Roberto Russo

[ahala]

http://www.coinsweekly.com/en/News/4?&id=1180

Roberto Russo (1945-2012)

May 3, 2012 – Roberto Russo was born in 1945 at Vico Equense, a pleasant summer resort near Naples. He spent his infancy there until the age of 8, when his father moved to Camogli in Liguria. Later, when he was 16, his family came back to Naples, as his father had received a chair at the University of Naples.

His encounter with numismatics was fortuitous when, as a naval engineering student, he came across some gold coins of the Kingdom of Italy which he impulsively bought and later sold with an agreeable profit. Prompted by this pleasant surprise, he decided to have a better look at the numismatic world, starting to frequent local dealers and attending to all major conventions. He soon realized that he could earn a living as a numismatic dealer and decided to throw himself into this job.

At first his interests were contemporary coins but, being a man of refined taste and deep liberal education, he was soon charmed by the appeal of ancient coins. Starting from scratch, he did his utmost to forge ahead and in a reasonable lapse of time acquired the experience he needed to face the world of the major sales, like those held by Bank Leu and M & M.

His capacities, specially a keen eye for forgeries, immediately attracted the attention of the managers of these firms who, in the years to come, would come to appreciate him as their equal. A broad-minded man of great ambitions and qualities, he soon perceived that Italy offered him scanty opportunities and, having reached the point where his name was pretty well known among those in the field, he decided to face the greatest challenge of his life: to establish in Switzerland an auction house. This he did in 1989. After an increasing success, in 2003 he decided to open a new branch in London.

His well known allure, his deep knowledge of Greek and Roman numismatics, combined with his extreme fair-trade practices soon made the Numismatica Ars Classica a landmark for those collectors wishing to sell their collections in the most appropriate way. Today his firm can be considered without doubt a leading name in the field. In the last years Roberto was slowly relinquishing the reins of the company to his elder son Arturo, assisted by his young brother Giuliano, to pursue his studies in the Roman Republican bronze coinages, an Herculean task which only someone fond of challenges like him could face. His achievements, counterbalanced by a great humility and helpfulness, were for some people unexpected, but for those who had the fortune and the pleasure of knowing him, they were more than predictable. His will be a lasting name in the numismatic world.

[ahala]

For Roberto's important views on Early Roman Coinage, see his Sottevoce here (Italian)

Prima Bozza Preliminare di uno Studio Organico sulla Monetazione del Centro Italia e della

Magna Grecia tra il 326 a.C. al 215 a.C.

http://arsclassicaco...C_Sottovoce.pdf

The Sottevoce also contains an article by Sergio Macchi, Le Condizioni di salute di Cesare nel 44 a.C.

and an interview with Roberto here:

http://arsclassicaco...ta_Panorama.pdf

One of the best catalogue introductions by Roberto can be found here:

http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/Introductory.html#BCD

Modificato 5 Maggio, 2012 da ahala

[ahala]

Roberto Russo's introduction to the RBW collection is also of great importance to those interested in Republican Numismatics. I reproduce it in full here:

Introduction to the RBW Collection

Roberto Russo

My close and long-standing friendship with RBW now spans over 20 years; a long string of wonderful memories of his visits to Naples, Capri, Sorrento, Pompei and Paestum, not to mention my trips to Palo Alto, Napa Valley and San Francisco, which will connect us forever. How could I ever forget all those splendid evenings spent in New York, London, Zurich, Paris and Rome, enjoying the premier wines of RBW (a refined connoisseur), almost always in the company of Charles Hersh who is forever in our memories.

Like BCD, Athos Moretti, Charles Hersh, B. Biaggi, Abekassis, G. Perkins and D. Berend, RBW has always represented the sensitive, refined and intelligent world of collecting of the second half of the 20th century, when today’s means of mass communication did not exist, and the serious collector’s only possibility of cultivating their passion involved travelling extensively in order to visit the great dealers of the time. These collectors were extraordinary characters who didn’t just collect coins; they loved them, studied them, and struck up friendships with the best-known academics and dealers. RBW decided early on to collect Roman Republican coins: not just denarii, or even just silver, but all Republican coins.

Today Republican denarii are perhaps the most collected ancient coins. Republican gold, however, is the preserve of a small elite, and in most cases they are pursued by collectors of Roman gold coins in general. In fact, it is impossible for a person interested in ancient history to resist the wondrous allure of names such as Sulla, Titus Quintius Flamininus, Brutus, Lepidus, Caesar, Pompey, Labienus Particus, Domitius Ahenobarbus, Marcus Antonius and Antyllus. For this reason, these splendid coins almost always become the prologue to an extensive Imperial gold coin collection.

