Robert Heslop (DH 336a)

Rare (R)

Robert Heslop was a coin and curiosity dealer at No. 86 Chiswell Street until around 1809, at which time he moved to nearby Beech Lane; then several years later to Whitecross Street.

The man depicted on obverse is Englishman Joseph Clark, famed 17th century "Posture Master" of Pall Mall. He is also described as a contortionist and a dislocationist. He was said to be able to dislocate any joint of his body and cause humps to appear in different locations on his back. From contemporary accounts he was somewhat pot-bellied which is born out by this token and accompanying sketch.

It is said that he was able to contort his facial features in such a way that he would be unrecognizable to someone he had spoken to minutes earlier.

Clark apparently had a great sense of humor as there are stories of his visiting a tailor while sporting a huge hump on his left shoulder, being measured for a coat, and going back for a fitting with the hump now on his right shoulder, horrifying the tailor who thought he had made a dreadful mistake.

After an examination, the famous surgeon Molins declared him incurable and refused to treat him! Just another of Clark's little jokes.

Not much more is known about him except that he died around 1700.

I don't know the significance of the key around Clark's neck but it is present in all representations of him that I have found.