PAINTER

One page, 12mo, bifolium, fold mark, mainly good condition. "I am quite ashamed of my blunder in having sent you the letter of Mrs May's so curiously addressed [to me?] & thank you for this trouble of forwarding it. The [?] misled me - pray excuse me, & let me welcome you [?] Sunday in my New House - a house that is the dream of three generations of craftsmen (practically) now realized."

Item One: Autograph Letter Signed from Richter to Swan. 1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly spotted paper. From the letter it would appear that in 1946 Richter was acting as one of the selectors for the 59th Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, at the Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, London. He writes that he is enclosing 'the mighty deed [a book, as the letter explains], also the invitation for the exhibition at the Royal Academy valid from Feb. 13 to March 17.

On one side of a 5.5 x 20 cm strip of laid paper, cut away from the bottom of a letter. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount adhering to the reverse. Reads, in a firm attractive hand: 'Yours very sincerely | John Hassall.'

Two pages, 12mo, bifolium, ford marks, good condition. "I have at last done what you wished to the picture & hope you will like it. I have directed it to be packed & sent to you at once, & shall be glad to have a line from you to say it is all right. [...]" Note: George Gurney's art collection was auctioned in 1903. It contained two pictures by Vicat Cole, including a "View of the Thames".

4pp., 12mo. Thirty lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount at head of second page. Steell is enclosing 'a catalogue of the most recent works of the kind you desire', and points out that 'the short biographical sketches of deceased Scottish artists, in connection with our catalogue, was only printed [last word underlined] by Messrs. Constable'. He ends by offering his 'warmest wishes for the married couple' - in 1881 Christie's seventeen-year-old daughter Alice married Robert King Stewart, KBE, of Murdostoun Castle, Lanarkshire.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip from mount adhering to blank reverse. Addressed to 'W. G. Herdman Esqr. | Liverpool'. If his brother's picture ('Mr J. E. Lauder') and his own 'are not by this time sent off'', he would like this done immediately, 'as they must be in Edinh. by the 1st of Feby.'

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Watermarked 'JOYNSON | 1876'. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with minor staining from mount at foot of second leaf. Written in a hasty, untidy hand. The recipient appears to be 'My dear Hornby', 'Horley' or 'Howley'. Faed writes that he is 'slaving away chopping and changing sometimes worse and sometimes better (I hope) on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. 7th.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin neat strip of paper mount at head of third page.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. A circular, with Blashford adding the names of the recipients in manuscript, together with the words 'and Thursday, April 25' and 'and a pastiche poster'. An invitation on 22 and 25 April 1918, to 'a very few friends (as my studio will only hold a few) to come to me on the eighth floor of Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and 7th Avenue, to see several decorative canvases, and a pastiche poster, some of which will probably not be exhibited again in New York'. Blashfield's papers are in the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian.

1p., 12mo. Seventeen lines of neatly-written text. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He apologises for the delay in replying to Reid's letter, and knows 'nothing about the staircase you mention as coming from a house in Holborn, & now in a house in Bishopswood.' He 'looked it up in R[oyal]. C[ommision]. H[istorical]. M[onumments]., (Vol. II) Hertfordshire (par. of Walford-on-Wye) but Bishopswood is only mentioned re some romann remains.' He hopes Reid is 'enjoying the Herefordshire countryside', and is himself finding life 'rather hectic'.

Both items in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, each with slight trace of paper label at spine. Letter One: 3 pp, 12mo. Docketed at head of first page '1 Dec/88.' and 'The Explorer of Thibet [sic]'. He thanks him 'for the Card of the St Botolph Club' and will try to go there the following day. He has 'so many things to do' that he is not sure he will be able to stay there long. Letter Two: 4 pp, 12mo. Docketed beneath address '6 January 89.', and beneath signature 'The traveller in Thibet [sic]'. Thanking him for the 'note and cheque', and hoping that the sketch arrived safely.

