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See his entry and that of the Duke of Sussex in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo, on first leaf of bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with strip of tape from mount adhering to blank second leaf. With two folds. The recipient is not named; signed ‘Thomas Coutts’. Twenth-two lines of text, neatly written and sloping upwards. Begins: ‘My Dear Sir / I send for your personal attn from The Duke of Sussex by which you will see he has promised to attend The Subscription Dinner for the benefit of decayd artists & cannot dine with me but says he will call before a day with Mrs Coutts’.

Haghe features prominently in William Day’s entry in the Oxford DNB, in which their firm’s publication of Robert’s ‘Holy Land’ (1842-49) is described as ‘the most ambitious lithographic work ever published’, for which ‘Haghe, praised by Roberts for the faithful and artistic interpretation of his drawings, must bear most of the credit for the success of this publication’. See also the entry on the recipient Charles Manby (1804-1884), Secretary of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 2pp, 12mo. On the first leaf of a 12mo bifolium.

Haghe features prominently in William Day’s entry in the Oxford DNB, in which their firm’s publication of Robert’s ‘Holy Land’ (1842-49) is described as ‘the most ambitious lithographic work ever published’, for which ‘Haghe, praised by Roberts for the faithful and artistic interpretation of his drawings, must bear most of the credit for the success of this publication’. See also the entry on the recipient Charles Manby (1804-1884), Secretary of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 2pp, 12mo. On the first leaf of a 12mo bifolium.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. LETTER: 3pp, 12mo. Thirty-one lines. Bifolium. In fair condition, with slight staining at foot of first leaf, and traces of glue from mount on blank reverse of second leaf. In an elongated and somewhat opaque hand. Begins: ‘My dear Mrs. Hicks / I was exceedingly sorry to hear that Mr. Hicks had met with an accident on the day you left.’ What follows is hard to decipher, until she writes ‘I have much pleasure in forwarding to you the address of Jackson & Graham. It is No. 35-36 Oxford St.’ She praises ‘the selection he has of patterns’.

See her entry, and that of Whittaker, in the Oxford DNB. 1p, landscape 12mo. A corner of the letter carrying a few words of text has been torn away on opening; it is still attached, beneath a red wax seal, so that the entire document is present in two parts. Otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed by Mitford 'To / Messrs. Baynes & Son / 23 Paternoster Row'. Begins: 'Miss Mitford presents her Compts. to Mr.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The two items were previously held together by a small dab of glue at the head of the letter. They are now separated, and traces of the glue remain, not affecting any text. Otherwise they are in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: ALS, 30 December 1932. 1p, 12mo. Signed Hugh Walpole. He thanks him for his charming ‘Carol’: ‘I have been picking it out on the piano. And I send back the photo autographed. With every good wish for 1933’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient is presumably the lyricist Peter Claremont Parsons. Plain postcard, apart from letterhead. In good condition, lightly aged. Image on request.Postmarked (from Paddington), stamped and addressed to ‘Geoffrey Parsons esq. / 22 Westbourne Park Road / W.2’. Small signature: ‘C. D. L.’ Reads: ‘Many thanks for Peter’s Progress. [Parson’s poetry book, published that year by Hand & Flower] I’ve read it with great pleasure & amusement, & fallen foul of little except ‘legacies’ rhyming with exegesis. My memory of those H. & S.

From the papers of Sylvia and Robert Lynd. A scarce piece of Pearse ephemera: no other copy traced. 1p, 12mo. On a piece of discoloured laid paper, worn, with crease to one corner. The full title of the book, which was edited by Desmond Ryan, was ‘The story of a success, being a record of St. Enda's College, September 1908 to Easter 1916’.

From the papers of Sylvia and Robert Lynd. Four copies traced: National Library of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, the British Library and Oxford University. BL identifies the author as ‘Thomas T. Shaw’; another source states ‘Thomas J. Shaw’. 47pp, 8vo. In green printed wraps. Stapled. Lightly aged, in worn wraps, and with slight blooming at head of first few leaves. The author goes about the ‘self-imposed task’ of his ‘little brochure’ with copious statistical evidence, including an eight-page appendix of tables.

