COPY

[Richard O'Gorman, outlaw or Irish Nationalist; Rising in July 1848] [COPIES] Letter from Mick Blake, of the Barque Barbara, to the Captain of Police, about O'Gorman'smovements. WITH COPY (verso) Letter from Nath[anie]l Spiner to Earl of Bantry

Author: 
Mick Blake, Captain of the Barque Barbara, and another [Richard O'Gorman Jr, outlaw or Irish Nationalist]
Publication details: 
[Blake] Barque Barbara, Valentia Harbour 23 August 1848; [Spiner] Castletown, 23 August 1848
£250.00

Contemporary copies (all in same hand);original letters untraced. Good condition but rough edge on left indicates removed perhaps from a collection.

[Richard O'Gorman, outlaw or Irish Nationalist; Rising in July 1848] [COPIES] Letter from MIck Blake, of the Barque Barbara, to the Captain of Police, about O'Gorman'smovements. WITH COPY (verso) Letter from Nath[anie]l Spiner to Earl of Bantry

Author: 
Mick Blake, Captain of the Barque Barbara, and another [Richard O'Gorman Jr, outlaw or Irish Nationalist]
O'Gorman
Publication details: 
[Blake] Barque Barbara, Valentia Harbour 23 August 1848; [Spiner] Castletown, 23 August 1848
£450.00
O'Gorman

Contemporary copies (all in same hand);original letters untraced. Good condition but rough edge on left indicates removed perhaps from a collection.

[John Carter and Percy Muir, Editors; enclosed Prospectuses, one inscribed &annotated by John Carter] PRINTING AND THE MIND OF MAN. A Descriptive Catalogue Illustrating the Impact of Print on the Evolution of Western Civilization [...]..

Author: 
John Carter and Percy Muir Editors
Publication details: 
London and New York Cassell & Co. 1967. First Edition.
£350.00

Pp.[xxxiv].280, dj sl. worn edges, end of front endpaper with fold marks, book in very good condition. Illustrated throughout and with the fine double-page title printed in red and white (by Reynolds Stone). Note: Barbara Kaye (Muir), Percy Muir's widow, purchased this copy at auction (Bloomsbury) and sold it to me after exhibiting it at the Cafe Royal in 1996. She added a pencil note to the front endpaper: Presentation copy from co-editor [John Carter] to John Rayner. With cutting of review of book by Head Master of Eton Dr Robert Birley.

[Laurence Housman; authorial inscription and signatures; Ethel Mannin inscription; book] Cynthia

Author: 
Laurence Housman [multiple Association copy]
Publication details: 
Ltd edn, one of 500 copies signed Laurence Housman, published by Sidgwick & Jackson, printed by the Alcuin Press,1947.
£120.00

Pp. [vi]+40 (last colophon), the title page printed in green & black; cr. 4to; green cloth with printed paper title label (slightly soiled) on spine and spare label tipped-in at end, the cloth stained with printing ink?? (see image), spine and upper board faded, bottom fore-corners bruised; endpapers heavily foxed. But, despite condition, an interesting Association Copy to which Housman has added the following inscription to his formal signature beneath the colophon: To Reg Reynolds | (retrospectively, for the occasion of his marriage, wishing him all happiness) | With the Author's love.

[Lady Londonderry [Castlereagh; Lord Nelson; Trafalgar]] COPY (just contemporary) Letter on the death of Lord Nelson. From Lady Londonderry to her Son, Lord Castlereagh November 13th 1805.

Author: 
Lady Londonderry [Castlereagh; Lord Nelson; Trafalgar]
Publication details: 
Original letter, 13 Nov. 1805. Watermark on this copy, Bally & Co Bath, 1808.
£150.00

Two Pages, 4to, bifolium, remnants of tipping in process, good condition. A variant text, differing from the text thrown up by Googlebooks(no doubt itself a variant!). (Original letter appears to be in the BL, Add MSS 31022, f.14- not consulted). It omits Lady Castlereagh's initial sentence (in the version found (on Google) in The Naval Battles of Great Britain (it appears standard): I thank you a thousand times for your interesting letter. Then minor changes.

[Christopher Fry's copy of W. H. Auden's first published book, with Fry's ownership inscription dated to the year of publication.] Poems.

Author: 
W. H. Auden; Christopher Fry
Publication details: 
London: Faber & Faber, 24 Russell Square. 1930.
£650.00

In folding box, dark blue, gt. 79pp, 8vo. In plain white card wraps, in blue dustwrapper printed in black, with red border to cover. Ownership inscription in blue ink on front free endpaper: 'Christopher Fry | 1930'. Hardly the best of copies, but a good association between two of the three giants of the twentieth-century English verse play (Eliot being the other). Internally tight, on lightly-aged paper, in aged and worn wraps. The dustwrapper is in poor condition, stained, chipped, and separated into several loose parts along the folds, with spine and back cover tipped-in onto the wraps.

