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[World War One.] Handbill with ornate coloured decorative border, headed ‘ROLL OF HONOUR’, intended for ‘A Record of Friends and Relatives who answered the call of King and Country in the Great War: 1914-1915.’

Author: 
[World War One] Geo. Newnes Limited, London; Hudson & Kearns Limited, lithographic printers
Publication details: 
Circa 1915 or 1916. ‘Published by Geo. Newnes Ltd., Southampton St. Strand [London]’. Printer: ‘Hudson & Kearns, Ltd., London, Litho, London, S.E.’
£100.00

A nice piece of First World War ephemera, from the period of transition from volunteering to conscription. Newnes was a leading British publisher of the period, and the present item may have been inserted in one of its periodicals, which included ‘The Strand Magazine’, ‘Women’s Own’ and ‘John O’London’s Weekly’. It is printed on a leaf of good quality cream 4to wove paper, and was intended for completion. In fair condition, lightly aged, with light wear and creasing to extremities.

[Sir Walter Gibbons, theatre impressario who built the London Palladium.] Auction catalogue of his effects, with a bookseller’s bids in pencil: ‘A Catalogue of the Contents of Kensington House, Bayswater, W.2’

Author: 
Sir Walter Gibbons (1871-1933), theatre impressario, founder of the London Palladium and owner of around forty music halls [Kensington House, Bayswater; Knight, Frank & Rutley; auction catalogue]
Publication details: 
10 to 13 March 1931. Knight, Frank & Rutley, 20 Hanover Square, London, W.1. Printed by J. Davy & Sos, Ltd., 8-9 Frith Street, London.
£180.00

As the Great Depression hit Gibbons found himself over-extended, and was forced into bankruptcy. The present item is scarce. The only copy on JISC is at the Paul Mellon Centre Library. 68pp, 8vo. In grey printed wraps, and with purchase slip tipped in. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. At head of title-page: ‘By Direction of Lieut.-Col. SIR WALTER GIBBONS, K.B.E., D.L. Following the Sale of the Freehold, and the proposed conversion of the Property into high-class Residential Flats.’ ‘Conditions of Sale’ on reverse of title. 974 lots.

[Printed pamphlet.] Shakespeare’s Handwriting / Facsimiles of the Five Authentic Autograph Sigatures of the Poet / Extracted from Sidney Lee’s ‘Life of William Shakespeare’. With cutting from 'The Academy' regarding the play 'Sir Thomas More'.

Author: 
[Sir Sidney Lee; William Shakespeare]
Shakespeare
Publication details: 
London / Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place / 1899. [Magazine cutting from 'The Academy', London, 1899.]
£80.00
Shakespeare

Now scarce. Among the six copies listed on JISC, only three (BL, Cambridge, NLW) are in the deposit libraries. Unpaginated 12mo pamphlet, w Iith page of contents, four pages of ‘Explanatory Note’ and three pages of facsimiles, on six leaves of shiny art paper, stitched into grey printed wraps with title on cover and two pages of advertisements at rear. In fair condition, lightly aged, in grubby wraps with tiny nick lost from bottom corner of front wrap.

[B. Feldman & Co., London music publishers.] Printed ‘Selected List of New and Popular Numbers. / Vocal and Instrumental’, including 'Musical Comedy & Revue Successes' and 'Talkie Film Songs'.

Author: 
B. Feldman & Co., London music publishers
Publication details: 
No date, but late 1930s/early 1940s. B. Feldman & Co., 125, 127 & 129, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.C.2.
£180.00

Few copies of this ephemeral item can have survived. (No copies appear to show up on Jisc or WorldCat.) 20pp, 4to. Small print. Stapled. In very good condition for such a publication: lightly browned paper, with one off-centre horizontal fold. The item can be dated from the films listed on the two pages of ‘Talkie Film Songs’ seem to all date from the 1930s (e.g. ‘The Cowboy and the Lady’ and ‘Song of the Saddle’). Title page has box containing a list of ‘Immortal Melodies by Victor Herbert’.

[‘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.

