Lot 1179
London - Holborn and Clerkenwell, John Skidmore (ironmonger and token manufacturer) Halfpenny 1795
The Deane Collection of 18th Century Tokens | 112
Auction: 11 October 2023 at 12:50 BST
£264
Description
London - Holborn and Clerkenwell, John Skidmore (ironmonger and token manufacturer) Halfpenny 1795, Two men working at a forge, rev. iron fire-grate, edge diagonally milled, 29.5mm/9.97gm. (DH 480). As struck with almost full lustre and marvellous iridescence.
John Skidmore sold fire grates and stoves at his showrooms at No. 123 High Holborn that were manufactured at his iron foundry in Coppice Row, Clerkenwell. As a subsidiary to his main line of business he also started to make and sell ‘tokens ‘and in 1795 issued his own token halfpenny (above) and farthing (below) advertising his business. It would appear that the token side of the business was run by his second son Paul who is the P in the PSCo. Cypher in the Skidmore’s London Churches series. Skidmore generally used Charles James as his die engraver and from 1795 to 1797 he had many tokens issued which he sold to the enthusiastically collecting public. See article by Simon Monks in the introduction of this catalogue.
