THIRTIES

[English Social History: A working-class London cinema-goer.] Two exercise books, filled with 385 manuscript entries by ‘Miss Renee Fish’ of Catford, detailing ‘Films I have seen’, between 1930 and 1934, and 1939 and 1943, at various London cinemas.

Author: 
[English Social History: A working-class London cinema-goer in the 1930s and 1940s; the movies; the pictures; the flicks]
Publication details: 
‘Miss Renee Fish, / 112, Allerford Road / Catford, / S.E.6. [London]’ First exercise book: 272 entries between 3 January 1930 and 27 October 1934. Second exercise book: 113 entries between 12 June 1939 and 20 March 1943.
£450.00

An interesting agglomeration of ephemera London cinematic information. The author is working-class or lower-middle-class. Two sturdy ruled small 4to exercise books, with black covers of ribbed watered cloth and spine of red cloth. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: 150pp. Ownership inscription on inside of front cover: ‘Miss Renee Fish, / 112, Allerford Road / Catford, / S.E.6.’ The first page is headed: ‘31. 12. 29. Films I have seen during 1930.’ Each of the volume’ The entries are numbered from 1 to 272, with an additional numeration for each year from the second year onwards.

`[HMS Beacon, HMS Britannia and HMS St Vincent.] Three separate returns of armaments for three Royal Navy ships, each in manuscript, two on printed forms.

Author: 
HMS Beacon, HMS Britannia, HMS St Vincent [Royal Navy ships in the nineteenth century; the Admiralty, Whitehall]
Publication details: 
Return for HMS St Vincent dated 31 July 1833; the other two from the 1830s. [to the Admiralty, Whitehall]
£280.00

HMS Beacon (launched in 1820 as HMS Meteor and renamed in 1832) was a survey ship (having been under her previous name a Hecla-class bomb vessel), sold in 1846. HMS Britannia, the third of the name, was launched in 1820. She took part in the Siege of Sebastopol, and later in 1854 was driven ashore on the Russian coast, thereafter serving as a training ship until being sold for breaking in 1869.

[David Low, English cartoonist, born in New Zealand.] Printed christmas card ‘from Mr. and Mrs. David Low’, illustrated with a cartoon by him of a dog caught ripping up a christmas card.

Author: 
David Low [Sir David Alexander Cecil Low] (1891-1963), English political cartoonist, born in New Zealand
Low
Publication details: 
No date. ‘25, Helenslea Avenue, / N. W. 11. [London]’
£80.00
Low

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The present item is a nice piece of printed ephemera relating to the man described in his Guardian obituary as ‘the dominant cartoonist of the western world’. In 1937 Goebbels had told Lord Halifax that Low’s cartoons were harming Anglo-German relations, and after the war it was revealed that his name was in the ‘black book’ of individuals to be ‘liquidated’ on German conquest of Britain. In good condition, lightly aged.Small 4to bifolium printed in brown ink on thick wove paper.

[‘Everyone is holding on tight’: James Bone, Scottish journalist, London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian.] Typed Letter Signed to ‘Burdett’, explaining how ‘experienced men’ are ‘on the street’ (during the Great Depression).

Author: 
James Bone (1872-1962), Scottish journalist, for three decades London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian, brother of Sir Muirhead Bone
Publication details: 
12 May 1932; on letterhead of the Manchester Guardian London Office, 43 Fleet Street, EC4 [London].
£50.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, lightly aged and folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Dear Burdett’ and signed ‘J Bone’. He will let him know if he hears of anything with regard to Burdett’s ‘young friend’, ‘but one hears so rarely now of newspaper openings, as everyone is holding on tight, and there are so many experienced men on the street’. He is sending Burdett’s note ‘on to Manchester in case there should ever be an opportunity there’.

[Henry Hall, Director of the BBC Dance Orchestra.] Coloured Lithographic portrait of him, in colours, with original Autograph Signature.

