Contract signed by Sir Polydore De Keyser, in which he undertakes to give a copy of the 'Stranger's guide to London and its environs' to 'every one of the travellers who are living, every day, in my hotel [De Keyser's Royal Hotel, London]'.

Author: 
Sir Polydore de Keyser (1832-1918), Belgium-born proprietor of De Keyser's Royal Hotel, the first Roman Catholic since the Reformation to be elected Lord Mayor of London (1887-1888)
Publication details: 
With stamp of the Royal Hotel, London. 12 March 1859. The contract printed by 'Imp. Hervey, 20, rue Cades, Paris.'
£150.00
SKU: 12873

The contract is a form (1p., 12mo) printed in English in Paris by Imprimerie Hervey, and completed in autograph by De Keyser, with his stamp. It is in good condition, on aged paper, laid down on a larger sheet on which the words 'Royal Hotel, | 26, New Bridge Street, Blackfriars' are written in red ink in a large hand. In the same hand, on the form itself, is written: 'Published separately in English, French, German and Spanish'. The form reads, with De Keyser's autograph additions in square brackets: 'I consent to receive without expense [and exclusively (1)] a guide entitled: | "Stranger's guide to London and its environs" which will be given to every one of the travellers who are living, every day, at my hotel. | This guide will have on its first page, the name and address of my establishment, in the following words. | [Royal] Hôtel. | No. [26] Street [New Bridge St. Blackfriars] | This contract is made for [one year] commencing from the day after the reception of the guide | Made in duplicate, in London, | The day of [12th. March] 18[59]. | [(1) published by a Special édition English, french, German and spanish! | [signed] Polydore De Keyser'. Beneath the signature is an oval stamp in blue ink: 'ROYAL HOTEL | P. DE KEYSER | LONDON'. The printer's slug runs down the edge to the bottom left-hand corner. The work does not appear to have appeared, as there is no record of it on COPAC, or in the catalogue of the Bibliothèque Nationale.