Dealers Correspondence N

analysing the activities of a nineteenth-century collector

Dealers Correspondence N - Z

B series S&SWM PR papers

Here are a selection of the letters from various dealers who Pitt-Rivers dealt with when amassing his second collection. They are all held by Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Pitt-Rivers papers, in the business section of the archive and copyright remains with them:

Index of dealers with letters below:

Rathbone

Ready

Richards

Sotheby

Unterberger

Wells

Willson

B442 Rathbone

20 Alfred Place West, | South Kensington, London, S.W. | Old Wedgwood Porcelain, Pottery, Bric-a-Brac, &c | F. Rathbone | 14th September 1891

General Pitt-Rivers

Sir,

I venture to address you who is well known as an Art Collector.

I don't know if you like Old Wedgwood but need not say I shall be glad at any time to show my collection without afecting [sic] a purchase at the same time & always glad of any business.

For twenty years I have studied the subject thoroughly and have the reputation of knowing it well. My collection, with recent purchases is larger than can be seen in all the Museums in London. I guarentee everything I sell.

I look upon Old Wedgwood as the one English [insert] ceramic [end insert] art in which we excel the foreigner produced at the best time of Louis XVI period. The [illegible] and other factories paying Wedgwood the compliment by copying his work.

My principal business is done by sending or taking wanted specimens to my customers because with a connection I do not keep many good pieces any long time.

Sometime this or early next I am taking a few pieces to Somersetshire and should be very pleased to be allowed to submit some to you if convenient amounting to some repected [sic] pieces

I have some good Salt glaze but not much Slip. Sold a very fine Ralph Simpson dish early this year

I was compelled to oppose you at Sothebys over the Toft dish could have gone further without offending my customer. I told him it was not possible to keep it

You may be sure I shall not send or bring what is difficult to sell if allowed

I am Sir
Yours very obediently
Fred Rathbone

Pitt-Rivers bought a salt glaze tea-pot and other things off him on 26 November 1891, so Rathbone must have seen him with his wares.

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20 Alfred Place West, | South Kensington, London, S.W. | Old Wedgwood Porcelain, Pottery, Bric-a-Brac, &c | F. Rathbone | 28th November 1892

General Pitt-Rivers

Sir,

You will probably remember when you kindly called here the other day a frame of Tassie antique Genus oval hanging in the window beside the 2 pieces of Glass you purchased.

Tassie was a great man in glasswork his copies of the antique genus are found in many collections as originals. I think he is worth collecting a few examples of. His catalogued - alternate pages in French and English is a marvel of patience Wedgwood and his work until Flaxman appeared

I have a very pretty Chippendale miniature cabinet of 3 drawers containing 63 superb examples all [illegible]cut and polished no finer specimen exists. I speak from Knowledge having made the catalogue of the family collection sold at Christies 1880. Each drawer has little ivory wells to hold each gem price of all £45. Enclosed a rough outline of the cabinet, (but with 4 drawers) this I made for Mr Baddesley to hold some seals he had also a sketch of Tapies life. Dec 8 I am sending this to Marlborough House (if unsold) for HRH Princess If you would like to see it before then it shall be sent you for kind inspection. I shall never again see anything like it.

If you have no desire for this It would oblige me if you would kindly return the life & sketch in enclosed envelope for I have no other at present

Believe me Sir
Yours very obediently
Fred Rathbone

It is very easily packed

Pitt-Rivers did purchase 2 glass paintings from Rathbone, they are Add.9455vol3_p867 /3-4

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B443 Ready

55 Rathbone Place | London W. | Memorandum from W. Talbot Ready Antiquary and Numismatist | Oct 16th 1888 | To: General A.H. Pitt-Rivers F.S.A. &c

Dear Sir,

A friend of mine has a few antiquities or rather curiosities which he wishes to dispose of. They are from New Guinea and were obtained by him on the spot, during the time he was sketching for a publishing firm.

The whole could be bought for £12 and are well worth it - If you would care to see them would you kindly let me know or apply direct to him

Hume Nisbet, Unity Villas, Wealdstone, Middlesex

I am Sir
Yours obediently
Wm Talbot Ready

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55 Rathbone Place | London W. | Oct 27th 1891

General A.H. Pitt-Rivers C.B., D.C.L. F.S.A &c &c

Dear Sir,

Enclosed I send you the account for your last purchase from me. I have taken the opportunity to enclose two pennies of Aethelred II, both of Dorsetshire mints, and which from their rarity I rather think may be absent from your collection. Neither of these coins were in the "Warne Collection" though examples of them are quoted in his "Dorset Mints".