[Christopher Fry: 'The Dark is Light Enough', Corrected Proofs.] Revise Proofs of the first edition of 'The Dark is Light Enough' (Oxford University Press), with Autograph Emendations.

Author: 
Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright [Oxford University Press]
Publication details: 
[London and New York: Oxford University Press, 1954.] Red ink stamp at foot of first page: '15 APR 1954 | REVISE'.
£650.00

103pp, 8vo. Revises of the text of the play (and not the prelims) in unbound signatures. In fair condition, lightly aged. Red ink stamp at foot of pp.1 and 40: '15 APR 1954 | REVISE'. Numerous autograph emendations, nearly all minor and relating to accidentals, but with five verbal changes, of which the following two are the most significant. Printed on p.9: 'KASSEL. Well, Bella, does she seem to be in trouble? | BELLA. She says the only trouble is us who trouble ourselves.' amended in autograph to 'KASSEL. Well, Bella, where has she been/ | BELLA.

[Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis.] Proof Copy: 'Arthurian Torso Containing the Posthumous Fragment of The Figure of Arthur by Charles William and a Commentary on the Arthurian Poems of Charles Williams by C. S. Lewis Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford'

Author: 
Charles Williams, C. S. Lewis [The Inklings, Oxford University; J. R. R. Tolkien]
Publication details: 
London: Geoffrey Cumberlege, Oxford University Press. 1948.
£1,500.00

[8] + 200pp, 8vo. In light-brown wraps with title repeated on front cover. Worn, on aged paper, with the upper back few leaves dogeared, and spotting at foot of first few leaves. The present proof must in some regard differ from the published version, whose various listings on COPAC give it 200pp, rather than the 199pp here. Lewis's two-page 'Introductory' concludes with a vivid picture of the Inklings: 'The first two chapters had been read aloud by the author to Professor Tolkien and myself.

[ Presentation copy. ] Red Cross in Serbia 1915-1919. A personal diary of experiences by Elsie Corbett.

Author: 
Elsie Corbett [ British Red Cross in Serbia in the First World War ]
Publication details: 
Cheney & Sons Ltd, Banbury, Oxon. 1964.
£120.00

xiii + 186pp., 8vo. With map and 13 plates, several of them printed on both sides. In green cloth binding. No dustwrapper. Internally in good condition, lightly aged, in worn and spotted binding. The inscription, on the front free endpaper, is in Corbett's autograph, and reads 'To Nurse and Arthur | From Elsie Corbett'. Elsie Cameron Corbett (1896-1977) was the daughter of Archibald Corbett, 1st Baron Rowallan (1856-1933), and sister of a Governor of Tasmania.

[ Sir Bertram Sausmerez Carey on the Burma Labour Corps: signed presentation copy. ] A Recruiting Speech made by the Hon'ble Mr. B. S. Carey, C.S.I., at Sagaing, on 1st November 1917.'

Author: 
B. S. Carey [ Sir Bertram Sausmerez Carey (1864-1919), Commissioner at Sagaing in the Burma Civil Service; the Burma Labour Corps, First World War ]
Publication details: 
'Printed by order of the Government of Burma. | G, B. C. P. O. [i.e. Government of Burma Central Printing Office ] - No. 867, Chief Secy, 9(a), 19-11-17 [ i.e. 19 November 1917 ] - 150. [i.e. 150 copies ]'
£450.00

11pp., 8vo. Unbound as issued: on three bifoliums attached at one corner with string. In good condition, lightly aged. Inscribed by Carey above the drophead title: 'Mrs. H. Tonkinson with grateful thanks for her work in connection with the Corps | B. S. Carey'. (See p.10: 'I cannot leave the subject without paying a tribute to Mrs. Tonkinson for her untiring and successful efforts as Honorary Secretary of the Committee.

[ William J. S. Lockyer, astronomer. ] Offprint, with presentation signature, of '"The Solar Activity 1833-1900." By William J. S. Lockyer, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.A.S., Assistant Director, Solar Physics Observatory, Kensington.'

Author: 
William J. S. Lockyer [ William James Stewart Lockyer ] (1868-1936), astronomer, son of Sir Norman Lockyer (1836-1920)
Publication details: 
'From the Proceedings of the Royal Society, Vol. 68.' [ London, 1901 ] [ Harrison & Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her late Majesty, St. Martin's Lane. ]
£120.00

[16]pp., 8vo, paginated 285-300. Stitched into grey printed wraps. On aged and chipped high-acidity paper. Inscribed at head of front wrap: 'With the Compliments of | William J. S. Lockyer | 28.VI.01'. See Lockyer's obituary in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol.97 (1937), pp.275-277. The only copies on OCLC WorldCat at the British Library and Observatoire de Paris.

