OSBERT

[Sir Osbert Sitwell, author and brother of the poet Edith Sitwell and art critic Sacheverell Sitwell.] Black and white publicity photograph, supplied by his publishers Macmillan and Co.

Author: 
Sir Osbert Sitwell [Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th baronet] (1892-1969), writer, brother of the poet Edith Sitwell and art critic Sacheverell Sitwell
Osbert
Publication details: 
Dated on back 25 August 1949. ‘From MACMILLAN & Co., Ltd., / St. Martin’s St., London, W.C.2.’
£50.00
Osbert

See his entry, and those of his siblings, in the Oxford DNB. A 15.5 x 20 cm black and white print, on glossy paper. Worn at edges, and with staining to blank area at top left. Stamped by the publishers on the reverse with ‘Sir Osbert Sitwell. Bt. / 25. 8. 49.’ There is a possibility that this is a signature by Sitwell, but the letter ‘O’ and other features are not quite right.

[Sir Philip Sassoon of Port Lympne: described by Noel Coward as ‘a phenomenon that would never recur’.] Autograph Signature (‘Philip Sassoon.) and autograph compliments slip.

Author: 
Sir Philip Sassoon [Sir Philip Albert Gustave David Sassoon] (1888-1939), politician, art collector and socialite at Port Lympne and Trent Park, cousin of Siegfried Sassoon, friend of Noel Coward
Sassoon
Publication details: 
No date [dated by recipient 12 June 1928]. Laid down on letterhead of 25 Park Lane, W. [London.], which carries the autograph compliments.
£50.00
Sassoon

Considered by his friend Noël Coward as ‘a phenomenon that would never recur’. See his entry by Osbert Sitwell in the Oxford DNB and the biography by Damian Collins, ‘Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of Philip Sassoon’ (2016). Clearly sent in response to a request for an autograph. The signature is on a plain 9 x 6 cm card, and reads simply ‘Philip Sassoon.’ The card is laid down at the foot of a 12mo letterhead, on which is written by Sassoon, above a flourish: ‘With Sir Philip Sassoon’s Compliments’. Both items in good condition, lightly aged.

[Dame Edith Sitwell and John Freeman's 'Face to Face' BBC TV interview. ] Two items: Autograph Letter Signed ('Edith Sitwell') to producer Hugh Burnett; & Typescript (printer's copy) of the section on the interview in Burnett's book of the series.

Author: 
Dame Edith Sitwell (1887-1964), iconic poet and critic [Hugh Burnett; John Freeman; Face to Face, BBC Television series]
Publication details: 
Letter with letterhead of Renishaw Hall, near Sheffield, in envelope on which Sitwell gives her address as Castello di Montegufoni, Montagnana, Val di Peso [near Florence, Italy]. 18 August 1959. Typescript undated (for book published in 1964).
£750.00

Two items relating to Sitwell's interview with John Freeman (1915-2014), broadcast in the BBC series 'Face to Face' on 6 May 1959. The two items are from the papers of the programme's producer Hugh Burnett (1924-2011). ONE: Autograph Letter Signed to Burnett. Signed 'Edith Sitwell'. On letterhead of Renishaw Hall, Renishaw, nr. Sheffield. 18 August 1959. 3pp., 12mo. In envelope with Italian stamp and postmark, addressed by Sitwell to 'Hugh Burnett, Esqre. | Television Studio | Lime Grove | London. W.12'.

[Pavel Tchelitchew, Russian surrealist painter.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Pavel') to 'My dear, dear Sweet Stephen' [Stephen Tennant?], regarding his love of Italy, theatre design in America, Lincoln Kirstein and Osbert Sitwell.

Author: 
Pavel Tchelitchew (1898-1957), Russian émigré surrealist painter, set designer and costume designer [Lincoln Kirstein; Osbert Sitwell; Stephen Tennant]
Publication details: 
'Lecourbe 43 – 65, 2 rue Jacques Mawas, Paris.' 23 April 1953.
£350.00

2pp., 4to. Aged and worn, but legible. A splendid effervescent letter, highly characteristic, written in demotic English in a close unruly hand. Tchelitchew was a close friend (lover?) of Edith Sitwell, and in addition to her brother Osbert, the letter contains references to Lincoln Kirstein (1907-1996), influential figure in New York culture, founder with George Balanchine of the New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet, and the book he was writing on Tchelitchew, as well as to Tchelitchew's partner the writer Charles Henry Ford (1908-2002).

[ Dame Edith Sitwell, poet. ] Autograph Signature ('Edith Sitwell') on valediction to a letter, a fragment of which is on the reverse.

Author: 
Edith Sitwell [ Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell ] (1887-1964), English poet and literary critic, with her brothers Sacheverell and Osbert one of 'the Sitwells'
Publication details: 
Place and date not stated.
£30.00

On 8 x 12.5 cm piece of paper, torn from the end of a letter. In fair condition, aged and lightly spotted. On one side of the slip is the conclusion of the letter: '[...] | Yours very sincerely | Edith Sitwell'. On the other side is the following autograph fragment: '[...] kind of you to invite me to your lumcheon party on Tuesday, and I am looking forward to it so much. I have not seen you for [...]'.

