[George Robins, auctioneer.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Geo Robins') to the editor of the Morning Chronicle James Black, pushing for an article to be inserted in the paper, to tie in with his sale of the contents of Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill.

2pp., 12mo, bifolium. Very good, on lightly aged paper. The letter reads: 'Strawberry Hill is to the classic world much more important than the turmoil of everlasting Politics. It will be a little refreshing as a contrast to your readers to hear of Horace Walpole - the Inclosed is from Gallignani's Journal[.] in Paris they give a better attention to the Arts as well as the nuisance of everlasting Politics'. Postscript reads: 'Would you like to have a card to see'. On the inner blank of the bifolium, there's a bookseller's catalogue entry for this letter (no.250 in the Catalogue of origin)According to his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Robins's 'posthumous fame, or infamy, rests on the sale of ‘the classic contents of Strawberry Hill collected by Horace Walpole’ (25 April – 21 May, and 12–13 July 1842) when the bidding exceeded the wildest estimates. The Times reported the sale daily and the Illustrated London News had a profusely illustrated double page spread (21 May 1842). But Robins's cataloguing of the books and prints fell short and they were withdrawn, after six inexpert attempts, recatalogued by Leigh and Sotheby and sold in a separate ten-day sale in London, 13–23 June 1842. On that occasion a notorious booksellers' ring operated.' The "Morning Chronicle"advertisement or coverage appeared on Tuesday 26 April, which suggests this letter was written on (Friday) 22nd (see Snodin etc, "Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill").