STAGE

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Barrett writes: 'Dear Hall Caine/ | The scheme promises well. I have made an arrangement for eight weeks at the Princess's. I thought it better to fight for the play there. Will certainly have a fair chance, although there can be no <?>.' According to Barrett's entry in the Oxford DNB, he returned from the Globe Theatre 'to the Princess's, where he began work with Hall Caine on adapting The Deemster, renamed Ben-my-chree (17 May 1888).

Letter One: 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With decorative letterhead in red. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Old DD' and 'E. D. Davis'. He realises that Davis is in 'a precious state of mind', and will only send 'a few lines to exchange domestic greetings of kindliness & good fellowship from the circle of Balham to the Square in N'Castle - the waters of the Thames mingle with those of the Tyne'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with small hole through both leaves. He will be too busy over the following days to visit Clark in person, 'and so I send you the first act of the MSS I talked to you about - I may say I read the 1st. act one afternoon to Miss Terry who wanted to take it to Webster - but I was disinclined'. If Clark 'had anything to do with it - the Blacksmith would be the [last word underlined] part'. He asks Clark to return it as soon as he can: 'as this is the American copy - and they expect it (but of course won't get it) by next mail'.

The sheet is 38 x 27.5cm; and the dimensions of the plate are34 x 25cm. At foot of plate: 'London, Published by Thos. Mc.Lean, 26 Haymarket, 1824.' The engravings, each 11 x 8cm., are arranged in two rows of two. In good condition, lightly-aged and with a torn pin hole at head, presumably where the print was torn from its string. Moving clockwise from top left, the prints are as follows.

12pp., 12mo. In original printed wraps bearing the title, dramatis personae, printer's slug, and contemporary pencil note: 'Performed at Literary Institute Wednesday June 8th 1898.' On aged and worn paper, with curling to fore-edge, and a cloth strip sewn on to strengthen spine. A comedy in heroic couplets. Excessively scarce: no copies on COPAC or WorldCat OCLC. Kirshaw was active between the 1870s and 1890s.

Both items printed on pink paper, with similar cover designs by Arnold Riches. Both in fair condition, aged and worn. The song sheet is a bifolium, 4pp, 4to, It dates from before 1939, when, following Ridgeway's death, the Player's Theatre moved to the Arts Theatre from King Street. The front page advertises performances 'Every Night (Except Sundays)', with 'THE ARTISTES' listed over twelve lines, and including 'Alec (Laneworthy-Figg) Clunes', Peter Ustinov, Bernard Miles and 'Leonard Sachs (Chairman)'.

The autograph address by Eva Marie Garrick is on a 7.5 x 14.5 piece of paper, laid down on an 8 x 20 cm piece of paper cut from an album. In fair condition, aged. Lightly-scored through by the postal authorities, it reads: 'The Rigt. Honorable | Dowr. Lady Amherst | Leven Grove near | Stokerley | Yorkshire'. Beneath this, in another hand: 'Widow of the celebrated David Garrick Esq', and along one edge, in a third hand (Lady Amherst's?), 'This direction was written by Mrs Garrick in the year 1819 when in her 92d year'.

1p., 12mo. On aged and ruckled paper, with pinholes to one corner. He is 'in the thick of this "Week in the Country" business'. 'When I come to town I'll come & see you about your proposition of the series for the Grand Magazine, but I'm a rotten short story writer, you know.'

8vo., 69pp. Unbound as issued. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with worn and chipped printed front wrap still present, with ownership inscription at head (''). 482 lots, with several of the books ticked in pencil. Included, as lots 95 to 112A, are 'specially printed copies of the various Lyceum Plays, as arranged for the Stage by SIR HENRY IRVING; they contain numerous manuscript alterations in the text in the handwriting of the great Actor, and are in consequence of very great interest'.

Mackenzie's letter is 1p., landscape 12mo. 16 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a crease to one corner. He thanks MP for his 'encouraging letter' and discusses his own 'silly slip about the Faery Queen's entrance' in a radio broadcast: 'I was so much concerned with giving listeners the difference between the O.P. and the Prompt side that it became a question of physician heal thyself.' He continues: 'I wasn't sure of the year Mille Le Garde [sic] sang that song. Probably '97. Rose Dering was the Aladdin. She was second boy. Ted Young was the Widow Twankey.

The Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres appears to have been active from January 1943 until at least 1944, with the actor Alec Clunes as Honorary Treasurer. The fourteen items in this collection are in good condition, on aged paper, in a beige card folder carrying the title 'LIST OF 213 CELEBRITIES'. [NB. While the first item described below is likely to be, as its title states, the work of Noel Coward, one other item at least in this collection (present in two versions as nos.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On monogrammed letterhead. In fair condition, with traces of glue from mount still adhering. She proposes a date for a meeting, adding: 'Will Miss Paget come in the evening & bring a young friend with her if she pleases?'

2pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged grey paper, with slight chipping at one corner. The letter accompanies a copy of an unnamed play, which Phillips hopes will interest Greenwood. 'I will stand or fall by it. I have learnt so much from your criticism (more indeed than from any one) that I should hope that you might continue possibly that line of such sane and helpful criticism which I have learned to look for from "the onlooker".' He concludes by declaring that there is no one to whom he is sending the book 'with greater pleasure'.

The three items are stapled to one another, in good condition on lightly-aged paper. The first item is the typescript, which is 1p., 4to. It is addressed to 'Dear Brother Artist,' and begins: 'You will possibly be rather surprised to receive a letter from me, but after having spent most of my life in the Provinces, I now find myself landed in London. I am surprised at the amount of discussion and activity that takes place here regarding the "politics" of the theatre - and realise how you in the Provinces are apt to get left out.

A good, firm signature, written on one side of a rectangle torn from the base of a letter, roughly 15 x 20cm. Aged and little creased. Written while Kean was on an American theatrical tour, the fragment reads 'I remain, | Yours truly | [signed] Charles Kean | Aster House | 9th. June | 1846.' In pencil on the reverse: 'Presented by A. Bassler'.

Landscape 8vo album with 82pp. on 73 leaves of different coloured paper in original cloth. Aged and loose, in worn binding. The autographs are mainly theatrical, and although lacking any first-rate actors, provide a tantalising glimpse into a lost world. Laid down are signed postcards from.Stella Gastelle, Ethel Ward and Ben Albert ('To Miss Rothsay | Best Wishes from her Dad's Pal Ben').

1p., foolscap 8vo. Stained, worn and creased, but a unique memento of a Newcastle institution and Grade I listed building, founded in 1867 as the Tyne Theatre and Opera House, and now bearing the euphonious name of the Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre.

The letterhead includes a facsimile of Sims's signature. Six lines, on one side of the card. Addressed at foot to 'Thos Hutchinson Esq.' Fair, on aged paper, with strip of gummed paper from mount at head of blank reverse. He sends 'a thousand thanks' for Hutchinson's 'kind letter on Sep 2', which he would have answered earlier, had he not been 'away at Liverpool'. He concludes: 'Your good wishes lay upon my table to welcome me home.'

1p., folio. Fair, on lightly-aged paper; with staple- and punch-holes in left-hand margin. Docketed in pencil, at head 'file Oliver MESSEL', and at foot '2/XII/52'. He thanks him for 'your charming messages [...] about the designs for the Glyndebourne brochure', which were 'given me by Vagn' (Messel's partner Vagn Riis-Hansen). 'For the one design ie.

Letter: 1p., 12mo. On letterhead of 12 Sunderland Terrace, London, printed in orange with orange border. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He states that his daughter Nelly (1904-1975) has given him her bookplate block 'to get printed for you'. He quotes prices for 100 and 300 prints, 'only to old friends so please dont tell anyone else!! If you will just let me have a P.C I will get them done in two days.' Nelly has also told him that Mrs Dryhurst's husband Alfred Robert Dryhurst (1859-1949) 'wanted to know my price for a bookplate (but perhaps she got that wrong) anyhow I generally charge £10.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of unobtrusive creases. 'We shall be very pleased to come to tea with you on Sunday - I hope you will not mind if we are a little late - I shall be so glad to see Mrs. Arkwright also. With kind regards and many thanks | Believe me | Yours very sincerely | [signed] Emma Albani Gye'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium on mourning paper watermarked 'JOYNSON | 1874'. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The letter, signed 'George Rose', covers both sides of the first leaf, with the following written lengthwise on the recto of the second leaf: 'Yrs very truly | [signed] Arthur Sketchley'. He informs Frith that the 'long impending blow has fallen' on him, and that his 'very dear brother died on Wednesday last & will be buried tomorrow'. He would 'willingly send on some autographs', but cannot lay his hand on any. 'I am sorry to be able only to send as pr opposite page', i.e.

