This vast collection of papers falls into three groups: Townleys own records, a huge correspondence with collectors and others and papers on classical sculpture and mythology by Pierre Hugues, better known by his self-conferred title of Baron dHarncarville whom Townley employed to catalogue his collection. With the acquisition of these papers, the Townley collection of antique marbles, acquired by the Museum on his death in 1805, was once more reunited with the information about its formation and growth over a period of some 30 years. The FONL was also instrumental in raising a further 9,324 for the papers as the result of a special appeal. Illustrated as frontispiece to AR
Item Provenance
Bought by private treaty from the Towneley family after the papers failed to make their reserve price at auction in 1985