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See Richard Wollheim’s appreciative entry on Ayer in the Oxford DNB. From the archives of Philip Dosse, proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of the ‘Seven Arts’ group of magazines, including ‘Books and Bookmen’ and ‘Plays and Players’. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. The three items are each 1p, small 4to. All three in good condition, each folded twice. All three signed ‘A. J. Ayer’, with typed name beneath, ‘Sir Alfred Ayer’.

An attractive item by a leading exponent of ‘English pastoralism’. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Bass and treble notation of opening bars, headed ‘Romance / Andante ma non molto’. On one side of 9 x 11 cm card with rounded edges. Firm signature at bottom right: ‘Martin Shaw / May 1921’. In good condition, lightly aged. See Image.

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.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. An area torn away at the head of the first leaf (with the loss of one word of text) has been skilfully repaired with archival paper; otherwise in good condition, lightly aged. He apologizes for being unable to ‘come to your at home tomorrow as I can not go to any parties till after the funeral of the Duke of Albany’. He asks her to ‘accept and make use of’ tickets ‘for some tableaux vivants which are to take place tomorrow night at the house of the Princesse de Caraman-chimay.

On one side of 21 x 33 cm piece of wove paper. Somewhat creased, with one dogeared corner and a closed tear neatly repaired on reverse with archival tape, but in good overall condition. A typical piece of late-Victorian corporate typography. Headed (all in capitals): ‘County Borough of Blackburn. / Danger of handling / Carcases of Animals infected / with Anthrax.

Elizabeth Bury, illustrator and theatre designer, wife of and collaborator with John Bury (1925-2000), British theatre designer noted for his innovative work with Peter Hall, the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre (see his obituary in the Guardian, 15 November 2000). Two ring-bound 8vo Christmas keepsake private printings, both filled with full-page illustrations by Bury. Both inscribed by her to the playwright Christopher Fry. Both in good condition, with light signs of age. Uniform in layout, both with coloured covers of striking design.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair, condition on lightly aged and discoloured paper. Folded twice. Signed ‘J. S. Brownrigg’. He will makes sure that the points raised by De Winton are fully considered at a ‘good meeting’ the following Monday of ‘our Standing Committee and the Committee of the Church Parliamentary Party’. While one of the points will be ‘easily met by moving the exclusion of Clause 17’, he is afraid that ‘a new Committee elected under the provisions of the Bill would be hardly better than the present governing Body in Welsh Counties’.

Rieu was the son of Charles Pierre Henri Rieu (1820-1902) of Geneva, Keeper of Oriental Manuscripts at the British Museum, and elder brother of Emile Victor Rieu (1887-1972), both of whom have DNB entries. In 1947 he had privately printed (as’J. L. R.’) a ‘Chronicle of the Rieu Family now settled in England’. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice. Signed ‘J. L Rieu / Commissioner in Sind’. An nice sidelight on the workings of the Raj. He has been asked for a letter by ‘Mr. Mansing Ramsing’, on behalf of his son ‘Mr. Bhojraj M.

The present item is producer Hugh Burnett's own copy, from his papers, of the transcript of John Freeman's interview with Harding, broadcast in the groundbreaking BBC television series 'Face to Face' on 18 September 1960, a few weeks before Harding’s death on 16 November 1960. Harding’s entry in the Oxford DNB states that, ‘in radio programmes such as The Brains Trust and Twenty Questions, and on television in What's my Line?, Harding became a great popular figure, especially of television in which he was probably the best-known performer in the country.

One page, 12mo, bifolium, fold marks, good condition. Addressed to Mr Hogarth | Hay Market | London on final page of bifolium, with docketed information and a penny red. Text: Lady Lyttelton requests Mr. Hogarth to send her a block of white drawing paper like the enclosed [bit?], to be sent as soon as possible to No. 17 St James's Place directed to her. | August 10th || The block to be like the one Captain Percy bought at Mr. Hogarth's.

