Life

He was the eldest son of Dr. Charles Combe

Charles Combe

-Life:He was born on 23 September 1743, in Southampton Street, Bloomsbury, London where his father, John Combe, carried on business as an apothecary. He was educated at Harrow School, and among his schoolfellows were Sir William Jones and Samuel Parr...

, the physician and numismatist. He was educated at Harrow School

Harrow School

Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...

 and at Oriel College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. on 5 June 1795, M.A. 10 July 1798.

In 1803 he obtained an appointment in 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...

, and superintended the collection of coins and medals. In 1807 he became keeper of the department of antiquities, the coins still remaining in his charge. In 1814 he was sent to Zante, to carry out the purchase of the Phigaleian marbles.

Combe was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1806, and was secretary to it from 1812 to 1824, during which period he edited the Philosophical Transactions. He joined the Society of Antiquaries of London

Society of Antiquaries of London

The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...

 in 1796, became its director in 1813, and superintended the publication of the later portions of the Vetusta Monumenta

Vetusta Monumenta

Vetusta Monumenta is the title of a published series of illustrated antiquarian papers on ancient buildings, sites, and artefacts, mostly those of Britain, published at irregular intervals between 1718 and 1906 by the Society of Antiquaries of London...

. He contributed many articles to Archæologia.

Combe held his keepership till his death, which took place, after a long illness, at the British Museum on 7 July 1826. He was buried on 14 July, in the family vault in the Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury

-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...

 burial-ground.

Legacy

Combe's library of classical and numismatic books, together with a collection of prints and some of his manuscripts, was sold by auction at Sotheby's

Sotheby's

Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...

 on 7 December 1826 and eleven following days. The sum realised was £1,879 15s. 6d. A medal of Combe, by Benedetto Pistrucci

Benedetto Pistrucci

Benedetto Pistrucci was a distinguished Italian Gem-engraver, medallist and coin-engraver who became Chief-medallist at the Royal Mint in England.-Early life, training and career:...

 and W. J. Taylor, was struck after his death.

Works

As numismatist and archæologist Combe published these works, issued officially by the Museum trustees:

• Veterum populorum et regum numi qui in Museo Britannico adservantur, London, 1814. This catalogue of the Museum Greek coins was superseded by the Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, begun in 1873.
• Description of the Anglo-Gallic Coins in the British Museum, London, with engraved plates. The volume was edited and published after his death by Edward Hawkins
  Edward Hawkins (numismatist)
  Edward Hawkins was an English numismatist and antiquary. He is known as a keeper at the British Museum.-Life:Born at Macclesfield on 5 May 1780, he was the eldest son of Edward Hawkins of Macclesfield, banker, by his wife Ellen, daughter of Brian Hodgson of Ashbourne, Derbyshire...
  
  .
• A Description of the Collection of Ancient Terracottas in the British Museum, London, 1810, with forty engraved plates.
• A Description of the Collection of Ancient Marbles in the British Museum, London, 4to—parts i–iv. (1812–20), and a considerable portion of part v. (1826), which was completed and published after his death by Hawkins. The Description was carried on by Hawkins, Charles Robert Cockerell
  Charles Robert Cockerell
  Charles Robert Cockerell was an English architect, archaeologist, and writer.-Life:Charles Robert Cockerell was educated at Westminster School from 1802. From the age of sixteen, he trained in the architectural practice of his father, Samuel Pepys Cockerell...
  
  , and Samuel Birch
  Samuel Birch
  Samuel Birch was a British Egyptologist and antiquary.-Biography:Birch was the son of a rector at St Mary Woolnoth, London. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School. From an early age, his manifest tendency to the study of out-of-the-way subjects well suited his later interest in archaeology...
  
  (parts vi–xi. 1830–61).