HUMORIST

['By consent of the Police? NO.': E. V. Knox, editor of 'Punch'.] Typed Card Signed from Cyril Clemens of the Internation Mark Twain Society, asking for Knox's 'definition of democracy', with carbon copy of Knox's reply.

Author: 
Cyril Coniston Clemens (1902-1999), founder of the International Mark Twain Society, the writer’s third cousin twice removed; E. V. Knox [Edmund George Valpy Knox, ‘Evoe’] (1881-1971), 'Punch' editor
Publication details: 
Clemens' TCS: 10 January 1969, with his stamp as president of the Internation Mark Twain Society, Webster Groves, Missouri. Carpon of Knox's reply, 1 March 1949.
£90.00

See Knox’s entry in the Oxford DNB. The two items are in fair condition, lightly aged and creased, each with a couple of lightly-rusted pin holes. Clemens’s plain card, with stamps and postmarks, is addressed to ‘E. V. Knox Esq / c/o Punch / London, England.’, and is signed ‘faithfully / C C Clemens’. The message reads: ‘Dear E.V. Knox / We hope the life of President Truman reached you safely? / The Society is arranging a symposium on democracy You may care to send your definition of democracy and a few comments.

[‘I used it because I meant it’: Nicolas Bentley, writer, illustrator and cartoonist.] Typed Letter Signed to V. H. Collins, defending his use of the phrase ‘I am afraid’.

Author: 
Nicolas Bentley [born Nicholas Clerihew Bentley] (1907-1978), writer, illustrator and cartoonist [Vere Henry Collins]
Publication details: 
10 October 1955. On letterhead of Andre Deutsch Limited, Publishers, 12-14 Carlisle Street, Soho Square, London W1.
£50.00

See his entry by Ruari Maclean in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Vere Henry Collins (1872-1966), was an author and grammatical stickler. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. With Bentley’s distinctive stylized signature ‘Nicolas Bentley’. After thanking him for his letter he writes (apparently with reference to a newspaper article): ‘I am sorry if in using the phrase “I am afraid” I ruffled your grammatical sensibilities. I used it because I meant it.

[Kenneth Horne, much-loved comedian whose BBC radio series included 'Round the Horne'.] Autograph Note Signed, cut from a letter, regarding Frank Muir, pronunciation and a taxi to the Savoy.

Author: 
Kenneth Horne (1907-1969), much-loved comedian with three BBC radio series ‘Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh’ (1944–54), ‘Beyond Our Ken’ (1958–64) and ‘Round the Horne’ (1965–68) [Frank Muir (1920-1998)]
Horne
Publication details: 
No place or date.
£35.00
Horne

See Horne and Muir's entries in the Oxford DNB. On one side of 8.5 x 20.5 piece of paper cut from the conclusion of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. With fold from postage. Good firm signature. Reads: 'Re above from Frank Muir, I pronounced the name to my taxi-driver and had no difficulty. After he had taken me to the Savoy I came back here and had a marvellous meal / Kenneth Horne'. See image.

[E. V. Knox, editor of Punch.] Autograph Text of Prize-giving speech for speech day at Brookfield Secondary School for Girls, Highgate, with two versions of programme, and covering note.

Author: 
E. V. Knox [Edmund George Valpy Knox] (1881-1971, 'Evoe'), editor of Punch, 1932-1949, essayist, poet and humorist [Brookfield Secondary School for Girls, Highgate, London]
Publication details: 
Speech dated by Knox 19 July 1951. The two programmes for Brookfield Secondary School for Girls [Highgate, London], Speech Day, 1951. Knox's covering note on his letterhead, 110 Frognal, NW3.
£220.00

See Knox's entry in the Oxford DNB, along with those of his father and three brothers. The school was in existence in various places and under various names between 1914 and 1965. Four items, in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: Autograph Speech by Knox, headed 'BROOKFIELD SCHOOL'. Dated 19 July 1951. 3pp, 12mo. On three leaves held together with brass stud, with directions to the school on reverse of last leaf. Written in capital letters. Knox begins by noting the prizes: 'Difficult to think of anything else when one sees this table loaded with gifts.

[E. V. Knox, editor of Punch.] Untitled Autograph Essay criticising parenting in 'the age of the child', and 'old men' behaving like 'toddlers'.

Author: 
E. V. Knox [Edmund George Valpy Knox; pen-name 'Evoe'] (1881-1971), editor of Punch, 1932-1949, essayist, poet and humorist
Publication details: 
Without place and date. [London, 1930s or 1940s?]
£120.00

See Knox's entry in the Oxford DNB, along with those of his father and three brothers. 8pp, 4to. Paginated and complete; on eight leaves held together with a rusting paperclip. In fair condition, aged and creased. A fair copy, with occasional emendations. There is no indication that this essay was published. A polished piece of writing by an accomplished essayist, lightly humorous but with serious intent, Knox's aim being to put forward the view that modern childhood is more self-indulgent than that of previous generations, and results is the self-deceit of adults who have never grown up.

