Milestones in the history of collecting ~ A meta-collection
The main mission of the privately funded Tricottet Collection (TC), established in 2006, is the preservation and study of historic collections and collectibles.
The TC is, in essence, a collection of collections, or a meta-collection. It brings together pedigreed objects from notable private collections, rare collectibles, and materials relating to the history of collecting (Collectiana): collection catalogues and notices, portraits of collectors and their cabinets, as well as ephemera such as correspondence and related documents. Its purpose is to assemble and curate a representative body of material that illustrates the history of collecting.
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Collection Categories
The history of collecting is explored across eight categories, listed alphabetically: art collections, book collections, geological collections, historical collections, natural history collections, pop culture collections, scientific collections, and wunderkammern. Each category has its own dedicated page, showcasing a curated selection of objects from the TC that illustrate unique aspects of collecting within that domain. The items are presented in chronological order, offering a journey through the evolution of collecting over time.
Documenting the history of collecting involves objects with established provenance, and naturally, many books accompany them. For nearly every collectible in the TC, there are often a dozen books. In this sense, the collection can be seen as a library, enhanced and decorated by various objects. This also means that all categories include books, especially collection catalogues and collection notices, as well as pedigreed books related to that domain. The book collection section, therefore, focuses specifically on bibliophily itself and the collecting of literary works, rather than books related to other types of collectibles.
Art Collections
This section primarily features rare collection catalogues and sales catalogues from renowned art collections, many of which have been cherished by multiple generations of collectors. A highlight is a copy of the legendary manuscript sales catalogue of the Comtesse de Verrue collection, once owned by collection historian Edmond Bonnaffé. Other notable items include 18th-century art sales catalogues from the Edmond de Goncourt collection and a set of rare ceramic collection catalogues from the library of collector Gustave Gouellain. One particularly remarkable object is a Japanese ceramic cup that retains its full provenance since being collected by the renowned collector Edward S. Morse. The section also includes the only dedication copy of a collection catalogue held within the TC.
Book & Manuscript Collections
This section highlights the bibliophile’s passion for early manuscripts, incunabula, and other rare books, including first editions and finely bound volumes. As noted, such books are scattered throughout the TC, but here the focus is on books of literary value or those collected primarily for their physical quality. Many of the TC’s precious books were once selected and curated by some of the greatest figures in bibliophily: Jean Bigot (medieval manuscripts); the Duke of Roxburghe, whose library sale sparked the first documented instance of Bibliomania; notable 19th-century French bibliophiles such as Baron Pichon and the Duc d’Aumale; and famous rare-book dealers like A.S.W. Rosenbach and Bernard H. Breslauer. More recent innovations are also represented, including comic books of famous pedigrees and, for example, Potteriana.
Geological Collections
This gallery presents geological specimens, principally minerals and meteorites, spanning more than two centuries. It includes minerals collected in the late eighteenth century by some of the era’s most distinguished European collectors, such as Philip Rashleigh, Sir John St. Aubyn, and Sir Robert Ferguson, as well as exceptional specimens later selected by the renowned collector C. S. Bement following the American Civil War. Many pedigreed minerals bear the labels of Sir Arthur Russell, the eminent collector of historic collections. Rare and significant meteorites are represented by specimens from the collections of George F. Kunz, Henry A. Ward, Harvey Nininger (founder of the first meteorite museum), and Oscar Monnig. Among the collection catalogues, notable highlights include the 1566 Rasse-des-Neux copy of the earliest known mineral collection catalogue, an 1885 manuscript list of S.C.H. Bailey's second meteorite collection, and a 1965 tektite expedition field notebook, a rare example of a modern field collection catalogue. Complementing these are illustrated mineralogies, offering a vivid snapshot of mineral collecting during the late Enlightenment.
Historical Collections
This section brings together archaeological, ethnological, and historical artefacts. It ranges from Pre-Columbian finds collected by William Niven to coins spanning all periods from the celebrated Garrett family collection. The themes are wide-ranging, including French militaria (Bernard Frank collection), photographs of Abraham Lincoln (F. H. Meserve collection), and ephemera documenting everyday life and society (Bella Landauer collection). Among the rare collection catalogues are a presentation copy describing an Egyptian collection in a royal binding, a collection catalogue with gold-inked plates, and a complete priced copy of the sale of the greatest stamp collection, that of von Ferrary. Some of the described collections include works of art and fine craftsmanship, but they are presented here for their historical and societal significance.
