Search results

Author, Title, Summary Subject Price
George Sinclair (1786-1834), Scottish horticulturalist, gardener to the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey who conducted experiments under Sir Humphrey Davy

[George Sinclair, gardener to the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey.] Parts of two Autograph Letters Signed to different seedsmen, both with good content, one relating to the subscription to Sinclair’s ‘Hortus gramineus Woburnensis’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Large fragments, both with interesting content, from the beginning of letters to unnamed seedsmen (both addressed to ‘Dear Sir’, but the two docketed by different individuals, suggesting different recipients). Neither has the signature present (presumably...

£280.00
Ivo Bligh (1859-1927), 8th Earl of Darnley, England cricket captain in the first ever Ashes series against Australia, 1882-3; his attorneys Wadeson & Malleson, London; his bankers Coutts & Co, London

[Ivo Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley, England cricket captain in the first Ashes series against Australia.] 15 manuscript items of banking correspondence between Darnley (8 signed items), his attorneys Wadeson & Malleson (6) and bankers Coutts & Co (1).

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The correspondence dates from the year 1901, Bligh having acceded to the earldom on the death of his elder brother Edward on 31 October 1900, and the material consists of what is probably the first set of banking instructions, mainly relating to his ‘accession...

£420.00
Jaipur Government, India [since 1949 part of Rajasthan State], Jeypoor Treasury

[Jeypoor Treasury, Jaipur Government, India (now in Rajasthan State).] Eleven manuscript documents in Hindi script, each with the large seal of the Jaipur Government, and eight each with a Jaipur State 4 Annas stamp and one with an 8 Annas stamp.

Eleven documents, all foolscap, possibly relating to property. The tax stamps carried by nine of the items, and presence on the two others of a Rajasthan State stamp suggest that they date from the early years of Indian independence. Nine are bifoliums, each with punch-holed large blue oval...

£450.00
John Counsell [John William Counsell] (1905-1987), actor, theatre manager and director, who drafted the Second World War instrument of German Surrender [Christopher Fry, playwright; Sir Edward Ford]

[John Counsell: the man who drafted the Second World War instrument of German surrender.] Typed Note Signed to Christopher Fry, with Typed Letter Signed to him from ‘Edward’ (Sir Edward Ford?), conveying a message to Fry from Queen Elizabeth II.

Counsell, Ford and Fry all have entries in the Oxford DNB, that of Counsell noting that he was ‘assistant to Neville Grazebrook and composed the instrument of German surrender, signed at Rheims by General Jodl, which officially ended the war’. The two items are in good condition, lightly aged...

£65.00
Rev. Charles Plowden (1743-1821), Jesuit polemicist [Roman Catholicism; Roman Catholic]

[Roman Catholic polemic.] Printed work: 'Considerations on the Modern Opinion of the Fallibility of the Holy See in the Decision of Dogmatical Questions. With an Appendix on the Appointment of Bishops. By the Rev. Charles Plowden.'

viii + 133pp, 8vo. A good tight copy, with slight discoloration and damage to the early and late leaves. In very good modern grey boards, with title printed in black on white label on spine. Unobtrusive inscriptions lightly-written in the same elongated contemporary hand at head of half-title...

£56.00
Royal General Annuity Society, London, S. J. Aldrich, Secretary; Sir Denis Le Marchant; Sir Edward Crofton; Sir Stratford Canning; Sir John Cunningham; Sir Edward Kerrision; Sir James Graham

[Royal General Annuity Society, London, S. J. Aldrich, Secretary.] Printed ‘Lady’s Ticket’ to the ‘Anniversary Festival’ with impressions of ten wax seals of eminent Victorians, with names and dates in contemporary manuscript, laid down on reverse.

Not only an interesting item of sigillography, but also a nice item relating to Victorian philanthropy. Eight red wax seals and two black, of varying sizes. Laid down in three rows on reverse of 15 x 11 cm card, tastefully printed in blue, red and gold, with facsimile of the signature of the...

Social history £120.00 Seals
Russell Braddon [The Piddingtons [Sydney and Leslie Piddington], Australian husband and wife telepathic mentalists; their manager Russell Braddon (1921-1995); Ronald Searle (1920-2011).]

[The Piddingtons, Australian husband and wife mentalists; Changi] Biography ‘The Piddingtons’ by their manager Russell Braddon, with illustrations by Ronald Searle, signed by Braddon and Lesley and Sydney Piddington, with bookplate of Desmond Young.

238pp, 8vo, with frontispiece and illustrations. In green cloth binding, gilt. Internally good and tight, on lightly-browned paper, in good binding with slight discolouration at head and foot of spine, caused by loss to the creased and damaged dustwrapper. The three signatures are one on top of...

£120.00
Salt-Hill Society, (Instituted 1783) for the protection of Persons and Property from Felons & Thieves, Within the Hundreds of Burnham and Stoke, Buckingham; Edmund J. Craske, Treasurer [Eton College]

[Salt-Hill Society, Burnham and Stoke, Buckinghamshire.] Large poster giving the 15 ‘Rules and Articles’, and listing those who agree with ‘the before-mentioned Articles’.

A scarce item relating to provincial history and printing. A similar poster, from 1897, is offered separately, and is the only other item relating to the Salt-Hill Society present on ViaLibri. Large poster, printed on one side of 45 x 76 cm sheet of discoloured and brittle wove paper. The item...

£56.00
Sir Osbert Sitwell [Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th baronet] (1892-1969), writer, brother of the poet Edith Sitwell and art critic Sacheverell Sitwell

[Sir Osbert Sitwell, author and brother of the poet Edith Sitwell and art critic Sacheverell Sitwell.] Black and white publicity photograph, supplied by his publishers Macmillan and Co.

See his entry, and those of his siblings, in the Oxford DNB. A 15.5 x 20 cm black and white print, on glossy paper. Worn at edges, and with staining to blank area at top left. Stamped by the publishers on the reverse with ‘Sir Osbert Sitwell. Bt. / 25. 8. 49.’ There is a possibility that this is...

Literature £50.00 Osbert
‘F. Anstey’, pseudonym of the English humorist Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) [John Gideon Wilson (1876-1963), proprietor of the prestigious London booksellers J. & E. Bumpus.]

[‘‘F. Anstey’, pseudonym of the English humorist Thomas Anstey Guthrie.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Anstey Guthrie’) to J. G. Wilson, proprietor of the London booksellers J. & E. Bumpus.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, on the first leaf of bifolium. (There are extensive pencil annotations in a later hand on the second leaf.) Very neatly written. Addressed to ‘J. G. Wilson Esqre.’ and signed ‘Anstey Guthrie’. He has ‘much pleasure’ in answering...

£80.00