Art and Architecture

1p, 16. On the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium of grey paper, with simple drawing in the same ink as the text of a straight plain walking stick stuck in the ground and running up the left-hand margin, with the handle hooked to the right at the top with the dating to its right. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: ‘le 25 Decembre 89.

John Lewis Roget (1828-1908) was the son of Peter Mark Roget (1779-1869), the celebrated compiler of 'Roget's Thesaurus' (which work he edited after his father's death). He was called to the bar in 1853, and the inheritance he received on his father's death enabled him to retire in 1871. A blue plaque erected to his memory in the town of Deal, where he spent the latter part of his life, describes him as 'Thesaurus compiler, Artist & Art Historian'.

Pye was an active figure in nineteenth-century British art. According to his entry in the Oxford DNB he was the engravers’ ‘best spokesman’, hoping ‘to raise the fortunes, status, and public profile of engravers by means of professional association and co-operation’. He was the author of a number of works, including 'Patronage of British Art' (1845). His collection of prints after Turner was acquired by the British Museum in 1869, and the proofs of Turner's ‘Liber Studiorum’ followed in 1870. His notebooks are in British Library.

Total five pages, 8vo, trimmed (perhaps removing a place and date), closed tear on one fold, mainly good condition. This form of the letters (file copies?) was obviously in John Rope Rogers' mind in his Biographical Sketch, introducing Opie and His Works Being a Catalogue of 760 Pictures by John Opie [...] [1878]: The following letter of Dr. Wolcot's, indorsed,On Sir Joshua Reynolds; sent to Colborn, Book-seller was found in a collection of published and unpublished remains of Dr. Wolcot, which was sold at Puttick and Simpson's, May 17th, 1877.

One page, 12mo, edges ragged but text clear and complete. See image. They ask if John Collier will confirm that his subscription was outstanding on 30th April 1903 when due on the 13th. Collier has confrimed this with his signature and his address, and added a note as follows: The subscription is paid by the London Joint Stock Bank. It seems to be their custom to pay on May1st. | J.C. See image.

One page, 12mo, fold mark, sm. closed tears not affecting the text, good condition. Dear Sir | Here is the autograph which you propose to honour with a place in your collection. | Very truly yours | Marcus Stone.

One page, 12mo, very good condition. He gives permission for 'Road to Tarbet' to be exhibited at Scarborough and Hull, on the understanding that you will take full responsibility for returning it to me in London when the Hull Exhibition ends.

One page, 12mo, bottom edge stained but not obscuring a 5 x 3cm pencil sketch of a woman with big hair (see image), mainly good condition. Text: To be convicted for a term at hard labor - viz:- attending to one's correspondence - Terrible! | My intentions are of the best but unfortunately the letters remain unanswered - | So I hope now to be pardoned and remain | Yours very truly [...].

Seven ALSs, one TLS, 18 pages, 12mo, very good condition. [1. 8 July 1960] arranging lunch in a restaurant where they'll be able to talk; [2. 13 July 1960] He thanks her for the valuable & interesting information about Stanley yesterday. Your talk gave me a greater insight into his character than I had before. She amplified what Spencer's writings had revealed, etc.

14 pages, 4to, large handwriting (lower case letters 5mm), punch-holes, two of four damaged. The manuscript has elisions, substitutions and additions by the author, indicating a lot of thinking, perhaps a desire to use a long word rather than a short. She attempts to analyse Spencer's (artistic) character and their relationship (including sexual). I have attached scans of two pages, 5 and 14 (the final page) to illustrate her subjects and re-thinking (elisions etc).

One page, 12mo. fold marks, very good condition. Text: Thank you for yoyr letter inviting me to contribute to a Wesh Exhibition you are organising. I hope I may be able to find something for this purpose.

1p, 12mo. On a bifolium endorsed on second leaf '1848 | C R Cockerell R A | 8 May'. Reads: 'My Dear Sir | I hope you have recd. my subscription paid by cheque on London & Westymr. Bank. & forwarded to Mess. Drummond on the 14 Feby. 1848. | Your's truly | C. R. Cockerell'.