[ B.P. Shillaber; humorist ] Autograph Note Signed B.P. Shillaber to a Walter G. Webster responding to a request for his autograph

Author: 
B.P. Shillaber [Benjamin Penhallow Shillaber (1814-1890), American printer, editor, and humorist.]
Publication details: 
Chelsea, Mass., 20 July 1872.
£50.00

Part of leaf from exercise book (it seems), 12.5 x 11.5cm, laid down on paper slightly larger, good condition. Dear Sir: I comply with your request very willingly, and subscribe myself Yours autographically | and truly | B.P. Chillaber | for sef and | Mrs Partington.

[Thomas Anstey Guthrie ['F. Anstey'], Punch humorist and novelist.] Autograph Letter Signed 'Anstey Guthrie' to the actor-manager Arthur Chudleigh, sending a present and commenting on the success of 'Pinero's brilliant play'.

Author: 
Thomas Anstey Guthrie ['F. Anstey'] (1856-1934), Punch humorist, novelist and journalist, author of 'Vice Versa' and 'The Tinted Venus' ['Arthur Chudleigh' [Arthur Lillies], actor-manager]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 16 Duke Street Mansions, Grosvenor Square, W [London]. 18 February 1911.
£45.00

1p, 12mo. Letterhead in green. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of glue from mount adhering to blank reverse. Addressed to 'My dear Chudleigh'. He asks him to accept 'the accompanying volume', which he ordered to be bound for him 'weeks ago but it has only turned up this morning'. He is 'delighted to know that Pinero's brilliant play seems to he having the great success it deserves'.

[ Thomas [ Tom] Hood, humorist and playwright. ] Autograph Note Signed to 'Teg' [ .B. Tegetmeier, naturalist, member of Savage Club], regarding the songs Elizabeth Philp has sent to the Queen.

Author: 
[ Thomas Hood ] Tom Hood (1835-1874), humorist and playwright, editor of the magazine Fun, and founder of Tom Hood's Comic Annual [ Elizabeth Philp (1827-1885), singer, music editor and composer ] W
Publication details: 
Without place or date.
£35.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, laid down on part of a page from an album. Reads: 'Dear Teg. | Miss Elizabeth Philp has sent a batch of Songs of her own Company to the Queen. Will you kindly interest yourself to get them a notice?'

[ William Pett Ridge, novelist and humorist. ] Autograph Card Signed ('W. Pett Ridge'), apologising for being unable to attend a meeting.

Author: 
W. Pett Ridge [ William Pett Ridge ] (1859-1930), English novelist and humorous journalist with the St James Gazette
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Garrick Club, London. 'Wednesday' [no date].
£25.00

On both sides of a card. In good condition, with light aging. He hopes she will have 'a very succcessful meeting', but cannot give 'a promise to attend', as other matters are 'engaging, just now, all the attention I have to spare'.

[ P. G. Wodehouse, humorist. ] Two typewritten drafts, each with autograph emendations, of 'The Day I met the Master', Barrie Pitt's account of his encounter with Wodehouse in Tost internment camp. With printed version the article, and other material

Author: 
[ P. G. Wodehouse [ Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse ] (1881-1975), English humorist ] Barrie Pitt (1918-2006), military historian, editor of 'Purnell's History of the Second World War'
Publication details: 
1992 and 1993.
£180.00

All items in good condition, with minor signs of age. The drafts are both printed on yellow paper. Each is 4pp., 4to. The two appear the same textually, but one has two slips of paper with amended text attached, and the autograph emendations to the two are different from one another. Also present is a leaf from 'Lifewise' magazine, November 1993, with one page carrying Pitt's memoir, accompanied by a photograph of Wodehouse being interviewed at Tost by Angus Thuermer. The piece begins: 'I first saw P. G.

[ John Fisher Murray ('Maire'), Irish poet and humorist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Jno Fisher Murray'), offering the London publisher Richard Bentley a 'humorous paper' and 'a series of Essays on LONDON'.

Author: 
John Fisher Murray [ 'Maire' ] (1811-1865), Irish poet and humorist [ Richard Bentley (1794-1871), London publisher and proprietor of 'Bentley's Miscellany' ]
Publication details: 
11 Bark Place, Bayswater. 10 November 1843.
£70.00

1p., 12mo. On bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Richard Bentley Esqre'. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The first paragraph concerns a 'humorous paper' he is forwarding for Bentley's consideration (i.e. possible publication in Bentley's Miscellany). In the second paragraph he informs him that he has ready 'a series of Essays on LONDON, similar to those which attracted so much attention in Blackwood'.

[D. B. Wyndham Lewis, humorist.] Autograph Letter Signed to Anglo-Irish poet Sylvia Lynd, a letter of condolence on the death of her husband, the essayist Robert Lynd.

