DUNBAR

[Sheila Shannon, poet, and wife of Patric Dickinson; personalised] Copy of her poetry collection 'The Lightning-Struck Tower, inscribed to her husband's mistress Sarah Hamilton, with two ALSs from her to Hamilton, and two printed keepsakes.

Author: 
Sheila Shannon [Sheila Dunbar Shannon] (1913-2002), poet, wife of Patric Dickinson [Patric Thomas Dickinson] (1914-1994), poet, translator, BBC radio broadcaster
Publication details: 
BOOK: London: Frederick Muller Ltd., 1947. AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED: 19 February 1965 and 16 June 1994.
£100.00

Sarah Shannon (married name Sarah Dickinson) was a fine poet in her own right (see the blurb quoted in Item One below), and it is unfortunate that she allowed herself to be eclipsed by her husband the self-styled ‘poet and impresario of poetry’, Patric Dickinson. He occupied a central position in the cultural landscape of post-war Britain. As an editor and broadcaster he worked with poets such as Dylan Thomas, Cecil Day Lewis and Roy Campbell, actresses Flora Robson, Peggy Ashcroft and Jill Balcon, and actors Robert Donat, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud.

[The Earl of Shaftesbury to Lord John Russell.] Autograph Letter Signed to Russell, regarding a memorial to Rev. Sir William Dunbar, ‘a very deserving man’ whom he considers was ‘grossly treated’ by Bishop Skinner of Aberdeen.

Author: 
The Earl of Shaftesbury [Anthony Ashley Cooper, Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury] (1801-1885), politician and philanthropist [Lord John Russell; William Skinner, Bishop of Aberdeen; Sir William Dunbar]
Publication details: 
14 November 1851. No place.
£60.00

An interesting letter, indicating the piety underlining Shaftesbury’s philanthropy. See his long entry in the Oxford DNB, which sums up his achievements as ‘very substantial’ and ‘a source of enduring inspiration to others’, together with those of Russell and Skinner, the last of which contains, regarding the part of the ‘Drummondite controversy’ relating to the Rev.

[Presentation copy, in leather binding by A. Thom & Co., Dublin.] Étude sur William Dunbar par Cécile Steinberger.

Author: 
Cécile Steinberger [William Dunbar, Scottish poet; A. Thom & Co., Dublin bookbinders]
Publication details: 
Dublin: Imprimérie de l'Université. Ponsonby & Gibbs, 1908.
£200.00

[2] + 187pp., 8vo. With errata slip. In fair condition internally, on aged and lightly-spotted paper, in a somewhat worn and aged decorative green leather binding, with subtle floral design in gilt on cover, dentelles, all edges gilt, and green decorative endpapers. Stamp of 'A. THOM & CO. LTD. | BINDERS' on rear free endpaper. The book is inscribed at the head of the title page: 'With kindest regards from | Cécile Steinberger'. Uncommon: no copy in the British Library, and only three copies on COPAC.

Autograph Letter Signed ('John Trotter') to Hay, with signed 'List of Payments made to Sir William Forbes of Hunter & Co. by the undermentioned partners of the East Lothian & Merse Whalefishing Company Since the 6th of March 1805'.

Author: 
John Trotter [The East Lothian & Merse Whale Fishing Company; James Hay, Writer to the Signet, Edinburgh; Sir William Forbes (1739-1806) of Pitsligo]
Publication details: 
6 April 1805; Dunbar.
£165.00

4to bifolium. Very good on aged paper. The letter covers the whole of the recto of the second leaf, the reverse of which carries the address and docketing: '6th. April 1805 | John Trotter - with List of payments to Sir Wm. Forbes & Co. on acct. of the whale fishing Cy.' Trotter quotes at length from a 'paragraph' in a letter he has received from William Forbes & Co, explaining why a credit 'does not appear in the annexed statement, as the receipt has not been delivered up to us'.

Autograph Letter Signed to Sir Henry [Trueman] Wood, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Sir George Duff-Sutherland-Dunbar
Publication details: 
12 November 1915; on War Office letterhead.
£23.00

British soldier and historian (1878-1962). One page, quarto. Very good. Bearing the Society's stamp. '[...] I will be permitted by my duties to have the honour of attending at the Royal Society of Arts on the 17th. Instant at 4.30 pm in order to receive the Medal awarded to me by the Society. | I have also to acknowledge with thanks the kind invitation of the Council to attend in the Council Room before the Meeting [...]'. Signed 'G Duff Sutherland Dunbar'.

Syndicate content