Then we have the bronze coins, which have two different stories. The Republican cast coins, or Aes Grave, often become part of a much larger collection of Italian cast coins; in fact there are a large number of collectors of these primordial coins, which are more similar to archaeological objects than coins as we know them. On the other hand, struck bronze coins are largely overlooked by almost all collectors, and only a select few are interested in these pieces. What is the reason for this lack of interest? Is it because it is so difficult to find extremely well-preserved specimens? Or perhaps it is due to the monotony of the types, with the ever-present prow reverse? Or perhaps it is the overwhelming number of issues and types? Can it be explained through the lack of availability of specialist literature, which would make this extremely complicated subject more accessible to collectors? Probably only a part of the answer to our question can be found in each of these reasons. Here is how I like to define a collection of Republican coins: silver is the torso, gold is the head and bronze are the limbs; for a well-proportioned body none of these parts can be missing or notably inferior to the other parts. This is what my friend RBW understood: he collected Republican coins with the same ardour and enquiring spirit as Bahrfeldt or Sydenham. In his search, a very expensive aureus had the same value to his collection as a small rare oncia, the commercial worth being only a secondary detail. In fact, he actually went even further by collecting colonial Republican coins with the same determination, a collection which he has decided to continue to cultivate.

One must not be misled by the relatively limited number of gold coins offered in this catalogue, which while rich in extremely rare coins, represents only a part of the original collection. In fact, the majority of the RBW Republican gold coins were offered at Triton’s Auction III back in 1999, lots 808 to 851. Thus, the RBW collection was perfectly balanced among gold, silver and cast and struck bronze. The quality and rarity of the silver and gold offered is alone sufficient to guarantee that the sale will be a great success, and it will represent an utterly unique opportunity for Republican collectors to enrich their collections. Even the cast bronze is of such quality that it is likely to sell very well; whereas the success of the struck bronze part of the collection is less certain, given the very small number of collectors of this series. For this reason, I would like to first invite the directors of the world’s large museums to take advantage of this unique opportunity to fill out their holdings of Republican struck bronzes. Only Paris has a great collection of these coins, and only a few others reach 50% of the known types. To miss out on this unrepeatable opportunity would be a shame, especially given the insignificant financial commitment required, and the extremely favourable payment terms that NAC has always offered to public institutions.

My second invitation goes out to collectors of Republican silver. Dear friends, very soon Andrew McCabe and I will publish a work specifically on Republican stuck bronze, a project in which RBW collaborated. This book will guide you in the discovery of this fascinating series. This is not the place to list the merits of this work, but what I can guarantee is that it will be easy to understand. All of the coins will be photographed not once but twice, with the images appearing first amongst the text so that one can look at the coin whilst reading its description, and then once again in general plates, in order to see each series as a whole. I will not say that Republican bronze coins are beautiful, but if you are a born collector, and you love having a long series to complete like a gigantic puzzle, then this is your series. In total there are just over one thousand struck republican bronzes, which is equivalent to the number of denarii, to give you an idea of the vastness of this series. The prices of these coins, at the moment, does not come close to reflecting their rarity. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, especially if your collection of silver coins is becoming so complete that finding your missing pieces is starting to become problematic.

In accordance with RBW‘s wishes, the collection will be split up and sold in two parts, in order to reduce the financial burden for collectors. I cannot conclude this foreword without a saying a heartfelt thank you to RBW for having entrusted NAC with his collection. Alberto de Falco, my son Arturo and I are committed to giving the best of ourselves to produce a catalogue that will become a reference work.

Thank you RBW.

[snam]

Hi,

There is a other discussion about Roberto Russo, this the link:

bye!

[ahala]

Hi,

There is a other discussion about Roberto Russo, this the link:

http://www.lamoneta....-roberto-russo/

bye!

Thank you!

I also have a personal comment, as a friend of Roberto. As most of you will know, Roberto was, in addition to his work as a coin dealer, a deep specialist in Roman Republican bronzes. I only met him for this first time at the end of 2009, at the International Numismatic Congress in Glasgow, but over the course of the last two years had developed an increasingly close friendship and working cooperation on various studies on Roman Republican bronzes. I plan to continue these studies and hope to see Roberto's name as a co-author with me on some significant works in the future. Of course Roberto's "Unpublished Roman Republican bronze coins" in Essays Hersh, 1998, is already an indispensable part of the Republican corpus, and everyone on this list should have a copy of Essays Hersh beside Roman Republican Coinage. His catalogue notes and arrangements for the first part of the RBW collection, NAC 61, have also quickly become a standard reference. I expect that Roberto's name will become even better known among Republican numismatists. I will continue to work on his unpublished notes, with the aim of publishing more of his work in the future.

Andrew McCabe

[numa numa]

Thank you very much Ahala

these excerpts an testimonials are very helpful and nice to make us remember a great numismatist, enterpreneur and above all a lover of good life that has left a big hole in all the people who had the luck to meet and know Roberto and especially learn form him.

[acraf]

Sincerely I hope that the projected ambitious book on Republican bronzes can be born.

Is it possible to know the present situation of the project?

[ahala]

Sincerely I hope that the projected ambitious book on Republican bronzes can be born.

Is it possible to know the present situation of the project?

Yes of course - since Roberto Russo already wrote about the project, it is right that I explain what will now happen. First, I cannot say for certain that I will be able to complete this project, but it would certainly take some years because of the need to complete and publish some studies in advance, and only after the detailed studies to complete a book. The advance studies include

- Anonymous bronzes

- Luceria bronzes

- Sicilian bronzes

- Etruria bronzes

I worked with Roberto Russo on Luceria. The research is perhaps 80%-90% complete but the detailed study is not yet written, although there exists a draft by Roberto (but without much input by me). Perhaps there might be a preliminary publication of his work in draft, and the a further study that includes also my research later this year or in the first half of 2013.