Author: 
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]
Publication details: 
First TLS: 3 January 1928. Second TLS: 11 December 1928. Both on letterheads of Cassell & co. Ltd., La Belle Sauvage, London, EC4. ALS: 18 December 1928, on letterhead of Idlehurst, Sevenoaks.
£150.00

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 apologetic letter from Mr. Wells of Harpers’ has ‘cleared the air entirely’, ‘a reply from Holt’ received at the same time is not very satisfactory’, and ‘in view of the fact that Cassell’s and Harpers will be coming together again, it would, perhaps, be as well not to do anything at present’.

[‘A whole career lies between the quotations’: V. S. Pritchett, English writer and critic.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Victor Pritchett’), submitting his ‘Turgenev’ (i.e. the typescript of his ‘Gentle Barbarian’) to his editor ‘Mr Higgins’.

Author: 
V. S. Pritchett [Sir Victor Sawdon Pritchett] (1900-1997), English writer and literary critic
Pritchett
Publication details: 
11 May 1977. On letterhead of 12 Regents Park Terrace, London N.W.1.
£56.00
Pritchett

Pritchett’s ‘The Gentle Barbarian: The Life and Work of Turgenev’ appeared in 1977; the present letter is clearly addressed to his editor at the book’s publishers Chatto & Windus. Pritchett’s entry in the Oxford DNB describes his handwriting as ‘legendarily ugly and difficult to decipher’, but the present example is no worse than an average hand. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Two fold lines. He is sending his ‘Turgenev’, and explains: ‘As you will see I have marked passages from the book in purple crayon, and my own summary bridges in green.

[W. H. Smith, newsagent and politician, the ‘Sir Joseph Porter’ of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore.] Autograph Letter Signed to George Townsend Warner, discussing a request to fish in his private stream.

Author: 
W. H. Smith [William Henry Smith] (1825-1891), founder of the fortunes of the British chain of newsagents, Conservative politician, First Lord of the Admiralty [George Townsend Warner (1865-1916)]
Publication details: 
5 March 1891; on letterhead of 10 Downing Street, Whitehall. [London.]
£50.00

From the first Smith has been considered as the model of the ‘Sir Joseph Porter’ of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘HMS Pinafore’, and Disraeli himself is said to have referred to him as ‘Pinafore Smith’. See Smith’s entry in the Oxford DNB. The present item is signed ‘W. H. Smith’, addressed to ‘Mr Townsend Warner’, and headed ‘Private’. The recipient is the historian and Harrow housemaster George Townsend Warner (1865-1916), father of the novelist Sylvia Townsend Warner. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once.

[Cardinal Wiseman, Archbishop of Westminster.] Autograph Note in the third person proposing a meeting with ‘Mr Blackett’ [bookseller Henry Blackett of London firm Hurst & Blackett].

Author: 
Cardinal Wiseman [Nicholas Patrick Stephen Wiseman] (1802-1865), Roman Catholic cleric, first Archbishop of Westminster on 1850 re-establishment of Catholic hierarchy in England [Henry Blackett]
Wiseman
Publication details: 
29 June 1857; Leyton. On his armorial letterhead with motto ‘Omnia pro Christo’.
£60.00
Wiseman

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient is the publisher Henry Blackett (1825-1871) of the leading London firm Hurst & Blackett, and the meeting was evidently to discuss terms, possibly for Wiseman’s ‘Recollections of the Last Four Popes’, which the firm published in 1859. 1p, 8vo. Laid down on another leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged, on thin paper, and with discoloration from the glue used in laying the item down. Small red armorial letterhead.

[Joseph Fesch, Prince of France, French cardinal, diplomat, art collector, and uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte.] Autograph Letter in the third person, welcoming 'Monsieur Payne', i.e. bookseller John Payne of Payne and Foss, and his wife, back to Rome.

