BLACKWOOD

[Algernon Blackwood, celebrated ghost story writer.] Typed Card Signed to ‘Miss Cond’ [autograph collector Eileen Cond], thanking her for a card that has enchanted him.

Author: 
Algernon Blackwood [Algernon Henry Blackwood] (1869-1951) English ghost writer, one of the most celebrated and prolific in the history of the genre of supernatural fiction [Eileen Lond]
Blackwood
Publication details: 
15 December 1959; Savile Club, 69 Brook Street, W1 [London], with Paddington postmark.
£150.00
Blackwood

Blackwood’s entry in the Oxford DNB quotes H. P. Lovecraft’s opinion that he was the author of ‘some of the finest spectral literature of this or any age’. On post card with printed stamp. In good condition, lightly worn, on light-brown card. Addressed to ‘Miss Cond, / Deer Park, / Honiton.’ Apart from the signature, Blackwood has added quotation marks and dealt with two typing mistakes in autograph. Good firm signature. Reads: ‘Savile Club, 69 Brook St, W. 1.

[ Harold Coster, 'Photographer of Men'. ] Typed Letter Signed "Howard Coster", to Secretary of Authors' Syndicate Ltd, accompanied by typed list of his sitters, and brochure containing portraits of G. K. Chesterton, Algernon Blackwood, M. R. James,.

Author: 
Howard Coster [ Howard Sydney Musgrave Coster ] (1885-1959), 'Photographer of Men', London
Publication details: 
Letter from 8 and 9 Essex Street, Strand, W.C.2. [ London ] 2 April 1930. The brochure containing portraits from the 'Supplement to 'The Bookman'" Christmas, 1929.
£350.00

The items are in good condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight rusting from a paperclip. ONE: TLS from Coster to the Secretary, The Authors' Syndicate Ltd., London. 2 April 1930. 1p., 8vo.

[ Pamphlet. ] Perverted Politics. A few Thoughts for the Time. [ 'Reminiscences and Reflections (Revised).' ]

Author: 
John Tyndall, LL.D., D.C.L. [ (1820-1893), Irish physicist and Fellow of the Royal Society ]
Publication details: 
William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London, 1887.
£80.00

15pp., 12mo. Disbound without covers. In good condition, on aged paper, with a few pencil marks in margin. 'Reprinted by Permission' on title-page, and 'First published in the "St James Gazette."' on first page of text, which is headed 'Reminiscences and Reflections | (Revised).' Begins: 'It is my privilege to have been born in Ireland. [...] The lighthouses on the Irish coast - models of cleanliness and good order in a country not famous for either - are known to have been objects of special interest to me.

[Inscribed by the translator.] The Gladiator of Ravenna. A Tragedy. By Friedrich Halm (Baron von Münch Bellinghausen). Translated by Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B.

Author: 
Friedrich Halm (Baron von Münch Bellinghausen), translated by Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B.
Publication details: 
Printed for private circulation. 1885. [Printed by William Blackwood and Sons.]
£60.00

viii + [1] + 77pp., 8vo. In purple cloth binding, gilt. Internally good, on aged paper, in worn binding, with dulled gilt title on spine. Inscribed on flyleaf 'To | G. A. R. FitzGerald Esq | With the kind regards of | Theodore Martin | 3d April 1886.' Above this the ownership signature of 'R G E Sandbach', whose bookplate is on the front pastedown.

[Margaret Oliphant ('Mrs Oliphant'), Scottish author.] Autograph Letter Signed ('M. O. W. Oliphant') to 'Mrs. Laing', gently urging her to visit 'at a time of grief'.

Author: 
Margaret Oliphant [Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant; 'Mrs Oliphant'] (1828-1897), Scottish novelist and biographer
Publication details: 
'7 Ulster Place [London] | Saturday' [no year].
£45.00

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Written with the essence of Victorian tact. 'We shall be extremely glad if you can give us the evening of the 7th. instead of the 5th. and I trust you will permit us to consider you engaged to us for that night - 8 oClock - | I am grieved to think that my note should have reached you at a time of grief. Thank you for kindly consenting to come.'

[In illustrated wraps.] Medley! By Cuthbert Bede, B.A. Author of "Motley;" "Verdant Green;" &c &c.

Author: 
Edward Bradley (1827-1889), humorist under the pseudonym 'Cuthbert Bede'
Publication details: 
London: James Blackwood, Paternoster Row. 1856.
£280.00

114pp., 12mo. In wraps printed in green and red, with striking illustration of jester bursting through the front cover, and advertisements on the rear. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn wraps. Frontispiece, engraved title, and numerous illustrations in text. A collection of nineteen pieces in prose and verse, with such titles as 'A Chat concerning a Couple of Chairs' and 'Mephistophiles at Malvern'. Scarce: the only copies on COPAC at the British Library and Durham.

