BOOKSHOP

[Compton Mackenzie and Christina Foyle.] Seven items relating to a ‘Foyles Literary Lunch’ for . Macqueen-Pope: Two Typed Letters Signed from CM to MP, TLS from Foyle to MP, and carbons of three letters from MP, and four related carbons.

Author: 
Sir Compton Mackenzie (1883-1972), novelist; Christina Foyle (1911-1999), owner of Foyles bookshop, London, who put on the ‘Foyles Literary Lunches’ [W. Macqueen-Pope, theatre historian]
Publication details: 
Dating from between 26 February and 15 May 1951. Mackenzie’s two letters on Denchworth Manor letterhead; Foyle’s letter on letterhead of W. & G. Foyle Ltd., Booksellers, 119-125 Charing Cross Road, London.
£120.00

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry, and those of Foyle and Mackenzie, in the Oxford DNB.) Apart from damage and rust staining from paperclips, the seven items are in good condition. The correspondence mainly concerns a Foyles Literary Lunch for Macqueen-Pope, which Mackenzie was unable to chair because of an attack of bronchitis. All items 1p, 8vo. Mackenzie’s two letters signed ‘Compton Mackenzie’ and Foyle’s signed ‘Christina Foyle’. ONE: Foyle to MP, 26 February 1951. She is forwarding a letter from Mackenzie.

[Timothy D’Arch Smith, bibliographer and bookseller.] Typed Letter Signed (‘Tim’) to London bookseller Andrew Block, thanking him for books including ‘Corvos’.

Author: 
Timothy D’Arch Smith (b.1936), bibliographer, bookseller and chronicler of the ‘Uranian’ group of paedophile poets, manager of The Times Bookshop [Andrew Block, London bookseller; Baron Corvo]
Publication details: 
5 October 1962. On letterhead of The Times Bookshop, 42 Wigmore Street, London W1.
£56.00

For the background to this letter see D’Arch Smith’s memoir ‘The Times Deceas’d: The Rare Book Department of The Times Bookshop in the 1960s’ (2003). The obituary of the recipient Andrew Block (1892-1987) in ‘The Private Library’ was subtitled ‘the doyen of booksellers’; his business was established in 1911. 1p, 4to. Aged and lightly creased. Signed ‘Tim’, with Block writing ‘D’ARCH SMITH’ beside this. Begins: ‘My dear Andrew: / Thanks so much for looking after me so well on Saturday.

Mimeographed typescript history of a club for New York antiquarian booksellers, titled 'The Old Book Table | A Social Organisation | An Informal Record 1931-1970 | Lists of Officers & Members and of Guests of The Old Book Table | &c., &c.'

Author: 
The Old Book Table, club for New York antiquarian booksellers, founded 1931 [Ernest R. Gee; E. Byrne Hackett, Brick Row Bookshop; Frank R. Thoms (Thoms and Eron); Edgar H. Wells; Geoffrey J. L. Gomme]
Publication details: 
Undated [1971]. New York: The OBT [i.e. The Old Book Table].
£400.00

[iv] + 39 + 7 pp, with a further 17 pp loosely inserted at back (making a total of 67 pp), 4to. Good, in maroon plastic folder. Preface followed by list of 'Past Officers, Roster of Members, etc.', 'Chronology of The Old Book Table [1931-1970]' and 'Alphabetical List of Guests 1933-1970'. The loose leaves mainly consist of 'Extracts from the Minutes: 1931-1954'. The preface begins: 'Five members of the antiquarian booktrade in New York City met for a friendly dinner on the night of 9 January 1931. They were: Ernest R. Gee, a leading specialist in sporting and color plate books; E.

[ Christina Foyle of Foyle's Bookshop, London. ] 57 Typed Letters Signed and 20 Autograph Letters Signed to Philip Dosse of 'Books and Bookmen', with letters from her husband Ronald Batty. With other material including correspondence received by her.

Author: 
Christina Foyle (1911-1999), proprietor of London bookshop, Foyle's of Charing Cross Road; her husband Ronald Batty (d.1994) [ Philip Dosse (d.1980) of Hansom Books, publisher of 'Books and Bookmen' ]
Publication details: 
The letters of Foyle and Batty on two letterheads: 'From the Director's Office | W. & G. Foyle Ltd. | Booksellers | 119-125, Charing Cross Road, | London, W.C.2.' and Beeleigh Abbey, Maldon, Essex. Between 1968 and 1980.
£500.00

The collection is in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Of Foyle's 77 letters, 63 are signed 'Christina Foyle' and 14 'Christina'. Almost all 1p., 4to. Foyle's character shines through, an extraordinary mixture of steely determination, frankness and snobbish hauteur (for a good assessment, see her obituary in The Independent, 10 June 1999). Topics include: literary luncheons for Diana Mosley, Dirk Bogarde ('He is so very appealing. My friend Vivian Ellis thinks he is greater than Shakespeare.

[Manuscript] Memorandum of an agreement [...] between Adam Boobyer, Bookseller,[of 6 Seymour Row, Little Chelsea] and William Boobyer Bookseller of Pomona Place Eelbrook [Fulham]

Author: 
Adam Boobyer, William Boobyer, booksellers in West London
Publication details: 
25 December 1839.
£150.00

Three pages, cr.8vo, bifolium, fold marks, small closed tear on fold, some staining, but text clear and complete. Text in William Boobyer's hand, by comparison with signatures. There are twelve numbered clauses in the Agreement. 1. That Adam Boobyer should conduct the business at 6 Seymour Row for them both. 2. All "monies" "be accounted for to Adam Boobyer". 3. William Boobyer shall receive 30s from the profits. 4. Independently of clause 3, William to receive a "fair share of the increase of profits" and "five percent upon all cash above eighty pounds per month which is taken". 5.

