Auctions@EarlyAmerican.com
Phone: 858-759-3290
Type in Your EMAIL Address
to Receive Notices
of Important Events

Links to Other Sites:
• Tortuga Trading
This Auction is Now OPEN for Bidding
Closing LIVE ONLINE: SATURDAY • June 8th • Starting at 9:00 AM Pacific Time
Absentee Bidding on a Specific Lot Will Remain OPEN
Until the LIVE BIDDING begins for that Specific Lot on SATURDAY • June 8th
Lot Number: 285
Sign-in to Bid or Register to Bid
Click for a Printable Page
Estimate Range: $1,200 - $1,400
Current Bidding Status
This Lot is CLOSED for Absentee Bidding.
1745 Reference Book “An Historical Account of English Money From The Conquest, to the Present Time; Including Those of Scotland, from the Union of the Two Kingdoms in King JAMES I.” By Stephen Martin-Leake, Esq; LONDON

Click an Image to Enlarge It
Stephen Martin-Leake, Author, Reference titled: “An Historical Account of English Money, From the Conquest to the Present Time; Including Those of Scotland, From the Accession of James I to the Union of the Two Kingdoms.” London, Complete, Fine.

Stephen Martin-Leake (1702-1773) Author, was the English Clarenceux King of Arms, and later the Garter Principal King of Arms, from 30 November 1741 to 19 December 1754 (promoted). The Clarencieux is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial Kings of arms, and his jurisdiction is that part of England south of the River Trent. Leake was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

A rare, historically significant Numismatic Reference, fully titled: “An Historical Account of English Money from the Conquest, to the Present Time, Including Those of Scotland, the the Union of the Two Kingdoms in King James I. - The Second Edition, With great Additions and Improvements, Tables of GOLD and SILVER MONEY, and Six New Cuts. (plates) - By Stephen Martin-Leake, Esq; Clarenceux King of Arms. - London: Printed for W. Meadows, at the Angel in Cornhill. - M.DCC.XLV (1745).” Book has 428 pages, plus Two Tables: “English Silver Coins” and “English Gold Coins” with 14 drawn and engraved Coin Illustration plates. This copy is in pleasing clean condition, complete with its original leather boards worn from use present yet detached. Prior owner’s name written in ink on the Title Page which also has some mild edge tone, apparently transferred from the front cover, and has a trivial .5” top edge split. Deaccessioned Ex: Woburn, Massachusetts Public Library with Book Plate. An important, beautifully written, very extensive reference work that is lacking in most institutional and private library collections.

An illustrated 2nd edition of this detailed work on the history of English coins, Illustrated with fourteen engraved descriptive plates of the coins of the realm. The work was first published under the title, “Nummi Britannici Historia: or an Historical Account of English Money.” It is an exceedingly rare early reference book on English, Scottish and related Numismatics, this complete copy in its updated and expanded 2nd edition. We could only locate one copy, a later issued 3rd edition highly defective torn copy dated to “1793” (48 years later) available for purchase at a London Numismatic firm. Our current offering is in vastly superior quality and is apparently the best library edition.
Stephen Martin-Leake was born Stephen Martin, the son of a naval officer from Essex; his maternal uncle, Admiral Sir John Leake, left his estate to Martin's parents on the condition that they adopt his surname, which they did in 1721.

Despite this and work at the Navy Office, the family lost out in the South Seas crash and Leake was forced to find employment. After joining the Society of Antiquaries and publishing Nummi Britannici historia, he joined the college as Lancaster Herald in 1727 and was promoted to Norroy in 1729; after serving as Clarenceux, he was promoted to Garter King of Arms in 1754.

Leake was less interested in genealogy than the rights and history of the heralds; he petitioned for the college to have a monopoly on the researching of arms and unsuccessfully tried to revive the visitations, a proposal which Anstis and the government opposed.

He also opened the college's register for Dissenting and Jewish births and carried out two Garter missions. On his death, his collections passed to his brother and were eventually bought by the college.
Keywords:
Lot Number: 285
Sign-in to Bid or Register to Bid
Click for a Printable Page
Estimate Range: $1,200 - $1,400
Early American History Auctions, Inc.
1520 Commerce St., # 312 • Winchester, VA 22601
Phone: 858 • 759 • 3290
Email: Auctions@EarlyAmerican.com