ABSSLondon06

Begin with a visit to Apsley House, the imposing neo-classical structure to which Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington, repaired shortly after defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. The Duke’s sumptuous collection of medals, orders, paintings, and sculpture attest to the boundless prestige and limitless wealth that came his way in the aftermath of his great victories. Gifts from emperors and kings make up many of the treasures, including the celebrated Waterseller of Seville by Velazquez and the famed Portuguese silver service with its immense 24-foot centerpiece. And yet, for all the artistic quality on display here, it is the Duke’s reputation that overshadows all. To be amassed by a legendary personage, to be covered with the halo of his glory, is one sure way for a collection to become great.

Another route is completeness: the ambition to possess specimens of every object in a given category. Explore the very embodiment of this ideal at the British Museum, where Joe Cribb, Keeper of the Coin Cabinet, will take you behind the scenes for a look at what is involved in tending one of the finest numismatic collections in the world. Learn how the collection, begun in 1753, has continued to grow, through bequests, purchases, and most recently, through the operation of the 1996 Treasure Act, which requires that all historically significant treasure unearthed in Britain be retained in the nation’s museums. Have a glimpse at the contents of the greatest of the recent finds, the Hoxne hoard, which comprises 15,000 silver coins, 500 gold solidi, and a spectacular selection of silver and gold jewelry and tableware.

After the British Museum beguiles you with its hidden riches and its unsuspected treasures, the National Gallery astonishes you with the sheer brilliance of the familiar. Take a private tour of the famous galleries in Trafalgar Square and re-visit, in the company of an expert curator, some of the greatest moments in the history of Western art -- from the unguarded innocence of Rembrandt’s “Woman Bathing in a Stream” to the luxurious sensuality of Botticelli’s “Venus and Mars”; from the perfervid emotionality of van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” to the studied restraint of George Stubbs’ “Whistlejacket.” However famous and oft admired, these masterpieces are always new. To their sedulous admirers they always offer fresh rewards, some undiscovered detail or unregistered tonality of feeling, some startling insight into technique or unlooked-for communion with their makers’ souls. A great collection, we learn, is full of surprises – especially, perhaps, when the surprises lie in plain view.

Sage Society Trip to London October 21 -26, 2006
What distinguishes a great collection? The American Numismatic Society is proud to invite you to London during the third week of October 2006 to explore this question amidst the incomparable landmarks and irreplaceable treasures of the British capital. Limited to Sage Society members, this trip will offer you a backstage view of some of world’s most storied repositories of coins, paintings, and other works of art. If you are not yet a member of the August B. Sage Society, please consider signing up in time for this trip.
Begin with a visit to Apsley House, the imposing neo-classical structure to which Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington, repaired shortly after defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. The Duke’s sumptuous collection of medals, orders, paintings, and sculpture attest to the boundless prestige and limitless wealth that came his way in the aftermath of his great victories. Gifts from emperors and kings make up many of the treasures, including the celebrated Waterseller of Seville by Velazquez and the famed Portuguese silver service with its immense 24-foot centerpiece. And yet, for all the artistic quality on display here, it is the Duke’s reputation that overshadows all. To be amassed by a legendary personage, to be covered with the halo of his glory, is one sure way for a collection to become great. Another route is completeness: the ambition to possess specimens of every object in a given category. Explore the very embodiment of this ideal at the British Museum, where Joe Cribb, Keeper of the Coin Cabinet, will take you behind the scenes for a look at what is involved in tending one of the finest numismatic collections in the world. Learn how the collection, begun in 1753, has continued to grow, through bequests, purchases, and most recently, through the operation of the 1996 Treasure Act, which requires that all historically significant treasure unearthed in Britain be retained in the nation’s museums. Have a glimpse at the contents of the greatest of the recent finds, the Hoxne hoard, which comprises 15,000 silver coins, 500 gold solidi, and a spectacular selection of silver and gold jewelry and tableware. After the British Museum beguiles you with its hidden riches and its unsuspected treasures, the National Gallery astonishes you with the sheer brilliance of the familiar. Take a private tour of the famous galleries in Trafalgar Square and re-visit, in the company of an expert curator, some of the greatest moments in the history of Western art -- from the unguarded innocence of Rembrandt’s “Woman Bathing in a Stream” to the luxurious sensuality of Botticelli’s “Venus and Mars”; from the perfervid emotionality of van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” to the studied restraint of George Stubbs’ “Whistlejacket.” However famous and oft admired, these masterpieces are always new. To their sedulous admirers they always offer fresh rewards, some undiscovered detail or unregistered tonality of feeling, some startling insight into technique or unlooked-for communion with their makers’ souls. A great collection, we learn, is full of surprises – especially, perhaps, when the surprises lie in plain view.	If encyclopedic ambition is one route to an outstanding collection, a disciplined practice of refining one’s holdings is another time-honored route. In this context, you may choose to witness the historic auction of the de-accessioned objects from the ANS collection. The sale, conducted by Morton & Eden, unfolds at Sotheby’s famed Book Room on New Bond Street. Feel the excitement as the gavel falls on some of the most spectacular European medals and decorations – including a rare, authenticated Victoria Cross -- to come on the market in recent years. There should be a standing-room-only crowd, and the bidding should be fast and furious, as eager individuals and institutions from around the world acquire these objects for exhibition and study. Their gain is ours too, for the proceeds from the sale will be used to fund new acquisitions by the ANS. Magnificent collections need not be permanent; they can come and go in a season. If you elect to forego the auction, join us at the Tate for the unique opportunity to enjoy Hans Holbein’s English oeuvre in its entirety. The Swiss-born painter documented with extraordinary finesse and psychological insight the personalities who made up the Tudor court. Having secured loans from the Royal Family and various museums across Europe, the Tate is bringing these works together for the first time in living memory. Here Henry VIII, stout, tight-lipped, narrow-eyed, but above all regal in ermine and velvet, is joined once again by his third wife, Jane Seymour, and by his son, Edward, Prince of Wales. To greet this trio of royals is also to take leave of them, for they will not soon be reunited. We learn that a transitory collection has its own poignant beauty; for it underscores the solitary destiny through time of each of the objects it embraces. Happily, your itinerary includes much relief from the demands of gallery-hopping and auction-going. Beginning with a champagne reception and dinner at the Dorchester Hotel’s Penthouse and Pavilion and extending through sumptuous meals at Mirabelle’s and Kai’s, you will sample the very best of London’s thriving restaurant scene. And every night you will have the luxury of returning to the Dorchester, one of England’s best hotels, where world leaders and lesser mortals have benefited from perfect hospitality for over seventy-five years.
Tour participants will depart from the United States on Saturday, October 21 and return on Thursday, October 26, 2006. At a cost of only $3775 per person, exclusive of airfare, this tour represents an excellent chance to enjoy the best that London has to offer at a group rate. The supplement for single-room occupanc is $1105. You are welcome to use our expert travel agents, Protravel, to make the air arrangements for you. If you are not yet a member of the Sage Society, please consider signing up in time for this trip. The annual dues are $2500 and include a host of benefits, most prominent of which is the chance to join other enthusiasts in events that aim to replicate the easy-going sociability of the Society's early years. We look forward with pleasure to having you with us as we bring the curiosity and passion of ANS Sage Society members to the numismatic and cultural capital of the world.
For more information, please contact Juliette Pelletier at pelletier@numismatics.org or (212) 571-4470 ext. 1311
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