Item 1977/2 - Six letters from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart and two letters from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt

8 items, paper

Six letters from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart and two letters from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt:
(a) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, single page, on House of Commons letterhead dated from 12 July 1977, sending CEB an example of Bury [type] VI from [the] Colchester [hoard?] to complete his long-cross collections.
(b) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, two folios (recto & verso), dated from Ramsbury on 14 July 1977, thanking IS for the Bury type VII penny. He also notes that he has been studying a "strange parcel of Northumbrian coins" and writes on this at some length.
(c) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, single page, dated from Ramsbury on 19 July 1977, reporting that Terry Volk has sent him the 1974 Fitzwilliam report, which contains an illustration of a William II type III penny of Bedford by Lifwi[ne] that was found at Shillington and given to James Wyatt of Bedford by John Evans. He notes that inscription clearly reads as follows: +LIFPIONBEDFRI. He mentions another Shillington coin of William II type II, giving a reference from Spink Numismatic Circular from January 1911. Finally, he asks IS how near he is to releasing the Salisbury coin to Spink.
(d) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from Ramsbury on 9 August 1977, informing IS that Spinks offered him the Salisbury penny for £50 while pointing that the coin would probably sell for £125-150 on the open market; he thanks IS for the role that he might have had in the affair. He also advises IS of another possible Shillington parcel from the Archdeacon Parnell sale in 1887 and briefly describes its contents.
(e) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), on House of Commons letterhead dated from 6 September 1977, thanking CEB for his family's hospitality during their recent visit to Ramsbury. He says that they made good progress on the 10th century and the tables of moneyers need to be included despite their size. He notes that [Nick] Mayhew would be happy to take his Droitwich paper for next year's BNJ [i.e. 1978] and that he has "delivered [Mavis?] Mate to [Michael] Metcalf. He thanks CEB for the two half-groats and wishes him luck with the index. He returns CEB's note on St Peter hoards [in reference to his 1957 joint article with Michael Dolley in the BNJ?], noting that he has taken a copy for himself.
(f) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from Ramsbury on 16 September 1977, saying that he has found three more Shillington coins in the sale of William Ransom of Hitchin in 1925 and giving the catalogue descriptions but adding that they may be [Derek] Allen coins. He also reports on his "very useful meeting with MMA [i.e. Marion Archibald] on the Sylloge", noting that the prospects are improved by her liberation from her [secretary]-ship of the RNS.
(g) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, single page, dated from Ramsbury on 12 November 1977, adding another coin to their reconstruction of the Shillington hoard: William II BMC II Norwich Toufie.
(h) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from Ramsbury on 21 December 1977, sending IS a list of the material that he has put together for the research on Droitwich. He mentions that he has received the approval from Dorothy Whitelock and Mrs [Gelling] over something they have put in a note [of one of their papers?]. He also says that he and Marion [Archibald] were wondering how best to present the "circular" types and Edmund – Edgar, explaining the two possibilities that they had in mind, and notes that she is making good progress on the BM SCBI. He then recounts the last meeting of the TT [i.e. Treasure Trove?] committee, expressing concern over the view of Peter Mitchell that the BM was still acting as arbiter in the prices that it gave to finders.