UPCOTT

[ William Upcott, antiquary and autograph collector. ] Autograph Letter Signed to Dr J. B. Brown

Author: 
William Upcott (1779-1845), antiquary and autograph collector
Publication details: 
'Islington - | 102 Upper Street'. 10 October 1839.
£120.00

H2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with the blank second leaf placed in a windowpane mount. The letter gives a good impression of Upcott's questionable character, well-described in Janet Ing Freeman's entry on him in the Dictionary of National Biography. It reads: 'My friend will not part with his Autograph of O. Cromwell – He purchased it for 5 Guineas – the usual price – To his signature in my possession is attached that of his Secretary Thurloe – by no means a common Autograph – Dr. R.

[William Upcott, antiquary and autograph collector.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Wm. Upcott') to the music publisher and collector of Napoleana John Davis Sainsbury, requesting the loan of plates to be engraved by Charles John Smith for Henry Colburn.

Author: 
William Upcott (1779-1845), antiquary and autograph collector [John Davis Sainsbury (b.c.1793), music publisher and Napoleonic collector; Charles John Smith, engraver; Henry Colborn, publisher]
Publication details: 
102 Upper Street, Islington. 18 February 1836.
£120.00

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'J. Sainsbury Esq'. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | My friend, Mr Charles Smith, is engaged by Mr. Colborn to engrave the portraits of Sir Hudson Lowe, Madame Bertrand and M.

Autograph journal of a 'Trip to Singapore' from Johannesburg, by an unnamed female doctor (presumably the wife of the South African political activist Basil Stein).

Author: 
[Journal of a trip to Singapore from Johannesburg, South Africa, 1967-1968; Basil Stein (1928-2012), South African political activist]
Publication details: 
From Johannesburg, South Africa, to Singapore. 21 October 1967 to 31 January 1968.
£120.00

57pp., 4to. In ruled notebook, with marbled boards and brown cloth spine. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. A light, observant account of a holiday, with details of her pastimes, the individuals she encounters, social engagements. First page headed 'Trip to Singapore Oct. 1967'. The first entry begins: '21st Oct. Left Jburg by train at 6.30 PM Ben [her husband] saw me off - gave me a box of Lindt chocs! but still could not refrain from pointing out how expensive they were.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Thos. Lupton') from the English mezzotint engraver and artist Thomas Lupton [Thomas Goff Lupton] to 'Trench' [Richard Chenevix Trench?], regarding a collection of French autographs brought from Paris by 'Mr. Lucas'.

Author: 
Thomas Lupton [Thomas Goff Lupton] (1791-1873), English mezzotint engraver and artist [Richard Chenevix Trench (1807-1886), poet and divine]
Publication details: 
4 Keppel Street, London. 15 July 1842.
£56.00

3pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. A friend of Lupton's 'has just arrived from Paris with a few choice matters, among others is as I understand an extraordinary Collection of Autographs'. Lupton told his friend that Trench was 'no buyer, but from your knowledge of such matters you could advise him'. The autographs 'consist of official documents connected with the Custom House & Police from the time of the first revolution (1790) to the present date, and about a hundred letters'.

Autograph Letter Signed to unnamed male correspondent [probably William Upcott].

Author: 
John Gough Nichols (1806-1873), printer and antiquary [William Upcott (1779-1845), antiquary and autograph collector]
Publication details: 
30/05/29
£85.00

12mo, 3 pp. Very good. Nichols regrets not seeing the recipient 'again before I left the Institution on Tuesday, to thank you for your kind attention' [Upcott was sub-librarian at the London Institution]. He is sending him a proof (presumably of an article in the Gentleman's Magazine), 'that you may see what I have said about your Album, and also what about modern collectors, and make any emendation you think fit in either place'. Discussion of 'the earliest Album in the Museum', about the date of which the recipient has been misled by a misprint.

[No. 36.] Catalogue of Interesting, Choice and Rare Historical Documents and Autograph Letters, [...] And a Choice List of Modern Names [...] George Cattermole [...] Charles Dickens [...] William Cowper [...] Lord Nelson. [...]