[ Presentation copy to fellow bookseller Anthony Rota. ] Remainders | from the Times Literary Supplement 1980-1989.

Author: 
Eric Korn [ (1933-2014), antiquarian bookseller and polymath ] [ Anthony Rota (1932-2009), antiquarian bookseller ]
Publication details: 
Manchester: Carcanet Press Limited. 1989.
£35.00

xi + 213pp., 8vo. In good condition, in like dustwrapper on which Korn is depicted, in characteristic lurid t-shirt, leaning against a shelf of books. Autograph inscription by Korn in blue ink on reverse of half-title: 'A. R. | d. d. | E. K. | "more stimulating than Highlife" - West Drayton Observer.' Beneath this, in pencil in another hand: '1 . xi. 89 | @ 31,000 feet.' For more on this remarkable man, see the obituary by his son Andrew Korn and memoir by Michael Frayn in the Independent, 19 December 2014.

[ Cyril Connolly, literary critic. ] Autograph Note Signed to 'Mr Rota' (bookseller Anthony Rota), with signed copy of his book 'Previous Convictions'.

Author: 
Cyril Connolly (1903-1974), literary critic [ Anthony Rota (1932-2009), antiquarian bookseller ]
Publication details: 
Note on letterhead of the Sunday Times, London; 27 August [ 1969 ]. 'Previous Convictions' published by Hamish Hamilton, London, 1963.
£35.00

NOTE: Autograph Note Signed. 1p., 12mo. Lightly stamped with date of receipt, 28 August 1969. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Reads: 'Dear Mr Rota, | I hope & believe this is one you havent got - it needs a touch of ink eraser - | Gratefully, yrs | Cyril Connolly'. At foot of page, in Rota's autograph: 'About exchanging issues of Personal Landscape [i.e. Lawrence Durrell's magazine]'. BOOK: xv + 414pp., 8vo. In good condition in like dustwrapper. Connolly has scored through his name on the title page and written beneath it in blue ink 'Cyril Connolly.'

[ Presentation copy. ] Tokens of the Eighteenth Century connected with Booksellers & Bookmakers (Authors, Printers, Publishers, Engravers and Paper Makers)

Author: 
W. Longman [ William Longman (1882-1967) ]
Publication details: 
Longmans, Green and Co. 39 Paternoster Row, London. 1916.
£56.00

90pp., 8vo. Eleven plates and one full-page illustration in text. In good condition internally, on lightly-aged paper, in worn blue cloth gilt. Inscribed on front free endpaper: 'With the Author's compliments | March 5 1917'. Beneath the inscription in another hand: 'Presented to The Library of The Bookseller's Retreat. Abbots Langley.'

[ Presentation copy. ] Dickens' London. A Lantern Lecture by Cumberland Clark. As delivered to The London Society, The London Hampshire Society, The Dickens Society, etc., etc. [ With newspaper article about the author. ]

Author: 
Cumberland Clark [ Charles Dickens and London ]
Publication details: 
Printed by Wass, Pritchard & Co., Ltd. 85, Fenchurch Street, London, E.C.3. 1923.
£50.00

103pp., 8vo. In brown cloth boards, with title in gilt on cover. In good condition internally, on lightly-aged paper, in worn cloth binding. Inscribed by the author on front free endpaper: 'Presentation copy with Author's compliments | Cumberland Clark'. Four copies only on COPAC, at the British Library, Oxford, Guildhall and Bishopsgate Institute. Now uncommon. Laid down on the front pastedown is a copy of an article 'From the Kensington News, Nov. 16, 1923', titled 'A Gifted Publicist and a Versatile Patriot'.

[Presentation copy from the author.] Selected Verses by Virginia Graham 1939-1945.

Author: 
Virginia Graham [best friend of the comedienne Joyce Grenfell]
Publication details: 
Printed by the Broadwater Press Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, Herefordshire. [1945.]
£56.00

[2] + 44pp., 8vo. In lilac paper wraps with title in silver on front cover. Internally in good condition on lightly-aged paper; in worn wraps with creased corner at rear and small square of staining from label on front cover. Inscribed on front pastedown: 'With best wishes | from | Virginia Graham. | 1946.' A charming collection in Grenfell mode, with poems including 'Café Triste' (beginning: 'Miss Tomkinson, do you suppose | That you and I | On this same day next year | Will still be sitting here, | Eating this vegetable pie | Covered white glucose?') and 'V J Day' (beginning: 'Hurray!