Natural History Collections
This section features shells, taxidermy, herbaria, and fossils. The shell suite is particularly rich, comprising specimens collected by Émile Eudel during his time as a master mariner in the mid-19th century, alongside fossil shells from various French collections that illustrate different approaches to collecting and cataloguing. Taxidermy specimens and herbaria with historic provenance are rare, though examples will soon enter the TC. Collection catalogues form the core of this category, including rare association copies of the Jacksonian Oological Collection catalogue, a unique manuscript catalogue of a bird collection, and notable shell collection catalogues from the library of Richard I. Johnson (such as those of the Portland Museum and the Earl of Tankerville). The Enlightenment craze for shells (conchiliomania) is represented by Edmé-François Gersaint’s 1737 auction catalogue, widely regarded as the first catalogue raisonné.
Pop Culture Collections
This section explores collections related to entertainment, spanning media, sport, toys, and games. Pedigreed collections—relatively rare in this field—include those of Joe E. and Joe L. Brown (sports memorabilia), Larry Wood (Hot Wheels and other toy vehicles), Kennett Neily (early video games), John Kellerman (Star Wars action figures), Ty Warner (Beanie Babies prototypes), and Ron Borst (movie posters). The section also features so-called “holy grail” collectibles, historically significant in their own right, with examples from Star Wars, G.I. Joe, and Lego. A Battle Beasts suite highlights the diversity of toy collecting, including holy grails, premium items, bootlegs, and knockoffs. Rare books on Stradivarius collecting are likewise included, representing the “Mona Lisa” of musical instruments. Thematic book collections are also represented, notably rare works from the libraries of Edwin Dearn (magic) and Forry Ackerman (science fiction).
Scientific & Technological Collections
This section includes scientific instruments and samples, as well as technological devices. As in the Pop Culture category, pedigreed collectibles are relatively rare, here represented by calculators from the Allan Bromley collection and a set of anatomical samples prepared by collector Josef Hyrtl. Holy grails of microscope slides illustrate top collectibility in this field, including exhibition slides and type slides composed of hundreds of specimens—microscopic collections in their own right. Most of this category is composed of collection catalogues, many signed (for example, Carl Marfels’ watch and automata collection). Highlights include a handwritten catalogue of early J.D. Möller type slides and a rare catalogue of the Sir Frank Crisp microscope collection, notable for its fine provenance.
Wunderkammern
This section features some of the most iconic wunderkammer catalogues, depicting collections as densely arranged spaces filled with naturalia and artificialia, often including chimeric creatures. The TC holds a precious copy of Museum Wormianum (1655), once owned by Cuvier, as well as a copy of Museo Cospiano (1677). A less well-known yet visually striking example is the 1694 catalogue of Nicolas Chevalier. The section also includes catalogues of encyclopedic Enlightenment collections, reflecting the transition toward more systematic, scientific organization. Notable examples include the catalogues of Bonnier de la Mosson (1744) and Davila (1767). As collections became more specialized, accumulations of curiosities shifted toward the realm of the dime museum, with P.T. Barnum as the most famous representative in the 19th century. The TC preserves this evolution with a very rare copy of the Guide Book of Barnum’s American Museum.Publications ~ Research on the collecting process
UPCOMING: our first article in The Mineralogical Record
Mignan, A. (2021), William Elias Helman Pidsley (1867-1905) and his collection of birds. Archives of Natural History, 48 (2), 396-399.
Mignan, A. (2018), Metacollecting or the process of collecting collections, with examples from The Tricottet Collection. Colligo, 1(2), 35-50.
Mignan, A. (2016), Metacollecting and use of "collection-objects" in prosopographical studies of meteorite collections. Meteorites, 4 (1-2), 11-22.
Mignan, A., Reed, B. (2012), The Monnig Meteorite Collection Numbers Revisited. Meteorite magazine, 18(3), 10-13.