12mo, 3 pp. On bifolium. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She has 'finished the brown drawing of elves, & birds singing', and, as she is going into the country for a few days, will leave it, 'in a portfolio', at Stratton St. She asks him to 'kindly take care of it', as he has been 'good enough to do with the others. It is, as you know, a very careful & highly-finished drawing'. She asks him to have 'the delicacy of the lines reproduced, & the drawing of the limbs of the little elves, etc. very carefully & exactly rendered, otherwise the drawing wd.

Dimensions of card 14.5 x 11 cm. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Cloudy print of landscape on recto of second leaf, signed in pencil 'R Macaulay Stevenson'. Neat pen inscription on recto of first leaf: 'My dear brother-artist Sassoon and dear Madame Sassoon this is just from Stansmore and myself to wish you a Merrie Christmas and a Happy New Year | [signed] R Macaulay Stevenson | Kirkcudbright | Yuletide 1934'.

12mo, 3 pp. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. 'Mr Westmacott [the sculptor Richard Westmacott the younger?]' has called on him, and he has 'shown him the settlement all down my Wall - I told him that you had seen it but did not contemplate any immediate danger - he said that Mr Valpy [Henry Valpy (fl.1851-1885) of the architects Burrell & Valpy] was out of town'. Westmacott will write to Valpy, as he thinks there ought to be 'a conference with' Lakyn, who 'should be requested to make a report'.

The collection is in very good condition, containing four items of autograph correspondence from Ruszkowski to Shaw, all signed 'Zdzis'. One: Autograph Letter Signed. Undated. 8vo, 3 pp. Expressing his extreme disappointment with 'the proposed arrangement of the double-page and the suggested treatment of the illustrations. 'Nearly one third of the drawing [sic] is left out and alters the sense of the theme. Each illustration is composed to stress the situation and can't be mutilated at the will to suit the arrangement at the page.

Apart from the card (12mo, 1 p), totalling 4to, 10 pp; 12mo, 2 pp. All items in good condition, with text clear and complete, on lightly-aged paper. All post-1960. Two of the eleven (20 January and 13 June 1974) are fully dated by Devas; another four have day and month. The card from 1960 is the earliest item; the three from Wetherby Gardens date from between this point and Devas's second marriage to Rupert Shephard in 1965, and the seven from Limerston Street from after the marriage. A good-natured correspondence, written in a chatty style.

Two pages, 12mo, one stain, fold marks, sl. grubby, text clear, as follows: The Prince of Wales has at the same time desired Sir W. Knollys to tell My Dighton that H.R.H. thinks the likeness of the King of the Belgians would be much improved if he could make the nose a little longer and the beard a little darker -- The portrait shall therefore remain in Sir W. Knollys's room should nr Dighton wish to take it away with the view of making the improvements which the Prince has suggested. A list of names in pencil (Dighton's hand) has been added, including Thomas Baring and Combermere.

Letter One: 12mo, 2 pp. Good on lightly-aged paper. The 'delightful drawing' she left for him is a 'wonderful surprise'. He has been 'trying some life drawing direct with the brush' and is surprised that she was able 'to put it down like that!' Letter Two: 4to, 2 pp. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. He apologizes for the delay in answering her letter and thanking her for sending one on by 'Bloggins'. He is 'an abominable letter writer though that does not mean a change of feelings to one's old friends'. He has received a letter f'rom C. B. himself about the Academy'.

12mo, 2 pp. Twenty lines. Text clear and complete. In bifolium. On aged and discoloured paper, with small closed tears along central fold lines of both leaves. A reference, 'bearing testimony to your perfect efficiency as a teacher of landscape painting possessing, as you do, the first and greatest requisite, namely a power to sketch beautifully from nature, your success should not be short of great. [last word underlined]' Apologises for not answering sooner, caused by 'the loss of your card'. From a small archive of Walter F. Stocks's correspondence.