Taylor is noticed in his brother’s entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf carrying the address (‘R. S. MacKenzie Esqr / Chesterfield’), and a seal in black wax, beneath which is a corner of the leaf, cut away in opening the letter, the leaf also being annotated ‘James Taylor of Bakewell / author of “What is Money?”. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of brown paper mount along inner edge of second leaf. Good signature, with expansive flourish, ‘Jas Taylor’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and ruckled. Addressed to ‘Dear Maurice’ and signed ‘A Black’. For Lothian see ‘Memoirs of Adam Black’ (1885). He asks him to ‘glance at the inclosed’: ‘The description appears to me abundantly broad. And I hope to get the legion of proprietors in a trim to sign.’ He concludes by stating that he will ‘send for it’ that evening, ‘as Mr Bruce wishes to have it to send to Dymock tomorrow morning’. ‘Mr Bruce’ may be the future Sir James Knight Bruce (1791-1866); ‘Dymock’ is William Dymock, the Edinburgh advocate.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Reads: ?Dear Yonge / Will you bring your rod & try the river this morning / Yours always / Thomas Fairbairn / Saturday?.

See her entry, and that of her husband, in the Oxford DNB. Black and white print postcard, on shiny paper stock. In good condition, lightly aged. Showing image of waterfall in thick foliage, with caption at foot ‘The Waterfall, Earby.’ Photographers’ details at bottom right.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, on discoloured and lightly-creased paper. Beneath letterhead: ‘to J D Hughes Esq’. Around middle of page: ‘Pen & Ink Sketch / Stokesay 15/-’. On lower part of page: ‘Recd with thanks / Frank Greenwood’. Beneath the signature is a simple stylized cartoon depicting the head and shoulders of a smiling walrus-faced figure (Greenwood?) in a trilby, with stiff-colour shirt and black bow tie.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with pinholes to one corner. Signed ‘Julius Harrison’. Begins ‘Dear Boosey, / From the recent batch sent, I return the enclosed which I fancy may all be useful in the English market. / I am struck with the “Flowers in the Valley” as a possible Alto lead number. Please see my remarks thereon.’ He explains that he is ‘trying to find an Alto lead piece for Cleethorpes Festival next July’, and could include the ‘Flowers’ if it were ‘published in C as soon as possible’.

The Pippets of Solihull were a Roman Catholic family that worked closely on ecclesiastical designs with the Gothic Revival firm Hardman & Co (whose archives are held by the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery). Wilfrid also collaborated with J. B. Trinick on the striking illustrations to A. E. Waite’s rosicrucian ‘Album of the Great Symbols of the Paths’ (1917-21; copy in the British Museum Department of Prints and Drawings). Eleven attractive illustrations in black ink (over pencil draft).

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with a crease, dogeared corner and small nick. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘Michael Sadleir’. He is grateful to Collins ‘for pointing out the careless grammatical mistake of mine in the SUNDAY TIMES review. It is only too easy to slip into a conversational style (for I think that what I meant was perfectly clear) when writing rapid condensations for a newspaper.

See Hudsons's entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, foolscap 8vo, on three leaves, with fourth covering leaf ('23rd Oct. 1846. / Copy / Railway Minutes / Thorp & Dickson / &c &c'). Attached at one corner with red ribbon. Headed: 'Alnwick October 23 - 1846 / Minutes on projected Railways / in the Manor of Tynemouth - / Read to Mr. Hudson, of which he requested a copy.' There are five minutes, the last covering two pages. The first three read: '1.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin band of discoloration beneath the last line. Addressed to ‘J M Swan Esq R.A’. Reads: ‘My dear Mr Swan / Will you dine with me on Thursday June 1st. to meet Mr Leslie and some few artists? / I should be glad if you will. / Yours faithfully / Wm. Agnew’.

Three pieces of ephemera from a golden period of English children’s book illustration. All three items printed on shiny paper, and all worn and discoloured. ONE: ‘Hodder & Stoughton’s Christmas List’, with advertisement for Edmund Dulac’s edition of A. T. Quiller-Couch’s ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ on cover. 20pp, folio. With rusting staples. Folded once. Undated, but containing items published in 1910, apart from the cover item, which appears to have been published in 1912.

Lodington would be ‘appointed naval officer at Dominica’ in 1814, and the last heard of him is in a letter of 1824 from the same place (offered separately), where ‘Lieut. Col. Lodington’ is awaiting trial, having been abandoned by the Governor, the Earl of Huntingdon. The three items are in good condition, lightly aged, and each is docketed on the reverse, with the usual folds for postage. ONE: Lodington to ‘Charles E. Cox Esqr | For Cox & Son’, 25 May 1808, ‘Royal Marine Barracks’. 1p, 4to. Signed ‘John Lodington / Major Royal Mars’.

xiv + [1] + 38pp, 12mo. No.16/500. In blue cloth binding, titled in gilt on cover and spine. No dust wrapper. Printed on thick paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Annotated in pencil throughout, and with a page of annotations at the end. The handwriting is distinctive (and certainly not Block’s), with the capital N in particular. Some of the annotations give dates from the 1970s, but the handwriting is that of someone from an earlier generation. As an example, one of the longer pencil annotations, on p.5, listing an additional item: ‘Caught Napping. / c. 1883.

