TOM

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Arnold, whose conversion to Roman Catholicism hindered his academic dvancement in England, was grandfather of the writer Aldous Huxley, and taught James Joyce at Dublin. At the time of writing he was running a private tutoring establishment at Oxford. He begins the letter by explaining that it has hardly been possible to reply to Hutchinson 'during term time [...] I had so much work on my hands'.

On 3.5 x 16.5 cm piece of paper, cut from the end of a letter. Ruckled and lightly stained, with small closed tear (not affecting signature). Good firm signature. Reads: 'Kindest regards to your wife | Ever most truly yours | Thos Hughes'. At bottom left: '1873'. Same year printed on reverse, which carries more autograph text by Hughes, written at right angles to the text on the other side.

The Clarke family ran the Argyle for fifty years from 1890 to 1940, during which period it was one of the best-known provincial theatres. It opened as the Argyle Music Hall in 1868, and between 1876 and 1890 was named the Prince Of Wales Theatre, being used mainly to stage plays. In 1890 the focus returned to music hall and variety and it was renamed the Argyle Theatre. Its archives are in the University of Sheffield. 2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, somehwhat grubby and creased at foot of leaf.

Three pages (expansive hand), 12mo, fold mark, good condition. "Ihave decided on offering you our Drawing Mastership. | The salary will be half a guninea for every Boy in the School not on the Foundation up to a maximum of 160 guineas. | The boys have steadily exceeded 320, not on the Foundation, for years. But [...] is our rule of payment in all cases. | I should be glad if you could come in about a month."

285pp., 8vo, including newspaper cuttings laid down on 24pp., and one loose cutting. In contemporary black leather half-binding, with brown cloth covers, and 'MINUTE BOOK' in gilt on front. Marbled endpapers. Ticket on rear pastedown of 'W. BLAIR, | Stationer, | Post Office Buildings | TONBRIDGE'. Internally in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding with front hinge split. Manuscript title: 'Tonbridge Cricket Week. | 1894. | First Held 1890'.

v + 83pp. In grey printed wraps. Printed on rectos only and comb-bound. On aged and worn paper, with stamps of the Hire Library of Messrs Chappell & Co. Ltd, 50 New Bond Street. With pencil markings and annotations. Loosely inserted is an 'On Loan' receipt to 'Mr. T. Dickinson, 12A, York Mews, London, N.W.5.' The first English production of the play was at the Apollo Theatre, London, opening on 7 September 1961. It ran for 44 performances.

ONE (Elliott's letter): 3pp., 12mo. 34 lines. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged paper, loosely attached to the title-leaf of the book by a small piece of gummed paper. The letter begins: 'My dear Driberg | I ought to have acknowledged your letter sooner, but I only received it on my return from abroad, and since then I have been busy struggling with the arears which always accrue during absence.' He thanks him for sending his 'son's little volume', which he has read 'with much interest & congratulate him on the neat & modest appearance he has made in print'.

34 + [1]pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, a little ruckled. Advertisement for 'Jan Cladpole's Trip to Merricur' ('Just published') on last page. A three-page preface is followed by the poem, in 152 four-line stanzas, with pp.33-34 carrying another poem titled 'Tom Cladpole's Return'. Surprisingly uncommon.

The three items derive from the Bilainkin papers. Each is separately paginated and stapled, with the text on one side only of the leaves. All three in good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with rusty staples. Item One: Titled 'ADD 1960 DIARY. Saturday, July 23.' 7pp., foolscap 8vo. With carbon copy of the same.

8pp., 4to. On eight leaves pinned together. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with rust staining from pin. Apparently unpublished. Typed at head of first page: 'From J. H. Driberg, 19, Dryden Chambers, W.1.', above which, in manuscript: 'NL. N. 10 pt Miscellany'. Driberg is clearly the author: 'Anyanga' is a surname common in the area of Kenya in which he was based as a colonial offical. The first paragraph gives an indication of the tone of the piece: 'The War left me with one fragrant memory. Her name was Yvonne Beaubouchais, and the date was 1915.

