Louis

[Duc de Vincence [General Armand-Augustin Louis, 5th Marquis de Caulaincourt.] Autograph Letter Signed, in French, following the Congress of Châtillon and Treaty of Fontainebleau, asking Lord Aberdeen to deliver a letter to Viscount Castlereagh.

Author: 
Duc de Vincence [General Armand-Augustin Louis, 5th Marquis de Caulaincourt] (1773-1827), Napoleon’s head diplomat, Ambassador to Russia [Lord Aberdeen; Viscount Castlereagh; Treaty of Fontainebleau]
Vincennes
Publication details: 
‘Chatillon sur Seine / le 7. Mai 1814.’
£450.00
Vincennes

Something of an historic document. In February and March of 1814 Vincence had led the French delegation at the Congress of Châtillon peace conference, at which his counterpart was Lord Aberdeen, with the British Home Secretary Lord Castlereagh arriving partway through. On behalf of Napoleon, Vincence had led, with little success the subsequent negotiations with Russia, Prussia and Austria which resulted in Napoleon’s abdication and exile to Elba, by the signing of the Treaty of Fontainbleau, a month before the present letter, on 11 April 1814, which was ratified by Vincence.

[Louis Alexander Mountbatten [formerly Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg], 1st Marquess of Milford Haven.] Autograph ‘Note for Secretary’, with monogram Signature ‘LB’, regarding to the ‘relative positions of “Iris” & “Phoebe”’.

Author: 
Louis Alexander Mountbatten [formerly Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg], 1st Marquess of Milford Haven (1854-1921), First Sea Lord, German prince related by marriage to the British royal family
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£56.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. With mourning border. In fair condition, aged and worn, with remains of white 'star' wafer mounts adhering to the four corners. Beneath the underlined heading 'Note for Secretary' reads: 'The relative positions of Iris & Phoebe do not appear to agree in papers marked (2) and (4) in my letter. Please let me know which is right. / LB.' Presumably Iris and Phoebe were ships.

[Marie Descorches, French revolutionary diplomat, formerly Marquis d`Escorches de Sainte Croix.] Two communications as ‘Préfet du Département de la Drome’: a Secretarial Letter Signed by him to Mayor of ‘Commune de Propiac’, and printed decree.

Author: 
Marie Descorches [Marie Louis Henri Descorches] (1749-1830; Marquis d`Escorches de Sainte Croix), French soldier and revolutionary diplomat, Ambassador to Poland and Ottoman Empire, Prefect of Drôme
DESCORCHES
Publication details: 
Both on revolutionary letterheads. Secretarial letter: ‘Valence, le 20 frimaire, an 12 de la République française. [i.e. 12 December 1803]’ Printed decree: ‘Valence, le 7 brumaire, an 12 de la République française. [i.e. 30 October 1803]’
£180.00
DESCORCHES

The two items are on variations of the revolutionary letterhead of the Prefect of the Drôme Department, with oval medallion illustration of a seated liberty with a phrygian cap on a stick, forearm leaning on the fasces and the words ‘Libérté’ and ‘Égalité’. The printed decree is in good condition, lightly aged, with slight foxing and discoloration. The secretarial letter is in fair condition, with darker patches of discoloration.

[Alan Bullock [Lord Bullock], historian and biographer of Adolf Hitler.] Typed Letter Signed to Philip Dosse, proprietor of ‘Books and Bookmen’, explaining that he has already agreed to review Toland’s biography of Hitler for another publication.

Author: 
Alan Bullock [Alan Louis Charles Bullock; Lord Bullock] (1914-2004), historian and biographer of Hitler, Master of St Catherine’s College and Oxford Vice-Chancellor [Philip Dosse (c.1924-1980)]
Publication details: 
22 February 1977. On letterhead 'From the Master . St. Catherine's College . Oxford'.
£45.00

See Bullock's entry in the Oxford DNB. From the archives of Philip Dosse, proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of the ‘Seven Arts’ group of magazines, including ‘Books and Bookmen’ and ‘Plays and Players’. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. 1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly creased. Folded twice for postage.

