ANS E-News

ANS E-NEWS MAY 2005

ANS STAFF NEWS
* Gabriela Bijovsky, Curator of Coins at the Israel Antiquities Authority, is
working at the ANS for a three-month term as Special Curator. Ms. Bijovsky
is preparing the volume "Coins from the Holy Land: The Abraham D. Sofaer
Collection at The American Numismatic Society" for publication. Work on
this volume was first begun by the late Prof. Ya'akov Meshorer, and it will
be published by the ANS in January 2006. Advanced orders can be placed
through the David Brown Book Company at
http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/52996 .

* On April 27, 2005, Ms Pamala Plummer-Wright terminated her
employment as Director of Development at the ANS. The ANS will be
advertising this position in due course. Please send all enquiries regarding
development or the ANS Magazine to Juliette Pelletier (pelletier@numismatics.org)

or Ute Wartenberg Kagan (wartenberg@numismatics.org).

DEVELOPMENT NEWS
* Conservation Grant Awarded: The Institute of Museum and Library
services (IMLS) has awarded the ANS a 2005 Conservation Assessment
Program grant. Under this grant, the ANS will receive funding to hire
professional conservators to assess the Society's coin, library and archival
collections, as well as its building. The assessment reports will aid the ANS
by providing recommendations for conservation action. Such reports are
considered pre-requisites for many of the more substantial conservation
grants for which the ANS might be eligible.

ACADEMIC WORKSHOPS AND LECTURES
Elena Stolyarik, ANS Collections Manager, will be giving a talk at the New
York Numismatic Club on May 13, titled "Bosporan Enigma: Identifying an
Unknown Coin." This past Wednesday, April 27, Dr. Stolyarik visited
Hofstra University to present her lecture "Scythian Coins in the North Black
Sea Steppes". This event was organized by the Department of Fine Arts and
Art History , the Middle Eastern Program and the Hofstra Association of Art
History Students.

RECENT ACQUISITIONS
* Local historian William Asadorian recently donated to the cabinet an
unusual collection of Early American lead bale seals recovered from
excavation sites during large-scale late 20th-century construction projects.
Almost all the seals are from sites in New York City. These interesting
token-like pieces, which were once affixed to bales of fabric or containers of
other commodities, represent the burgeoning trade of the Colonial and Early
Federal eras. The find-spots of most of the pieces are known, and the
collection includes many examples of Dutch, English, French, Portuguese
and even Russian origin.

* Long-time member Charles Ricard has donated a set of Franklin Mint
United Nations silver Peace Medals, from 1971 through 1987, which the
cabinet was lacking.

ARCHIVIST NEWS
* This Month in ANS History
May 1866: The Society begins publication of the American Journal of
Numismatics: Based on a proposal by Joseph N.T. Levick, the ANS launches
its first publication ‹ the American Journal of Numismatics ‹ in May 1866.
Although not initially a financial success, by the end of the first year of
publication, almost all of the numismatic societies in the United States were
using the AJN to communicate to its membership. To learn more about the
launch of the AJN, visit: http://www.amnumsoc.org/archives/ANSMoment.htm.

*Historical Additions to the ANS Website
Arthur S. Dewing biography: Arthur S. Dewing, noted Greek numismatist
and founder of the Harvard Business School, served on the Society's Council
from 1942 until his death in 1971. During that time, he served the Society in
a number of capacities, most notably as President from 1947-49. Although
his tenure as President was brief, Dewing had a major impact on the structure
and governance of the Society. To learn more about this remarkable
individual and his contributions to the ANS, visit:
http://www.amnumsoc.org/archives/dewingbio.htm.

LIBRARY LACUNAE: YOUR CHANCE TO CHANGE HOLES INTO WHOLES
* Although most libraries strive to create collections that are complete,
it is virtually a given that there will always be certain items, old or
new, that are lacking on their shelves. The ANS Library is no exception
so, perhaps you can assist in helping us find the listed items for
our shelves. This week's list contains a journal holdover from last week and a new
auction listing that we would like to complete. Thank you for helping.

"La Numismatica" (Monthly published in Brescia, Italy) - Vol. 18, no. 9
(Sept., 1987) and any issues for the period 1994 - to date.

Glendining & Company - Any sales for the period 1995 - and after.

Please contact the Librarian with regard to any of the above items that you
might be able to supply.

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