Author: 
Joseph Fesch, Prince of France (1763-1839), French cardinal, diplomat and art collector, uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte [John Payne, bookseller of London firm Payne and Foss; his wife, born Sarah Burney]
Publication details: 
[Rome.] 7 August 1833.
£200.00

1p, 12mo. On bifolium, addressed on the reverse of the second leaf, with the cardinal's seal in red wax to one corner, 'A Monsieur Payne'. In good condition, lightly aged, with stub from mount adhering to inner edge. Folded twice. In a close, neat hand, the letter reads: 'Le Cardinal Fesch fait ces compliments à Monsieur et à Madame Payne et les Félicites de leurs heureux Retour a Rome. | Le Cardinal est toujours visible vers midi mais il tachera de visiter les aimables voyageurs, à leurs auberge avant leur depart.

Autograph Letter Signed ('John Murray') from John Murray II to the Edinburgh publishers Bell & Bradfute, concerning his account with them for Thomas Thomson's 'System of Chemistry'.

Author: 
John Murray II (1778-1843), London publisher [Bell & Bradfute, Edinburgh publishers]
Publication details: 
11 July 1810; London.
£65.00

4to, 1 p. Fourteen lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. He has been 'extremely unwell', and is sending '3 bills for the account of Thomsons Chemistry £1100'. 'I trust that you will not be dis-satisfied with this as I can assure you conscientiously that I could not afford to give them shorter.' Reference to Longmans, and to his anxiety, 'as you left the settlement to my own conscience'.

[Hamo Thorneycroft, sculptor] Autograph Note Signed Hamo Thornycroft RA to The Secretary [V & A?] about his season ticket.

Author: 
Hamo Thornycroft [Sir William Hamo Thornycroft (1850 – 1925), sculptor, responsible for some of London's best-known statues].
Publication details: 
[Headed] 21 Melbury Road, Kensington, W., 31 May 1897.
£40.00

One page, 12mo, , small strip of tape from tipping in process remains on reverse, good condition. Text: F[ine] Art Section | [Printed address] | [V & A Exh.?] | Sir | I am an Exhibitor at the above (sculpture) but have not yet received my season ticket - to which I am entitled. Additional docketing in another hand, [?] 16.517 | Mr Gordon.

[Martin Hardie, artist, engraver, art historian, and a Victoria & Albert Museum Keeper.] Autograph Card Signed to C. H. Whitby, regarding an engraving by the disciple of William Blake, Samuel Palmer.

Author: 
Martin Hardie (1875-1952), artist, engraver, art historian and Keeper of Painting, Engraving, Illustration, and Design at the Victoria and Albert Musem, London [Samuel Palmer; William Blake]
Publication details: 
4 June 1925; with London postmark of the same date.
£35.00

See Hardie's entry in the Oxford DNB. 11.5 x 9 cm card. Printed with penny stamp in red; no illustration. In fair condition, discoloured and a little worn. Addressed by Hardie to 'C. H. Whitby | 82, Crofton Park | Yeovil.' (Whitby is the author of a handful of books of reglious poetry.) Whitby would appear to be offering for sale, or at least asking for advice about, an impression of Palmer's celebrated engraving 'The Bellman'.

[Archdeacon Coxe, historian, gives instructions to the parliamentary printer Luke Hansard.] Autograph Letter in the Third Person to 'Mr Hansard'

Author: 
Archdeacon Coxe [William Coxe, Archdeacon of Bemerton] (1748-1828), historian and Anglican cleric [Luke Hansard (1752-1828), London printer after whom publication of parliamentary debates is named]
Publication details: 
15 December 1805; Bath.
£60.00

2pp, 18mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with a couple of emendations. The subject is Coxe's 'History of the House of Austria', which was 'Printed by Luke Hansard and Sons, for T. Cadell and W. Davies, in the Strand'. The letter begins: 'Mr. Coxe wishes to keep back for a week or two sheet 3z, because he intends to divide the first Volume into two parts; and therefore desires Mr Hansard not to strike off that Sheet; and will trouble Mr Hansard to transfer the commencement of Ferdinand's reign from p 542.

[Spelling Bee competitions in Victorian Kennington and Guildford.] Eleven items, including an advertisement, a programme, tickets of entry and competitor's ticket, newspaper cuttings, compiled by T. W. Williams, manager of Kennington competitions.

