Search results

Author, Title, Summary	Subject	Price
R. L. Hobson [Robert Lockhart Hobson], ceramicist and cataloguer, Keeper of the Department of Ceramics and Ethnography at the British Museum and President of the Oriental Ceramic Society [De Winton of [Robert Lockhart Hobson, Keeper of the Department of Ceramics and Ethnography at the British Museum.] Autograph Letter Signed to Wilfred Seymour De Winton, describing the process of reopening the Museum in the wake of the Great War. See his obituaries in The Times, Burlington Magazine and elsewhere. Casting light on the process of reopening the British Museum in the wake of the Great War. From the papers of the recipient, Wilfred Seymour De Winton of Haverfordwest and Cardiff. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly worn and...		£45.00
William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), Liberal Prime Minister [William Ewart Gladstone ('The Grand Old Man'), Liberal Prime Minister.] Autograph Signature ('W Gladstone') as frank, on panel cut from front of envelope, addressed by Gladstone to the Archbishop of Canterbury. 5.5 x 10 cm piece of paper, cut from the front of an envelope. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Immediate \| The \| Lord Archbishop of Canterbury \| W Gladstone'. The signature is in the customary place, in the bottom left-hand corner.		£45.00
Alan Bennett (b.1934), playwright, screenwriter and author whose career began in the Cambridge Footlights, and includes the script for the film 'The Madness of King George' [‘the play goes on night after night’: Alan Bennett, playwright, screenwriter and author.] Autograph Letter Signed, thanking ‘Mr Robinson’ for his letter [about his play ‘The Old Country’], stating that he likes to hear from members of the audience. 1p, 12mo. On grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed ‘Dear Mr Robinson’ and signed ‘Alan Bennett.’ A short response to a letter about his play ‘The Old Country’, whose run at the Queen’s Theatre had started on 7 September 1977. He thanks him for his kind letter, and states that ‘...	Literature, Music and Theatre	£35.00
‘Henry Compton’ [stage name of Charles Mackenzie (1805-1877)], English actor noted for his Shakespearian comic roles [John Hollingshead (1827-1904), manager of Alhambra and Gaiety theatres in London] [‘I am persuaded you have talent for Farce writing’: ‘Henry Compton’ (Charles Mackenzie), actor noted for his Shakespearian comic roles.] Autograph Letter Signed to J. Hollingshead, giving his ‘honest opinion’ of the farce he has sent him. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. An interesting letter, linking two significant figures in the London theatre. Around the time of writing Hollingshead had given up his career in the clothing business to write full time, early on for Dickens at ‘Household Words’, then later for...		£100.00
Sir George Strong Nares (1831-1915), Royal Navy Vice-Admiral, commander of first ship to pass through the Suez Canal, Arctic Explorer with Challenger Expedition and British Arctic Expedittion [Vice-Admiral Sir George Strong Nares, Arctic explorer and commander of first ship to pass through the Suez Canal.] Autograph Note Signed ('G. S. Nares.') regarding his 'delicate instrument for Alert or Discovery'. See Nares' entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Clearly and boldly written, reading: 'Please give the bearer my delicate instrument for Alert or Discovery \| G. S. Nares.' (Wikipedia) "Because of his previous experience in the Arctic, he was...		£250.00
Sir Henry Taylor (1800-1886), poet, dramatist and civil servant [his son Henry Ashworth Taylor (1854-1907); E. A. Scott of Rugby School] [Sir Henry Taylor, poet, dramatist and civil servant.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Henry Taylor') to 'Mr Scott' [E. A. Scott] of Rugby School, regarding 'the predicament' of the lack of educational progress of his son [Henry Ashworth Taylor]. 4pp, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded four times. Encouraged by Scott's response to his wife's letter, Taylor is 'encouraged to ask for yr. advice in the predicament in which we stand at present. My boy has made hardly any progress in the last term & stands only four fm...		£250.00
Arthur Sidgwick (1840-1920), classical scholar and promoter of women's education at Oxford, brother of Henry Sidgwick [Trinity College, Cambridge; Lady Ann Cullum (1807-1875) of Hardwick House] [Arthur Sidgwick, classical scholar and promoter of women's education.] Autograph Letter Signed ('A Sidgwick') to Lady Cullum of Hardwick House, written in good spirits after a visit. Arthur Sidgwick's long entry in the Oxford DNB concludes with the following assessment: 'a university liberal of rare consistency and stamina: a progressive bridging Victorian and Edwardian generations, and pre-eminent among the male dons who made a place for women's higher education in Oxford...		£180.00
Francis Wharton (1820-1889) of Philadelphia, American legal writer, historian, educationalist and professor of criminal law [General John Nelson Purviance (1810-1885), Auditor General, Harrisburg] [Francis Wharton, American educationalist and professor of criminal law.] Autograph Letter Signed to John N. Purviance, Auditor General, Harrisburg, 1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with fold lines and small hole made by breaking of the wafer. Addressed by Wharton on reverse to 'Hon. Jno. N. Purviance \| Auditor Gen. \| Harrisburg.' Endorsed: 'Francis Whatron, Esq. \| Phila. \| Ansd. 12 July 1850.' Wharton writes in a neat hand...		£120.00
Sir Robert Witt [Sir Robert Clermont Witt] (1872-1952), art historian, co-founder of the Courtauld Institute of Art, London [Diego Velasquez; Rokeby Venus; National Gallery] [Sir Robert Witt, art historian and co-founder of the Courtauld Institute.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Robert C. Witt') regarding the approach to be taken 'for the purchase of the Velasquez', i.e. the Rokeby Venus, now in the National Gallery. For information on the campaign to save the Rokeby Venus for the nation, see Charles Saumarez Smith, 'The Battle for Venus', Spectator, 10 November 2003. 4pp, 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. With one fold. The recipient is not named, and the letter begins: 'My dear Sir, \| Allow...		£250.00
Sir Vivian Fuchs [Sir Vivian Ernest Fuchs] (1908-1999),Antarctic explorer who in 1958 led the first expedition to cross Antarctica [Sir Vivian Fuchs, Antarctic explorer.] Autograph Signature ('V. E. Fuchs \| 1968') to illustration of the R. R. S. Shackleton, with anonymous typed note explaining why the picture was signed. 8 x 12 cm illustration of a ship in polar waters, cut from book or periodical, with bold signature at bottom right: 'V. E. Fuchs \| 1968'. Laid down on piece of white paper. In fair condition, but with slight bleeding of ink from signature towards foot of paper. Accompanying the item is an...		£45.00