[Printed handbill prospectus with specimen pages.] Uniform with Johnston's "Chemistry of Common Life." In Monthly Numbers, price SIXPENCE each. The Physiology of Common Life. By George Henry Lewes, Author of "Sea-side Studies," "Life of Goethe," &c.'

Author: 
[George Henry Lewes (1817-1878), writer and partner of the novelist 'George Eliot' [Marian Evans (1819-1880)]; W. Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh and London]
Publication details: 
W. Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh and London. [1858.]
£65.00

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of glue to fold edge. The first two pages carry the 'Prospectus', beginning: 'NO Scientific subject can be so important to Man as that of his own life. No knowledge can be so incessantly appealed to by the incidents of the every day, as the knowledge of the processes by which he lives and acts. At every moment he is in danger of disobeying laws which, when disobeyed, may bring years of suffering, decline of powers, premature decay.

Printed notice of relocation, and advertisement for new publications.

Author: 
James Blackwood & Co., London publishers and wholesale stationers
Publication details: 
[Circa 1910.] London: James Blackwood & Co., 12/14 Heneage Lane, Bevis Marks, E.C.
£45.00

4to, 4 pp. Bifolium. Nicely printed with vignette of flowers and ribbons on first page. Fair, on aged paper. The firm, boasting establishment in 1849, is described on the first page as 'late of Lovell's Court, Paternoster Row, E.C.', where the announcement is made 'that they have Transferred their Business to the Above Address'. Six new editions of works are advertised on the following two pages, with details given of contents. The last page advertises 'Blackwood's Diaries for 1911' and 'Blackwood's New Series of Scribbling Diaries'.

Catalogue of Books published by James Blackwood & Co., Publishers & Wholesale Stationers.

Author: 
James Blackwood & Co., Publishers and Wholesale Stationers [trade catalogues]
Publication details: 
[Circa 1910.] London: James Blackwood & Co., 8. Lowell's Court, Paternoster Row, E.C. [amended in manuscript to '12/14 Heneage Lane. E.C.']
£75.00

12mo, 24 pp. Unbound. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with rusting to staples. Hundreds of titles, in such series as 'The Unique Library', 'Choice Readings. Books suitable for presents, etc.', 'Universal Library of Standard Authors', 'Blackwood's Edition of the Poets', 'Library of Thoughtful Books' and 'Choice Books for Young Persons'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('David S. Meldrum') to unnamed female correspondent.

Author: 
David Storrar Meldrum (1864-1940), novelist and partner in the publishing house of Blackwood's
Publication details: 
4 September 1897; on company letterhead '37, Paternoster Row, London, E.C.'
£56.00

8vo: 3 pp. On grubby, lightly creased paper. The recipient has made Meldrum a 'pretty present' of her edition of Burns (COPAC provides no clue as to her identity). He finds the volumes 'very dainty', and will read her notes 'with interest'. He has already read her 'Introductions' with 'great pleasure'. He comments on her assessment of a couple of poems and finds her 'standpoint' on 'the man & the poet' 'capital'. 'But you must allow me one criticism: you read into the poems a political significance which I'm sure wasn't there.

Autograph Letter Signed to the naturalist Rev. Francis Orpen Morris (1810-1893).

Author: 
James Blackwood, Scottish publisher
Publication details: 
17 October 1857, on his business letterhead, 8 Lovell's Court, Paternoster Row.
£56.00

8vo: 2 pp. The 'idea is worth Consideration', but Blackwood 'can hardly see how any large sale cann be depended upon, so as to repay the expense of printing advertising &c.' Asks that Morris send him 'one sermon, to indicate style, length & to estimate cost'. Asks what size of paper should be used. Notices that Morris's works are 'principally on natural history'. Likes the idea of 'the <?> natural history', and 'will take an early opportunity of looking at it'. This notable London publisher is a surprising omission from BBTI.

Three Autograph Letters Signed to Mrs [?] Kent.

Author: 
John Bigelow
Publication details: 
14 March 1911, 27 April 1911, and undated.
£250.00

American diplomat and author (1817-1911), editor of Benjamin Franklin's works. All three items are very good on paper discoloured with age, though all with small punch holes for binding in upper corners, resulting to loss to six words of text. All three signed 'John Bigelow'. The second letter represents an important exposition of Bigelow's religious position at the very end of his life. LETTER ONE (14 March 1911, 21 Gramercy Park, two pages, octavo): In response to his correspondent's 'Syrenic appeal' he is sending a cheque for $25, 'at the rate of $5 for the next five years'.

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