4to, 2 pp. Twenty-three lines of text, clear and complete. In fair condition, creased and lightly-worn. With stamped envelope addressed by Flint. In reply to a question from Carpenter ('I very, very freqently receive letters such as yours') Flint writes: 'Dont worry about not receiving art instruction in painting because I never had a lesson in my life.' He believes he inherited the skill he 'started with', but constant study of the works of masters & constant practice have brought me (with the aid of a kindly Providence) to my present position'.

All three items concern Littlejohns' 'British Watercolour Painting and Painters of Today' (London: Pitman, 1931)'. First Letter: 12mo, 3 pp. 43 lines. Text clear and entire. On two leaves attached to one another in a corner by a pin. Good, on lightly-creased paper. Interesting and informative letter concerning 'two watercolours' which Williams would 'like to be 'reproduced in [Littlejohn's] work on water colours'. Gives details of the titles of the works and the name and address of the owner, 'who has consented to send them'.

12mo, 1 p. Good, on lightly aged and ruckled paper. Laid down on a piece of grey paper removed from an autograph album. Accepting an invitation, and informing the recipient that 'Mrs Callcott has recovered from her last attack - but she is still slightly affected at times, and is very weak.'

On a piece of wove paper roughly 4.5 x 9 cm. Good, clear signature on lightly aged paper. Reads 'my dear Sir, | Yrs always truly | [signed] P. Hoare'. Reverse reads '<...> am at a loss how to answe<...> | <...>ing the progress of the Anna<...> | <...>- opportunity of asking "Ho<...> | <...>t of the Elgin Marbels, whic<...>'.

One page, 8vo, good condition. "I send you hereewith [? Book-Post twenty tickets for our price-drawing [sic] of pictures in aid of the poor Widows & Fatherless [sic] of German soldiers. There is plenty of time for sending the money as it will take another month or so before we shall close rhe acc[ount]s." Thanks and good wishes for a recovery of health.

8vo, 1 p, 8 lines. Folded twice. Good, on lightly discoloured paper. Informing the Morrises of 'our safe arrival', and thanking them for 'the very amiable hospitality we have enjoyed'. 'Mrs. Haag in this moment feels a little the fatigue of the journey but will ere long use a leisure hour to write to you.'

Two pages, 12mo. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. 'In the rush of finishing [his] Academy work' he finds Wright's letter 'among numerous others unanswered'. He will be returning to London in a fortnight 'and shall have great pleasure in sending you the bookplate together with an early one. Also my autograph &c.'

Paper dimensions 5 x 11 cm. Good. The foot of the last page of a letter with a mourning border. Reads '<...> consideration. | I am, Gentn. | Your obedt. St. | [signed] Thos Webster | To the President | & Council of the Royal Academy'.

On blue paper 10 x 18 cms. Good, with trace of previous white paper mount on reverse. Printed receipt, filled in in manuscript. Reads 'No. [32] 5, VIGO STREET, | W.1. | [June 2nd 1937] | Received a DONATION of [One Guinea] | from [The Misses Ruck] | for the ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. | £[1] : [1] | [-] | [next word deleted] Secretary | [next two lines cyclostyled in purple ink] most gratefully | Laura Knight'.

One page, 16mo. Good. Six lines. He may be 'giving some lectures in London shortly'. 'If I could make it worth my while to deliver them at some of the leading provincial towns, I might possibly arrange to do so. Therefore any information you could give me on the subject, I should be only too happy to have'.

Plate size roughly four and a half inches by four and a quarter wide, on paper six inches by five wide. 'Kay fecit' in bottom left-hand corner and date in bottom right. Good clean image on aged paper with some wear to blank border. The figures are identified in pencil at foot as 'McNab, K. McKenzie, Easton [^surgeon in the army] & Stabilini'. They are named as Eiston, Stabilini, McNab and McKenzie' by the National Portrait Gallery.