On anonymous bronzes I have studied RRC 56 myself, but I made use of the work done by Roberto on RRC 41, published in essays Hersh (1998) and SNR 2009. My research work is nearly complete, with a preliminary study ready for publication within months (certainly in 2012). This will need to be commented on, before a definitive study is published later, perhaps next year. Michael Crawford has been very supportive in encouraging me in this study.

Work on Sicilian and Etruria bronzes has not yet started, but Roberto Russo already suggested a coin arrangement, wrote some notes, and identified many different new specimens. Perhaps these series can be researched and published in 2013-14.

On the main bronze types (i.e. except for Luceria, Anonymous. Etruria and Sicily), Roberto prepared many detailed notes, relating to details of types, new coins, and most importantly his ideas for arrangement. I need to confirm/find details of hoards, overstrikes, museum specimens and so on, and to review and test/check his proposed arrangement. Museums visits take a very long time of course, and for each 1 week in a museum, I need to spend 3 or 4 weeks processing photos, checking data etc. So some basic research work might take 2 or 3 years. Based on this I would review Roberto's notes, make corrections and changes, add information from my research, obtain images and then write a book that used his commentary and descriptions, together with my extra research, and proofs of dating, arrangements etc. The four detailed study areas would be included in such a book (but in summary). Perhaps the book is ready, in draft, by 2015 or 2016. Or later. Or never, if the work proves to be too big.

Of course the studies must be integrated with ongoing work on the silver coinage. For example, it is possible that there will be many suggested changes to the arrangements of the bronze coins from the later second Punic war, RRC 110 (wreath) to the 140s BC, RRC 219 (Antestia) based on finding sequences of engravers, styles, prow design etc (there are almost no published bronze hoards that end in this period). But any changes must also be correct for the silver coins (for which there are many more hoards).

My problem, which prevents quicker work, is that I can only work evenings or weekends - I have a usual "day-job". As we no longer have Roberto to help and guide us, the work will take longer of course.

In fact, working on this alone, I cannot be 100% confident that I will succeed in publishing the desired book. I only can try. All these plans are made more difficult by Roberto's absence, as when we discussed these plans together we expected to work together for many years on them. The one thing that gives me some confidence is my experience writing my own very large website, in quite a short time. So I know the work is possible if I can make the time available.

I also want to make clear that my conclusions on dates and mints will follow only after the research work. I do not have any fixed views about when or where different issues were minted - not yet anyway. I will respect what the research will tell me, and if the research says that a coin issue should be later, or earlier, or from a different place than I expected, then I will respect that research. It is important to have an open, inquiring mind, in such a study.

Andrew

my websites:

http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/

http://www.flickr.co...me/collections/

Modificato 6 Maggio, 2012 da ahala

[acraf]

Surely the idea to publish preliminary articles each on definite groups of Republican issues is good !

This procedure permits to propose a new or more detailed arrangement, also on the basis of Roberto's notes, before a final edition in the book.

In this manner it is possible to have comments and/or suggestions by other scholars.

Of course I encourages your effort and enthusiasm, well conscious of great difficulties, also derived by short available time.

I hope that the publication of your new notes can be made available soon in pdf format, in order to have a more rapid and diffuse examination of your proposal.

Your websites reveal your enthusiasm, even if a more ordinate arrangement is desirable (it is a typical problem of time....). Furthermore, in flick album it is preferable that each image is always accompanied by a reference citation: some rare specimens are without reference (private collection, auction, museum ?).

Best regards

Alberto

[ahala]

, in flick album it is preferable that each image is always accompanied by a reference citation: some rare specimens are without reference (private collection, auction, museum ?). Best regards

Alberto

Dear Alberto

Thank you for your encouraging words. The rare specimens without reference are all in my own collection! Either I cite a reference, or you may assume the coin is mine.

It was difficult to decide how to arrange the Flickr photos, because I find the Crawford arrangement confusing. For example, for the second Punic war period I arranged them in groups according to the mint, but with anonymous bronzes separate, as here:

http://www.flickr.co...57616027285002/

And I separated the coins of Julius Caesar and the Pompeians as follows:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahala_rome/collections/72157616028150596/

Similarly, I placed the coins of 44-42 BC in three separate sets, one for the regular issues of the Rome mint, one for the camp-issues of Octavian and Antony, and one for the camp-issues of Brutus and Cassius:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahala_rome/collections/72157616027877420/

Following Echkel, I was trying to use the principle that coins should be sorted by issuer and geography and date, rather than just by date (as Crawford does). For example I find it easier to discuss all the issues of the Pompeians together, and likewise to discuss all the issues of Luceria/Canusium together (rather than split between RRC 43/97/98/99/100).

I don't know if it is correct, but it was an attempt to make the Republican coin series easier to understand. For me at least!

regards

Andrew

Modificato 6 Maggio, 2012 da ahala

[acraf]

Thank you and many compliments for the collection!