SOHO

[Dannie Abse, Welsh Jewish poet.] Autograph Letter Signed to Paul Furness, recalling poets like Paul Potts and George Barker in the Soho pub the French House, and John Conway and Alun Owen in pubs in Cardiff, and Jews and pubs.

Author: 
Dannie Abse [Daniel Abse] (1923-2014), Welsh Jewish poet, brother of politician Leo Abse and psychologist Wilfrid Abse [Gaston Berlemont (1914-1999), landlord of the French House, Soho, London]
Publication details: 
November 1982; 85 Hodford Road, London NW11. On embossed government letterhead.
£120.00

A good informative letter. See Abse's entry in the Oxford DNB, along with that of Gaston Berlemont, proprietor of the French House (the nickname of the York Minster), Soho. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded one for postage. On a leaf of light-grey paper, in matching stamped envelope with postmark, addressed to Furness in Battersea. One of a number of letters from British poets in response to enquiries from Furness with regard to their pub memories.

[James Doherty, Soho School, Nassau Street, Soho: Georgian school magazine.] The Athenaeum. Conducted by the Senior Pupils of J. Doherty, Esq. A.B.

Author: 
James Doherty, Soho School, Nassau Street, Soho
Publication details: 
9 June 1823. Vol. I. No. 7. 'Communications to be addressed (post paid) to the Editors, at C. Handy's, 50, Brewer Street, Golden Square.'
£150.00

[8]pp, 12mo, paginated 45-52. Unbound, on two loose bifoliums, one inserted inside the other. Drophead title.

[Sir John Hare, actor-manager, to Willy Clarkson, theatrical wigmaker and homosexual blackmailer.] Autograph Letter Signed ('John Hare'), giving instructions on a wig 'of great importance', required for an American tour.

Author: 
Sir John Hare (1844-1921), actor and manager of the Garrick Theatre, London [Willy Clarkson [William Berry Clarkson (1861-1934), theatrical wigmaker and costume designer, homosexual blackmailer]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 'Mr. John Hare's Autumn Provincial Tour, 1900' (Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester). 15 September 1900.
£80.00

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter casts an interesting sidelight on the practicalities of the late-Victorian theatre. He begins by explaining that he is sending back a wig he made for him, which was 'an admirable one in every way', and asking that he make him 'one like it for America & to bestow your best skill on it as it is of great importance to me'. He instructs him to 'make the wig a shade darker, something of the color it is dyed behind, & put a little natural white hair on the temples each side'.

[ The Antiquarian Etching Club, London. ] Printed prospectus, with 'Plan of the Club', 'Rules' and 'Contents of Volumes already issued. With descriptive letter-press.'

Author: 
[ H. W. King, Hon. Sec., the Antiquarian Etching Club, London, founded 1849 [ John Russell Smith, bookseller, 36 Soho Square, London ]
Publication details: 
[ John Russell Smith, 36, Soho Square, London. ] Tucker, Printer, Perry's Place, Oxford Street. [Circa 1852.]
£120.00

4pp., 8vo. Bifolium. Disbound. A frail survival, on aged paper, with chipping to gutter and extremities.

[John Churchill, London medical bookseller and publisher.] Itemised invoice, signed 'settled | J. Churchill', for books bought by Rutherford Alcock on behalf of W. Williamson; with Autograph Receipt Signed ('John Churchill').

Author: 
John Churchill [John Spriggs Morss Churchill] (1801-1875), London medical bookseller and publisher [Sir John Rutherford Alcock (1809-1897), diplomat]
Publication details: 
Invoice: on his letterhead as 'Medical Bookseller and Publisher, Princes Street, Soho'. 24 April 1841. Receipt: London. 24 April 1841.
£65.00

ONE: Invoice headed 'To Account delivered 1839.40'. 1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Addressed to 'Rutherford Alcock Esqre. | (for W Williamson)' and listing four titles including 'Wilsons Anatomy' (12s 6d) and 'Alison's Physiology' (12s), totalling £10 15s 0d. Beneath the four entries the bookseller has writen 'Settled | J. Churchill | 24th. April 1841', and beneath this Williamson has added 'The above is quite correct | J Williamson | 9July 4th 1842'. TWO: Receipt on one side of 8 x 18.5 cm slip of paper, with embossed 6d stamp. Reads: 'London 24th April 1841.

