Henry Perigal Borrell
Encyclopedia
Henry Perigal Borrell was a British numismatist. He was the son of John Henry Borrell, a London clockmaker, and Kitty Howe. Having learned the numismatics trade in London
, he traveled to the Ottoman Empire
and set up home and shop in Smyrna
as a trader, from 1818 right up until his death. Two years after his arrival, in 1820, he married Emelia Boddington in Smyrna. In the 1820s, he obtained an inscription from Aphrodisias
, a copy of which he sent to August Boeckh. In 1838 he met the 6th Duke of Devonshire
at Smyrna and sold him the Chatsworth Head
(found at Tamassos
). Via the Bank of England
, Borrell also supplied coins to the British Museum
.
He also devoted much time and energy to discovering unpublished ancient Greek
coins
, with his results being presented in papers in the Revue Numismatique, the Numismatic Chronicle (including articles in 1839 on "Coins in Andeda in Pisida" and in 1841 "On the coins reading OKOKLIEŌN"), and a number of German numismatic periodicals. In 1836 he published at Paris a "Notice sur quelques médailles grecques des rois de Chypre" (Notice on some Greek medals of the kings of Cyprus) in Paris
. He also became an associate member of the Numismatic Society of London in 28 November 1839, and remained so until his death. His coins, antiquities, and gems collection was sold after his death by Sotheby and Wilkinson of London in 1851, who also sold his numismatic library 2 years later, on 28 February 1853. Most of his many children remained in Smyrna, though Frederick Anthony Borrell (1836–1905) returned to London, marrying Laura Bithinia Maceroni there in 1857.
Henry had sent a notebook of more than 200 ancient Greek and other Eastern Mediterranean inscriptions to James Kennedy Baillie MRIA
, Rector of Ardtrea (1793–1864) during his lifetime, and it still survives today.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he traveled to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and set up home and shop in Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
as a trader, from 1818 right up until his death. Two years after his arrival, in 1820, he married Emelia Boddington in Smyrna. In the 1820s, he obtained an inscription from Aphrodisias
Aphrodisias
Aphrodisias was a small city in Caria, on the southwest coast of Asia Minor. Its site is located near the modern village of Geyre, Turkey, about 230 km from İzmir....
, a copy of which he sent to August Boeckh. In 1838 he met the 6th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire
William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire KG, PC , styled Marquess of Hartington until 1811, was a British peer, courtier and Whig politician...
at Smyrna and sold him the Chatsworth Head
Chatsworth Head
The Chatsworth Head is a slightly over-life-size bronze head dating to around 460 BC which is now in the British Museum.-Description:The head was originally part of a complete statue, probably one of Apollo, made up of various sections The Chatsworth Head is a slightly over-life-size bronze head...
(found at Tamassos
Tamassos
thumb|right|250px|Map showing the ancient city Kingdoms of CyprusTamassos is an ancient Greek city-state of great archaeological significance in the central vicinity of Cyprus, located approximately 21 kilometeres south-west of the capital city of Nicosia.-Ancient Tamassos:The city-state prospered...
). Via the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
, Borrell also supplied coins to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
He also devoted much time and energy to discovering unpublished ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
coins
Ancient Greek coinage
The history of Ancient Greek coinage can be divided into three periods, the Archaic, the Classical, and the Hellenistic. The Archaic period extends from the introduction of coinage to the Greek world in about 600 BCE until the Persian Wars in about 480 BCE...
, with his results being presented in papers in the Revue Numismatique, the Numismatic Chronicle (including articles in 1839 on "Coins in Andeda in Pisida" and in 1841 "On the coins reading OKOKLIEŌN"), and a number of German numismatic periodicals. In 1836 he published at Paris a "Notice sur quelques médailles grecques des rois de Chypre" (Notice on some Greek medals of the kings of Cyprus) in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He also became an associate member of the Numismatic Society of London in 28 November 1839, and remained so until his death. His coins, antiquities, and gems collection was sold after his death by Sotheby and Wilkinson of London in 1851, who also sold his numismatic library 2 years later, on 28 February 1853. Most of his many children remained in Smyrna, though Frederick Anthony Borrell (1836–1905) returned to London, marrying Laura Bithinia Maceroni there in 1857.
Henry had sent a notebook of more than 200 ancient Greek and other Eastern Mediterranean inscriptions to James Kennedy Baillie MRIA
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
, Rector of Ardtrea (1793–1864) during his lifetime, and it still survives today.
Other sources
- Gentleman's Magazine, 2nd ser., 39 (1853), 324
- Notice of his death in "Proceedings of the Numismatic Society for 24 June 1852", Numismatic Chronicle, 14 (1851–2)
- List of honorary members in R. A. G. Carson and H. Pagan, A history of the Royal Numismatic Society, 1836–1986 (1986), 79
- F.Boase, Modern English biography: containing many thousand concise memoirs of persons who have died since the year 1850, 6 vols. (privately printed, Truro, 1892–1921); repr.(1965)
- "Inscriptions of Aphrodisias Project"