A scarce piece of scientific publishing ephemera. No other copy traced. 8pp, 8vo. Aged, worn and spotted, with staples rotted away. The cover is headed 'Librairie C. Reinwald & Cie, 15, rue des Saints-P?res, Paris / Derni?res publications / relative aux sciences m?dicales et naturelles.' Delage's work ('Vient de para?tre') is noticed on the cover, with an 'Extrait de la table des mati?res' extending to the end of the second page. Other many other publications noticed are 'L'Embryologie compar?e par Le Dr Louis Roule'. and 'Trait? d'anatomie compar?e pratique par Carl Vogt et ?mile Yung'.

Two Manuscript Letters from the London banking house Robert Herries & Co. to the former Governor of West Florida George Johnstone, the first ‘with Account Current’ and the second regarding delivery of ‘the plate to Mr Maxwell. Both items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: 2pp, 8vo. On the inner sides of a bifolium, with the reverse of the second leaf bearing the address (with postmark) ‘Commodore Johnstone / M. P. / Portsmouth’, and endorsement ‘Sir Robert Harries [sic] & Co. / 19th Feby. 1781. / with Account Current. / Balance due the Governor / £697 .. 18/3’.

A nice collection of ephemera, relating not only to one of England’s best-loved poets, but also to Sotheby’s auction practice during the Great War. The provenance of the Gray letters put up for auction by Mrs Turpin is given in a New York Times article of 27 June 1915 (‘To sell relics of Thomas Gray; many letters by the poet will also be put up at auction at Sotheby's’), which stated in a report on the forthcoming sale that the letters ‘were transmitted to the present owner, Mrs.

This prospectus is a scarce item: no other copy has been traced. A 4to bifolium, with four unnumbered pages printed in red. Somewhat aged and worn, with a horizontal strip of light discoloration at the head of the cover, which has the title and author’s name surrounded by a border made up of Tenniel’s illustrations, beneath this is a quotation from Dodgson’s poetry and the price of ‘7/6 net’. Across the middle two pages is the heading ‘The Centenary “Life of Lewis Carroll”’. The text begins by explaining that Reed has made use of Dodgson’s letters to Ellen Terry.

The history of the business is convoluted. See the entries in the Oxford DNB of the founder of the firm John Newbery (c.1713-1767) of St Paul’s Churchyard, his son Francis Newbery (1743-1818), and Elizabeth Newbery, née Bryant (c.1746-1821, widow of Francis Newbery (c.1740-1780), cousin of the aforementioned Francis, who, according to Oxford DNB, ‘had studied chemistry and medicine but on the death of his father in 1767 he was urged by Samuel Johnson and Robert James to continue the business of publishing and selling patent medicines which he had inherited as the only surviving son. ...

See the entries for Wynter and Walford in the Oxford DNB. The present letter provides a valuable insight into the position of ‘the man of letters’ in Victorian periodical publication: according to the ODNB, Walford ‘edited the Gentleman's Magazine in 1866 and strongly objected to the proprietor Joseph Hatton's decision to change the character of that magazine.

The University of Wyoming American Heritage Center has mounted a ‘traveling exhibit’ of watercolours and diaries from Kennet Were’s 1868-9 journey across the United States, a long account of which he published in the Gazette (‘Nine Months in the United States’) on his return. Were’s obituary in the Transactions of the Devonshire Association, vol. 48, (1916), p. 54, describes him as one of Sidmouth’s ‘most respected inhabitants’ and ‘the prime mover in movements for the improvement of the resort and a supporter of all good causes’, but does not refer to his artistic activities.

Rather long for a carte de visite: 6 x 9 cm albumen print laid down on 6.5 x 10.5 cm card. In fair condition, lightly discoloured and worn. On the card beneath the photograph is a facsimile of Ruskin’s signature (‘John Ruskin’) and ‘ELLIOTT & FRY Copyright. 55. BAKER ST.’ Printed on the reverse is the royal crest and the firm’s address. A copy of the present item was offered by Sotheby’s in 2021, dated to 1867, with the claim that it was ‘signed on the mount’. That claim is erroneous: the signature to that copy is identical with the present lithographed one.