Should you not wish to keep them will you please return them to

Sir
Yours obediently
Wm Talbot Ready

C218 | 55 Rathbone Place | London W. | W. Talbot Ready | Dealer in Antiquities, Coins, Medals, Gems, etc

Oct 27th 1891 General A.H. Pitt-Rivers CB FSA &c &c

20 penny of Aethelred II struck at Dorchester [Copy of inscription] price 38/-

28 penny of Aethelred II struck at Wareham [Copy of inscription] price 32/-

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Ansd Apr. 16/96

April 14th 1896 | To: Genl A.H. Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers C.B., F.S.A., F.R.S. &c &c &c | From W. Talbot Ready | 55 Rathbone Place | London W

Dear Sir,

I have had sent me a few fine Hungarian bronzes, (6 bronze axe (hammers?) 1 spear head, and a copper axe-adze). I thought that they might probably interest you & so have ventured to send you herewith some rough tracings, which show the actual sizes, and to add beneath a few remarks concerning them. If you would care to see them, may I ask you to be so good as to favour me with a note after receiving which I would send them on to you for inspection.

I am Sir
Yours obediently
Wm Talbot Ready

1. A fine bronze spear head, ornamented with engraved lines

2,3 Two bronze axes, elaborately ornamented with engraved lines

4 One bronze axe elaborately ornamented with engraved lines, smaller

5. A remarkable bronze axe ornamented with engraved lines. The sides of the axe raised to form a sort of strengthening flange and a raised rib running down the centre

6. A double axe of copper, the cutting edges arranged horizontally & perpendicularly

7 8 } Two bronze axes, similar in form to 2, 3 & 4 but without ornaments

Price of the 8 pieces £100

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£85 offered on Apr 30/96

April 17th 1896 | To: Genl A.H. Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers C.B., F.S.A., F.R.S. &c &c &c | From W. Talbot Ready | 55 Rathbone Place | London W

Dear Sir,

I regret very much to have to say that I cannot break up the little lot of Hungarian bronzes. They have been sent to me in fact, as they are, and as just now I cannot manage to take them owing to my having very much overstocked myself at the recent Montagu sale of Greek coins, I thought you might like to know of them; especially as they are a select lot, and cheap.

I am Sir
Yours obediently
Wm Talbot Ready

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May 4th 1896 | To: Genl A.H. Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers C.B., F.S.A., F.R.S. &c &c &c | From W. Talbot Ready | 55 Rathbone Place | London W

Dear Sir,

I regret very much to have to say that I cannot accept your offer for the bronzes. They cost me £90 plus carriage &c and I offered them at a really low price as I was wishful of turning over the money. I was a very heavy purchaser at the Montagu coin sale & had need of it. I have just returned from Paris, otherwise your letter would have been answered sooner.

I am Sir
Yours obediently
Wm Talbot Ready

Pitt-Rivers did buy these Hungarian weapons, see Add.9455vol3_p1273 /2, he paid the full price of £100. Sketches of them exist in the S&SWM PR papers but are not shown here.

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May 22 1896 | To: Genl A.H. Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers C.B., F.S.A., F.R.S. &c &c &c | From W. Talbot Ready | 55 Rathbone Place | London W

Dear Sir,

I am greatly obliged by your kindness in acceding to my request. Herewith I beg to hand you your discharged invoice.

If you would like to have the larger terra cotta from Myrina - woman veiled and holding a child - I shall be pleased to send it to you at the reduced price of £5

Again returning you my earnest thanks

I am Sir
Yours obediently
Wm Talbot Ready

Pitt-Rivers does not appear to have purchased the terra cotta figure, or at least it is not recorded in the catalogue of the second collection

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B446 Richards

Ansd Dec 31/94

S. Richards, | Friar Lane | Nottingham | Telegraphic Address: Ricardo, Nottingham | Dec 20/94

Harold Gray Esq | Rushmore

Dear Sir

I beg to acknowledge your favour of the 9th & have sent 3 Mosaics to Tisbury Stan by goods train, the larger ones on approval & Brass Incense ref. by parcels post, also the catalogue

Yours most truly
S. Richards

The panels are presumably Add.9455vol3_p1029 /1 and on, the incense holder is Add.9455vol3_p1030 /1

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S. Richards, | Friar Lane | Nottingham | Telegraphic Address: Ricardo, Nottingham | May 29/97

General Pitt Rivers | Rushmore

Dear Sir

I have pleasure in sending the object desired on approval, and hope they will be liked. In the event of all being taken I will make the price for the lot £10-10-0 The Knife is a very curious, and uncommon object.

