Thane carried on business for many years in Soho, London, and became known for his expertise on pictures, coins, and objets de vertu.

[2] At the 1798 sale of the print collection of John Barnard (1709–1784), Thane acted as agent for Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode.

In 1825, at the sale of the collection of George Baker (1747–1811), Thane bought some Hogarth pen sketches on Esdaile's behalf.

[7] Thane's collection included a watercolour by Isaak Major, and drawings by Jan Gossaert and Jacques Callot.

[8][9][10] Thane collected the works of Thomas Snelling, the medallic antiquarian, and published them with a portrait drawn and engraved by himself.

He was the editor of British Autography: a Collection of Facsimiles of the Handwriting of Royal and Illustrious Personages, with their Authentic Portraits, London (from 1793, 3 vols.)

[1] According to Pamela Corpron Parker, its publication "testifies to the growing interest in autograph collecting" during the 18th century.