[Louis Peisse [Jean Louis Hippolyte Peisse] of the Ecole Impériale des Beaux-arts in Paris, French author.] Autograph Letter Signed, putting detailed questions regarding a proposal that he translate the lectures of Sir William Hamilton into French.

Author: 
Louis Peisse [Jean Louis Hippolyte Peisse] (1803-1880), of the Ecole Impériale des Beaux-arts in Paris, medical author, translator of Sir William Hamilton (1788-1856), Scottish metaphysician
Publication details: 
‘Paris. 20 avril 1858’. [‘Louis Peisse, conservateur de l’ecole impériale des Beaux-arts. 2. Rue Boursault.’]
£220.00

Peisse had already published his translation of ‘Fragments de Philosophie de M. William Hamilton’ (Paris, 1840), and had followed this with one from Dugald Stewart (1842-5). 2pp, 12mo. Forty-one lines of closely-written text. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with chipping and closed tears to edges. Folded once. Signed ‘L. Peisse / Louis Peisse, conservateur de l’ecole impériale des Beaux-arts. 2. Rue Boursault.’ The British recipient (one of Hamilton’s executors?) is not named (in a postscript Peisse apologises for being unable to decipher his details, or those of his co-editors).

[Prince Philippe d’Orléans, Comte de Paris, Orléanist claimant to the French throne as King Louis Philippe II or Philippe VII.] Autograph Note in English, in the third person, to the novelist George Meredith.

Author: 
Prince Philippe d’Orléans, Comte de Paris (Louis Philippe Albert (1838-1894), Count of Paris], Orléanist pretender to the throne of France from 1848 as King Louis Philippe II or Philippe VII
d'Orleans
Publication details: 
‘Claremont 31/5/63’. 31 May 1863; Claremont House, Esher, Surrey.
£100.00
d'Orleans

From the autograph album of the novelist George Meredith's daughter Marie Eveleen (Mariette; 1871-1933), later the wife of Henry Parkman Sturgis (1847-1929), American-born banker and Liberal politician. Queen Victoria lent Claremont House to the Count of Paris’s father Louis-Phillipe, after his abdication and flight from France. On one side of an 11 x 7.5 cm piece of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a neat hand, it reads: ‘With the compliments of the Count de Paris and his thanks for the books send [sic] by Mr. Meredith. / Claremont 31/5/63’.

[Sir Sidney Colvin, British Museum curator, biographer of Keats and friend of R. L. Stevenson.] Autograph Letter Signed to an unnamed woman, regarding a drawing ‘of small value or none’, copied from Giulio Romano.

Author: 
Sir Sidney Colvin (1845-1927), literary and art critic, Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, biographer of John Keats and friend of Robert Louis Stevenson
Publication details: 
5 January 1894; on embossed letterhead of the British Museum, London, W.C.
£45.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. On a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with strip of mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. Signed 'Sidney Colvin'. The recipient is not named, but is addressed as ‘Dear Madam’. The letter begins: ‘I am afraid I made a mistake yesterday, in addressing you as E. M. Sharpe Esqr. - but it was the address of the Natural History Museum which misled me.’ In order to make sure this time, he is addressing the present letter ‘to the care of Mr.

[Sir Sidney Colvin, British Museum curator, biographer of Keats and friend of R. L. Stevenson.] Autograph Letter Signed to ‘Mr Fagan’, declining any item from the ‘various volumes and packets of prints’ he has sent.

Author: 
Sir Sidney Colvin (1845-1927), literary and art critic, Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, biographer of John Keats and friend of Robert Louis Stevenson
Publication details: 
22 May 1895; on embossed letterhead of the British Museum, London, W.C.
£50.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with strip of mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr Fagan’ and signed ‘Sidney Colvin’. He begins by informing him that of the ‘various volumes and packets of prints’ he has been good enough to send, ‘the best is that containing portraits engraved by Ficquet, Savard, & [Marchay de Glury?]. But even of these, we have almost all in the collections here already: so that it will not be worth while to break up the albums by extracting any for the museum’.

