BIRCH

[Astley Cooper [Sir Astley Paston Cooper], distinguished anatomist.] Correspondence with fellow-surgeon Nicholas Birch, comprising two Autograph Letters Signed and six Autograph Notes Signed.

Author: 
Astley Cooper [Sir Astley Paston Cooper] (1768-1841), distinguished surgeon and anatomist
Publication details: 
One dated 23 March 1827, two with 1824 postmarks; the rest undated.
£220.00

Giving an insight into the nuts and bolts of Georgian medical practice. See Cooper's entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient was the son-in-law of the apothecary William Complin (1729-1808), and lived in Mansell Street from the latter’s death until his own, and was possibly succeeded at the address by his son George, also a surgeon. The material is in good condition, lightly worn, on aged paper. All items 1p, 12mo, and four on bifoliums addressed on second leaf. All six signed ‘Astley Cooper’. ONE: ALS. ‘Tuesday’.

[Sir Richard Owen, palaeontologist.] Autograph Letter Signed to Lady Cullum, enclosing a long translation by Samuel Birch of inscriptions on an Egyptian statue in the British Museum, annotated by Owen and with transcription of letter to him by Birch.

Author: 
Sir Richard Owen (1804-1892), palaeontologist, first Director of Natural History Museum, opponent of the theory of evolution [Samuel Birch (1813-1885), Egyptologist; Lady Ann Cullum of Hardwick House]
Publication details: 
Owen's letter to Lady Cullum dated from Sheen Lodge, Richmond Park, 5 May 1867. Transcription of Birch's letter to Owen dated from British Museum [London], 9 July 1860.
£850.00

An interesting item in the field of Victorian Egyptology. The subject is what Owen describes here as 'one of the oldest Statues of an Egyptian Notable in the British Museum'. Its current Museum Number is EA103, and it has been in the Museum since 1835, but the details of its acquisition are unclear. In his translation Birch calls the sitter 'the Royal Scribe, Amenhelp', but the current BM description begins: 'Scribal statue of Amenhotep son of Hapu: of black grano-diorite. Hieroglyphic texts are inscribed on the papyrus unrolled on his lap and on the statue plinth.

[ Harold Baily Dixon, FRS, Professor of Chemistry at Owen's College, Manchester. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('H B Dixon') regarding his requirements for a lecture at 'the Exchange Hall'.

Author: 
H. B. Dixon [ Harold Baily Dixon ] (1852-1930), FRS, British chemist and amateur footballer, Professor of Chemistry at Owen's College, Manchester, 1886-1922
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Birch Hall, Rusholme, Manchester. 5 October 1888.
£65.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with light staining to the signature. He thanks the unnamed recipient for his 'programme of Lectures' and states that he will not 'want a Lanthern, [sic][ but I shall want a good Supply of gas to the table'. (Dixon was an authority on the explosion of gases.) He asks the size of 'the Exchange Hall', as he wants 'to adjust exp[erimen]ts. to the size of hall'. Dixon played football for Oxford University in the FA Cup Final in 1873.

Manuscript Second World War 'Air-Raid Log [Air-Raid Warnings]' in Liverpool, begun in September 1939, while in the Lower Sixth of Liverpool Boys' School, by the future naval historian Captain Anthony Birch Sainsbury.

Author: 
Captain Anthony Birch Sainsbury (1925-2010), MA, VRD and Bar, RNR, naval historian, vice-president of both the Navy Records Society and the Society for Nautical Research [Liverpool Boys' School]
Publication details: 
Liverpool. September 1939 to June 1941.
£280.00

61pp., 4to. In ruled notebook with green cloth covers. In good condition, lightly-aged. Sainsbury has written 'AIR-RAID WARNINGS' on the front cover. The first page is titled 'AIR-RAID LOG. | 3/9/39 - IR', with 'Anthony B Sainsbury | Lower VI | LBS' in the bottom right-hand corner.

Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'E P Loftus Brook') from Edgar Philip Loftus Brook, FSA, FRIBA, Hon. Sec. of the British Archaeological Association, to Norwich geologist and antiquary John Gunn, regarding membership and contributions of papers.

Author: 
Edgar Philip Loftus Brook (d.1895), FSA, FRIBA, Hon. Secretary of the British Archaeological Association [Rev. John Gunn (1801-1890), Norwich geologist and antiquary; Walter de Gray Birch (1842-1924)]
Publication details: 
The first from 37 Bedford Place, Russell Square, and the second from 19 Montagu Place, Bedford Square; both on letterheads of the British Archaeological Association. 11 September 1879 and 6 May 1880.
£80.00

Both letters 2pp., 12mo, on bifoliums. Both good, on lightly-aged paper. On both letterheads Brook has cancelled the printed address and the name of the Association's president. ONE: Regarding the renewal of Gunn's membership, 'the guinea entrance fee' being unnecessary in his case. 'I have also noted my enquiry if you will contribute a paper when convenient upon the Saxon works in your district. This will be very acceptable to us.' TWO: He has sent Gunn the proof of his 'interesting little paper with which you favoured us at Caistor'.

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