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Author, Title, Summary Subject Price
Louis Bondy [Louis Wolfgang Bondy] (1910-1993), London antiquarian bookseller and local politician, Labour Party councillor for Holborn in the Greater London Council [Andrew Block]

[Louis Bondy, London antiquarian bookseller.] Printed handbill, with biography and photograph, endorsing ‘Louis W. Bondy’ in the 1953 Holborn Borough By-Election, ‘South Bloomsbury Ward - E’. With Autograph Note Signed to Andrew Block.

See Nicolas Barker’s obituary of Bondy in the Independent, 27 June 1993. The obituary of the recipient Andrew Block (1892-1987) in ‘The Private Library’ was subtitled ‘the doyen of booksellers’; his business was established in 1911. An evocative piece of booktrade and London local government...

£65.00
Mary Jarred (1899-1993), English mezzo-soprano and contralto opera singer at Covent Garden and Sadler's Wells, Professor at the Royal Academy of Music

[Mary Jarred, English opera singer and Professor at the Royal Academy of Music.] Autograph Signature on photographic portrait of her.

On 9 x 13.5 cm newspaper cutting of photographic portrait of Jarred. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: ‘Mary Jarred / 1935.’ The photograph shows Jarred posing in a black dress and pearls, with left hand arranging her white fur coat to tastefully emphasize her bust. See image.

Music and Theatre £23.00 Jarred
Oda Slobodskaya (1888-1970), Russian soprano who became a British citizen, Professor of Singing at the Royal College of Music and Guildhall

[Oda Slobodskaya, Russian soprano and Professor at the Royal College of Music.] Signed Autograph Inscription.

On 17.5 x 11.5 cm leaf of pink paper, with rounded edges, removed from autograph album. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a large, expansive hand, diagonally and upwards. Reads: ‘With all / good wishes / Oda Slobodskaya’. See image.

Music and Theatre £25.00 Oda
Olivia Manning [married name Olivia Mary Smith] (1908-1980), English novelist [A. H. Degenhardt]

[‘Heinemann do not hope to make a lot of money out of me’: Olivia Manning, novelist.] Two Autograph Letters Signed to ‘Mr. Degenhardt’, regarding his review of her second novel, and approaching the BBC regarding his work on Goethe.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The letters concern Manning’s second novel, ‘Artist among the Missing’ (1949). Both in fair condition, on lightly aged and spotted paper. Both 2pp, 12mo, and both signed ‘Olivia Manning’. ONE (15 May 1949): Twenty-four lines of text. She thanks him for his review...

Literature £250.00 Manning
Sir Emile Littler [born Emile Richeux] (1903-1985), theatrical impresario based at the Palace Theatre, London, producer of over two hundred British pantomimes [W. J. Macqueen-Pope, theatre historian;]

[Sir Emile Littler, theatrical impressario.] Two Typed Letters Signed, asking theatre historian W. J. Macqueen-Pope whether he did more London pantomimes than Julian Wylie. With carbon of reply.

For information on Littler see the entry in the Oxford DNB of his brother Prince Frank Littler (1901-1973), who did not share Emile’s ‘affection for plays or players individually’. Also see Macqueen-Pope’s entry in the same work. The three items in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Both...

£90.00
Sir Walter Newman Flower (1879-1964), proprietor of London publishers Cassell & Co, biographer and literary editor [Thomas Bucklin Wells (1875-1944) of Harper & Co., New York; Sir James Marchant]

[‘He as good as called me a liar: Sir Walter Newman Flower, proprietor of London publishers Cassell’s.] Autograph Letter Signed and two Typed Letters Signed to Sir James Marchant, complaining of treatment by Thomas B. Wells of New York firm Harpers.

Publishing history does not get more vivid than this. See Flower’s obituary in The Times, and Wells’s in the New York Times. The three items in good condition, lightly aged. All three folded once and signed ‘Newman Flower’. First TLS (3 January 1928): 1p, 12mo. He writes that although ‘a very...

£150.00
Theodore Hook [Theodore Edward Hook] (1788-1841), author, wit and hoaxer, accountant-general and treasurer of Mauritius, 1813-1817

[Theodore Hook, author and hoaxer.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Theo S Hook’) [to his publishers Whittaker & Co.], reporting missing text in the revises of his ‘Gilbert Gurney’, and requesting the return of ‘the MS of the page in question’.

Hook’s entry in the Oxford DNB descibes his novel ‘Gilbert Gurney’ (1836) and its sequel ‘Gurney Married’ (1838) as made up of ‘thinly disguised portraits and a string of anecdotes from real life’. 1p, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, folded twice. On wove paper with C. Ansell watermark of...

£75.00
William Black (1841-1898), popular Scottish novelist of the Victorian period

[William Black, Scottish novelist.] Autograph Letter Signed, regarding payment of rent and money for ‘breakages’, following a family holiday at Kilchrenan House, Argyle.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Signed ‘William Black.’ He is enclosing a cheque (not present) ‘for the rent of Kilchrenan House’ in Argyle: ‘We enjoyed our stay there very much; & found the house most comfortable. I...

£56.00
E.M. Faithfull [pseud.?][Miss Faithfull]

[Catchpenny; Spoof?; Miss Faithfull; Employment and Emigration of Women] Autograph Letter Signed E.S. Faithfull to unnamed correspondent (Madam) saying how working class women are better provided for than the educated classes.

Two pages, 12mo, remnants of tipping in process, good condition. Printed heading commences: English and Foreign Educational, Industrial, Commercial, Plain Work, Benevolent and Emigration Institute for the Employment of Women. Conducted by Miss FAITHFULL [...........] See IMAGE for the (...

£220.00
‘Edna Lyall’ [Ada Ellen Bayly] (1857-1903), English novelist and suffragist

[‘Edna Lyall’ (Ada Ellen Bayly), novelist and suffragist.] Autograph Signature on inscription.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. Clearly written in response to a request for an autograph. On 11.5 x 5.5 piece of wove paper, cut from an album. In good condition. Reads: ‘Yours very truly / Ada Ellen Bayly / “Edna Lyall.” ’.

Literature £25.00 Lyell