Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Collector · Numismatist

James Whittall

d. 1885 · United Kingdom

Collector of Greek and Roman coins at Smyrna, whose remaining coins were sold at Sotheby's on 26 January 1885, among them a silver coin of Marium in Cyprus.

Biography

The coin collection formed by James Whittall of Smyrna included a silver coin of Marium in Cyprus, sold at Sotheby's on 26 January 1885 with the remaining pieces2,4. In 1841 "Mr James Whittall of Smyrna" walked with the painter David Wilkie to the river Meles and took him to see the collection of gems and bronzes of Henry Perigal Borrell1.

A Whittall collection of Greek coins was sold in London in 1867. Chambers's Journal described the owner in 1884 as "a well-known merchant" at Smyrna and gave the sum realised as £2,729, without a forename5. A Whittall catalogue of 1884 is cited by J. P. Six for Greek bronze coins, among them two attributed to Salamis in Cyprus that Six acquired6.

The Athenaeum of 24 January 1885 advertised the "remaining portion" of the collection "formed by the late James Whittall, Esq., of Smyrna"4. Sotheby's catalogue of the second portion lists as lot 83, among the silver coins, a coin of Marium with a winged Astarte kneeling2. Pieces "from the Whittall collection" appeared later in the first portion of the Bunbury sale at Sotheby's in June 18963.

Life and work

  1. 1841
    Mr James Whittall of Smyrna walked with the painter David Wilkie to the river Meles and took him to see Henry Borrell's collection of gems and bronzes, which included a marble group said to have been found in a ruined church in Cyprus

    SmyrnaA. Cunningham (1843). The life of Sir David Wilkie. With his journals, tours, and critical remarks on works of art

  2. 1867
    A Whittall collection of Greek coins was sold in London (a 'Cat. Whittall, 1867' is cited for Greek electrum coins); a periodical of 1884 says Mr Whittall, 'a well-known merchant' at Smyrna, had a very fine coin collection dispersed in London in 1867 for £2,729

    LondonChambers's Journal (1884). Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science and Art, vol. 1; J. P. Six (1890). Monnaies grecques, inédites et incertaines. The Numismatic Chronicle, 3rd series 10, p. 242, p. 216

  3. 1884
    A Whittall sale catalogue of 1884 is cited by J. P. Six for Greek bronze coins, among them two attributed to Salamis in Cyprus that Six acquired

    LondonJ. P. Six (1890). Monnaies grecques, inédites et incertaines. The Numismatic Chronicle, 3rd series 10, p. 242, p. 242

  4. 1884–1885
    Sotheby's sold the second (remaining) portion of the collection 'formed by the late James Whittall, Esq., of Smyrna' on 26 January 1885; lot 83, in the silver section, is a coin of Marium with winged Astarte kneeling, Cyprus

    LondonSotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge (1885). Catalogue of the second portion of the valuable collection of Greek, Imperial Greek & Roman coins ... formed by the late James Whittall, Esq., of Smyrna (26 Jan 1885)

  5. 1885
    Owned 3 objects ('coin'; reg. 1885,0606.29 and others), now in the British Museum.

    British Museum collection online, reg. 1885,0606.29; 1885,0606.351; 1885,0606.352

  6. June 1896
    Pieces 'from the Whittall collection' appear in the first portion of the Bunbury sale at Sotheby's

    LondonSotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge (1896). Catalogue of the Bunbury collection of Greek coins, first portion (15 June 1896)

Connections

4 people
Jan SixSir Edward H. BunburyHenry Perigal BorrellSir Hermann David WeberJames Whittall
Sales & giftsColleagues

Sales, gifts & bequests

Objects

Sources

  1. 1.A. Cunningham (1843). The life of Sir David Wilkie. With his journals, tours, and critical remarks on works of art.
  2. 2.Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge (1885). Catalogue of the second portion of the valuable collection of Greek, Imperial Greek & Roman coins ... formed by the late James Whittall, Esq., of Smyrna (26 Jan 1885).
  3. 3.Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge (1896). Catalogue of the Bunbury collection of Greek coins, first portion (15 June 1896).
  4. 4.The Athenaeum (1885). The Athenaeum, 24 Jan 1885, no. 2987.
  5. 5.Chambers's Journal (1884). “Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science and Art, vol. 1”.
  6. 6.J. P. Six (1890). “Monnaies grecques, inédites et incertaines”. The Numismatic Chronicle, 3rd series 10, p. 242.
  7. 7.Société royale de numismatique de Belgique (1842). “Revue belge de numismatique et de sigillographie”.
  8. 8.British Museum collection online.
  9. 9.Cunningham, Allan, 1784-1842, The life of Sir David Wilkie. With his journals, tours, and critical remarks on works of art, and a selection from his correspondence (1843).
  10. 10.A. Cunningham, 1843, The life of Sir David Wilkie. With his journals, tours, and critical remarks on works of art, leaf 384.
  11. 11.Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 1896, Catalogue of the Bunbury collection of Greek coins, first portion (15 June 1896), leaves 140-160.
  12. 12.J. P. Six, 1890, Monnaies grecques, inédites et incertaines.
  13. 13.Auction sale XII : mail bid only, featuring : antiquities, ancient coins, medieval coins. [04/25/1978] (1978-04-25).

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