[Queen of Romania: Elisabeth of Wied.] Long Autograph Letter Signed ('Elisabeth'), in French, to the novelist Louis Ulbach, lamenting the death of her cousin Marie of Waldeck and praising his work.

Author: 
Queen of Romania: Elisabeth of Wied [Pauline Elisabeth Ottilie Luise] (1843-1916), wife of King Carol I, prolific author under the pseudonym ‘Carmen Sylva’ [Louis Ulbach (1822-1889), French novelist]
Elisabeth
Publication details: 
'Sinaie, [i.e. Sinaia, Romania] ce 1. Mai 1882'.
£500.00
Elisabeth

Not only an unusually intimate letter for a member of royalty to write, but also an interesting communication from a poet to her mentor.

[King Louis XVIII of France and Chateaubriand.] Secretarial Letter Signed by ‘Louis’, and with the signature of ‘Chateaubriand’, addressed to ‘Mon Cousin’ and expressing cordial sentiments, with reference to ‘le sacré collège’.

Author: 
King Louis XVIII of France and Chateaubriand [François-René, Vicomte de Chateaubriand]
Louis
Publication details: 
'Ecrit à Paris, le 25 Mars 1823.’
£450.00
Louis

See image. A nice item, linking two important figures in French history. 1p, foolscap 8vo, on the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium of unwatermarked gilt-edged wove paper. Aged and lightly creased, with short closed tears and wear at the head. The ten lines of neatly written text are neatly and clearly signed ‘Louis’, and there is a wavy and almost vertical line from the king’s signature to that of ‘Chateaubriand’ at bottom right of the page.

[Amy Cruse, author and editor; Englishman & His Books] Album of correspondence from Maurice Baring; Sidney Colvin; Alfred Noyes; Austin Dobson; Stopford Brooke, Lord Sanderson and others, drafts and notes by widower C. J. Cruse, and news cuttings.

Author: 
Amy Cruse (1870-1951; née Barter); Maurice Baring; Sidney Colvin; Alfred Noyes; Austin Dobson; Stopford Brooke; Harry C. W. Verney
Publication details: 
Correspondence dating f1911-61; most from London and the Home Counties. Cuttings from English newspapers and magazines, 1927 to 1951.
£450.00

It is perhaps appropriate that we should have been left such a collection by an author who made a name for herself with pioneering works on the social history of English literature.

[Osborne Gordon, influential tutor at Christ Church, Oxford.] Autograph Letter Signed discussing a letter by Lord Brougham concerning the likelihood of war, Louis Napoleon of France, Goldwin Smith and the British colonies.

Author: 
Osborne Gordon (1813-1883), English cleric and tutor at Christ Church, Oxford [Lord Brougham [Henry Brougham (1778-1868), 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux], Lord Chancellor; Goldwin Smith (1823-1910)]
Publication details: 
‘Saturday’ [no date]; Easthampstead.
£65.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, with those of Brougham and Goldwin Smith. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, with thin strip from windowpane mount adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf. Signed ‘O Gordon’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mr Da [Qeue?]’. An interesting letter, full of content. He begins by thanking him for ‘Ld Broughams letter which I have disposed of as directed’.

[Jean Louis Rieu, Commissioner in Sind.] Autograph Letter Signed, providing a reference for ‘Mr. Bhojraj M. Bhambhani’, son of his acquaintance ‘Mr. Mansing Ramsing’, Honorary Magistrate and ‘most loyal subject’.

Author: 
Jean Louis Rieu (1872-1964), Commissioner in Sind between 1920 and 1925 [The Raj; British India; Bhojraj M. Bhambhani, son of Mansing Ramsing, and grandson of Diwan Ramsing]
Publication details: 
1 July 1922; on his letterhead as the Commissioner in Sind, Government House, Karachi.
£90.00

Rieu was the son of Charles Pierre Henri Rieu (1820-1902) of Geneva, Keeper of Oriental Manuscripts at the British Museum, and elder brother of Emile Victor Rieu (1887-1972), both of whom have DNB entries. In 1947 he had privately printed (as’J. L. R.’) a ‘Chronicle of the Rieu Family now settled in England’. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice. Signed ‘J. L Rieu / Commissioner in Sind’. An nice sidelight on the workings of the Raj. He has been asked for a letter by ‘Mr. Mansing Ramsing’, on behalf of his son ‘Mr. Bhojraj M.

