ALEC

[Alan Bennett, playwright] Programme for The Old Country Inscribed on 'titlepage' (text below).

Author: 
Alan Bennett (b.1934), English playwright, actor and author.
Publication details: 
[Titlepage] First performance at the Queen's Theatre, Wednesday 7th September 1977.
£35.00

Theatre Programme, 8vo, for The Old Country. A new play by Alan Bennett with Alec Guinness, inscribed on the 'titlepage' Mr & Mrs Robinson with best wishes from Alan Bennett. See Image.

[Alan Bennett, playwright] Programme for The Old Country Inscribed on 'titlepage' (text below).

Author: 
Alan Bennett (b.1934), English playwright, actor and author.
Publication details: 
[Titlepage] First performance at the Queen's Theatre, Wednesday 7th September 1977.
£35.00

Theatre Programme, 8vo, for The Old Country. A new play by Alan Bennett with Alec Guinness, inscribed on the 'titlepage' Mr & Mr Robinson with best wishes from Alan Bennett. See Image.

[Victorian London: Somers Town.] Printed pamphlet of ‘“The Hall of Light.” / Somers Town Blind Aid Society’, giving ‘Report, 1898’, statement of accounts, press reports, list of officers and so on.

Author: 
Somers Town Blind Aid Society [Somers Town, London; Mrs. Alec Tweedie]
Publication details: 
‘LONDON, 14th March, 1899.’ Somers Town Blind Aid Society.
£56.00

A nice item of Victorian charitable ephemera. The Society (later the Hepburn Starey Blind Aid Society) was instituted in 1864, and according to p.5 of the present item the phrase ‘Hall of Light for the Blind’ was ‘Given to Somers Town Blind Aid Society by a Blind Chinese Christian lad’. No copy of this item, or of any other material relating to the Society found on either WorldCat or JISC. 24pp, 12mo. Stitched. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The front cover is laid out in decorative fashion: ‘“The Hall of Light.” / Somers Town / Blind Aid Society.

[Mrs Alec Tweedie [Ethel Brilliana Tweedie, née Harley], travel writer, author and society figure.] Three substantial volumes of newspaper cuttings, collected by her, relating to her life, work and travels in Iceland and Mexico.

Author: 
Mrs Alec Tweedie [Ethel Brilliana Tweedie, née Harley] (1862–1940), travel writer, author and society figure
Tweedie
Publication details: 
1887-1909. England, Iceland, Mexico, USA. Vol.1: January 1887 to July 1899. Vol. 2: February 1900 to January 1909. Vol. 3: July 1906 to January 1909.
£950.00
Tweedie

See her entry in the Oxford DNB, which carries a quotation pointing out her ‘unerring sense of admiration for herself’. What the present collection of well over a thousand cuttings assembled by her from newspapers and magazines appears to indicate is that the admiration was to a certain extent also felt by the general public; and taken as a whole the collection serves as a memorial to a once-celebrated English public figure, a woman making her mark on society in the age of suffrage. The first volume (1887-1899) is 117pp, folio: firm and tight in brown leather half binding.

[Eleven British authors of the 1920s and 1930s.] Autograph Signatures of Hugh Walpole, J. B. Priestley, C. S. Forester, V. S. Pritchett, Lord Dunsany, Alec Waugh, Norman Collins, A. G. Macdonell, Ivor Brown, Philip Jordan and Lionel Hale.

Author: 
Hugh Walpole, J. B. Priestley, C. S. Forester, V. S. Pritchett, Lord Dunsany, Alec Waugh, Norman Collins, A. G. Macdonell, Ivor Brown, Philip Jordan, Lionel Hale, Pauline Donalda, H. Lane Wilson
Publication details: 
Without date or place [London? Late 1920s? 1930s?]
£220.00

The signatures feature with no other text on a single page, on one side of a 15 x 18 cm leaf of thickish cream paper removed from an album. In fair condition, aged, and dusty, with slight pinkish-red staining on edges, and not near any of the signatures. The signatories are: 'Hugh Walpole', 'Dunsany' [Lord Dunsany], 'Alec Waugh/', 'V S Pritchett', 'Lionel Hale.', 'Norman Collins', 'Philip Jordan' [Philip Furneaux Jordan (1902-1951), journalist and author], 'A. G. Macdonell.', 'Ivor Brown', 'J. B. Priestley', 'C. S. Forester'.

[ Alec Waugh, novelist. ] Autograph Note Signed ('Alec Waugh') to 'Miss Marshall-Hall' (daughter of Sir Edward Marshall Hall), regarding the 'Invalids tour' and 'Milhanger'.