The nine large prints are in good condition, lightly-aged with slight wear to corners. The smaller print is lightly-creased. In worn blue faux-leather album, with large facsimile signature of 'Lenare' on cover in gilt, with the address 'Portraiture | 28, GEORGE STREET | HANOVER SQUARE | LONDON, W.1.' ONE to FOUR. A series of four head-and-shoulders portraits of Driberg, each signed in pencil by Maurice Beck, and with the stamp on the reverse: 'Photograph by | Maurice Beck | F.R.P.S.' Each on a piece of 37 x 29.5 cm.

Black and white portrait of Driberg from the waist up, by Converse Studios Inc., New York. In good condition, in lightly-worn printed card folder, 35 x 25.5 cm. The image is mounted behind a 23.5 x 18 cm windowpane. Driberg, in his early thirties, in a double-breasted pin-striped suit, white shirt, and tie, faces the camera with hands in pockets. From Driberg's own papers.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Untidily-written by Taylor, with several ink smudges. The letter begins: 'Dear Col: Cunningham | I find recorded, in my catalogues, no other portrait of Eliz: Countess of Pembroke & her son, except the one in the Earl of Pembroke's possession at Wilton House. There is a repetition of the group of mother & son in that picture, with the Earl in it, in Wilton House. Lord Normanton has a head of the Lady, painted at the same time, apparently'.

Valuation: 29pp., 4to, in a brown folder bound with green ribbon. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With a few manuscript additions. The title reads: 'T. DRIBERG, ESQ., 601 MOUNTJOY HOUSE, BARBICAN, LONDON, E.C.2. | VALUATIONS FOR INSURANCE | CHRISTIE, MANSON & WOODS.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Jack | It is a long time since we met - but perhaps that is my fault. If so, will you let bygones be bygones - and come over to Toppesfield some time?' She suggests a date, 'Or any Sunday lunch in the immediate future', stating that 'after July, all plans are "Hitler permitting"!' Driberg has noted his acceptance of the invitation up one margin. [Driberg was a Lecturer in Anthropology at Cambridge University from 1934 to 1942. His brother was the colourful Labour MP Tom Driberg.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins: 'My bookseller has sent me tonight "Island India at School" - Chicago University Press $2 [in fact 'Island India at School', E. R. Embree et al, 1934], and therefore, presumably, C.U.P. in this country.' He apologises for troubling Driberg unnecessarily: 'But yesterday they told me that they couldn't even trace it in Publishers' Catalogues.' Postscript reads: 'I hope I'm not robbing you of your proper style & title. I feel that it might be "Dr."

14pp., 12mo. In ruled notebook bound in black cloth. Titled 'Tom - School' at head of first page, with small section cut away from the front cover to make this visible. In fair condition on lightly-aged paper, with one slightly dogeared corner and light staining to blank leaves at the rear. Written while Driberg was between the ages of five and thirteen, and with the handwriting more untidy towards the end.

After '[...] with numerous local illustrations.' the title continues: 'To which is added a short account of The Coventry Cemetery, Waterworks, St. Mary's and Draper's Halls, School of Art, New Free Library, Bond's and Ford's Hospitals; also the History of Stoneleigh and Combe Abbeys, Kenilworth Castle, &c.' 48pp., small (15 x 12 cm) 4to. With fold-out frontispiece and nine engraved plates, including 'The Countess Lady Godiva riding through Coventry' and 'Peeping Tom of Coventry'. In green printed card wraps with red cloth spine.

Book: [xii] + 95 pp., 8vo. In fair condition, in original green cloth and worn yellow dustwrapper. Inscribed on front free endpaper: 'For Tom Driberg | With Good Wishes | Robin Skelton | May 1960'. With review slip, on the reverse of which Driberg has written: 'Blake | Graves | Frost | Plomer'. Skelton's Letter: 2pp., 12mo. 20 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Regarding the book he writes that he has 'added a note to the preface to the 2 Ballads of the Muse', which he hopes 'doesn't too much spoil the layout'. He thanks Driberg for his interest in his work.