[Louis Bondy, London antiquarian bookseller.] Printed handbill, with biography and photograph, endorsing ‘Louis W. Bondy’ in the 1953 Holborn Borough By-Election, ‘South Bloomsbury Ward - E’. With Autograph Note Signed to Andrew Block.

Author: 
Louis Bondy [Louis Wolfgang Bondy] (1910-1993), London antiquarian bookseller and local politician, Labour Party councillor for Holborn in the Greater London Council [Andrew Block]
Publication details: 
Thursday 25 June 1953; ‘Printed by J. Stafford Thomas, Ltd., (T.U.), 177 Bermondsey Street, S.E.1 and Published by John Peel, 78 Witley Court, W.C.1.’
£65.00

See Nicolas Barker’s obituary of Bondy in the Independent, 27 June 1993. 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. An evocative piece of booktrade and London local government ephemera. 2pp, 8vo. Printed on a leaf of shiny art paper. Worn and creased; folded twice. On one side ‘L. W.

[George du Maurier, novelist and Punch cartoonist, creator of ‘Svengali’.] Autograph Signature and valediction cut from letter.

Author: 
George du Maurier [George Louis Palmella Busson du Maurier] (1834-1896), novelist and Punch cartoonist, creator of the character ‘Svengali’ in his novel ‘Trilby’; grandfather of Daphne du Maurier
Geo du Maurier
Publication details: 
26 April 1886. No place.
£25.00
Geo du Maurier

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On rectangular slip of paper, roughly 11 x 3 cm, cut from the end of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, slightly spotted and laid down along one edge on thicker piece of paper. In an elegant calligraphic hand he writes: ‘Believe me / Yours truly / Geo du Maurier / Apr. 26, 83’. The ‘eo’ of the ‘Geo’ of the signature is presented as a stylish squiggle, looking a little like a ‘W’. See image.

[Louis Blanc, French socialist politician and historian.] Autograph Letter Signed, in French, regarding the purchase of books, including one on ‘notre digne et excellent ami Karl Blind’.

Author: 
Louis Blanc [Louis Jean Joseph Charles Blanc] (1811-1882), French socialist politician and historian and advocate of co-operative enterprise, who obtained an amnesty for the Communards [Karl Blind]
Publication details: 
18 April 1861; no place.
£100.00

3pp, 16mo. Bifolium. 25 lines of text. In good condition, on thin paper, with minor staining from label to mount. Signed ‘Louis Blanc’. The salutation is ‘Cher Monsieur’. The recipient, who is not named, is presumably a bookseller. He is returning two of the books, keeping only the ‘Cabinet Lawyer’, whose price he asks. He wants to acquire a copy of the latest edition of ‘la Biographie des contemporains de M. Vapereau’: ‘naturellement plus complète, et où beaucoup d’erreurs se trouvent, je suppose, corrigées’.

[A Dickens Fellowship dinner in wartime London.] Autograph Signatures of James Agate, Walter Dexter, Humphrey House and Lewis B. Frewer to menu for dinner celebrating the ‘130th Anniversary of the Birthday of Charles Dickens’.

Author: 
James Agate (1877-1947), diarist and theatre critic; Walter Dexter; Humphrey House, Louis B. Frewer, Superintendent of Rhodes House Library, Oxford; Dickens Fellowship
Dickens
Publication details: 
‘Holborn Restaurant [London] 7th February 1942’.
£60.00
Dickens

It seems extraordinary that they were able to pull this off during wartime restrictions, and Dickens would have relished the shabby-genteelness of it. The menu is shakily printed in a faded blue on a 10 x 16.5 cm piece of cream card, with rounded edges. At foot: ‘Holborn Restaurant 7th February 1942’. The menu is headed: ‘THE DICKENS FELLOWSHIP / 130th Anniversary of the / Birthday of Charles Dickens / Chairman: WALTER DEXTER, Vice-President / Speakers: HUMPHREY HOUSE, JAMES AGATE’.