Maschwitz wrote the lyrics to 'A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square' and 'These Foolish Things', and was nominated for an oscar for co-writing the screenplay of 'Goodbye, Mr Chips'. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Twenty-nine lines of text. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Maschwitz begins by congratulating him 'on a really enthralling book! Loved every page of it!' With reference to Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, he explains that the previous day he 'had a talk with old Dennis Grayson who with Mrs Corey Wright is one of Tree's executors.

One page, 12mo, very good condition. Text, a verse from Gerald Massey's To-Day and To-Morrow (see note below) as follows: [Fanny's quotation marks] Though hearts brood o'er the past, our eyes | With smiling features glisten, | For, lo! our day bursts up the skies! | Lean out your souls and listen! | The world rolls Freedom's radiant way, | And ripens with her sorrows; | Keep heart! who bears the cross to-day, | Shall wear the crown tomorrow. | Fannie Garrison. | Boston, Oct.21st, 1860 | [ 'Mrs Henry villard' in another hand ] || Why ask a name?

One page, 12mo, staining and ink blots but text clear and complete, laid down on larger piece of paper, docketed The late Mrs. Margaret Gatty (writer for children) Editor of Aunt Judy's Magazine.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. He announces that he has been nominated for the Presidency of the Medico-Chirurgical Society by the Council, and supposes that he will be elected 'according to custom'.

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with the conclusion and signature ('Juliana Horatia Ewing. | (Not an elegant signature!)') of the letter cross-written at the head of the first page. Drawing of a 'round chess board', with explanation, on second page. An excellent intimate letter, to a family member or friend whose name is not clearly written (Marion? Marnie?). She begins by acknowledging her 'very delightful' letter, and expressing pleasure at 'the prospect of our "play" in town'.

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with strip of paper from mount adhering at foot of reverse. The recipient's name is not decipherable, but he appears to have been a royal equerry. Blakeney hopes that he 'got safe home last night', and thanks him 'for giving me the pleasure of your Company'. He is enclosing a letter from Sir John Wilson (1780-1856) 'who is forwarding an application from Mr Ferrier the Quarter Master of this Establishment in favour of an application to obtain admission into the Cambridge [?]'.

1p, 16mo. In fair condition, aged and grubby, with remains of glue from mount on reverse. Reads: 'Dear Mr Owen, | I have sent your note to Mr Combe & hope he may be able to send you the work - | Yours truly | Ja Clark'. The note has a light stamp at top left of page, stating that it is 'Ex. Litt. Ricardi Owen', and a gift to Sherborne from 'R. S. Owen'.

1p, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the reverse of the blank second leaf, the recto of which has laid down upon it the letter's envelope, with penny red stamp and postmarks, addressed to 'Robert T. H. Bartley Esq | Surgeon | West Hackney | London', with manuscript annotation by post official official stating that Bartley is 'not known' in the area. Folded several times. The letter reads: 'I have much pleasure in certifying that Mr Robert T. H.

Proctor was a much loved individual in literary circles, from the days of the London Magazine to the mid-Victorian period, in which he was the dedicatee of both Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair' and Wilkie Collins's 'Woman in White'. His reputation as a poet was international: he was thought highly of by Pushkin. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to blank reverse. The letter reads: 'Dear [Harris?] | Pray tell me where [?] I can have some conversation with you about some patients of the name of [Lealer? Lester?], whom you know.

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Written a few months before Bleuler's death to an unnamed recipient ('Liebster Freund!'), regarding the possibility of consciousness within the plant kingdom. As a nonbotanist ('als Nichtbotaniker') Bleuler has no knowledge of 'die Falle, wo Pflanzen Gedichtnis oder sonst eine psyche-artige Funktion zeigen', with the exception of 'der Mimosen', and it strikes him ' dass ich eigentlich die Pflicht hatte, das Material so weit als moglich zu kennen, bevor ich etwas drucken lasse'.

