Item 1967/1 - Two letters from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart with four letters and one card from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt

7 items, paper

Two letters from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart with four letters and one card from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt:
(a) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, two full folios (recto & verso), dated from St George's Rd, SE1, on 31 January 1967, explaining that he was unable to join CEB after the last BNS meeting because Mrs [Joan] Murray had come from Cheltenham and adding that "the plan of going via Brit. Acad. for T.T. seems sound". IS thanks CEB for his exhibit and asks about his "plans for unpublishing [!] the sovereign groat", noting its importance "to the whole Henry VII problem". IS says that Stewart [Lyon] has delivered to him the cast of the Scandinavian imitation of Ethelred. He explains that he has written his review of Michael [Dolley]'s Viking Coins but "without regard for the identity or personality of the author", which makes it unprintable in its current form, so he wishes to obtain the views of CEB and Stewart [Lyon] on how much modification it requires. There is lengthy discussion about the feasibility and potential benefits of the sale of offprints by the BNS. He notes that MA [i.e. Marion Archibald] will not be prepared to present her Newstead paper in April, so her paper will be left for January 1968, but IS wonders whether she would be able to contribute a summary note for the BNJ going to press later in 1967, since the definitive publication will be a long way off.
(b) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, two full folios (recto & verso), dated 7 February 1967, in reply to Ian Stewart's letter and covering the point raised in turn. CEB answers IS's query about the sovereign groat and asks IS to send him his draft review on the Viking Coins, explaining that Michael [Dolley] readily accepts criticism before publication but becomes more adverse to it "once he has gone to print". CEB then explains his position regarding the sale of offprints by the BNS and expresses his disappointment that MMA [i.e. Marion Archibald] doesn't feel that she can provide her paper for April but says that he would also like a summary account of the find for the BNJ.
(c) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), from St George's Rd, SE1, undated but with a date of 21 February 1967 added in pencil in the upper margin, in square brackets, in CEB's hand. IS resigns himself to MA [i.e. Marion Archibald] presenting her paper in January 1968; he finds the whole thing annoying, above all because he doesn't like tampering with the programme, but doesn't want to press her because that could jeopardise his relationship with her and the British Museum more generally. He refers to an enclosed "note about offprints" to provide a "basis for discussion at [the] next Council, no longer coupled with the letter, and asks whether CEB knows of any hoards besides Hounslow and Hartford that have early coins of Henry VII in quantity.
(d) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from St George's Rd, SE1, on 4 March 1967, expressing his delight that CEB has asked him to join the Sylloge committee. He says that he has received the Renfrew proofs and queries CEB's remarks about the Tutbury hoard. He notes the quality of the [British Numismatic] Journal but adds that "so many short items must have been a headache".
(e) card from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, undated but postmarked 20 April 1967 and annotated by CEB as having been answered on 24 April; he apologises "for having done nothing about the Rashleigh Stephen plates" but explains that the Renfrew proofs, which he will be returning to [Horace Herbert] King the next day, have consumed all his time. He says that he has added a note about about Tutbury, thanks CEB for his help and promises to write again soon on Rashleigh. He describes the London Bridge "Davids" as "most interesting.
(f) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from St George's Rd, SE1, on 30 April 1967, enclosing details of the Rashleigh coins and noting that he has assembled some interesting information about coins of David in other hoards. He says that he left NC [i.e. Numismatic Chronicle] at Albany for CEB and stresses the importance of maintaining MA [i.e. Marion Archibald] as treasurer, wondering if John Brand would be able to help, since he is an accountant. He also sends his "much recast and [...] now inoffensive review of Michael [Dolley]'s Viking Coins, again asking CEB to review his text . In two postscripts, he invites CEB to note Seaby, May 1223, presumably in reference to a coin listed for sale, and hopes that CEB has a good trip to Turkey.
(g) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, three pages on two folios (recto/verso & recto), dated 28 May 1967, saying that he has now re-read IS's excellent review of Viking Coins. He comments upon the character of RHMD [i.e. Michael Dolley] and his reaction to criticism, notes his appreciation of the way IS dealt with a couple of questions, and then raises a couple of points of his own. He hopes to see IS at the next BNS meeting and thinks that his idea to enroll John Brand in an effort to retain MMA [i.e. Marion Archibald] as treasurer a good one.