Author: 
Spelling Bee competitions in Victorian Kennington and Guildford [T. W. Williams, manager; The Impartial Spelling Bee Association, Williams & Rhodes, Kennington; F. Ridgway; J. Irving Dixon]
Publication details: 
Competitions in Kennington and Guildford, 1876. Manager of Kennington competitions: 'Mr. T. W. Williams, 149, Lower Kennington Lane, S.E.'
£220.00

The eleven items are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, laid down on two heavily-worn leaves removed from an album. An interesting slice of social history, relating to introduction into England of a phenomenon which began in the Unites States in the 1850s. Nine of the items relate to spelling bees in Kennington, managed by the compiler of the material T. W. Williams, and one to a 'Grand Spelling Bee' in Guildford.

[Horace Bushnell of North Church, Hartford, Connecticut, Congregational minister, religous writer.] Printed pamphlet: 'Prosperity Our Duty. | A Discourse delivered at the North Church, Hartford, Sabbath Evening, January 31, 1847. By Horace Bushnell.

Author: 
Horace Bushnell (1802-1876) of North Church, Hartford, Connecticut, Congregational minister and religious writer [Case, Tiffany & Burnham, Hartford printers]
Publication details: 
'Published by request.' Hartford: Printed by Case, Tiffany & Burnham, 1847.
£120.00

24pp, 8vo. Saddle-stitched pamphlet in pink wraps the the title-page reprinted on the cover, this time within a decorative border. In fair condition, aged, worn and creased, with slight loss to outer corner of front cover. Bushnell takes as his text 2 Chronicles XXXII.30, and begins his 'Discourse': 'Any community or city will prosper that will do its duty.

[French snuff boxes, Christie's auction catalogue.] Catalogue of the Collection of Old French Snuff-Boxes and Objects of Vertu formed by Sir Edward Marshall Hall, K.C. deceased.

Author: 
Sir Edward Marshall Hall, K.C. [Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods, London auctioneers; French snuff boxes]
Publication details: 
By Order of the Executors. Sold by auction on 22 June 1927 by Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods at their Great Rooms, 8 King Street, St. James's Square, London. [Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Limited, London.]
£90.00

14pp, 4to. Stitched into grey printed wraps. In good condition, lightly aged, with one corner slightly dog-eared. 143 lots, divided into two sections: 'Miniatures and Enamels' and 'Objects of Vertu'. The snuff-boxes feature in the latter, and include: '112 A Louis XVI. plain oblong gold snuff-box, with rounded ends and reeded borders - bearing the mark of Henri Clavel, Paris 1778 - the rim engraved "DU PETIT DUNKERQUE"' and '122 A LOUIS XV.

[ Jane Austen; aunt ; printed] "A Lady's Letters from Ilchester Gaol" in Notes & Queries for Somerset and Dorset, Vol. 18 (1924–5), 1–8, 58–61, 79–81, 99–105, 135–8

Author: 
Mabel C. Hammond [Notes & Queries for Somerset and Dorset]
Publication details: 
Sherborne, March 1924-June 1925
£180.00

Series of articles complete. Periodical issued quarterly, individual issues, vol. xviii, March, September, Dec. [1924], March, June 1925. Issues containing the series of articles/letters in Good + condition. Presumably found bound up with other issues of the journal, and an edition was published by the Toucan Press (1985) which is scarce (represented in four US and one British library only). See also "Grand Larceny, Being the Trial of Jane Leigh Perrot: Aunt of Jane Austen" and "A Memoir of Jane Austen: and Other Family Recollections".

[Liberty's of London: 1912 women's fashion catalogue.] Printed catalogue of 'Picturesque Dresses Designed By Liberty & Co' ('Costumes never out of fashion' and 'Novelties for the season'), with 59 full-page illustrations on perforated paper.

