BOULTON, MATTHEW (Brit.), 1728-1809. Born at Birmingham, 3. Sept. 1728. His father was a silver stamper and piercer, who had been obliged to enter business in consequence of family reverses. Young Matthew Boulton carried on the trade, and on his father's death, in 1759, had already extended it considerably. In 1760, having married a wealthy heiress, Anne Robinson of Lichfield, he was in a position to further enlarge his works, which later on became the Soho Mint, now The Mint, Birmingham, Ltd. Opened in 1762, these works soon obtained a reputation, which Boulton set himself to further increase by improved workmanship and the introduction of greater artistic merit in its productions. The factory was worked by water-power, but this not being sufficient, Boulton turned his thoughts to the steam-engine, which Watt and Roebuck were unsuccessfully endeavouring to perfect, but his experiments did not succeed either. Watt and Boulton entered into negotiations as to a partnership between the two, which fell through, until Roebuck's failure in 1772. The trials and difficulties of the steam-engine inventor are well known, and it is only thanks to Boulton that the machine was finally completed and introduced, after six or seven years' labour and anxiety, and having brought himself to the verge of bankruptcy. In 1788, Matthew Boulton, who was then sixty years old, addressed himself to the reform and improvement of the copper coinage, and with this view obtained the collaboration of the Swiss artist, J. P. Droz, whose inventive genius and talents had not then obtained favour in France, from whence he came. About this time, the first coining presses were set up at Soho; they were worked by steam; and this machinery served for nearly a century to strike most of the copper coinage of this country. The first British coins issued at Birmingham from the new presses were the beautiful pattern Halfpennies and Farthings by Droz, dated 1788 and 1790. In 1791 and 1792, the Monnerons and Half Monnerons, with their numerous varieties were struck by order of Monneron fréres ; the design of some was by Dupré, and of others by Droz, who worked at the Soho Mint until 1801. In 1793, a Flemish medallist, C. H. Küchler, also in the employment of Boulton, engraved a memorial medal of Louis XVI. and Marie-Antoinette. In 1790, Boulton patented his press, and in the six following years produced large quantities of coins for the East India Company, for foreign governments, and for some of the colonies, (Bahamas); in 1797 he undertook the striking of the new copper coinage of Great Britain; and in 1803 and 1804 he was entrusted with the stamping of an issue of 5/. Bank of England Dollars. Two million Spanish dollars were used for that purpose. It is said that the arrangements of the coining machine were so perfect that a single engine could turn off from 30.000 to 40.000 coins in one hour. The new Royal Mint on Tower-Hill was supplied with machinery from the Soho works in 1805, and it was in 1882 only that Boulton's press was finally abandoned. Boulton supplied machinery to the St. Petersburg Mint under Alexander I. There is a medal by Küchler of 1803, with a representation of Shakespeare seated on a rock, commemorating the publication of a national edition of his works, bearing also Boulton's usual signature : MB. SOHO. Boulton was a fellow of the Royal Society, and his house was the meeting-place for the scientific men of his time; Franklin, Priestley, Erasmus Darwin, Wedgwood, Edgeworth &c. were intimate friends. He died, 17. Aug. 1809. Bibliography. — Dictionary of National Biography, vol. VI. 1886. — Hennin. Histoire numismatique de la Révolution francaise, 1820. — Franks and Grueber, Medallic Illustrations, &c.
Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D. 1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904
Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D. 1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904
BISSET, JAMES
BISSET, JAMES (Brit.). A Birmingham Die-sinker of the beginning of the nineteenth century. He was born at Perth, in 1762, and died in 1832. Apprenticed at Birmingham to an artist, his name appears in 1785 as a miniature painter, and in 1797 as a fancy painter. "In New Street, Birmingham, he established a museum and shop for the sale of curiosities. " He was also a coiner of medals, and was permitted to use the designation " medallist to his majesty ". On the title-page of one of his books he adv...
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BISSET, JAMES (Brit.). A Birmingham Die-sinker of the beginning of the nineteenth century. He was born at Perth, in 1762, and died in 1832. Apprenticed at Birmingham to an artist, his name appears in 1785 as a miniature painter, and in 1797 as a fancy painter. "In New Street, Birmingham, he established a museum and shop for the sale of curiosities. " He was also a coiner of medals, and was permitted to use the designation " medallist to his majesty ". On the title-page of one of his books he adv...
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BLACKWELL, EDWARD
BLACKWELL, EDWARD (Brit.). " contracted with his majesty (Charles II), in conjunction with Sir Thomas Vyner, knt. and bart., and Francis Meynell, esq., then sheriff of London, on the 6th of December, 1651, to take in by tale, and to coin with all convenient expedition, at their own charge, into English current monies, the coins which were called crown and harp monies; receiving for the same a consideration of 5 l. 10 s. for every 100 l. in tale, in lieu of want of weight and expense of coinage. ...
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BLACKWELL, EDWARD (Brit.). " contracted with his majesty (Charles II), in conjunction with Sir Thomas Vyner, knt. and bart., and Francis Meynell, esq., then sheriff of London, on the 6th of December, 1651, to take in by tale, and to coin with all convenient expedition, at their own charge, into English current monies, the coins which were called crown and harp monies; receiving for the same a consideration of 5 l. 10 s. for every 100 l. in tale, in lieu of want of weight and expense of coinage. ...
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BLANC, C.
BLANC, C. (Swiss). Medallist of Geneva, obtained the first prize for the design of a medal to commemorate the Franc-comtoise Association " les Gaudes" in 1891. The jury who granted the award was composed of such eminent experts as MM. Thomas, Roty, A. Dubois, Isolin, &c. It was the second time that M. C. Blanc has obtained a gold medal for his work, and he promises to follow in the footsteps of his great Genevese predecessors. Bibliography. — Bulletin de la Société suisse de Numismatique , 1891....
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BLANC, C. (Swiss). Medallist of Geneva, obtained the first prize for the design of a medal to commemorate the Franc-comtoise Association " les Gaudes" in 1891. The jury who granted the award was composed of such eminent experts as MM. Thomas, Roty, A. Dubois, Isolin, &c. It was the second time that M. C. Blanc has obtained a gold medal for his work, and he promises to follow in the footsteps of his great Genevese predecessors. Bibliography. — Bulletin de la Société suisse de Numismatique , 1891....
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BLANC, JEAN LE
BLANC, JEAN LE (French), also known under the name of Blanck, worked at the Paris Medal Mint, from the accession of Louis XV., in 1715, until his death, on the 12th December 1749. He was admitted at the Academy in 1718, "on the presentation of three medals. " The date of his birth is believed to be 1676 or 1677. Although the work of this artist is considerable, very little is known of him. The following is a fairly exhaustive list of his productions : 1715 . Destruction of Heresy; — Fortificatio...
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BLANC, JEAN LE (French), also known under the name of Blanck, worked at the Paris Medal Mint, from the accession of Louis XV., in 1715, until his death, on the 12th December 1749. He was admitted at the Academy in 1718, "on the presentation of three medals. " The date of his birth is believed to be 1676 or 1677. Although the work of this artist is considerable, very little is known of him. The following is a fairly exhaustive list of his productions : 1715 . Destruction of Heresy; — Fortificatio...
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