[Osbert Sitwell and Margaret Barton.] Offprint of their chapter on 'Taste' in 'Johnson's England', presented to Margaret Llewellyn Davies, Peter Pan's aunt, by Margaret Barton, with ANS stating that 'It is one of a "limited edition" of three.'

Author: 
Osbert Sitwell and Margaret Barton [Margaret Llewellyn Davies (1861-1944), general secretary of the Women's Co-Operative Guild; suffragist; Arthur Stanley Turberville; Samuel Johnson]
Publication details: 
Published in 'Johnson's England', ed. A. S. Turberville. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1933.
£125.00

40pp., 8vo, with four plates. Paginated 1-40 (the chapter appears with the same pagination at the beginning of the second of the two volumes of the book). Bound in green buckram, with 'TASTE | OSBERT SITWELL | AND | MARGARET BARTON' stamped in gilt on front board. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in lightly-worn binding.

Autograph Letter Signed from 'R. A. Bennet', editor of 'Truth', to 'Osbert' [Burdett], regarding the Irish journalist and politician T. P. O'Connor.

Author: 
R. A. Bennett, editor of 'Truth' [Thomas Power O'Connor (1848-1929), Irish journalist and proprietor of 'T. P.'s Weekly', founder and first editor of the Sun newspaper; Sir Osbert Sitwell]
Autograph Letter Signed from 'R. A. Bennet', editor of 'Truth',
Publication details: 
11 December 1925; on letterhead of 'Truth' Buildings, Carteret Street, Queen Anne's Gate, London.
£65.00
Autograph Letter Signed from 'R. A. Bennet', editor of 'Truth',

12mo, 1 p. Nine lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed in pencil on reverse 'R. A. Bennett re T. P. O'Connor'. He is enclosing 'the promised note to "T. P". I see that he is ailing and going to the Riviera at an early date, so you had better try and catch him at once.' Bennett had to get the recipient's address from his publishers, as O'Connor left without passing it on.

Two Autograph Letters Signed to Osbert Burdett, both on the subject of his study of the novels of the Dutch writer 'Maarten Maartens'.

Author: 
Norreys Jephson O'Conor (1890-1964), Irish-American poet [Osbert Burdett; 'Maarten Maartens']
Publication details: 
18 and 21 November 1930; both on letterheads of 31 Edwardes Square, Kensington, W8.
£95.00

Both letters 4to, 2 pp. Both texts clear and complete, and both in fair condition, with dog-eared corners. In the first letter O'Conor writes that he has 'heard from Miss Maartens', and that he is sending 'Dr van Maanen's' study of the author. 'Miss Maartens suggests that you and I might meet, which appeals greatly to me, for I enjoyed your review of the Maarten Maartens letters and have also heard about you from my friend John Gould Fletcher.' Gives a time when 'Miss Maartens is coming to the London Library to read some Dutch' for him, and he suggests that Burdett join them.

Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'Osbert') to 'My dear James' [the film producer R. J. Minney].

Author: 
Osbert Sitwell (1892-1969) [R. J. Minney]
Publication details: 
Letter One: 'Friday Renishaw' [c.1942]; on letterhead of 2 Carlyle Square, SW3. Letter Two: 5 April [c.1942?]. On illustrated letterhead of 'Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire [last word deleted]'. Letter Three: 4 January 1944; on Renishaw Hall letterhead.
£165.00

Sitwell and Renishaw collaborated on the play 'Gentle Caesar' (published in 1942), and the last two letters would appear to concern a possible film adaptation. All three items very good on lightly aged paper. Letter One ('Friday Renishaw'): 12mo, 2 pp. 18 lines of text. Apparently written around the time of the play's composition. Sitwell is 'delighted' that Minney is 'already immersed in Pares's book. I have just read the Czar and Empress Marie's Letters.' He has 'marked (in the preface mostly) what I thought helpful for atmosphere, or amusing'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Osbert') to 'My dear James'.

Author: 
Osbert Sitwell [Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th Baronet] (1892-1969), English writer and aesthete
Publication details: 
Monday' [no date]; on illustrated letterhead of Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire (amended by Sitwell to 'Renishaw | N[ear]. Sheffield').
£120.00

12mo, 2 pp. Very good. Attractive letterhead with engraved illustration of 'Renishaw Hall | Derbyshire' (last word crossed out by Sitwell). Written in purple ink. Asks if there is 'anything to be made of a curtain-raiser, or short film, which wd. show Napoleon catching the cold, which lost him the Battle of Waterloo? . . It is an amusing idea.' He considers that it is 'sure to have been some very silly person who sneezed at him . . . Or is the idea nonsense!'

Autograph Letter Signed to [Osbert Guy Stanhope] Crawford.

Author: 
John Reginald Homer Weaver [DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY]
Publication details: 
7 September 1955; on letterhead of the Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall.
£35.00

One of the editors of the Dictionary of National Biography (born 1882). The recipient (1886-1957) was a noted archaeologist. Two pages, 12mo. In poor condition: creased, grubby, worn, stained and repaired. Weaver has just been reading Crawford's 'extremely interesting autobiography with its most original title' ('Said and done.

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