Author: 
Henry Hall [Henry Robert Hall] (1898-1989), Director of the BBC Dance Orchestra
Henry Hall
Publication details: 
The print: ‘Presented with “Radio Pictorial,” No. 1, January 19, 1934’.
£45.00
Henry Hall

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 20 x 25 cm lithograph in pink, white and black. In good condition, lightly aged. An attractive item, suitable for framing. Head and shoulders portrait of a dapper bespectacled Hall, with parted greased hair, in white tie, staring at the viewer. Across his shirt, Hall has written in green ink ‘Best Wishes / Henry Hall’. Captioned at bottom left: ‘HENRY HALL / DIRECTOR, B.B.C. DANCE ORCHESTRA’; and at bottom right: ‘Presented with “Radio Pictorial,” / No. 1, January 19, 1934’. See image.

[Rudyard Kipling: American fine printing of 'Britain's Favourite Poem'.] If.

Author: 
Rudyard Kipling; The Pinkham Press, Boston, Mass.; Robert S. Pinkham
Publication details: 
Colophon: 'PINKHAM PRESS | CHRISTMAS | 1937'. [The Pinkham Press, 286 Congress Street, Boston, Mass.]
£100.00

[12]pp, 16mo. Tastefully printed in brown and black, and stitched into grey-green wraps, on the cover of which is the word 'If' in large gold print, enclosed in a brown rectangle. In good condition, lightly aged. Colophon on reverse of title, and on facing page a note with facsimile signatures of 'Robert S.

[Christopher Fry, 1930s pantomime (author's first book?) by the writer of 'The Lady's Not for Burning'.] Printed play text: 'The Sleeping Beauty | A Pantomime | by | Christopher Fry.'

Author: 
Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright and poet, noted for his verse dramas, author of 'The Lady's Not for Burning'
Publication details: 
Printers' slug on title-page: 'Courier Co., Ltd., Tun. Wells.' [Tunbridge Wells, 1934.]
£250.00

Possibly the author's first book (see below), from the Christopher Fry papers (despite the ownership inscription). 54pp, 12mo. Stapled into green printed wraps (title and words '(ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)'). Tiny ownership signature in initials ('R. G.') in top right-hand corner of title-page. No details of publication or date, other than the printers' slug at bottom left of title-page.

[Christopher Fry, dramatist and poet.] "Thor with Angels" Copy of the 'Acting Edition for the Festival of the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral 1948', with anonymous manuscript copy letter, in two hands, of a rebuttal of a critical review in The Times.

Author: 
Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright and poet, noted for his verse dramas, author of 'The Lady's Not for Burning'
Publication details: 
Copy Letter dated 21 June 1948; no place. Play: [Friends of Canterbury Cathedral.] Canterbury: H. J. Goulden, Ltd. [1948.]
£180.00

From the Christopher Fry papers. PLAY: [1] + 47pp, 12mo. Stapled into buff wraps printed in red, including the statement that it is the 'Friends of Canterbury Cathedral Edition'. In fair condition, lightly aged, in worn wraps, with a trace of rust to staples. This edition of the play (the first?) is uncommon: the only copies on OCLC WorldCat at the British Library and University of British Columbia. COPY LETTER: 4pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Written out in two hands, Recipient not named. With salutation 'Dear Sir,' and valediction 'I am | Yrs truly,'.

[W. H. Auden on Louis Macneice, one of 250 copies.| A Memorial Address by W. H. Auden | delivered at All Souls, Langham Place on 17 October, 1963.

Author: 
W. H. Auden [Louis Macneice]
Publication details: 
[One of 250 copies.] 'Privately printed for Faber and Faber, London' [1963].
£50.00

[12]pp, 8vo. Paginated to 14, but twelve pages on six leaves, comprising half-title, title and eight pages of text. Sewn into raspberry printed wraps. Title with engraving of the church, duplicated on front cover. Internally in fair condition, with slight creasing, but with blue ink (or wine?) stain at foot of outer edge of front cover. Bloomfield & Mendelson A46, which states that the edition was printed in November 1963 and limited to 250 copies, 'sent out to a number of personal friends whose names were mainly suggested by Mrs. MacNeice'. In this case, from the library of Christopher Fry.

