GROLIER CLUB EXHIBIT Public Deposited
The E-Sylum: Volume 4, Number 35, August 26, 2001, Article 4
GROLIER CLUB EXHIBIT
Bob Leonard writes: "I don't think Dave Bowers is being
entirely fair in criticizing the "Numismatics in the Age of Grolier"
exhibit for ignoring American numismatic literature. After all,
Jean Grolier died in 1565 -- 20 years before the first English
settlement in America was planted by Sir Walter Raleigh.
Even the Sommer Islands Hogge money was not issued until
over half a century after his death. The scope of the exhibit is
numismatic books published during Grolier's lifetime, or very
shortly thereafter."Asylum Editor Tom Fort agrees, noting, "The exhibit is NOT
ignoring American numismatic literature -- there WAS no
American numismatic literature during that period." He goes
on to address Bowers' note about the participation of the
"AMERICAN Numismatic Society." He writes: "The ANS
was not founded as the Society for the Study of American
Numismatics. It is a society in the U.S. dedicated to
numismatics in general and its journals have accepted learned
works on all topics dealing with any branch of numismatics.Also, I should point out that there are a number of numismatic
literature collectors, including myself, who are not as interested
in American numismatic literature as Mr. Bowers. Frankly,
I would much rather see a display on the numismatic works
of Edward Gibbon, the Vicomte Ponton d'Amecourt or
Michael Dolley than Sylvester Crosby, Ard Browning or
Walter Breen. Mr. Bowers would obviously disagree with me
since our tastes differ so much. He is welcome to that
disagreement and I encourage it, variety is what makes the
NBS a great society.A high level exhibit on American numismatic literature would
be a truly wonderful thing. If those with power, money
(especially this) and influence in the numismatic, academic
and museum world can get some institution to mount one
you have my full support.'"- 2001-08-26
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