1p, 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with two postmarks and seal in black wax, to 'C. J. Johnstone Esqre | M. B – | 53 Tavistock Square | London'. Twenty-two lines of neatly-written text. He is pleased that Johnstone has declared himself 'a candidate for the vacant office of Lecturer in Chemistry at St. Bartholomew's hospital', and assures him that he has his 'warmest wishes' for his success.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Dunn is not named as the recipient, but his 'Essay on Physiological Psychology' was published in 1858. He is 'glad to find' that Dunn has 'brought out your views on Physiological Psychology, the only sound Psychology', and he thanks him for 'the Copy you have kindly sent me'. He continues: 'I wish we had more such Psychology in our Ethnological Society.' and concludes: 'I hope you will not desert us'.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Sir Henry | The King desires to see You at Carlton House to morrow Morning at eleven oclock - punctually. | Yours affect | W Knighton'. Knighton was instrumental in clearing the king's enormous debts in three years from 1822. Such was his influence that letters from the King to Knighton were addressed to 'M[y] D[ear] F[riend]'. From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with strip of paper from mount on reverse, which also has another strip of paper strengthening a crease. The document is written out by Halford, with Tierney signing beneath his signature. A general announcement, with no recipient named. Reads: 'The King is not able to receive company at the Drawing Room to day – His Majesty having experienced an attack of the Gout in the night. | Carlton Palace | April 23. 1823 - | Henry Halford | Matthew John Tierney'.

2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with several folds. Twenty-two lines written in a close, crabbed hand. Begins: 'My dear Sir | I looked for you at the last meeting of the Antiquarian Society [i.e. the Cambridge Antiquarian Society] – in vain.' He is forwarding a letter he has received from 'Mr S. Jackson of Keswick, Cumberland – concerning some coins & medals for sale', He does not 'wish to be a purchaser', but Akerman may wish to give notice to 'some one who would wish to possess some of the collection'.

1p, 8vo. On bifolium addressed on verso of second leaf to 'Mr. Erskine'. In good condition, lightly aged. Autograph jeu d'esprit, signed at foot 'J. Jekyll. | June 30th. 1800'. A short poem reading: 'Tell Mrs. Crewe | I envy You. | But sit on Lu- | nacy. || Yet Mrs. Crewe | will think I'm stu | pid in my lu | -cid Intervals.' Jekyll's entry in the Oxford DNB concludes, perhaps unkindly: 'If he is remembered by later generations, it is chiefly as a wit. It has to be said, however, that his wit, which consisted in large measure of excruciating puns, has not lasted well.'

1p, 12mo. Folded twice. In good condition. Presumably in response to a request for an autograph, the central third of the page carries Patmore's signature ('Coventry Patmore.') beneath a four-line quotation from Patmore's best-remembered poem, 'The Angel in the House': 'Spirit of Knowledge, grant me this: | A simple heart and subtle wit | To praise the thing whose praise it is | That all which can be praised is it!'

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed in type to 'My dear Shepard,' but with the last word corrected in autograph to 'Ernest'. He has now 'made sufficient progress with Monmouthshire' to be able to give Shephard 'a line': 'The first two verses bear upon the Wye valley and the Usk valley, of which Tintern is the best symbol.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Two days before the writing of this letter the London Gazette had announced (10 November 1846) that Napier, then Deputy Adjutant-General in Ireland, had been promoted to Lieutenant General. The letter, in which he writes to his Commander in Chief in Ireland, is headed 'Private'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The year of writing is supplied in a contemporary hand. Beside his address at the head if the ketter Tayler writes: 'This will sound tarnation rural in the catalogue.' He begins the letter by explaining that he is 'dating from my little Cottage here', and that he has let his house in town, 'reducing my Rent to less than half and I can paint to more purpose and without interruption of idle Callers here'. The delay in replying has been occasioned by 'so much of bustle and packing'.