The collection of Viktor Chominski is counted among the four great collections put up for auction in the 20th century, but in the pre-war period. The Chominski collection is the last of these. It was put up for sale at the German auction house Leo Hamburger, in Frankfurt am Main, with an auction to be held on May 9, 1932.
Unfortunately, after a long earlier period of prosperity in the numismatic market, the date of the sale of this collection fell during the Great Depression and, as a result, the auction did not take place due to a lack of takers. As Marek Kaleniecki writes in the introduction to the "great collections" collection reprint: "... Only a dozen items were sold by the post office...".
However, the auction was prepared and an excellent catalog was left behind, presenting this magnificent collection.
The auction catalog of this collection is rare and highly regarded.
The object of this auction is a beautiful piece that possibly belonged to Victor Chominski himself?
Admittedly, it does not have his ownership entry or stamp(?). On the title page is an entry by Jerzy D[....] Wę[....] and Chominski's address. On the next page already with the same address is Victor Chomiński....
In front of the list of items, preceded by the Polish word "dopisałem" an entry in German referring to the added estimated prices next to each item, which are indeed added in the same handwriting and ink. By analogy with other items with handwritten notations by Victor Chominski, we believe that these are not notations made by his hand.
Two hypotheses arise to us in this case.
1) It could be a catalog sent from the auction house to V. Chominski (hence the full address notation), in which the proposed estimated prices were added after printing is possible approval?
2 It could be a catalog belonging to some Jerzy.... residing at the same address as Chomiński (?), in which it was he who made these entries?
We do not know how to explain this at the moment.
The catalog is preserved in very good condition, except for the annotations with no comments. Also preserved parchment table dividers. Bound together with a separate list of estimated prices. This one slightly tattered and with taped edges.
Bound in half leather in our opinion from a much later period than the catalog itself, relatively contemporary. Very good condition.
Exterior format 284 x 224 mm.
