QUEEN

An interesting letter from a leading Victorian sculptor, describing his methods while executing a bust of the recipient of the letter - the author, orientalist and editor and founder of the Athenaeum magazine James Silk Buckingham - and also describing work on a commission 'for the Queen'. The background to the letter is as follows. Theed had gone to Rome in 1826. He is believed to have studied there under Thorvaldsen and Tenerani, as well as John Gibson and Richard James Wyatt.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged. With thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the blank reverse. The recipient is not named. He informs him that he will 'not be in Town' before the following Monday, instead of the Thursday, explaining that he 'was not able to leave the King until Saturday last – and a sejour here of less than a week would hardly justify a journey of 103 miles and back again'.

4pp, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of tissue from mount adhering to one edge. Folded three times. An interesting letter, in which Halford asks Ellis for assistance in the writing of royal biographies for the Royal College of Physicians (of which he was President from 1820 to 1844), while explaining that it would not be 'proper' to go 'lower' than George II.

The Oxford DNB explains the context of the document: 'During his four absences in Hanover in 1729, 1732, 1735, and 1736–7 [George II] left her as regent entrusted with “all domestic matters”. Foreign affairs were dealt with by the king and the secretaries of state, one of whom accompanied him to Germany, but other affairs were left “entirely to the Queen with the advice of the Lords of the Council”'. 2pp, foolscap 8vo. On bifolium, the verso of the second leaf of which is endorsed: 'Warrant for placing upon Half Pay Captain Stanhope Yarborough'.

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight damage at head repaired with archival tape, and thin strip from stub of mount adhering to one edge. He asks Owen to 'alter or add to the paper sent herewith in any way you please, so that it may harmonize with the report you have drawn up, & represent the meaning you may intend to convey'. He will 'call at the College in the course of the day & affix my signature to the completed document'.

On 8 x 11 cm white card. Aged and untidy: the crest has been stamped into the paper in black ink twice, with one attempt deliberately smudged away. The other is 2.5 x 2 cm, and contains the mottos 'UA - MAUKOEOKA - AINAI - KA – PONO' (now the motto of the state of Hawaii) on a belt encircling a monogram of the letter E, the whole topped with a crown, and with a banner at foot with motto 'DEUS PASCIT CORVOS'.

The three letters in good condition, on lightly aged paper, each folded once. ONE: 12 January 1886. 2pp, 12mo. He is 'very anxious to know the dates of the smoking concerts' as his brother is 'leaving tomorrow', and he 'did not want to bother him with a letter & I felt sure that you would give me the information'. He ends: 'I find deep snow here'. TWO: 6 May 1899. 3pp, 12mo. His friends 'the Baronne & Madelle. de Fougères' are to be 'presented at the Drawing room of the 16th.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, top half torn off and missing, leaving the conclusion of the letter. Roughly 11 x 17.5 cm. Thirteen full lines of text, with two partial lines along the tear at the top edge. A frail item, in fair condition, aged and worn. See Gifford's entry in the History of Parliament. The letter, apparently addressed to an individual at the Admiralty or the Treasury, concerns a part of the tortuous process of raising finances for the conversion of the Queen's House into the hospital.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Hamaikamalama [sic] | Sunday Morning. | The King wishes to acknowledge Mr. Synge's Kindness in sending him the “Saturday Review”, which will be returned after perusal. - | The King & Queen regret they cannot accept Mr. Allan's invitation to be of the morning's riding party. - | To H. B. M. Representative'. For information on the recipient William Webb Follett Synge, see his entry in the Oxford DNB.

Written in blue ink on one side of a card (not a post card, and with the reverse blank). Written a year after his retirement the card reads: 'Dear old friend - any time - love to see you here. I go to London for the middle of the week: but if you whispered a date convenient to you I would precipitate myself down here. | All love | Hardy'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Aged and grubby. Written with purple pencil. He begins by thanking her for the 'letter & two Photographs', and is 'looking forward some day to see my god child whom the photographs picture as very bonny'.

The two volumes of diaries of Jean Kilgour Hart cast light on the interesting wartime crossover between the Universities of London and Cambridge. On the evacuation of Queen Mary College to Cambridge at the beginning of the Second World War, both the College administration and male staff and students were accommodated at King’s College. Women staff and students were initially provided with accommodation at Girton College, but from 1940 they were housed in two private houses in Hills Road.

The recipient's name, given at the foot of the last page, appears to read 'Mr. L. Newland' or 'Newlaw'. This may be J. W. Newland, was an English daguerreotypist and magic lanternist who travelled from New Orleans, through Central and South America, to the Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, England, and finally to Calcutta between 1845 and 1857. 2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He has submitted the recipient's letter to the Queen, 'together with the Daguerrotypes that accompanied it'.

From the papers of Sir John David Rees, who served as Resident on three occasions between 1895 and 1898. For information on Rees, (see his obituary in The Times, 3 June 1922. The present eulogy should be evaluated in the light of another document among the Rees papers (offered separately), in which he states that 'Native rajas are unfit to be members of the House of Lords; even if they are found fit they will be of no use.' 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, with closed tear at head of gutter.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Docketed on reverse: 'Acct. | Capt W. Cooke | £51.2.9.' A bill for wages, in Cooke's autograph, headed 'Ship Queen of France | To William Cooke . . . Dr.' Listing monies due with dates and details. For example: '7 Jan [1789] wages . . .@ 18 dollars p. mo[nth]  30.9.7' (Other sums also on 7 Jan. and 12 April.) At the foot Cooke has written "Rec[eive]d Wilmington 12th April 1789 from Francis Peyrimant the above bal[anc]e. in full. | Wm Cooke.' The year of this transaction was also the year of the French Revolution.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. A spirited and characteristic letter. He begins by explaining that he has been 'exceedingly tormented with neuralgia for the last week' and is 'still very ill at ease'. He has not been 'out of doors for some time - & tis quite impossible just now'. He regrets 'missing Dear Old Mozart - & seeing you all', but hopes to 'make up for the loss by being most dreadfully pleasant'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient is an unnamed man and the subject is Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Procession, London, 21 June 1887. Asking for tickets, if there are 'any good places left', 'to view the procession of the 21st.'

Both items 1p., 8vo. Both in fair condition, on aged paper. ONE: Without date or place. If Valentia is 'likely to be detained in the Country' it might be best to order the book to be forwarded to Disbrowe, and he will 'present it to Her Majesty in your Name - I have no Doubt the Queen will be highly gratified by so valuable a present'. TWO: Windsor; 16 August 1809. He has 'had the Honor of receiving The Queens Commands' to thank Valentia 'for the very valuable present of a very fine Edition of Your Work. It will cut a very conspicuous Figure in Her Majestys Library'.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lighly aged at extremities, with the second leaf, carrying the address ('Dr. Farre | Charter House Square', with postmark), laid down on part of a leaf removed from an album. Locock's note, on the recto of the first leaf, reads: 'My dear Sir - | We will not trouble you to call on Miss Gladstone tomorrow, as she remains much the same, and they are rather anxious to get out of Town.-' Farre's unsigned reply, on the reverse, complains that Locock's letter 'reached my hands too late to prevent on the 31st.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. The letter begins: 'My dear Lord Stratford | The 5th November, the day of Inckerman, [sic] is passed – I had not the courage to write. There was such a weight of grief in my heart, it was very difficult to give any utterance to it. Yet I will not let this disastrous year come to its close, without sending you a few words of remembrance, of sincere friendship. Since I left you in London, how many are gone!

ONE: ANS. 1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The second leaf bears the address, part of which has been cut away: '<...> Wright Esq | <...> Panton Square | <...> Coventry Street'. Reads: 'Sir | I am much in want of the copies of V. <?> & the other speeches & I hope you can let me have my own or other copies | I am | Your most | Obt. Servant | Wm. Vizard'. TWO: Engraving of 'Willm. Vizard Esqr. | Her Majesty's Solicitor. | Engraved by T. Wright from a Drawing by A. Wivell.' At bottom right-hand corner 'P 2/6'. Dimensions of image 9.5 x 8 cm. On 17 x 12 cm paper.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and creased paper. The first page carries the title, which reads in full: '[ Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Printed in black and white on one side of a white cotton napkin, roughly 60 cm square. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with cloth loops attached on reverse at head resulting in four glue stains (not affecting the image). A nice piece of Golden Jubilee ephemera.

On 36.5 x 19 cm. piece of paper. Elwes' signature is on the reverse, with the following in another hand: '20th Decemr. 1775. | Recd in full'. Beside Elwes' signature are those of the witnesses: 'Robt. Waters' and 'Wm. Nicholls'. Text on recto, with 'Sir Jeffry Elwes Kt.' in right-hand margin, beginning: 'Order is taken this 12 day of Decr. 1775 By Virtue of his Majesty's Genl. Letters of Privy Seal bearing date the 5th.

On 15 x 12 cm. piece of paper, cut from a printed document completed in manuscript. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, laid down on square of plain paper. Payment of an annuity ('for carrying on the War, and other Her Majesty's Occasions').

On one side of a 15 x 17.5cm. piece of paper. Aged and worn, with slight loss at jhead and left-hand margin.

1p., 8vo. On aged paper worn at head. Customary printed Exchequer receipt, completed in manuscript, headed (manuscript text in square brackets): 'Annuities, 3700l. per Week. | Record' [19 Janu. 1715]'. Calculations in right-hand margin and clerical sign on reverse. Recording the payment by Sir Richard Onslow of £100 to 'Awnsham Churchill Attorney for mr ffra: Bennett & for selfe'.

The 22 issues (originals, not a resetting of the text) are continuously paginated, each being 16pp. long, and totalling 352pp., 8vo. Preceded by a title-leaf for 'Vol. I.' and two-page index. Frontispiece engraving of 'Queen Elizabeth's New Grammar School and Chapel, Ipswich.' A differently-inked variant of the same illustration faces the first page of No. 6. In brown morocco half-binding, title in gilt on spine, marbled boards. Internally sound and tight, in worn binding with damage to marbling on back board, and the first leaf of the first issue somewhat grubby.

The two volumes folio, 20 pp, and folio, 18 pp. Both in the same neat hand and in uniform original bindings of green boards, with green cloth spines and white decoratively-cut paper labels on front covers, each carrying a description of the contents addressed to 'Königin Adelheid von Großbritannien'. The first account book (1844-1845) has part of the second leaf (pp.2-3) torn away; and the second (1847-1848) is lacking the fourth leaf (pp.9-10).

xiv + 170pp., 12mo. Engravings ('cuts') in text. In publisher's brown ribbed cloth binding, with design of sceptre and crown in gilt on spine. Tight copy, on dusty and aged paper, in binding worn at head of the spine. Autograph inscription on reverse of frontispiece: 'T. Crofton Croker Esqr. | from his sincere friend | The Author'.