One page, cr. 8vo, fold marks, small tear with no loss, faint staining, text clear and complete. Text: Private | I am afraid the melancholy circumstances at Manchester will operate unfavorably on the Exhibition [of 1842?] both as to the number of pictures sent and the visitors and sale.

Enters exhibited her artistic work - including many sketches of her own costume designs - widely in the United States and Europe, and her work is held by several museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The present item is an attractive impressionistic sketch, in grey and black pencil, with watercolour wash in pink, light red and grey, showing a dancer with arms outstretched and heavy costume with full sleeves and train. Captioned by Enters at bottom left: 'Fleur du Mal (Proust Sequence)'. Signed at bottom left: 'Angna Enters '56'. On 23 x 15.5 cm laid paper.

Twelve pencil portraits executed in the same extremely capable style, probably for the purposes of engraving. Each on a separate piece of 4to paper. All in good condition, with light signs of age and wear, a couple with minor flecking with red paint. All dated in pencil (between 1811 and 1829), and all but two captioned. (Several of the items with watermark date supporting the pencil dating.) Three of the portraits have the tiny signature at bottom left of 'Bestland', and all would appear to be the work of the same artist, although the last appears to be signed with the initials 'C H'.

2pp., 4to. Aged and worn, but legible. A splendid effervescent letter, highly characteristic, written in demotic English in a close unruly hand. Tchelitchew was a close friend (lover?) of Edith Sitwell, and in addition to her brother Osbert, the letter contains references to Lincoln Kirstein (1907-1996), influential figure in New York culture, founder with George Balanchine of the New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet, and the book he was writing on Tchelitchew, as well as to Tchelitchew's partner the writer Charles Henry Ford (1908-2002).

ONE: Manuscript pedigree. On one side of a 49 x 38 cm piece of thick laid paper, with no watermark. Folded three times. Discoloured and with light damp staining. The greater part of the pedigree is written in ink in a loose hand, and traces the descent of Sir Thomas Lawrence's mother Lucy (née Read) to William the Conqueror.

Though never married, Hunt carried on a number of relationships, mostly with older men. One page, 12mo, good condition, saying, It is very kind of you to ask me to your party on the 9th and I shall be very pleased top come." Note: Among her lovers were Somerset Maugham and H. G. Wells, though her most notable affair was with the married Hueffer, who lived with her from about 1910 to 1918 at her home South Lodge"

1p., 4to. In fair condition, somewhat aged and worn. The letter reads: 'My dear friend | On examining your plates of symbols I find no perceptible [corrected from 'practicable'] difference between Nos 154 & 155; although the former is described as a dog and the latter as a hairy shaggy dog. Is the fact so? Excuse the freedom of yours | very sincerely | Thos. Fisher'. Fisher's letter may be connected with Robert Morrison's 'Dictionary of the Chinese Language' (1815-1823), which has a symbol for 'A hairy, shaggy dog.'

A scarce piece of Oxford ephemera. The Society for promoting the Study of Gothic Architecture was founded in 1839; renamed the Oxford Architectural Society in 1848; renamed the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society in 1860; merged with The Oxfordshire Archaeological Society in 1972 to become The Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society. In good condition, printed in black ink on a 15 x 11 cm piece of white India paper, laid down on a 22 x 18.5 cm grey card mount. At the foot of the design, in tiny letters, is engraved 'O. JEWITT. | DEL.

