The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Martin Noell (1614 - Sep 1665)

Eminent London merchant engaged in an extensive colonial trade that involved African slaves in his sugar plantations in Barbados and Jamaica. He was a successful financier and profiteer during both the Commonwealth and the restoration of Charles II. He was also heavily involved in East Indian trade (Willes, 197). Pepys records Noell's knighthood in his diary entry of 5 Sep 1662 and his death of the plague in September 1665 in his 8 Oct entry (vol. 3, pp. 190-91 and vol. 6, pp. 257-8, cited in Willes, 198). An inventory of his mansion in St. Botolph’s Bishopsgate indicates Noell's "taste for exotic objects," some of which were probably contained in
the ‘Green Chamber’ [which] contained two cabinets, one of ebony, the second an Indian cabinet set on a frame. Many of the most exotic objects were to be found in ‘Yr Lady’s Chamber or Closet.’ These included Spanish tables, ‘Jappan trunks, 5 figures of wood, 2 China Jarrs and a snakes skin, east India flower pots, furniture decorated with ‘East India beasts and birds, 2 pieces of corral and one ostrich Egg. (198)
 Other biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Noell Collector (minor)
 Relevant locations: Lived at or near Noell's mansion, St. Botolph without Bishopsgate
 Linked manuscript items: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - "[Martin Noell's household inventory]," British Library Additional MS 11410, London
 Linked print sources: as Mentions or references - The Curious World of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn.
 References in Documents: