PROPRIETOR

[Arthur Young, lexicographer and adjuster of averages, Dundee.] Autograph Letter Signed, as ‘one of the proprietors’ of the London Institution, regarding forthcoming lectures by ‘Mr. J. Z Bell’ (the artist and fellow-Dundonian John Zephaniah Bell).

Author: 
Arthur Young, compiler of the 1846 ‘Nautical Dictionary’; Adjuster of Averages, Dundee; a proprietor of the London Institution [John Zephaniah Bell (1794-1883), Scottish artist]
Publication details: 
'43 Arundel Square (N) / 18 May 1863'.
£56.00

Young was the author of a well-received nautical dictionary (1846; second ed. 1863). His authorship of the present letter is established from the ‘List of Presents / Received for the General Library’, in the Journal of the London Institution, November 1872: ‘MARITIME LAW. Reports of Maritime Law Cases, 1868. 8vo. From Arthur Young, Esq., Prop., Lond. Inst.’ (The work was compiled by Young himself.) Like the subject of this letter J. Z. Bell, Young hailed from Dundee, and since Bell's mother's maiden name was Anna Young, it may be that Young and Bell were kinsmen, perhaps cousins. 1p, 12mo.

[Sir Arnold Wesker, playwright.] Two Autograph Cards Signed and three Typed Letters Signed to Philip Dosse, proprietor of Plays and Players, with one Typed Letter Signed from his secretary Margaret Groom.

Author: 
Sir Arnold Wesker (1932-2016), playwright; his secretary Margaret Groom [Philip Dosse (1925-1980), proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of arts magazines including Books and Bookmen]
Publication details: 
Wesker's letters from 27 Bishop's Road, London N6; his postcards from Munich and Poland. Groom's letter from 25 Glasslyn Road, London N8.
£180.00

Interesting content. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts 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. The six items are in good condition, lightly aged, and one lightly creased with wear to one edge. The four letters are each 1p, 4to, and folded for postage. One of the letters is signed ‘A. Wesker’, the others ‘Arnold Wesker’. ONE: Wesker TLS, 10 September 1972.

[Lord Thomson of Fleet, Fleet Street press baron.] Producer Hugh Burnett's copy of typescript of Thomson’s interview with John Freeman in the BBC TV series 'Face to Face', marked up for publication.

Author: 
Lord Thomson of Fleet [Roy Herbert Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet] (1894-1976), Canadian-born British newspaper proprietor, one of the Fleet Street press barons [Hugh Burnett; BBC; John Freeman]
Publication details: 
Undated, but BBC interview broadcast on 4 February 1962, and this item prepared for publication in 1964.
£50.00

The present item is producer Hugh Burnett's own copy, from his papers, of the transcript of John Freeman's interview with Thomson, broadcast in the groundbreaking BBC series 'Face to Face' on 4 February 1962. This single-spaced typed transcript was produced for inclusion in Burnett's book 'Face to Face / Edited and introduced by Hugh Burnett' (London: Jonathan Cape, 1964), and is marked up with printing instructions in pencil and red ink, with a few proof corrections in green ink. 1p, foolscap 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged. Emphasizing Thomson’s unthreatening ordinariness.

[ Sir Algernon Borthwick, Conservative politician and newspaper proprietor. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Algernon Borthwick') to 'Miss Frere'

Author: 
Sir Algernon Borthwick [ Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk ] (1830-1908), Conservative Party politician and owner of the Morning Post newspaper
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 139 Piccadilly, W. [ London ]. 5 January [ no year ].
£35.00

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight smudging to second page. Annotated by the recipient 'read & burn'. He explains that he is 'just off to Eastbourne', and asks her to send on her letter 'to The Editor [of the Morning Post]', adding that it is 'a risk to send to me'. He concludes by explaining that he and his wife have 'given our present long ago & I am subscribing to a Kensington one. We cannot subscribe to all.'

Autograph Letter Signed ('H Niles') from Hezekiah Niles to an unnamed subscriber to his newspaper Niles' Register, complaining of the conduct of 'Mr Kollock', one of the agents who have caused all of Niles' 'difficulties of a pecuniary nature'.

Author: 
Hezekiah Niles (1777-1839), proprietor and editor of the Baltimore Evening Post and Niles' Weekly [National] Register
Publication details: 
Baltimore; 3 October 1817.
£120.00

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a small hole caused by the breaking of the seal, affecting one word of text. Niles acknowledges receipt of a 'very friendly letter'. 'My collector has returned, & you already had <?> for the 10$ to Sept. 1818'. Niles considers 'Mr Kollock's conduct, for a man of his standing, [...] very extraordinary - he has other monies of mine, besides the 5$ that you paid in his possession, which it does not suit his convenience to refund.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Alexr Chalmers') from the biographer Alexander Chalmers to James Perry, commenting humorously on an attack of gout.

Author: 
Alexander Chalmers (1759-1834), Scottish biographer and editor [James Perry (1756-1821), proprietor and editor of the 'Morning Chronicle']
Publication details: 
Throgmorton Street, London; 26 March 1821.
£80.00

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. Seventeen lines, closely written. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of stub adhering to margin. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'J. Perry Esqre | Tavistock Square'. He will dine with Perry with pleasure, 'after a five weeks confinement with the Gout, a disorder of which I never before had any personal acquaintance, but which, I suppose, I must, in some unguarded moment, have treated with contempt.

Autograph (Facsimile?) Letter Signed ('Jas. R. Fairfax') to male correspondent.

Author: 
Sir James Reading Fairfax (1834-1919), Australian newspaper proprietor [The Sydney Morning Herald; The Sydney Mail]
Publication details: 
11 May 1884; on letterhead of the Sydney Morning Herald and Sydney Mail.
£56.00

12mo: 1 p. Ten lines of text. Bifolium. Grubby, and with the text of the letter faint. Letterhead printed in red with illustration of the firm's headquarters. Written in, or faded to, lilac, and could well be a carbon. Sending copies of the two newspapers as 'we think it probable you would like your newly published works noticed or reviewed' in them.

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