Search results

Author, Title, Summary	Subject	Price
Charles Kean [Charles John Kean] (1811-1868), English actor born in Ireland, son of the celebrated Edmund Kean (1787-1833) [Henry Leigh Murray (1820-1870); 'Mr. Massingham', Drury Lane doorkeeper] [Charles Kean, actor.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Charles Kean') [to the actor Leigh Murray], regarding the securing of a Drury Lane theatre box from the doorkeeper 'Mr. Massingham'.With biographical item 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of grey-paper mount on blank reverse, and minor discolouration at one edge from glue used. The actor Henry Leigh Murray (1820-1870) is identified in pencil as the recipient. The letter begins: 'My dear Sir, \| You are quite welcome to a P[...		£75.00
Drinkwater Meadows (c.1799-1869), actor at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London [Henry Leigh Murray and Charles Kean, actors] [Drinkwater Meadows, actor.] Autograph Letter Signed [to the actor Henry Leigh Murray], regarding the receipt of a card for a private box at Drury Lane from Charles Kean, and his serving 'on the Grand Jury at Clerkenwell Sessions House'. See Meadows' entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient of the letter is not named, but it comes from the album of the actor Henry Leigh Murray, which also contained a letter regarding a theatre box from Charles Kean (offered separately). 1p, 12mo. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with...		£35.00
Hall Caine [Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine] (1853-1931), hugely-popular Victorian and Edwardian Isle of Man author [Douglas Sladen [Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen] (1856-1947), author and academic] [‘Pray destroy this letter.’ Hall Caine, English novelist, regarding his war work for the B.ritish Government.] Long ‘Strictly Private’ Autograph Letter Signed to Douglas Sladen, also assessing the position of the man of letters in his England. An excellent letter, in which Caine evaluates his wartime activities, criticises those of others, and gives his opinion of the the standing of the man of letters in the England of his time. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. A...		£220.00
Henry Betty [Henry Thomas Betty] (1819-1897), actor and founder of Betty's Fund for Poor Actors and Actresses, son of actor William Betty (1791-1874) [Madame Celeste, lessee, Royal Lyceum Theatre] [Henry Betty, actor.] Autograph Letter Signed [to Madame Celeste, lessee of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, London], announcing his father's recovery from illness, and requesting 'the favour of an Order' [to a performance of 'A Tale of Two Cities']. The Times, 16 February 1860, announces 'the new drama, called A TALE OF TWO CITIES', at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, 'Sole Lessee and Directress, Madame Celeste'. ('Madame Céleste' [Céline Céleste-Elliott] (c.1815-1882) was a French dancer and actress.) 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition,...		£90.00
Richard Monckton Milnes [Lord Houghton] (1809-1885), poet, author, Liberal politician and book collector [Napoleon Bonaparte] [Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton), poet, author and Liberal politician.] Holograph poem (signed 'Richd M Milnes.'), titled 'The Fifteenth of December, 1840' [published as 'The Funeral of Napoleon'] 2pp, 8vo. On a gilt-edged leaf of umwatermarked wove paper. In good condition, lightly aged. A fair copy in Milnes's autograph. A curious poem, in which Milnes's Napoleon-worship wins through over considerations of the futility of war. Retitled 'The Funeral of Napoleon', the poem was first...		£220.00
Sterling Heilig (1864-1928) of Philadelphia, American author, journalist and war correspondent [Fleet Street journalism; fin-de-siècle] [Sterling Heilig, American journalist.] Typed Letter Signed ('Sterling Heilig.') to Fleet Street journalist 'A. T. Q. C.', discussing his 'business of writing sensational letters to the American Sunday papers' and 'cribbing' (plagiarism). 1p, 4to. On leaf of aged, worn and creased cartridge paper. Addressed to 'A. T. Q. C., \| Care of The Editor of \| The Speaker, 115, Fleet Street, E.C., London.' An interesting letter, touching on English and American journalistic practice, 'sensational' copy, plagiarism and fin-de-siècle Paris....		£180.00
Terence Rogers Tiller (1916-1987), poet and BBC radio producer, born in Cornwall, educated at Cambridge [Terence Tiller, poet and radio producer.] Heavily-revised Autograph Draft ['Work-sheet'] of his poem 'Camels', with signed inscription; together with a typescript of the poem, also signed (both signatures 'Terence Rogers Tiller'). Tiller's entry in the Oxford DNB explains the background to this poem. In 1939 he 'went to Cairo to teach English literature and history at Fuad I University. During the Second World War he became closely associated with the group surrounding Personal Landscape, a review in the Middle East that...		£220.00
Bishop of Chichester [John Buckner] [ Bishop of Chichester; Maurice Swabey, legal expert ] Autograph Request for a legal Opinion, third Person, with AN Signed "JCicest." to "Dr Swabey [Maurice Swabey, legal authority, author of "Reports of Cases Decided in the Ecclesiastical Courts" ] Three pages, cr. 8vo, bifolium, dusty but good condition. He requests Dr Swabey's opinion of some points of ecclesiastical law, as follows: "Can the dignitaries of a Cathedral, who are bound by their stautes to 3 months attendance there; and by the old Law obliged to retire for the remainder of...		£450.00
Carlyle Bell (c.1779-1850), Conjunct-Clerk [joint town clerk] of the the City of Edinburgh [Great Reform Act, 1832] [Edinburgh, 1832: 'The first voting which took place on the Reform Bill'.] Manuscript 'Copy of Entry in the Register of Qualified Voters for the City of Edinburgh', signed by Carlyle Bell, Conjunct-Clerk, on George Berry of Antigua Street. A nice piece of Edinburgh historical ephemera. See the entry on George Berry (1795-c.1874), the first man to register to vote there following the passing the Great Reform Act, in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1874-1875, where he is described as 'an enthusiastic "Free Trader...	History	£250.00
James Currie (1756-1805), Scottish physician educated at the University of Edinburgh and practising in Liverpool, the first editor and major biographer of Robert Burns [James Currie, Scottish physician, first editor and major biographer of Robert Burns.] Autograph Prescription for 'Mr Carpenter', signed 'J C'. On 12.5 x 11.5 cm piece of paper, trimmed at edges, laid down on part of leaf from album. In fair condition, aged and worn, with central spike hole (made by the chemist?). Six-line prescription in the usual medical Latin, ending: 'J C \| Mr Carpenter \| 24 Sepr. 1804'. At foot of page, in a...		£100.00