Author: 
[Liberty's; Liberty & Co Ltd, London and Paris; women's fashion catalogue, 1912]
Publication details: 
Autumn 1912 ('SERIES XXXVIII.'). 'Copyright by Liberty & Co Ltd Regent Street, London & Boulevard des Capucines, Paris.'
£250.00

A scarce item, and considering its perforation, fortunately found in its complete state. No copy on OCLC WorldCat, which does however have entries for copies of similar Liberty's 1910 ('SERIES XXXIII') and 1913 catalogues, the latter at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 64pp, 8vo. Stitched into oat-coloured cloth soft covers, with decorative border and title printed on front cover. In fair internal condition: on lightly aged and spotted paper. In worn and stained wraps. The five pages of text and fifty-nine full-page illustrations are printed in brown on cream paper.

[George Grossmith, the original 'Ko-Ko' in Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Mikado'.] Autograph Quotation from the operetta ('”Bother the Flowers that Bloom in the Spring”'), signed 'Geo: Grossmith'.

Author: 
George Grossmith (1847-1912), comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer associated with Gilbert and Sullivan, author with his brother Weedon Grossmith of 'Diary of a Nobody'
Publication details: 
Without date [after 1885] or place.
£150.00

Firmly written out, evidently in response to a request for an autograph, on one side of a 10.5 x 11.5 cm piece of paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and spotted, with two folds and group of tiny pinpricks at bottom left. Reads: '”Bother the Flowers that Bloom in the Spring! | Mikado | Your's [sic] faithfully | Geo: Grossmith'. Grossmith's bold signature anachronistically exhibits the 'long s', making his surname look like 'Gropmith'. Grossmith was the original 'Ko-Ko', in the 1885 Savoy Theatre production of 'The Mikado'. It was one of nine Gilbert and Sullivan characters which he created.

[John Mortimer Hunt, partner in Bond Street silversmiths Hunt & Roskell.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. Mortimer Hunt'), regarding a 'stone implement' brought by 'Mr Roskell' from Australia, the Society of Antiquaries, and the recipient's health.

Author: 
John Mortimer Hunt, partner in the firm of Hunt & Roskell [successors to Storr & Mortimer], jewellers and silversmiths, Bond Street, London [Australia; Australian archaeology]
Publication details: 
156 New Bond Street [London]. 31 May 1871.
£180.00

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. For information regarding this renowned firm of silversmiths, which possessed the royal warrant and mounted a sumptuous display at the Great Exhibition, see Norman Mosley Penzer, 'Paul Storr, 1771-1844, Silversmith and Goldsmith' (1954), and John Culme, 'Directory of Gold and Silversmiths' (2000). The nature of the '”Australian” implement' which is the subject of the letter is unclear, but information on Hunt's partner's connection with Australia is to be found in L. W.

[G. Lionel Wright of Bristol.] Printed educational work on 'How Children may Read at the Age of 6', titled 'The Vocal System based on The Fundamental Laws of Language'.

Author: 
G. Lionel Wright [Allen, Davies & Co., Bristol printers; Victorian education; language; linguistics; pronunciation]
Publication details: 
Bristol: Printed by Allen, Davies & Co., Nelson Street & Rupert Street. [1902]
£120.00

20pp., 4to. Stapled into card wraps printed in blue and red. In fair condition, aged and worn, with vertical crease and rusted staples. The front inside wrap carries an 'Introductory Note' (including the claim: 'Half-an-hour's daily practice will produce material results in a very short time.') Labels and stamp of the Board of Education Library. The cover is illustrated with an engraving of two hands emerging from mountains and icebergs and shaking across the waters, above which are the Union Flag and two ensigns (Australia and Canada?), captioned 'Semper Fidelis'.

[Édouard Guillaume, Paris printer; George Routledge & Sons, London publishers.] Printed promotional 'Catalogue of Guillaume's Nelumbos 1893'. With illustrations and specimen pages 'on vellum of the paper-mills of Le Marais'.

