BRAM

1p., 4to. On bifolium. Aged and worn, with small spots at head and foot. Irving's signature is firm and bold. The only other words in his autograph are 'Dear Hall Caine', but there is slight offsetting of other writing by Irving on the blank second leaf. The circular is an invitation to be 'placed on the list of Stewards on the occasion of the Annual Dinner of "The Actors' Benevolent Fund," of which I am the President'. Irving will be in the chair, and the dinner will take place at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropole.

An attractive item, in good condition, lightly aged and spotted. On one side of a piece of 17.5 x 25 cm landscape paper, with the autograph writing on the right-hand side and the 15 x 10 cm print of a studio portrait laid down on the left-hand side. Caine was a striking and instantly-recognisable individual, and the photograph shows him in characteristic style, bare-headed in his usual dress of long double-breasted coat with white cravat, staring intently at the camera, with a book in his right hand, and his right hand draped across his left thigh, his left leg being elevated on a chair.

8vo, 3 pp. Bifolium on laid paper. Fair, aged and lightly-creased. 'Composed in Lexicon, designed by Bram de Does in 1992. 250 copies printed by Offsetdrukkerij Jan de Jong, Amsterdam. | Presented to the members of The Wynknyn de Worde Society on the occasion of the International Luncheon Meeting 21 September 1995.' The facsimile of the letter, by 'Jan', dated 'Heemstede 12 March 1947', is on both sides of the first leaf. Biograpical printed text by Dreyfus on recto of second leaf, the verso of which is blank.

Dimensions 25 x 20 cm: [ii] + 87 pp, all on rectos. Bound in stained yellow wraps, with black tape spine. Well-thumbed, but in fair condition internally, tight, clear and complete. The names of the eight actors are added in pencil in the list of characters. In the first six cases only the christian names are given ('Dracula' is given as 'Alan'), but 'Professor Abraham van Helsing' is played by Andrew Turner, and 'Lucy Westenra' by Jannina Tredwell (who featured in a 1974 revival of the musical 'Hair').

Five pages, folio, folded, good condition. A list of 141 names and addresses, a few with a line through, ticks or crosses at the side of many, and the letters "C" or "L". Names include the Marquis of Normandy, the Earl of Zetland, Vicars, women (inc. "The Hon. Miss Dawney") and others (no celebrity as far as I can judge). Addresses usually Whitby or close.