Author: 
Alec Waugh [ Alexander Raban Waugh ] (1898-1981), author, brother of the novelist Evelyn Waugh
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Easton Court Hotel, Chagford, Devon. Undated.
£45.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper, with creasing and wear at head. Written in Waugh's close, distinctive hand. Reads: 'Dear Miss Marshall-Hall | It was nice of you to write. I didn't go on the Invalids tour this year. It can't have been the same thing without Milhanger. | Sincerely Yrs | Alec Waugh /'. The reference is presumably to Milhanger, the Surrey country house designed by Harold Falkner.

[Printed funeral service, containing ticket for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.] Westminster Abbey. Service of Thanksgiving for the Life and Work of Laurence Olivier O.M. Baron Olivier of Brighton 1907-1989.

Author: 
[Laurence Olivier (1907-1989), English actor]
Publication details: 
Printed by Barnard & Westwood Ltd, 9 Railway Street, London N1 9EE. By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Printers and Stationers. 'Friday 20 October 1989 | Noon'.
£100.00

16pp., 8vo. Stapled. Printed in brown on white. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. One correction in manuscript: on p.5 'Peter O'Toole' replaces the subject of the sentence 'Miss Jean Simmons carries the script used in the film Hamlet.' Other worthies involved in the service are: Douglas Fairbanks, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Paul Scofield, Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellen, Dorothy Tutin, Frank Finlay, Albert Finney, Sir John Mills, Peggy Ashcroft, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Alec Guinness. Uncommon: the only copies on COPAC at the British Library and London Library. The ticket ('No.

[Alec Clifton-Taylor, architectural historian.] Corrected Signed Typescript titled 'Tour of Naval Establishments in the Mediterranean with Mr. John Dugdale, January, 1946'. [A tour of 'about 7,000 miles, almost all by air'.]

Author: 
Alec Clifton-Taylor, architectural historian [John Dugdale (1905-1963), Labour politician, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty under Clement Attlee, 1945-1950; Royal Navy]
Publication details: 
Undated, but with covering signed page, on British Government letterhead, with alternate title: 'Mediterannean Tour | January, 1946'.
£350.00

[1] + 26pp., foolscap 8vo. On twenty-seven leaves held together with a brass stud. In good condition, on aged and worn paper. The covering page is headed with the embossed government letterhead (lion and unicorn in oval) and has the words 'Mediterannean Tour | January, 1946' in the centre, with the signature 'Alec Clifton-Taylor' in blue ink in the bottom right-hand corner. The twenty-six pages of text, carrying a few minor autograph corrections by Clifton-Taylor, are headed with the full title.

Programme and songsheet by Arnold Riches for 'Ridgeway's Late Joys (formerly Evans' Song and Supper Rooms)', with Leonard Sachs as chairman, and featuring Peter Ustinov, Bernard Miles and 'Alec (Laneworthy-Figg) Clunes'.

Author: 
Ridgeway's Late Joys (Formerly Evans' Song and Supper Rooms), Players Theatre [Peter Ridgeway (c.1894-1938); Leonard Sachs; Arnold Riches; Peter Ustinov; Bernard Miles; Alec Clunes]
Publication details: 
Song sheet: Player's Theatre, 42, King Street, Covent Garden; undated [pre 1940]. Programme: Player's Theatre ('Late of COVENT GARDEN'), 13, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly; 1 November 1943.
£85.00

Both items printed on pink paper, with similar cover designs by Arnold Riches. Both in fair condition, aged and worn. The song sheet is a bifolium, 4pp, 4to, It dates from before 1939, when, following Ridgeway's death, the Player's Theatre moved to the Arts Theatre from King Street. The front page advertises performances 'Every Night (Except Sundays)', with 'THE ARTISTES' listed over twelve lines, and including 'Alec (Laneworthy-Figg) Clunes', Peter Ustinov, Bernard Miles and 'Leonard Sachs (Chairman)'.

'Children's Book' in the autograph of Edith Louisa Henderson-Begg, wife of Rev. Canon William Henderson-Begg of Edinburgh, filled with information on the childhood of her three sons Robert John, Colin and Alec, with letters by them and photographs.

Author: 
Edith Louisa Henderson-Begg [née Cornish], wife of Rev. William Henderson-Begg (1877-1934), Rector of St Paul's and Canon of Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh [their sons Robert John, Colin and Alec]
Publication details: 
St Mary's Rectory, Edinburgh, Scotland. The notebook contains entries dating from January 1911 to June 1926.
£250.00

43pp., 12mo. Closely written in a ruled black cloth notebook, titled on first page 'CHILDREN'S BOOK'. Internally in good condition, on lightly-aged paper; torn scraps of paper adhering to the waxed cloth covers. Containing such information as date and time of birth, weight of child, name of doctor and 'nurse-housemaid', teething ('R. J.s first eye-tooth'), first walk, first words ('R. J. said ("I'm a pe-pe" - this probably only imitation; since called himself Baby).