[Oliver Zangwill, ‘the Father of British neuropsychology’.] Autograph Note Signed (‘Oliver.’) to ‘Bob’, describing steps he has taken and hoping that 'something is done'.

Author: 
Oliver Zangwill [Oliver Louis Zangwill] (1913-1987), ‘the Father of British neuropsychology’, Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge
Oliver
Publication details: 
10 February 1969; on letterhead of ‘Professor O. L. Zangwill, The Psychological Laboratory, Downing Street, Cambridge.’
£50.00
Oliver

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, landscape 8vo. In good condition, folded once. Headed ‘Private & Confidential’. Reads: ‘Dear Bob, / I had a word with the V. C [presumably the Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University] this morning and am writing a letter to Sartain, which he should receive before the meeting of the G. B. on Wednesday. I hope something is done. / Yours ever / Oliver.’

[François Guizot, Prime Minister of France, in exile in London following the Revolution of 1848.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Guizot'), in French, to Lady Cullum, explaining his reasons for declining an invitation to visit Hardwick House.

Author: 
François Guizot [François Pierre Guillaume Guizot] (1787-1874), French historian and statesman, Prime Minister of France [Lady Ann Cullum (1807-1875) of Hardwick House]
Publication details: 
'Brompton [London] 14 Sepr 1848'.
£100.00

The recipient is Lady Ann Cullum (1807-1875), widow of Sir Thomas Gery Cullum (1777-1855) of Hardwick House, Bury St Edmunds. 1p, 12mo. On grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. The salutation of the letter ('My dear Lady Cullum') is in English, the rest in French. Written at a turbulent period in Guizot's life, following the Revolution in 1848, with the overthrow of the monarchy and its ministry of which he himself was head.

[Antoine Destutt de Tracy, French philosopher.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Dustutt-Tracy') to the French printer Firmin Didot, discussing the various editions of du Val's Aristotle with a view to obtaining a copy of one.

Author: 
Antoine Louis Claude, Comte Destutt de Tracy (1754-1836), French philosopher, politician, soldier, who coined the term 'ideology', admired by Jefferson [Firmin Didot (1764-1836), French printer]
Publication details: 
'A Anteuil ce 25 floreal an 11'. [i.e. 15 May 1803]
£450.00

An interesting letter, casting light on bibliographic and book trade practices in Consulate Paris. 2pp, 12mo. Forty-two lines of closely-written text on the first leaf of a bifolium, the recto of the second leaf being addressed 'Au Citoyen Firmin Didot | Rue du Regard | A Paris'. In good condition, lightly aged, with white paper stub of mount adhering to second leaf.

[Anthony Hamilton [Antoine Hamilton], Count Hamilton, Jacobite memoirist.] Autograph Certificate, Signed 'Anth: Hamilton' and with his seal in red wax, to get his English servant 'Antoin Joinar' [Anthony Joiner or Joyner?] into Les Invalides.

Author: 
Anthony Hamilton [Antoine Hamilton] (c.1644-1719), Count Hamilton in the French nobility, Irish Jacobite courtier in France, author of the celebrated 'Memoirs of the Count de Grammont'
Publication details: 
2 February 1676.
£200.00

1p, 8vo. On bifolium endorsed in two hands on reverse of second leaf, one reading: 'Papier d'antoine Joignar anglois recu Le 29e. Fever. 1676'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with stub from mount adhering. Beneath Hamilton's signature at the foot of the document is a fair impression of his seal in red wax. The document reads: 'Nous le Sieur d'Hamilton Capn.

[Anthony Hamilton [Antoine Hamilton], Count Hamilton, Jacobite memoirist.] Autograph Signature ('Anthoine [sic] Hamilton') and Note to vellum receipt for sum spent 'pour mes appointements de cappitaine au Regimant D'Hamilton' during 1675 campaign.