Four pages, 12mo, a word for a part of a destroyed building cut out (text runs, including part of the [...cut out, in fact CENSORED]), otherwise clear and in good condition. He begins by discussing Tuckwell's recent operation, praising doctors,concluding that it's no wonder your nation heads the world in all that pertains to civilization, science, art, politics, &c. He continues, It gives me great pleasure to know that my pictures are still a source of pleasure to you [...]. He refers to Tuckwell's loss of his wife and his kindnesses when Dingli was in England.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with slight damage on removal from album. Addressed to 'Revd. Mr. Gilpin | Cheam'. (In 1777, on becoming vicar of Boldre in the New Forest, Gilpin handed over the headmastership of Cheam School to his second son William Gilpin the younger (1757-1848).) Written with a freshness reflecting 'the particular interest' Gilpin paid to 'the theory and practice of epistolary writing', noted by Alain Kerhervé in his edition of Gilpin's letters to his grandson ('William writes to William', 2014).

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and rather dusty, with small closed tear at head. He begins by explaining that he has been 'prevented by ill health from finishing the plate confided to my care, & of waiting upon you to make you acquainted with the cause of the delay. The engraving is 'in a state of forwardness', and he is willing to let 'Mr Satchwell' give his opinion of it before he sends it to them. 'I shall prove the plate again next week, after which I shall be enabled to state the time of its completion'.

The 16 'lessons (I-XVI)' total 31pp., 8vo., with Lesson XIV on 1pp., and the other 15 on 2pp. In fair condition, on aged paper with slight rusting and pin holes at the corner where the sixteen have been attached. All 16 are anonymous, but each carries a set of initials at the end: the last 12 ending with 'JH/W', and of the first four two with 'JH/D', and two with 'JH/MW'.. 'JH' presumably stands for 'John Hassall', with 'D', 'MW' and 'W' the name of the writer of the response.

Printed item, c.35 x 10cm, fold mark, some faint marking, mainly good condition. It commences, "Messrs Dowdeswell request the honour of your company at a PRIVATE VIEW. [...] of the Works by Members of 'La Societe des Impressionistes' (Examples by Degas, Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissaro [sic] Boudin; Mesdames Morizot, Cassatt, &c) [...]". Also on display, they announce, is a picture (of Henry Irving anothers) by Johnston Forbes-Robertson, better known as a Shakespearian actor. Concludes "ADMIT TWO".

The present item is a puzzle. Farington joined the Incorporated Society of Artists at the age of twenty-one, and played an active part in its affairs until his resignation in 1773.

All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letters total 49pp, 16mo and 8vo.. All are complete except the last, which lacks the last part. They are liberally adorned with sketches. Mostly addressed to 'My dear Aunty' and signed in a variety of ways, from 'J. Bowyer B. Nichols' to 'BBN'. The first letter, dated 4 December 1871, sets the tone, showing Bowyer Nichols to be a precocious and spirited twelve-year-old. It begins: 'Will you send me, if you can find it, that poem about Sally Porter and Charlie Church?

4to bifolium (on two 19.5 x 22.5 cm leaves). The 'Ground plan' is neatly drawn on the reverse of the first leaf, and the two-page key is on both sides of the second leaf, lettered A to Z, and headed 'A. B. C. D. E. F. G. The Church & parts thereto belonging'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Entries among the keys include 'I. Places groined over with stone one of which is supposed to have been the infirmary', 'K. Arches under which the River Skell runs' and 'S. Cloisters groined with stone the pillars whereof were painted - Over these was the Dormitory.

Both letters in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Both addressed to 'Dear Cyril!' Weingartner's grip of English is shaky. ONE (27 December 1908): 8pp., 8vo. He is working hard, making his own suppers, and reminisces about their time together in Paris. The girls in Rosswein are '(some of them) the finest I have ever seen. There is a lot of Balls here, every forth nighth dansing amusement all over. I was surprized to find that here, as well you find real cafe parisienne.' He describes his fellow-students: 'They come here from all parts of Germany.

On 7.5 x 11 cm slip cut from the end of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged. On one side reads: 'Gentlemen | Your Obt. Servt. | Fred R Pickersgill | 36 Mornington Crescent | 24 May 1853.' and on the other '[...] at the ensuing half yearly distribution of the Funds of the Institution - | Mr. Varrall is not personally known to me but from the representation of Mr WIlliams ARA [...]'.