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c. 1773 Historic Cox's Museum, MUSEUM - LOTTERY Ticket Extremely Fine

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:325.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 500.00 USD
c. 1773 Historic Cox's Museum, MUSEUM - LOTTERY Ticket Extremely Fine
Colonial Lottery
1773 MUSEUM - LOTTERY Beneficial-Chance Ticket
c. 1773-Dated, Cox's Museum, “MUSEUM - LOTTERY” Ticket. Authorized by Special Act of Parliament. Britain. Plate A. Signed “James Cox”, Choice Extremely Fine.
An impressive, ornately designed Colonial era Lottery Ticket held to benefit the Cox’s Museum. We can date this as being held in 1773 as it states to be “made in the Thirteenth Year of His Majesty’s Reign.” (which began in 1760 thus held in 1773). Boldly Signed, “James Cox, Jun”. and having a wonderful, ornate design and a great overall look. James Cox (ca. 1723–1800) was a British jeweller, goldsmith and entrepreneur and the proprietor of Cox's Museum. Cox's Museum was a private Museum in the Great Room at Spring Gardens, London, officially opened only in February, 1772. As proprietor of the museum Cox may have purchased Oliver Cromwell's head as a curiosity. In 1773 a special Act of Parliament authorised Cox to break up his collection and sell pieces by lottery.The museum was removed from Spring Gardens in 1775, and after being briefly displayed at Mansion House by the Lord Mayor, was dissolved and sold by lottery in May 1775. He is now best known for creating ingenious Automata and mechanical clocks, including Cox's Timepiece, powered by atmospheric pressure, the Peacock Clock and the Silver Swan. A rare “MUSEUM - LOTTERY” Ticket with a great story and quite rare.
In the 1770s Cox managed a private Museum in the Great Room at Spring Gardens, London. He had been exhibiting his wares since at least 1769, though the official museum opened only in February, 1772. The site is near the Admiralty Arch, and would be the among the most popular exhibition halls in London for the next half-century. Cox's Museum was so memorable that it was customary to refer to the room as "formerly Cox's Museum," and during the museum's run from 1772 to 1776 Cox's display eclipsed all other exhibits.

His skill at advertising no doubt played a role in building the museum's popularity. Cox produced several catalogues and a collection of verses praising his museum, which had first been published in various London newspapers (some were probably planted by Cox).

Cox's Museum was among the most expensive exhibitions in London, and the price was purportedly to limit the number of patrons for security reasons. The museum was popular among London's upper classes and literati: James Boswell visited in 1772, at the recommendation of Samuel Johnson, and Frances Burney stages a debate about the uses of art at Cox's, in her novel Evelina. Playwright Richard Sheridan pays tribute to Cox's Museum in The Rivals. As proprietor of the museum Cox may have purchased Oliver Cromwell's head as a curiosity.

Though he hoped for Royal patronage, and displayed, as was common, royal portraits in the museum, Cox never achieved his goal. In 1773 a special Act of Parliament authorised Cox to break up his collection and sell pieces by lottery.The museum was removed from Spring Gardens in 1775, and after being briefly displayed at Mansion House by the Lord Mayor, was dissolved and sold by lottery in May 1775.