| Description |
A Heath Precursor: His First Efforts at Counterfeit DetectionAshland: Published by J.W. Whittemore, 1860. 16mo, original yellow printed paper covers. 24 pages [continued onto inside back cover]; woodcut illustrations throughout, depicting bank note elements. Near fine. [with] Gear, A.S. The United States Bank Note Detecter, at Sight... Yellow printed label affixed to front cover modifying publisher's imprint to Portland, ME: For Sale By Laban Heath For $1.00. 16mo, original yellow printed paper covers. 24 pages [continued onto inside back cover]; woodcut illustrations throughout, depicting bank note elements. Covers stained; very good. Two copies of the same rare booklet, but with a significant difference. While the first is published by J.W. Whittemore, of Ashland, Massachusetts, the second is distributed by Laban Heath, at this point of Portland, Maine, but soon to make a name for himself in the field of counterfeit detection in Boston. Whittemore's name and city have been pasted over with Heath's on both the front and back cover, though Whittemore's original publisher's imprint remains on the title page of Heath's version, indicating that Heath served merely as the distributor of this little-known title. This is apparently Heath's earliest involvement in such publications, and we can see the effect it had on him by the felicity with which he appropriated the distinctive "At Sight" of this title for his Heath's Infallible Counterfeit Detector at Sight, first published four years later. Jack Vorhies first wrote about these publications in the Essay-Proof Journal for 1984-1985. Estimate $500. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society.
Heritage Auctions 11/2018 (Newman XI), lot15240 (realized $8400).
Heritage link: http://www.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=1283&lotIdNo=11403 |