Author: 
D. B. Wyndham Lewis [Dominic Bevan Wyndham Lewis] (1891-1969), humorist, for a while Daily Express 'Beachcomber' [Sylvia Lynd (1888-1952), Anglo-Irish poet, wife of essayist Robert Lynd (1879-1949)]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 31 Pembroke Road, W8 [London]. 8 October 1949.
£40.00

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. 'His gentleness was always a lenitive and an example in such a raving jungle as Fleet Street. He will be badly missed everywhere by everybody.' He concludes by lamenting that as he is leaving for Italy the following day, the present letter will have to be his 'only tribute, alas. But I hope you will read into it a lot of things difficult to write.'

Autograph Letter Signed ('F. Anstey') from the humorist Thomas Anstey Guthrie to the Editor of 'The Academy', responding to a request for comment on a list of suggested members for an 'Academy of Letters'.

Author: 
F. Anstey [Thomas Anstey Guthrie] (1856-1934), humorist [James Sutherland Cotton (1847-1918), editor of the 'Academy', 1896-1903]
Autograph Letter Signed ('F. Anstey') from the humorist Thomas Anstey Guthrie
Publication details: 
8 November 1897; on lettehead of 16 Duke Street Mansions, Grosvenor Square, London.
£56.00
Autograph Letter Signed ('F. Anstey') from the humorist Thomas Anstey Guthrie

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Marked up for publication, with the first sentence deleted. On aged and stained paper. He 'can only say that your list seems to me as representative as any that could be drawn up', and that he does not 'feel in a position to offer any criticism upon it'. The edited version of Anstey's letter appeared with others in 'The Academy' in November 1897, in a piece with the opening sentence: 'We have received a large correspondence in response to our request for comment on the list of suggested members for an ACADEMY OF LETTERS published last week.'

Autograph Signature on card.

Author: 
Max O'Rell' (Paul Blouet, 1848-1903), French satirical author and journalist
Publication details: 
18 March 1895; place not stated.
£10.00

Dimensions of card roughly two and three-quarter inches by four inches wide. Good, with light creasing to corners. Clear signature reads 'Yours very sincerely | Max O'Rell | 18 March 1895'.

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 ('C S.Calverley') to Mrs [?] Lewis [of Ickleton?].

Author: 
Charles Stuart Calverley (1831-1884), English poet and wit [Sir George Grove]
Publication details: 
Bishopsbourne Rectory, Canterbury; 19 August [year not stated].
£100.00

Three pages, 12mo. Very good. The blank verso of the second leaf of the bifolium laid down on remains of leaf detached from autograph album. Begins 'At length by certain Proofs 'tis plain (to quote a hymn familiar to my childhood but forgotten now all but that first line) that the readers of Macmillan will know all that is to be known about the mistletoe, thanks to your labours, before Christmas.' He hopes she has received the proofs, and says that 'Grove, the Editor, writes to me that they are in type & he is forwarding them to Ickleton'.

Autograph Note Signed to unnamed correspondent, an autograph-hunter.

Author: 
Walter Lewis Emanuel [PUNCH]
Publication details: 
17 April 1910; on letterhead '17, Holland Park Avenue, W.'
£26.00

English humorist (1869-1915), a long-time contributor to 'Punch' magazine. One page, 12mo. Good on somewhat discoloured paper. Reads 'Dear Miss Manook. | No, of course I was not annoyed. I am sorry I have not a copy of any book of mine by me, and I have not time today to write one for you.' Signed 'Walter Emanuel'.

Autograph Postcard Signed to Kenneth Bredon, of Bredon's Bookshop in Brighton.

Author: 
Nicolas Bentley
Publication details: 
Postmarked 24 September 1974; 'The Old School, Downhead, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.'
£35.00

One page, very good. Postcard illustration of Marie Taglioni. In Bentley's distinctive neat hand. 'If & when Angus & Robertson's traveller shows you a book called Dead Funny, illus. by Bill Tidy, pubs. Ask & Grant, I hope you'll feel compelled to place a huge order: The Grant is Arabella's husband, just breaking into publishing (mad!) How are you & Billie? We should love to see you both, but I doubt that you ever come this way. If you do, you can count on a warm bed & reception. Try & make it sometimes.' Signed 'Nick'.

Autograph Signature.

Author: 
Sir Francis Cowley Burnand
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£15.00

Editor of Punch (1836-1917), and co-author with Sir Arthur Sullivan of 'Cox and Box'. In good condition. On slip, 1 inch by 2 1/2, cut from letter. Signed 'F C Burnand'.

autograph note signed to <M S Shren Esq?>

Author: 
Douglas Jerrold
Publication details: 
1p, 16mo, 26 May [no date], Putney
£20.00

Victorian writer and humorist. Difficult handwriting. 'My dear Sir/ | Will Monday be equally convenient to you? If no I shall be happy to see you either here or in town, as shall best suit your leisure.' Docketed with large underlined '2' in blue pencil, creased and discoloured. Blank second leaf damaged by removal from album, and with glue stains and remains of blue paper.

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