnique ID of the page  14062
InstitutionName of Institution. London, British Library
InventoryInventory number. MS Harley 453, f.323
AuthorAuthor of the document. John Purnell
RecipientRecipient of the correspondence. Hans Sloane
Correspondence dateDate when the correspondence was written: day - month - year . December 25, 1734
PlacePlace of publication of the book, composition of the document or institution.
Associated personsNames of Persons who are mentioned in the annotation. Edmund Chishull, Robert Ainsworth, William Sherard, John Woodward
LiteratureReference to literature. Burnett 2020b, pp. 624, 13041
KeywordNumismatic Keywords  Smyrna , Antioch , Collection Sale , Collection Price
LanguageLanguage of the correspondence English
External LinkLink to external information, e.g. Wikpedia 
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Grand documentOriginal passage from the "Grand document".

'Sr a few dayes past, I met with a Scotch Gentn: (A Phisitian & Medalist, but his Name I doe not remember) who 2 or 3 years agoe took a Short View of my Medalls, & advised to putt them in the hands of the Rever. Mr Chishull Deceased, to sort them. I told him I designed it being advised to it by Other Friends. When he met me some few dayes agoe, he asked me whither I had sold my Medalls. I told him noe: but that I had put Them into the hands of The Reverd Doctr Chishull to examin & sort Them, but his long Indisposition before his Death prevented it: soe that after his Death They were Returned to Me just in the same State he saw Them. he advised me to sell Them for Fifty Guynies. I told him that was not neare their Value, he sayd he knew that very well, but that he did not buy them for his Curiosity, but to resell them to his profit & advantage, to effect which, he sayed, he must be at a great deale of trouble to procure Them, exactly & critically to sort Them, to sell againe. on my Refuseing his offer of 50: Guynies, he desired to review Them: in the mean time I should be glad to have Mr Aynsworth’s advice, whose Judgment & integrity may be relyed on: but I know not where to find him; so humbly beg Leave to crave your advice herein which I esteeme equall, or Superior to Mr Aynsworths: for being resolved to part with my medalls, I will sell Them for what I can get 80: or 90: Guynies being as I have been formerly told by Doctr Sherard & Doctr Woodward not halfe the Value of the Smyrna Medalls, besides the Large Collection of the Antioch Medalls added to Them.' (BL, MS Harley 453, f.323; Burnett 2020b, pp. 624, 1304)

References

  1. ^  Burnett, Andrew M. (2020), The Hidden Treasures of this Happy Land. A History of Numismatics in Britain from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, BNS Special Publ. No 14 = RNS Special Publ. No 58, London, Spink & Son.