Printed on one side of a piece of laid paper 28 x 23.5 cm. The hand-coloured engraving (showing Mathews in riding garb with long whip in foreground, and a coach and four in the background) is 16 x 22.5 cm. Fair, on aged paper, with wear and slight loss to extremities (not affecting the engraving or text), and the reverse showing signs of removal from an album. Above the engraving are the words 'BANG UP - RANDOM, OR TANDEM.' and beneath are the publication details, followed by the full title: Some Push Along With Four In Hand, While Others Drive At Random. Written by J.

1p., 4to. On aged paper. Printed in block capitals at head of letter: 'Experienced actor-dramatist and film adapter. Author of plays and films produced in England and America. Expert in "Dramatic Construction" gained in years of practical experience on the stage, and in films. Adapts stories to the talking films, the bigger the story with opportunities of being developed on a large scale, the better.' Addressed to 'Commander L. A. da Costa Ricci | Naval & Military Club, | 94 Piccadilly | W'.

1p., 4to. 31 lines. Fair, on aged paper. On paper with watermarked date of 1814. Initialled 'G. C.'; with the words 'Copy to Morris' in the top left-hand corner. Docketed on reverse 'Copy to Morris March 1815'. Colman writes that is is now his intention, 'as it ever has been, to use every effort in my power for the interest of the Theatre, by carrying on the business in the best manner that the continual obstacles opposed to my plans will permit'. He states that he is 'in treaty with various Performers for the approaching Summer'.

1p., 4to. On aged and grubby paper. The letter provides an interesting insight into the niceties of Regency theatrical practice. Colman peremptorily addresses it to 'Madam', before expressing his displeasure and defending his imposition of a penalty, as a result of the non-attendance of the recipient (apparently an actress) at a performance at the Haymarket.

Black and white photograph. Dimensions 15.5 x 21 cm. In good condition, with slight wear to edges. Head and shoulders studio shot of a fresh-faced Rogers, looking slightly upwards with enigmatic half-smile. Caption, at foot, reads, 'To Titania from her loving Bottom.' Rogers acted in several of Jill Balcon's father Michael's films.

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of previous mounting to the reverse of the last leaf. Horne writes that he is enclosing a copy of his play 'Gregory VII' for 'Mr Chas Kemble'. 'I have not written his name in it, because as you were so kind as to interest yourself in the matter, I thought I would leave it in your hands so you may give it him; or say you asked me for a copy for the purpose, or say nothing - or anything. Isn't this a fine mode of expressing my confidence in your judgment?

2pp., 12mo. The letter is on the recto of the first leaf of the bifolium, with the list, in three columns, on the recto of the second. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Dibdin reminds Davidge that at his 'first Anniversary Dinner' he expressed a great wish to serve Dibdin by his patronage, but that 'absence from Town' prevented him. 'The Company were so well pleas'd that each present sign'd a Paper to come again - it is now fix'd for my Birthday (the 21st. Inst) and I take the freedom of enclosing you a List of the Patrons in the Hope I may be allow'd to add yours and enclose you a Ticket'.

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Divided into eight four-line stanzas, each with the same two-line refrain. The first stanza: 'Fashion was formed when the World began, | And Adam I am told was a very smart man, | As for Eve I shall say nothing more or less. | |But that Ladies of Fashion now copy her dress. | Yet barring all pother of this that & tother we all bow to Fashion in turn'. Containing witty references to the fashion for hunting boots and crops, New Bond Street, Tudor and Stuart clothing, Whigs and Tories.