1p., 4to. Fair, on aged paper, with one small burn-hole to margin. Addressed to 'Mrs. T. Driberg, | Bradwell Lodge, | Bradwell juxta Mare, | nr. Southminster, | Essex.' He thanks her for receiving 'an African boy from Northern Rhodesia and some members of my family', and 'showing us the details of your charming house so unhesitatingly'. He discusses the 'astonishing contrast the house is to the landscape around it.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Van Thal was 'most distressed to read in the Daily Express this morning that you were no longer connected with that paper.' He thanks him 'for the pleasure that you have given me over a number of years of reading a first class column'. He hopes it will be 'discoverable as to where you are going to continue to write - or have politics put an end to a chapter?' In a postscript he states that he is at least 'able to console myself with Hansard!'

Having been expelled from the Communist Party in 1941, Driberg joined the Labour Party in 1945; he would be elected to the National Executive throughout 1949-72 and was chairman of the party in 1957-8. The collection is in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with occasional minor rust staining from paperclips. ONE: Autograph Notes by Driberg of 'Bradwell local information'. 12pp., 12mo, on a total of eight leaves of House of Commons notepaper.

All in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letters are dated 22, 24 and 25 December 1939 and 20 and 21 January 1940; the note is undated. The letters total 6pp., 4to, with an additional 1p., 4to, carrying a translation from Spanish; the note is on the back of a scrap of Asbach Uralt packaging. The first two letters are in English, the other letters and the note in French. One envelope is present, addressed to: 'M. Yvon Davis, Bradwell Lodge, Bradwell-on-Sea, nr.

2pp., 12mo. Very good on blue paper, with letterhead printed in red. He begins: 'I must write to tell you how very much indeed I enjoyed the course at Cambridge and particularly your lectures.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and ruckled. Doré's huge painting 'The Triumph of Christianity over Paganism' was first exhibited in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in 1867.

Landscape photograph, 19.5 x 14.5 cm, laid down on a piece of thin card cut from an album, 18 x 21 cm. Around sixty boys are posed in four rows in front of a grand house, with two masters to the right and two to the left, and with a fifth in the centre of the group. The group are surprisingly fat-faced, posing sulkily in jackets, with some waistcoats and tam o'shanters. Five more boys look out of a downstairs window, three from an upstairs window, and one peeks out from behind the front door.

1p., small 4to. Very good: trimmed and neatly laid down on backing. Egerton has had 'some communication with our Managers', and if Egan will 'write a Farce, with a good part for Keeley, in his way, perhaps some sort of continuation of Jerry', he knows it will 'be accepted, & put into training'. He asks to hear from Egan by return, as he wishes to see the managers on the subject 'previous to Mr. Fawcetts leaving Town on Tuesday next, or the matter must rest three months'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The first page headed 'Act III', and the whole tightly-written and filled with deletions, interpolations and marginal notes, providing a valuable insight into the creative process of one of Victorian England's most successful dramatists. The last page breaks off: 'Handeside confesses his own desperate attachment. Markham <...>'. 'A Sister's Penance' was a great success, with 83 performances at the Adelphi between 26 November 1866 and 2 March 1867.

4pp., 12mo. On aged paper, with minor traces of gum from mount. Taylor begins: 'My dear Charles Neville | I was glad to receive your letter, for it showed that the seed I had taken pains to sow had not fallen, as most seed so sown in the theatre does fall, upon an ungrateful soil.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper, with remains of stub along one edge. Written in a difficult hand. Taylor begins: 'Dear Mr Mewburn, I shall not be at Sessions [as a barrister on the northern circuit] any more. I have just accepted an appointment as legal Assistant Secretary to the Board of Health, and I enter on the duties of the place on Monday. The salary is £500 per: an: to begin with, with the prospect of increase.