Author: 
Anthony Hamilton [Antoine Hamilton] (c.1644-1719), Count Hamilton in the French nobility, Irish Jacobite courtier in France, author of the celebrated 'Memoirs of the Count de Grammont'
Publication details: 
[France. 1675.]
£250.00

The context is explained in Hamilton's entry in the Oxford DNB: 'Anthony Hamilton joined his brother George in France in 1667, and was given a captain's commission in the French army. In 1671 he and his younger brother Richard joined a regiment of foot which George raised in Ireland for the service of Louis XIV. They served in the Franco-Dutch War of 1672–8.' On 12 x 19 cm piece of vellum. In good condition, with spike hole and bottom corners snipped. Entire document in French.

[Angna Enters, American dancer, painter, author.] Sketch of dance costume in pencil and watercolour, captioned 'Fleur du Mal (Proust Sequence)', signed 'Angna Enters '56'. In envelope addressed by her to theatre historian W. J. MacQueen-Pope.

Author: 
Angna Enters [Anita Enters] (1907-1989), American painter, writer, dancer and mime, partner of Michio Ito, wife of Louis Kalonyme [Louis Kantor] [W. J. MacQueen-Pope, theatre historian]
Angr
Publication details: 
Signed and dated to 1957. Envelope with London postmark dated 18 January 1957 and her embossed address: 35 West 57th Street, New York.
£200.00
Angr

Enters exhibited her artistic work - including many sketches of her own costume designs - widely in the United States and Europe, and her work is held by several museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The present item is an attractive impressionistic sketch, in grey and black pencil, with watercolour wash in pink, light red and grey, showing a dancer with arms outstretched and heavy costume with full sleeves and train. Captioned by Enters at bottom left: 'Fleur du Mal (Proust Sequence)'. Signed at bottom left: 'Angna Enters '56'. On 23 x 15.5 cm laid paper.

[François Guizot, historian and Prime Minister of France.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Guizot') to a lady, having procured a ticket for her to the following day's 'Séance Royale'.

Author: 
François Guizot [François Pierre Guillaume Guizot], French historian and statesman, Prime Minister of France under Louis Philippe
Publication details: 
16 June [no year, 1830s or 1840s?] [Paris?]
£120.00

On one side of a 12 x 13 cm piece of paper with the corners cut away to make a irregular octagon shape. In fair condition, lightly aged. Laid down on part of leaf from album. Reads: 'Madame | Voici un billet pour la Séance Royale de demain. Je suis charmé d'avoir pu me le procurer puisque vous le desiriez. | Agréez, je vous prie, Madame, l'hommage de mon respect | Guizot | Dime. Juin 16.' At bottom left, in a contemporary hand: '184'.

[ Franklin White, Australian artist. ] 24 items from his papers, including drafts and copies of his letters to the feminist Thelma Cazalet-Keir and the artist Harold Copping, and an ALS to him from Louis McCubbin, National Gallery of South Australia.

Author: 
Franklin White (1892-1975), Australian artist, teacher at the Slade Art School, London; Harold Copping (1863-1932), artist;; Louis McCubbin (1890-1952), Director, National Gallery of South Australia ]
Publication details: 
Several of White's letters on letterheads of The Reedbeds, Shoreham, Nr. Sevenoaks, Kent. Between 1921 and 1968.
£950.00

Two years after arriving in England from Australia in 1913, Franklin White entered the Slade School. His studies were interrupted by the First World War, during which he worked as a draughtsman at the Admiralty. In 1919 he re-entered the Slade, and was soon invited by Tonks to join the teaching staff. On his retirement in 1957, he devoted his full energies to the Samuel Palmer School of Art, which he had run from his home in Shoreham since 1924, when he first held summer classes in landscape painting for his Slade students.

Broadside announcing the execution of King Louis XVI of France, 1792, titled: 'Trial, Defence, Sentence, and MASSACRE of the KING of France, […] as communicated by a Member of the late National Assembly to a Member of the British Parliament.'

