Description
Great Britain, Somersetshire, Bath, William Lutwyche (1754-c.1801, toymaker at Temple Row and, later, St Philip’s churchyard, he was responsible for coining a huge variety of trade tokens), Copper Halfpenny Trade Token mule, undated (c.1795), obverse: bust of Bladud to left with beard, wearing headband and robes and carrying bow and quiver (Bladud was a legendary king of the Britons. He is first mentioned in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae and is said to have founded the city of Bath. The tale claims that he also encouraged the practice of necromancy, or divination through the spirits of the dead. Through this practice, he is said to have constructed wings for himself and to have tried to fly to (or from) the temple of Apollo in Trinovantum (London) or Troja Nova (New Troy), but to have been killed when he hit a wall, or to have fallen and been dashed to pieces or broken his neck), BLADUD FOUNDER OF BATH. SUCCESS TO THE BATH WATERS. around, reverse: ancient walls and a tower with flags flying, AND SURROUNDED IT WITH WALLS & TOWERS around, edge PAYABLE AT ANGLESEY LONDON OR LIVERPOOL, diam. 29mm (Dalton & Hamer “The Provincial Token Coinage of the 18th Century” 43).
About very fine and rare.
Ex A W Jan Collection, sold by Glendining’s, 7 May 1952, this token part of the remainder purchased by Baldwin’s in 1955.
