Item 1984/1 - Six letters from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, one with an attachment

7 items, paper

Six letters from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, one with an attachment:
(a) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from Ramsbury on 12 January 1984, concerning the plates for CTCE [i.e. Coinage in tenth-century England]. He notes that a new coin of Edgar has just turned up from Ireland, an irregular of CC type, which he is hoping to acquire, and he discusses the coin at some length, noting that it came in the company of two other coins, an Athelstan of Chester by Wulfstan and an Eadred of uncertain mint by Ingelberd, and that he is trying to obtain all of them. He thanks IS for the off-prints and refers to Hywel Dda and looks forward to the prospect of Stewart [Lyon] pushing his work on CTCE forward.
(b) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from Ramsbury on 19 January 1984, reporting that he managed to obtain all three of the coins he sought [from Spink]. He sends his cards and says that he is trying to find out more about their provenance [i.e. beyond the fact that he acquired them from Spink and that they are said to have come from Ireland]; he says "an 'old' hoard is suggested – or find" (see item (c) below).
(c) attachment to item (b) above, photocopy of CEB's index cards for the three coins acquired, with details about reign, type, mint and moneyer, legends, weight and pedigree, all in CEB's hand, undated but giving as pedigree "Spink Jan 1984 from Ireland" for each of the coins.
(d) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, single page (recto only), dated from Ramsbury on 9 February 1984, stating that "the three coins prove to be 'strays' from Smarmore, with the probability of a fourth lurking somewhere", but adding that they "must be careful about publishing the provenance" because "Dublin might well get upset". He agrees with IS's "comments about the slightly irregular Wallingford: too good for an out-and-out contemporary imitation, and the metal, though it looks a bit 'off'' may not be as bad as all that". He says that they will be able to include the coin in plate 20 next to the proto-type.
(e) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, single page (recto only), dated from Ramsbury on 2 April 1984, saying that he plans to "go for the Offa" in the new Glendining catalogue "if Marion [Archibald] isn't doing so" and observing in a footnote that it is from the same obverse die as BMA 43 [= CEB's no. 72] but the reverse differs from both. He asks IS whether he has seen lot 67, which is reputedly "an Edgar Heriger CC", though he says it may simply be a mis-identification.
(f) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, single page (recto only), dated from Ramsbury on 25 April 1984, thanking IS and others for their letters after their recent visit. He says that he has "sent Marion [Archibald] the key and asked her to photograph the coins" that IS wants. He refers to a letter just received from Stewart [Lyon].
(g) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from Ramsbury on 26 May 1984, informing IS that, after Stewart Lyon's visit, he redrafted two sections in Edgar's North-eastern group, sent CSSL a copy for comment and now encloses one for IS. He says that CSSL has in turn redrafted CEB's last two paragraphs, which he also encloses, but says that he is not happy with the changes and asks IS for his opinion. He enumerates his concerns in some detail and then briefly touches on a few other matters of lesser concern.