Author: 
Execution of King Louis XVI of France, 1792; W. Gye, Bath stationer; Champante & Co., London stationers; broadside
Publication details: 
'BATH: Printed and Sold by W. GYE, Stationer, Market-Place; to be had of all the Booksellers; and of CHAMPANTE & Co. Stationers, London. - PRICE FOUR-PENCE.'
£4,500.00

A rare and unusual item, distributed as news of the execution broke, no other copy of which has been traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. Printed on one side of a 59 x 48.5 cm piece of watermarked laid paper. In four columns of small print, surrounded by a thick-thin ruled border. Engraving (13.5 x 14.5 cm) of the moment of execution by guillotine at head of the central two columns. Aged and worn, with small drops of ink spattering, but with the text entirely legible and the engraving practically unmarked. Folded four times.

[Sir Charles Blagden, physician and scientist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('C. Blagden') to Louis Odier, Genevan physician, regarding the sojourn in England of Jean-François Berger, and the changes in Geneva.

Author: 
Sir Charles Blagden [Sir Charles Brian Blagden] (1748-1820), physician and scientist, Royal Society secretary [Louis Odier (1748-1817) and Jean-François Berger (1779-1833), physicians of Geneva]
Publication details: 
No place. 13 February 1810.
£350.00

3pp, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the reverse of second leaf, which is addressed 'À Monsieur | Monsieur L. Odier | Docteur et Professeur en Médecine | à Genève.' He begins by expressing the 'great pleasure' he has felt in again seeing Odier's handwriting, and learning that he and his family are in good health.

[W. H. Auden on Louis Macneice, one of 250 copies.| A Memorial Address by W. H. Auden | delivered at All Souls, Langham Place on 17 October, 1963.

Author: 
W. H. Auden [Louis Macneice]
Publication details: 
[One of 250 copies.] 'Privately printed for Faber and Faber, London' [1963].
£50.00

[12]pp, 8vo. Paginated to 14, but twelve pages on six leaves, comprising half-title, title and eight pages of text. Sewn into raspberry printed wraps. Title with engraving of the church, duplicated on front cover. Internally in fair condition, with slight creasing, but with blue ink (or wine?) stain at foot of outer edge of front cover. Bloomfield & Mendelson A46, which states that the edition was printed in November 1963 and limited to 250 copies, 'sent out to a number of personal friends whose names were mainly suggested by Mrs. MacNeice'. In this case, from the library of Christopher Fry.

[C. L. F. de P. Barentin, Keeper of the Seals to Louis XVI of France.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Barentin'), in French, (to the Procureur Général?), regarding an appeal for clemency which Barentin intends to make to the king.

Author: 
Charles Louis François de Paule de Barentin (1738-1819), French statesman, Keeper of the Seals of France to Louis XVI at the time of the Revolution
Publication details: 
Dated from Versailles. [1789]
£250.00

2pp, 4to. On leaf tipped-in onto a piece of light-green card from an album, at head of which is attached a printed slip: 'BARENTIN C. L. F. de P. | Born 1738. Died 1819. | KEEPER OF THE SEALS TO LOUIS XVI.' The letter is undated, but the year '1789' has been added in pencil in a nineteenth-century hand. (That same year, following the Storming of the Bastille, Barentin was dismissed by the king.) Nineteen lines of closely-written text. Addressed at bottom left of first leaf to 'M le P Gl' (Monsieur le Procureur général?).

[Luigi Agnesi [Louis Ferdinand Leopold Agniez], Belgian operatic bass-baritone.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Agnesi'), in French, regarding charitable work, and declaring, 'Les malheureux sont mes Amis'.

Author: 
Luigi Agnesi [Louis Ferdinand Leopold Agniez] (1833-1875), Belgian operatic bass-baritone, conductor and composer who performed in London at the Royal Opera House and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Publication details: 
London. September 1874.
£45.00

1p, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, folded twice. An elegantly-expressed sentiment: 'Mademoiselle, | Les malheureux sont mes Amis, et l'oeuvre à la quelle vous vous interressez à [sic] toutes mes sympathies; malheureusement je suis si peu de choses que je ne puis vous témoigner que mon bon vouloir a l'oeuvre à la quelle vous vous interressez [sic]si vivement.'

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