[A nineteen-thirties 'action song' about the British police.] Sheet music (Curwen Edition 1329): 'Our Model Policemen | Humorous Character Sketch for Boys | Words and Music by J. Frise'.

Author: 
J. Frise [Jesse Frise]; J. Curwen & Sons, London publisher
Publication details: 
Curwen Edition 1320. London: J. Curwen and Sons Ltd., 24 Berners Street, W.1. [1930]
£120.00

7 + [1]pp, 4to. On two loose bifoliums. In fair condition, worn and aged. Stamped twice on cover: 'CORRECTION COPY' with date 1 July 1938, and second date, 29 November 1946. On the cover is an attractive stylized children's illustration, Curwen press style, hand-coloured in blue and orange, depicting three policemen walking in a line, truncheon aloft, before a row of houses and a church. The second page is blank; the third carries 'Hints for Performance', including 'Directions for Marching'. The musical score (for voice and piano) and words cover the four pages 4-7.

[The Glasgow book trade: John B. Wylie of Jackson, Wylie & Co. booksellers to the University, on the death of an employee.] Typed Letter Signed ('John B. Wylie') to John G. Wilson of J. & E. Bumpus, discussing 'Dalglish' and his demise.

Author: 
John B. Wylie, director of Jackson, Wylie & Co, booksellers to the University of Glasgow [John G. Wilson [John Gideon Wilson (1876-1963)] of the London booksellers J. & E. Bumpus; Dalglish]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Jackson, Wylie & Co. ('Booksellers, Librarians, Stationers & Bookbinders'), 73 West George Street, Glasgow. 10 April 1931.
£45.00

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. He acknowledges Wilson's 'kind letter regarding Dalglish', who 'suffered a good deal during the latter weeks of his life, but I am glad to say that even then he still retained that brightness of disposition of which you speak'.

[ Gerald Duckworth & Co., Ltd., London publishers. ] A Catalogue of the Books published by Duckworths'.

Author: 
Gerald Duckworth & Co., Ltd., London publishers [ Anthony Powell (1905-2000), novelist ]
Publication details: 
Gerald Duckworth & Co., Ltd. 3 Henrietta Street, London, W.C.2. 1928.
£80.00

71pp., 8vo. Stapled in orange printed wraps. Divided into three sections: 'The catalogue arranged under authors', 48pp.; 'Lists of series', 14pp.; and 'Index to titles', 9pp. An interesting range of authors and topics (at the time Anthony Powell was the firm's literary editor), from Harold Acton's 'Aquarium' and 'An Indian Ass' to Karl Mantzius's 'A History of Theatrical Art in Ancient and Modern Times'.

[ Ciro of Bond Street, London jewellers. ] Four 1930s trade catalogues: 'A Treasury of Pearls & Jewels', 'A Book of New and Exclusive Jewels', 'Exclusive Watches' and 'A Book of New and Exclusive Watches by Ciro - Part 2 - Jewelled Watches'.

Author: 
Ciro of Bond Street, London jewellers, founded in 1917
Publication details: 
'Ciro of Bond Street' [ Ciro, 48 Old Bond Street, London, W.1. ] None of the four dated, but all from the 1930s.
£500.00

The four items date from around the same period, all printed in black and white on shiny art paper, stapled in cream card wraps with simple and elegant titles printed in gold on the front covers. All four are profusely illustrated, with accompanying effusive text. Two have price lists printed in red tipped-in at the end. All four are in fair condition, with pages of text in a good state, and light signs of age and wear to the covers, the two larger items exhibiting slight rolled creasing, and one of them with wear at foot of spine.

Anonymous album containing 29 quarto pages of superior ink drawings of teddy bears and other stuffed toys in cartoonish and anthropomorphic style.