With reference to the two elaborate carvings I notice from a note in todays "Athenaeum" that there appears to have been work of this kind done in Nottingham during the 15th century - cutting enclosed. I had never heard of this before though I have occasionally met with such carvings in the locality, and this pair I bought in this town itself. Must get from Mr Hope on the first opportunity some information about this

Yours most obediently
S. Richards

It is not clear which carvings are being referred to, one of them might be Add.9455vol4_p1432 /2 or Add.9455vol9_p2352 /5, the knife might be Add.9455vol8_p2165 /1

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Ansd June 16/97

S. Richards, | Friar Lane | Nottingham | Telegraphic Address: Ricardo, Nottingham | June 14/97

General Pitt Rivers | Rushmore

Dear Sir

I beg to enclose photograph of the engraved pewter dish mentioned to Mr Gray on Friday last. It has round the border four subjects [illegible] hunting, fox hunting, coursing and Hare Hunting. The men are in costumes of the time of James II. At the back is the mark of a pewterer who worked in London in 1685 according to Mr John Hope.

It measures 27 in in diameter, and is by far the finest English piece I have ever seen If you would like it sending I will put it in a case for your inspection. Price is £12.10.0. I sold this dish to Dr Lawson Tait many years ago for £14 or £15 and repurchased it with a number of other things by private contract when his collection was dispersed. Previously the dish was in the collection of Mr Peacock the Lincolnshire antiquary.

Yours most respectfully
S. Richards

No pewter dish from Richards is listed in the catalogue of the second collection, no photograph of the dish is in the S&SWM PR collections.

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B450 Sotheby ...

Answered 11 April 83

13 Wellington Street, Strand | London W.C. | Mar 28th 1883

Dear Sir

Sale of China &c March 19 1883

We find you had the wrong ware medallion delivered to you at the above sale. If you will be good enough to look at the one you have you will find it is "Maria Regina de Inglaterra" and the one you purchased is "Isabella Cosimo" which we have here.

Yours faithfully
Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge

per [initials]

To Gen Pitt Rivers

Isabella Cosima medallion is Add.9455vol1_p185 /2

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B452 Unterberger

Ansd 26 Nov 82

Franz Unterberger Innsbruck | 10 Burggraben 10 - 1 Mufeumstrasse 1

General Pitt Rivers 4 Grosvenor Gardens London

13 Nov 1882

Sir

I beg to ask you if you have receipt the box sent off on 18th Sept by packet-post containing wood-figures et al I remain

Sir
yours most respectfully
Fr Unterbergen

See Add.9455vol1_p99 /1 and on for these objects

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B457 Wells

General Pitt Rivers | Grosvenor Gardens

Dear Sir

I have consulted Mr Wells with regard to your offer for the Fairfax Black Jack & in consequence of our season having been such a disappointment he is willing to accept £16.10.0 for it. It is an extremely fine & rare piece & is honestly worth more

I am
Sir
Your obedient Servt
per W.H. Wills pp

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to General Pitt Rivers

Sir

I have consulted Mr Wells about the two William & Mary flat candlesticks & the Byron Black Jack, the lowest price we could accept for them is £70 viz the two candlesticks £50 & the Black Jack £20

I am
Sir
Your obedient Servt
per W.H. Wills pp

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B458 Willson

393 Strand W.C. | Dec'r 22nd 1882

To Genl Pitt-Rivers

Sir,

I beg to say I have just purchased a very curious Oriental shield, made of the semi transparent leather, of which I spoke when you called a few days since - It is very reasonable in price, & in first rate condition. I should be happy to shew it if favoured with a call

I am Sir,
Your obedt Servant
S. Willson J.E.6

Pitt-Rivers is not listed in the catalogue of the second collection as having bought a shield from Willson

Transcribed by AP for the Rethinking Pitt-Rivers project August 2011

Dealers Correspondence N - Z

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