Author: 
Édouard Guillaume, Paris printer [George Routledge & Sons Ltd, London publishers
Publication details: 
London: George Routledge & Sons, Limited, Broadway, Ludgate Hill, Manchester and New York. 1893. Printed by Édouard Guillaume, 105, Boulevard Brune, Paris.
£150.00

The only copy of this item on OCLC WorldCat is in the Canadian National Archives. An attractive and characteristic piece of late nineteenth-century French printing. The present copy is 14 + [1] pp, 16mo. With frontispiece and eight illustrations and vignettes. Stitched booklet (13 x 7.5 cm). In wraps printed in black and red. In fair condition, lightly aged, in grubby wraps.

[George Peabody, American financier and philanthropist.] Autograph Signature ('Geo Peabody') to Business Letter in a Secretarial Hand, to Rennoldson & Farley, Newcastle on Tyne. With newspaper cutting of long article on Peabody, with portrait.

Author: 
George Peabody (1795-1869), American financier regarded as the father of modern philanthropy for his charitable works in Britain and America
Publication details: 
London. 27 March 1862.
£500.00

1p, 4to. Bifolium addressed on reverse of second leaf – with twopenny stamp, postmark and Peabody firm stamp - to 'Messrs Rennoldson & Farley | Newcastle on Tyne'. (The recipients Rennoldson & Farley were Timber Merchants, Commission Merchants, and Coal Exporters. In fair condition, lightly aged, with closed tear to second leaf. Other than Peabody's signature the document is in a secretarial hand. It reads: 'Gentlemen, | We have received your letter of 26th inst and Enclosures, which latter we return herewith, together with Messrs [Dumeau, Sherman?] & Co's draft on us for £220 duly accepted'.

Broadside announcing the execution of King Louis XVI of France, 1792, titled: 'Trial, Defence, Sentence, and MASSACRE of the KING of France, […] as communicated by a Member of the late National Assembly to a Member of the British Parliament.'

Author: 
Execution of King Louis XVI of France, 1792; W. Gye, Bath stationer; Champante & Co., London stationers; broadside
Publication details: 
'BATH: Printed and Sold by W. GYE, Stationer, Market-Place; to be had of all the Booksellers; and of CHAMPANTE & Co. Stationers, London. - PRICE FOUR-PENCE.'
£4,500.00

A rare and unusual item, distributed as news of the execution broke, no other copy of which has been traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. Printed on one side of a 59 x 48.5 cm piece of watermarked laid paper. In four columns of small print, surrounded by a thick-thin ruled border. Engraving (13.5 x 14.5 cm) of the moment of execution by guillotine at head of the central two columns. Aged and worn, with small drops of ink spattering, but with the text entirely legible and the engraving practically unmarked. Folded four times.

[Theatre Royal, Williamson Square, Liverpool: details of benefits.] Autograph Letter from 'Edwd. Murray' to Vernor & Hood, proprietors of ''The Monthly Mirror', giving a 'correct Statement of Benefits at the Liverpool Theatre (this season)'.

Author: 
Theatre Royal, Williamson Square, Liverpool [Edward Murray; Vernor & Hood, London publishers]
Publication details: 
[Theatre Royal, Williamson Square] Liverpool. 20 September 1800.
£120.00

1p, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, and folded several times. The main text reads: 'Gentn | By inserting the following correct [last word underlined] Statement of Benefits at the Liverpool Theatre (this season) in your next Mirror you'll particularly oblige your most obt. Servt. | Edwd. Murray'. Beneath this is a list of the names of 15 individuals, with the amount of money made by each one's benefit, coming to a total of £2665. The list begins with 'Miss Murray £263' and ends with 'Mr Simmons 101'. The penultimate entry is for 'Mr Wild (Prompter) 103'.

[David Daniel Davis, Professor in Midwifery at the University of London, who attended at the birth of Queen Victoria.] Autograph Letter Signed ('D D Davis') to his publishers Cadell & Davies, about his translation of Pibel's 'Treatise on Insanity'.