Author: 
[An album of strikingly original illustrations of teddy bears]
An album of strikingly original illustrations of teddy bears
Publication details: 
The album dates from the 1930s; the drawings are undated, and would appear to be slightly later.
£250.00
An album of strikingly original illustrations of teddy bears

4to album, with the 29 pages of drawings on 28 leaves (on the rectos, except on one leaf, where they are on both sides). The album gives evidence of having been re-used, but gives no evidence as to the identity of the artist. While the covers of the album are worn, with the spine becoming detached, and with its leaves of discoloured high-acidity paper, all the drawings are clear and complete, consisting of twenty-eight full-page studies, and the remaining page (the first) with three studies on it. A few of the illustrations are lightly- and tastefully-coloured in pastel watercolour.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Walter'), in German, to 'Mein lieber Bert!'

Author: 
Walter Koschatzky (1921-2003), German art critic
Publication details: 
28 March 1939; on his letterhead as 'Direktor der Cöpenicker Boden Akt. Ges. Wolfsgarten u. der Erkner Berliner Vorort-Terrainges. mbH.'
£75.00

4to, 4 pp. Bifolium. 59 lines of text. Clear and complete. On lightly-aged paper, with 4.5 cm closed tears to the outer edge of central horizontal fold to both leaves. A large part of the letter would appear to concern washing machines, including a reference to a new one on the American market, called the 'Waterflex'. A few lines in English at end: 'Many thanks for your Birthday-carte. Sorry year it arrived 1 month to [sic] late.' Sends love to 'Dorothy', and reference in text to 'Kajitan': 'Das wird Dir bestimmt Freude machen. Das ist alles viel besser als die Politik.

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Miss Zeman'.

Author: 
Francis Lambert McCrudden (1872-1958), editor of The Raven Anthology ('Issued Monthly by the Raven Poetry Circle of Greenwich Village')
Publication details: 
Undated; on letterhead of the Raven Anthology.
£85.00

Octavo, 2 pp. 23 lines of text. Lightly discoloured and slightly creased. The letterhead gives the names of seven of the Anthology's staff, and features an illustration of a raven. Regarding a line missed (beginning 'O fool') in the printing of a poem of Zeman's, he is pleased that Zeman has been able to 'see the matter from my side', and doesn't think 'an explanatory note in our next issue would be adequate'. Zeman's poem is 'beautiful' and 'well worth reprinting'. 'As to the Soiree, in your honor, think no more about it.

Typed Letter Signed to Betty Ross.

Author: 
Edward Verrall Lucas
Publication details: 
12 February 1936; on letterhead of the publishers Methuen & Co Ltd.
£38.00

English essayist and biographer of Charles Lamb (1868-1938). One page, quarto. Good only, on discoloured and creased paper. Lucas finds Ross's 'Heads and tales, etc.' (London: Rich & Cowan, 1934), a collection of interviews with the famous, 'incorrigibly lively'. 'I do not share all your sympathies but you have made a very entertaining thing out of question and answer. While I was reading, it occurred to me that a new kind of interview might be based on the "Questions I should not put to So-and-so". To G[eorge]. B[ernard].

Typed Letter Signed to the Hon. William Sulzer, 115 Broadway, New York City.

Author: 
Samuel Seabury [NEW YORK CITY; TAMMANY HALL]
Publication details: 
4 January 1934; on letterhead '40 WALL STREET | NEW YORK'.
£36.00

American lawyer (1873-1958), who in 1930 headed the investigation into political corruption in New York City which brought about the decline of Tammany Hall. Sulzer (1863-1941) had been elected Democratic Governor of New York in 1913 with Tammany support, but had been removed from office following an internal dispute. One page, quarto. Very good. His reply to Sulzer's letter has been delayed due to 'pressure of other matters and my absence from the City'. He thanks Sulzer for the 'recent note conveying your good wishes.

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