[Peter Levi, S.J., English poet.] Unpublished holograph poem ( 'P. L.') titled 'For Henrietta and Dom. | (December, 1960.)' Addressed to the Indian poet Dom Moraes and his wife Henrietta Moraes, lover of Lucien Freud and model for Francis Bacon.

Author: 
Peter Levi [Peter Chad Tigar Levi] (1931-2000), Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford and Jesuit priest [Dom Moraes (1938-2004), Indian poet; his wife Henrietta Moraes (1931-1999)]
Publication details: 
Place not stated. December 1960.
£280.00

2pp., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. A fair copy of a twenty-eight line poem, arranged in seven four-line stanzas. Signed at end 'P. L. | December 1960.' The first stanza reads 'Rain-threaded gull-wheeling bell-clamorous air, | by wind shifted, by smoke lightly weighted, | in which sirens beautifully despair, | no monumnet crumbles uncelebrated,'. The poem ends with a simile of 'Adam when he woke: | stood for a moment as if he had been blind, | and bent suddenly over Eve, and spoke.' There is no indication that the poem has been published.

[Printed pamphlet.] A Catalogue of the Engineers' and Boilermakers' Tools & Machinery at the Soho Foundry, Smethwick, Birmingham. For Sale by Auction, by Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons & Cassell, May, 1896.

Author: 
Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons & Cassell, Auctioneers, 11, Billiter Square, London, E.C. [The Soho Foundry, Smethwick, Birmingham; W. & T. Avery; engineering; trade catalogue]
 Soho Foundry
Publication details: 
May, 1896. [London: Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons & Cassell, Auctioneers, 11, Billiter Square, London, E.C.]
£180.00
 Soho Foundry

8vo, 43 pp. In original grey printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, in discoloured wraps. Title taken from front wrap. Title-page reads, in abridged form: 'By order of Messrs. W. & T. Avery, Limited, who have recently acquired the Freehold. | Soho Foundry, Smethwick, Birmingham. To Engineers, Boiler Makers and Others.

Valuable Works Lately Published, or in course of publication, by Treuttel and Würtz, and Richter, 30, Soho Square.

Author: 
Treuttel and Wurtz, and Richter [Treuttel et Würtz; Wuertz], foreign booksellers in London
Valuable Works Lately Published , , ,  by Treuttel and Würtz, Printed Catalogue
Publication details: 
July, 1833. [ Treuttel and Würtz, and Richter, 30, Soho Square.]
£56.00
Valuable Works Lately Published , , ,  by Treuttel and Würtz, Printed Catalogue

12mo, 16 pp. Unpaginated. Unbound and unstitched. Stabbed as issued. Fair, on lightly aged and worn paper. Extensive descriptions of 62 items, from 'The Mother's Manual; or Illustrations of Matrimonial Economy' to 'History of Russia, and of Peter the Great. By General Count Philip de Segur'. Five items 'In the Press' on the last page. Scarce: no copy in the British Library or on COPAC.

Autograph Signatures of Colburn, Shee, North and Colnaghi, removed from Artists' Benevolent Fund application.

Author: 
Henry Colburn (1784-1855), bookseller and publisher; Sir Martin Arthur Shee (1769-1850), President of the Royal Academy; Peter North; Dominic Colnaghi (1790-1879), printseller
Publication details: 
1841
£28.00

On one side of a piece of paper roughly 8 x 12.5 cm. Good, lightly aged. Reads ' Henry Colburn | 13 Gt Marlborough Street | Martin Arthur Shee | Peter North 22 Soho Square | Dominic Colnaghi'. Fragment of docketed manuscript record of the case on the reverse: '<...> 830 | <...>nes O'Connor | <...>ent Case | <...>y 12th. 1841'.

Poster for English publication of the score of Donizetti's opera 'La Favorite' ['The Favourite'].

Author: 
Gaetano Donizetti [Charles Jefferys and Co., 21 Soho Square]
Publication details: 
Undated, but circa 1843.
£60.00

Roughly twelve and half inches by nine and a quarter. Neatly mounted on piece of cream paper, with surrounding ink rules. Good, with some ruckling and wear to corners. Characteristically arresting arrangement of type. Reads: 'CAUTION. | THE ONLY CORRECT COPY | OF DONIZETTI'S OPERA | THE FAVOURITE | AS PERFORMED IN ENGLISH AT THE | THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE, | IS PUBLISHED BY | JEFFERYS AND CO.

Syndicate content