Author: 
David Daniel Davis (1777-1841), Physician Accoucher at the Queen Charlotte Lying-in Hospital; attended at birth of Queen Victoria; Professor in Midwifery, University of London [Cadell & Davies]
Publication details: 
Sheffield; 6 April 1807.
£320.00

2pp, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with Sheffield postmark, to 'Messrs Cadell & Davies | Booksellers | Strand | London'. Folded several times. He begins by reporting the safe arrival of 'The parcel', with thanks for 'attending to my request in point of time'. The letter continues, with reference to his 1806 translation of Phillipe Pinel's 'Treatise on Insanity'.

[Thomas Trotter, naval physician, reformer and abolitionist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('T. Trotter') to Messrs Todd & Romanes, W.S., Edinburgh solicitors, on the 'basest ingratitude' shown by his kinsman Robert Trotter, R.N., in taking him to court.

Author: 
Thomas Trotter (c.1760-1832), Scottish naval physician, leading medical reformer in the Royal Navy and critic of the slave trade [Todd & Romanes, W. S., Edinburgh]
Publication details: 
Newcastle; 27 July 1813.
£500.00

The recipients Todd [or Tod] and Romanes, Writers to the Signet, were prominent Edinburgh solicitors, acting for Trotter's kinsman Robert Trotter, R.N., one of the sons of Rev. Robert Trotter (c.1732-1807) of Windyhaugh, 'minister of the dissenting congregation of Morpeth during the long space of 51 years'. 2pp, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the reverse of the second leaf, which is addressed, with postmarks and endorsement signed by 'J. R.' (John Romanes), 'To | Messrs.

[John Aikin, physician and author.] Autograph Memorandum Signed ('J. A.') to the London publishers Cadell and Davies, a reader's report providing a damning assessment of a work 'much below mediocrity'.

Author: 
John Aikin (1747-1822), physician and author, brother of Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1743-1825) [Cadell & Davies [Thomas Cadell the younger and William Davies], London publishers]
Publication details: 
Without place or date, but after the establishment of the firm of Cadell & Davies in 1793.
£350.00

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Messs. Cadell & Davies'. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to one edge. An interesting document, providing an insight into the world of Georgian publishing. Without preamble or salutation, reads: 'This work, in point of style, composition, & sentiment – everything, in short, in which the writer's merit is concerned, is much below mediocrity. But whether its subject, & the side it takes in party, might not at the present moment gain it some public favour, is what I cannot answer.

[W. H. Auden on Louis Macneice, one of 250 copies.| A Memorial Address by W. H. Auden | delivered at All Souls, Langham Place on 17 October, 1963.

Author: 
W. H. Auden [Louis Macneice]
Publication details: 
[One of 250 copies.] 'Privately printed for Faber and Faber, London' [1963].
£50.00

[12]pp, 8vo. Paginated to 14, but twelve pages on six leaves, comprising half-title, title and eight pages of text. Sewn into raspberry printed wraps. Title with engraving of the church, duplicated on front cover. Internally in fair condition, with slight creasing, but with blue ink (or wine?) stain at foot of outer edge of front cover. Bloomfield & Mendelson A46, which states that the edition was printed in November 1963 and limited to 250 copies, 'sent out to a number of personal friends whose names were mainly suggested by Mrs. MacNeice'. In this case, from the library of Christopher Fry.

[Orby Shipley, liturgical scholar and Roman Catholic convert.] Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'Orby Shipley') to an unidentified collector of rare theological works, regarding his plans for reprinting Roman Catholic titles, and a meeting.

Author: 
Orby Shipley (1832-1916), religious writer, liturgical scholar and Roman Catholic convert [William Wilfred Oates, Roman Catholic London publisher; Burns & Oates]
Publication details: 
Both on letterhead of 39 Thurloe Square, S.W. [London] 4 December 1884 and 8 December 1884.
£180.00

Both in fair condition, lightly aged, on bifoliums, stitched together. ONE: 4 December 1884. 4pp, 12mo. The recipient is not identified. Begins: 'My dear Sir | I am advised by more than one common friend to take the liberty of writing to you. Mr. Oates [publisher], amongst others, tells me that you have great knowledge of old Catholic literature & have collected many curious & valuable books. As I think you see the Tablet, I should like to direct your attention to a letter which I hope may appear in the next or the following number on some points on which I wish for information.

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