Author: 
Samuel J. Davey [booksellers' catalogues; George Cattermole; Charles Dickens; William Cowper; Isaac Newton; Lord Nelson]
Publication details: 
London: On Sale by Samuel J. Davey, 47, Great Russell Street, Opposite the British Museum, W.C. 1892.
£80.00

Quarto: 50 + [2] pp. Fold-out frontispiece giving eighteen examples of handwriting from items in the catalogue. In original orange printed wraps. Good, though a tad dusty, and in worn and faded wraps with some glue staining to back and wear to spine. Well printed, with lengthy extracts from most items. A scrap of paper which acts as a bookmark has the words "Listed Walpole entries to W.S. Lewis || Nov 1953" in Winifeed Myers [?] hand (from her reference library). The first item is 'A Series of Pencil Sketches by George Cattermole, illustrating Dickens' Works' (£60).

Autograph Letter Signed ('J. Clunie') to an unnamed male autograph collector.

Author: 
John Clunie (1784-1858), Principal of Leaf Square and Seedley Grove Academies, 1812 to 1837
Publication details: 
20 June 1836; Seedley Grove, near Manchester.
£50.00

One page, on piece of lightly aged paper, roughly six and a half inches by seven. Strip neatly torn away at head (not affecting text, but perhaps bearing recipient's address). Good, with a little damage from breaking of wafer and slight evidence of previous mounting on revese. Thirteen lines. He is sending the selected autographs, and will 'be happy to receive, at your leisure, those of Currie, Daubeny, Mc.Culloch, Flowers, Woodville & Phillips & Jones - or such 5 of them as you can best spare'.

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr. James' [the novelist Henry James?].

Author: 
William Dean Howells (1837-1920), American novelist and literary critic
Publication details: 
7 February 1886; Auburndale.
£200.00

12mo: 2 pp. Good, with thin strip of glue and grey paper from previous mounting adhering at foot of reverse (not affecting text). While it is possible that Howell may have given 'Mr. Gill' [tMichael Henry Gill, later of McLashan & Gill?] 'letters [of introduction]' when he 'went to New York ten or fifteen years ago', it is unlikely.

Autograph Letter Signed [to 'Mr Procter, Islington'].

Author: 
David Bogue (1750-1825), British nonconformist minister, whose academy at Gosport was 'the seed from which the London Missionary Society grew'
Publication details: 
Gosport 6th April 1825'.
£125.00

Three pages, 12mo. Good, on aged paper, but with the verso of the second leaf of the bifolium covered by previous brown-paper mount. 'Mr Cecil' has passed on Procter's letter. 'The object of your Society is highly commendable, & I wish it much success.' He is 'promoting the same end, by giving what [he] can spare, to Ministers in the neighbourhood'. Praises 'Gentlemen in London' for their 'liberality in assisting poor Ministers at a distance'. '[I]n the country we have as many in our neighbourhood as we are able to relieve'.

Autograph Note Signed to 'Mr. Hearson'.

Author: 
Sir Frederick Robert Upcott
Publication details: 
13 March 1913; on letterhead '227, ST. JAMES' COURT, | BUCKINGHAM GATE, S.W.'
£26.00

Chairman of the Board of Indian Railways (fl. 1916). One page, 12mo. In very good condition, with one rough edge caused by removal from mount. 'It is my intention to be present at the dinner of Devonians in London on 3 May'. Signed 'F. R. Upcott'.

Autograph Letter Signed to William Upcott.

Author: 
Francis C. Laird [ William Upcott ]
Publication details: 
No date, but postmarked from Fleet St, 14 July 1821.
£125.00

Laird (presumably the 'Francis Laird of Peterborough Court Fleet Street' whose will was proved in May 1825) was the author of 'A topographical and historical description of the County of Rutland' (1815) and 'A topographical and historical description of the County of Worcester' (1818). Upcott (1779-1845) was a noted aniquary and collector of autographs. One page, quarto. In poor condition, grubby and creased, with fraying to extremities and traces of mount and some loss to one edge (affecting one word of text). Repaired loss of triangular fragment from breaking open wafer.

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