Provenance and more drilled down to the acquisition and disposal of a major collection.

Deinomenid · October 4, 2023

With the clear warning this is only to highlight the work of another, for those interested in the creation of provenance, the amassing of a collection and its ultimate dispersal, there's been an interesting analysis by the University of Vienna on the theme.

The British shipping magnate, Lockett, who has been mentioned often here, built up a huge (and famous) collection, of which there are extensive records, of what was in it, whence it was acquired, often at what price and catalogues of much of its sale or dispersal elsewhere (universities, museums etc.) The researchers below drilled down to his subcollection of Thurii/Thourioi and followed its acquisition over time and dispersal. As Lockett was believed to have been a bit of a coins-from-recent-unannounced-hoards acquirer too they are attempting to reconstruct some likely finds given how huge a weight he was in the market. It's an interesting and fairly original analysis and these charts show something of the process of acquisition, ownership and dispersal. They are freely available online so I hope it alright to show them.

The article is also freely available if you search for this"There and Back Again. Provenienzstudien an den Münzen Thuriois aus der Sammlung R. Cyril LockettsBY INTER ALIA Marc Philipp Wahl"

.....although my google translator butchered the results. (I have a more accurate version - if anyone wants it just message me.) It's also interesting to see the key players back then, at least for one collector in one area, and confirms the great influence of Pozzi. The first picture shows the acquisition and part of holding period, the second holding and disposal.

If you have a relevant coin I'd love to see it too!