Folder, titled 'List Of 213 Celebrities', containing material including a list of names and addresses of supporters of C.A.S.T., the Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres, drafts of typed addresses 'by' Noel Coward, original designs for slogans.

Author: 
[Noel Coward; Alec Clunes, Honorary Treasurer, Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres (C.A.S.T.); Vivien Leigh]
Publication details: 
Without place or date. [London. Circa 1942-1943.]
£320.00

The Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres appears to have been active from January 1943 until at least 1944, with the actor Alec Clunes as Honorary Treasurer. The fourteen items in this collection are in good condition, on aged paper, in a beige card folder carrying the title 'LIST OF 213 CELEBRITIES'. [NB. While the first item described below is likely to be, as its title states, the work of Noel Coward, one other item at least in this collection (present in two versions as nos.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Alec Waugh') to 'Dear Burdett'.

Author: 
Alec Waugh [Alexander Raban Waugh (1898-1981), English author, elder brother of Evelyn Waugh
Publication details: 
28 January 1921; on letterhead of Chapman & Hall Ltd, 11 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London WC2.
£56.00

12mo: 2 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. If the recipient visited on the Saturday he would have found that the Waughs were away: 'My wife was developing mumps in London & I was kicking a football. Would tha tit had been any other day.' He thanks him for 'the review of Strachey', which he read with much interest, if partial agreement': 'I think mystic experience lies beyond my compass, & therefore I can hardly judge'. Quotes 'our friend Moore' (the philosopher G. E. Moore?) on the subject.

Prompt copy typescript, with manuscript stage directions, titled 'Excerpt from Act 3. "Man and Superman" by BERNARD SHAW'.

Author: 
George Bernard Shaw [Alec Clunes; Arts Theatre Club, London; May Hemery Ltd]
Publication details: 
[London: May Hemery Ltd for the Arts Theatre Club, 1946.]
£125.00

From the collection of Alec Clunes, who performed as Don Juan in this excerpt from 'Man and Superman' ('Don Juan in Hell') at the Arts Theatre Club in 1946. Carbon copy of typescript by May Hemery Ltd, paginated 1 to 60, on the rectos of sixty leaves, preceded by title leaf ('Excerpt from Act Three | "MAN AND SUPERMAN" | By | BERNARD SHAW'. In original blue paper wraps, with yellow tape spine and label on front wrap. Grubby and worn, and with light staining to wraps, but tight, complete and clear. Numerous manuscript stage directions, mostly on the facing versos.

Handbill cockney street ballad entitled 'IT'S MONEY WELL LAID OUT. Sung by ALEC HURLEY.'

Author: 
Alec Hurley [Alexander Hurley (1871-1913), music hall artiste, coster singer, and Marie Lloyd's second husband [George Le Brunn; Harry Castling; London street ballad; cockney; East End slang]
Publication details: 
Date, place and printer not stated. [circa 1898]
£120.00

On one side of a piece of light-brown laid paper, dimensions roughly 240 x 125 mm. Text clear and entire, on lightly creased paper with chipping, short closed tears and loss to extremities. Crudely printed. A thirty-two line poem, arranged in four four-line stanzas, each with a different chorus. An excessively scarce piece of music hall ephemera. No other copy of this particular item, possibly produced for distribution to Hurley's music hall audience, is present on COPAC or anywhere on the web.

Card carrying Autograph Inscription to Charles Wilson.

Author: 
Alec Waugh (Alexander Raban Waugh, 1898-1981), English novelist, elder brother of Evelyn Waugh
Publication details: 
31/07/48
£23.00

On one side of the card. Dimensions, 8.5 x 11 cms. Very good. Neat inscription reading 'For Charles Wilson | with Alec Waugh's best wishes | July. 31. 1948 /.'

Autograph Note Signed to [Captain Rolfe Arnold] Scott-James.

Author: 
Georges Lafourcade
Publication details: 
15 May 1937; on letterhead of the Universite de Grenoble.
£35.00

French authority on English literature, and in particular on the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne. The recipient (1878-1959) was editor of the 'London Mercury' at the time of writing. One page, quarto. In poor condition, with fraying and closed tears to edges. 'I herewith return revised proofs of my French Novelists. | May I remind you that I should be glad to have some galley proofs if it can be easily arranged?' Signed 'Georges Lafourcade'.

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