Search the catalogue

Search results

Author, Title, Summary Subject Pricesort icon
Edmund Gwenn [Edmund John Kellaway] (1877-1959), English actor who worked with Alfred Hitchcock and won an Oscar for his role as Kris Kringle in the 1947 Hollywood film 'Miracle on 34th Street'

[Edmund Gwenn, English actor who won an Oscar for his role as 'Kris Kringle' in the Hollywood film 'Miracle on 34th Street'.] Three Autograph Letters Signed to 'Mr. Stuart', in one describing Henry Irving as the actor who impressed him most.

The three letters in good condition, lightly aged, tipped-in onto a leaf removed from an album. The first 1p, 12mo; the other two each 1p, 8vo. All three signed 'Edmund Gwenn'. In the first he thanks him for his 'great courtesy during my visit', and for reproducing 'that old programme'. In the...

£250.00
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
Percy Nash (1869-1958), film director; his nephew the Bournemouth artist and cartoonist Eustace Nash (1886-1969)

[Percy Nash, film director; his nephew Bournemouth artist Eustace Nash.] Two synopses (one signed) of Percy Nash's review 'The Charm', with text of anti-Labour and pro-Churchill song. With watercolour of backdrop and covering letter by Eustace Nash.

An interesting period piece. Two synopses of Percy Nash's review 'The Charm', the second dated by him to 1951, and with reference to the nationalisation of the coal industry. Together with the typescript of a song from the play about the 'Man of Might' Winston Churchill, and the Labour Party,...

£250.00
John E. McDonough [John Edwin McDonough] (1825-1882), American actor; D. S. Winebrener of Philadelphia, attorney [John Jabez Stocken (d.1892), London tobacconist, father of actor 'Frank Lacy']

[John E. McDonough: an American tragedian in Victorian London.] Five Autograph Letters Signed

A nice collection of material, including five letters in which an American actor writes to a London friend while on a visit to England. The recipient of McDonough's letters is John Jabez Stocken (d.1892), head of a leading City of London firm of tobacconists, and an antiquary. (His son Frank...

£250.00
[Eliot School Rebellion, Boston, 1859] Henry F. Durant [Henry Fowle Durrant (1822-1881)] and Sidney Webster, attorneys; Howard W. Swett, publisher; William White, printer

[Eliot School Rebellion, Boston, 1859.] The Bible and our School System. The Arguments in the Case of the Eliot School Rebellion, by Henry F. Durant for the Defence, and Sidney Webster for the Prosecution.

The 'Rebellion' was precipitated by the whipping of Thomas J. Whall, a Catholic boy at the Eliot School, for refusing to recite the ten commandments in the Protestant King James translation. It resulted in the creation of nationwide Catholic parochial schools. 29pp, 8vo. Saddle-stitched pamphlet...

£250.00
Mayne Reid [Thomas Mayne Reid] (1818-1883), Irish novelist who lived for long periods in America and wrote on American themes [Julius Fröbel [Froebel] (1805-1893), German geologist and traveller]

[Mayne Reid, Irish novelist on American themes.] Autograph Letter Signed to 'J. Froebel' [Julius Fröbel] regarding arrangements for the translation, editing and publication of his book 'Aus Amerika'.

8pp, 12mo. On two bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Signed 'Mayne Reid', and written from the sprawling 'Rancho' which he built at Gerrards Cross, in imitation of a Mexican hacienda. The recipient is named by Reid as 'J. Froebel', i.e. Julius Froebel, and the subject is...

£250.00
James Spedding (1808-1881), literary editor and biographer, noted for his edition of Sir Francis Bacon [Charles Merivale (1808-1893), historian, Dean of Ely]

[James Spedding, author and editor of Sir Francis Bacon.] Two long Autograph Letters Signed (both 'Jas Spedding') to the historian Charles Merivale, regarding 'the complaints of the buyer and reader against the publisher and bookseller'.

Both in good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip from mount adhering, and crease lines from folding. Two excellent long letters in Spedding's neat and close hand, full of content regarding the relationship between Victorian author, publisher and reader. The topic is Spedding's preparation...

£250.00
Paul Axel Boving (1874-1947), Swedish-born Canadian academic, Professor of Agronomy at the University of British Columbia [Jens Orten Boving (1873-1959), was a hydro-electric engineer]

[Paul Axel Boving, Swedish-born Canadian agronomist.] Long Autograph Letter Signed ('Paul.'), in English, to his brother Jens Orten Boving, discussing farming and family matters.

19pp, 8vo. On ten foliated leaves. On aged paper; the first leaf with slight damage and loss to corner and one edge, with minor loss to text. Addressed to 'My dear Jens'. According to Elinor Barr, 'Swedes in Canada: Invisible Immigrants' (2015), Boving 'developed several new strains of forage...

Science, Medicine and Technology £250.00
Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright, a leading exponent of verse drama [Christopher Hassall [Christopher Vernon Hassall] (1912-1963), poet and dramatist, biographer of Rupert Brooke

[Christopher Fry discusses Christopher Hassall.] Two-page Typescript, with extensive Autograph Emendations by Fry, of a (BBC radio?) 'programme' by Fry about Christopher Hassall, with a separate Typescript poem (by Hassall?) 'Pilgrim's Way'.

3pp, 4to, each page on a separate leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once. There is no indication that either item was published, nor even that the poem is connected to the 'programme'. (If unpublished the poem may have found its way into Fry's papers from Hassall's.) The '...

£250.00
Squadron Leader Nigel Rose (1918-2017), Spitfire Pilot with No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Royal Air Force Squadron during the Second World War Battle of Britain [Bentley Priory, Stanmore]

[Squadron Leader Nigel Rose, Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Nigel') to Martin Corden, expressing amazement at the 'cult' of the Spitfire, and discussing the sale of Bentley Priory.

2pp, folio. In envelope with stamp and postmark, addressed to Corden's Mill Hill address. Letter folded twice, and letter and envelope in good condition. He begins by thanking him for sending 'the inscribed copy of Ken Delve's Story of the Spitfire - a truly excellent book just jam-packed with...

£250.00