[Auction catalogue.] Library of Books which Jolly & Son, Ltd., Incorporated Auctioneers will sell by Auction on Friday, 5th May, 1939, commencing at two o'clock. [By direction of Mrs. Haynes-Smith, of Turleigh Mill House, Nr. Bath, and other Owners.]

Author: 
Jolly & Son, Ltd., Incorporated Auctioneers, The Auction Rooms, Charlotte Street, Bath
Publication details: 
Jolly & Son, Ltd., The Auction Rooms, Charlotte Street, Bath. [Harding & Curtis, Ltd., Bath.] 1939.
£120.00

7pp., 8vo. Stapled. In poor condition, on aged and worn paper. The prices, and in most cases the names of the purchasers, are untidily given in pencil, the buyers seeming to be mainly members of the West Country trade, and including George [of Bristol], Grey, Lowe, Colbeck, Cox Towes, Brown, Williams. A collection strongly biased towards the English novel, with Henry James particularly well represented. A small collection of 'Dutch Books' features at the end of the sale. A scarce item, with no copy traced either on COPAC or on WorldCat.

Mimeographed typescript history of a club for New York antiquarian booksellers, titled 'The Old Book Table | A Social Organisation | An Informal Record 1931-1970 | Lists of Officers & Members and of Guests of The Old Book Table | &c., &c.'

Author: 
The Old Book Table, club for New York antiquarian booksellers, founded 1931 [Ernest R. Gee; E. Byrne Hackett, Brick Row Bookshop; Frank R. Thoms (Thoms and Eron); Edgar H. Wells; Geoffrey J. L. Gomme]
Publication details: 
Undated [1971]. New York: The OBT [i.e. The Old Book Table].
£600.00

[iv] + 39 + 7 pp, with a further 17 pp loosely inserted at back (making a total of 67 pp), 4to. Good, in maroon plastic folder. Preface followed by list of 'Past Officers, Roster of Members, etc.', 'Chronology of The Old Book Table [1931-1970]' and 'Alphabetical List of Guests 1933-1970'. The loose leaves mainly consist of 'Extracts from the Minutes: 1931-1954'. The preface begins: 'Five members of the antiquarian booktrade in New York City met for a friendly dinner on the night of 9 January 1931. They were: Ernest R. Gee, a leading specialist in sporting and color plate books; E.

Number Four in the series of Christmas cards printed by the Favil Press for the Poetry bookshop, containing the poem 'The Curate's Christmas Eve' by Monro, and two coloured engravings by Stewart, one entitled 'Decorations'.

Author: 
Harold Monro (1879-1932); Alistair Stewart; The Favil Press; The Poetry Bookshop
Publication details: 
No date [circa 1928]. Printed 'by The Favil Press, 152 Church Street, Kensington, W.8 and published, in collaboration with the printers, by The Poetry Bookshop, 38 Great Russell Street, London, W.C.1.'
£45.00

Printed on one side of a piece of paper roughly 46 x 32 cm, folded twice to make a 23 x 16 cm card. Good, on lightly aged and spotted paper. On the front is a small illustration in green and black, roughly 7.5 x 6 cm, showing a picture of a domestic Christmas interior in an ivy-topped frame. Inside the card, on the left-hand page, is Monro's poem, of 18 lines arranged in three stanzas, beginning, 'The Curate and the Spinster sit.

Typed Letter, signed by 'C B', 'per W. & G. Foyle, Ltd, to C. F. Bradshaw, headmaster of the Council School at Cresswell, Worksop, Derbyshire.

Author: 
Foyles Bookshop [W. & G. Foyle Ltd of 119-125 Charing Cross Road, London booksellers]
Publication details: 
18 March 1939; on 'W & G FOYLE LTD' letterhead.
£22.00

4to, 1 p. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper with minor rust stain from paperclip at head. Letterhead, in light and dark blue, featuring globe and the mottos 'BOOKSELLERS TO THE WORLD' and 'STOCK OF NEARLY THREE MILLION VOLUMES'. Thirteen lines of text. Bradshaw is clearly unhappy at the price asked for a copy of Cox's 'Memorials of Old Derbyshire'. 'The writer would point out that we received six reports regarding this book from various clients, but in no case at a price allowing us to quote below 15/-.

Itemised invoice, and receipt signed by Thornton, to 'Llewellin Esqr.'

Author: 
James Thornton, bookseller of 33 High Street, Oxford [Thornton's bookshop; Joseph Thornton (1808-1891)]
Publication details: 
Marked as paid on 17 March 1876. On the firm's printed letterhead.
£56.00

Printed on one side of a piece of paper 13.5 x 16.5 cm. In good condition. Ruled in light blue, with letterhead in black: 'To James Thornton, New and Second-Hand Bookseller, Stationer, &c., 33, High Street, opposite University College Gateway. | Books bought or exchanged. | Binding in all its branches. | Interest Charged after Twelve Months' Credit. | The usual discount for cash.' Lists purchases made on four dates between November 1875 and January 1876, totalling £2 1s 10d, and marked as 'Subject to discount'. Beneath this, in purple ink is written 'Paid 17/3/76.

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