[Caxton Club; inscribed by many members] Printers' Marks and Devices

Author: 
Howard W. Winger
Publication details: 
The Caxton Club, Chicago, 1976.
£230.00

Limited Edition, no.464 of 600, designed by John B. Goetz. There is a calligraphic presentation inscription on the front free endpaper, "Presented to Anthony Rota [distinguished modern first dealer] on the occasion of the Septmber 28, 1988 meeting of the Caxton Club with the appreciation of the members and guests whose signatures appear below." There are 81 signatures, commencing with Charles [?] Cullen, David G. Hilliard and concluding with Harrison Hayford and an indecipherable.

[printed draft copy] Dated 24th Day of September, 1883. Charing Cross Hospital. Royal Charter of Incorporation. Fladgate, Smith & Fladgate, 40, Craven Street, Street, Solicitors for the Hospital.

Author: 
[Charing Cross Hospital, London, Royal Charter of Incorporation, 1883]
Charing Cross Hospital, London, Royal Charter of Incorporation, 1883
Publication details: 
[London.] G. Norman and Son, Printers, Hart Street, Covent Garden. [Fladgate, Smith & Fladgate, 40, Craven Street, Solicitors for the Hospital.]
£125.00
Charing Cross Hospital, London, Royal Charter of Incorporation, 1883

Folio, 12 + [i] pp. Text clear and complete, with a few pencil underlinings. Aged and somewhat worn. Folded vertically in the centre to make the conventional long legal packet, with the right-hand side of the reverse of the last leaf (with is stamped in red with the number 273683) carrying the printed title, with the address of the solicitors altered in pencil to 18 Pall Mall SW1, and with two manuscript names deleted: 'Mr. Finlay. Q.C. | Mr. Rowland Gibson'. Unsigned draft copy. No copy of this historical item on COPAC.

The theatre director's copy of a bound typescript of a provincial production of ' "DRACULA" Adapted from Bram Stoker's world famous novel by REED KENT'. With manuscript emendations and additions, including stage plan.

Author: 
Reed Kent (pseudonym?) [Bram Stoker; Dracula; Michael Macdona, theatre producer]
Publication details: 
Macdona Productions Ltd, 34 Danbury Street, London. [Performed (in the nineteen-seventies?) at Bognor and Clacton.]
£225.00

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').

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.

Proof ('Saunders sculp.'), 'Engraved for Ashburton's History of England', of 'Henry II after having his Son crowned King serving the first dish to his Table'.

Author: 
[Charles Alfred Ashburton; Ashburton's History of England; Joseph Saunders, engraver; W. & J. Statford, Print Sellers, High Holborn, London]
Publication details: 
Published by W. & J. Stratfords, No: 112 Holborn Hill March 16, 1793.'
£28.00

On wove paper, with watermark '179< >'. Dimensions roughly 22.5 x 39 cm. Very good on lightly aged paper. One small unobtrusive spot of foxing. The illustration is within an oval roughly 21.5 cm wide, enclosed in a decorative box of dimensions 18 x 27.5 cm. A couple of bishops with croziers and a mass of nobles in ermine look on in a vaulted castle hall while Henry II presents what looks like a pie to his bemused offspring, who is seated beneath a canopy.

Autograph Card Signed ('Marshall P. Wilder') to the English publisher [William Swan] Sonnenschein (1855-1934).

Author: 
Marshall Pinckney Wilder (1859-1914), American humourist
Publication details: 
19 August 1889; on Marshall's letterhead from 'The Alpine', 55 West 33rd. Street, New York.
£28.00

8.5 x 11 cms. Grubby and lightly spotted. Reads 'My dear Mr Sonnenschein | Kindly send draft as I can collect here - | Merrily Yours | Marshall P. Wilder'. Presumably refers to the English printing of his 'The people I've smiled with: recollections of a merry little life' (1889).

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mrs Valentine'.

Author: 
Victor Sawdon Pritchett
Publication details: 
16 December 1985; on letterhead '12 REGENTS PARK TERRACE | LONDON N.W.I'.
£28.00

English novelist (1900-96). One page, octavo. Good, but with slight marking from staple in top left-hand corner. He is glad his correspondent is 'having therapy for your bad back for, hard work though it is, and must be in your case, I'm sure you will find it helpful. | About author's proofs, they of course usually go back to publishers; but what I am glad to be able to send you is the jacket of my latest book which at least has a picture and my signature, and I hope it will, at least, be decorative in your study.' Signed 'Victor S Pritchett'.

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