Search results

Author, Title, Summary Subject Price
John Mitford (1781-1859), cleric and editor of the Gentleman's Magazine [The British Museum, London]

[John Mitford, editor of the Gentleman's Magazine.] Autograph Letter Signed, giving permission to print verses, and discussing an individual ('Lang') who was 'very unfit for the British Museum'.

See Mitford's entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 32mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Text complete on somewhat grubby and worn paper. The recipient (‘My dear Sir’) is not named, and the letter is signed ‘JMitford’. Closely written, with the result that a few word are difficult to decipher, unfortunately...

£60.00
William Smith O'Brien [Liam Mac Gabhann Ó Briain] (1803-64), Irish nationalist Member of British Parliament, a leader of Young Ireland movement, convicted of sedition and deported to Van Diemen's Land

[William Smith O'Brien, Irish nationalist, a leader of the Young Ireland movement, deported to Van Diemen's Land by the British.] Autograph Signature and valediction on part of a letter.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Slip of paper, roughly 8 x 4.5 cm, cut from a letter. In fair condition, on lightly aged and discoloured paper, with several vertical postage folds. On one side good clear signature and valediction: ‘I remain, dear Sir / Faithfully Yours / William S OBrien’. On...

History £30.00 William S OBrien
William Thompson (1793-1854), Lord Mayor of London, 1828-9, ironmaster, financier and Member of Parliament [Theodore Hook (1788-1841), writer and hoaxer; John Wilson Croker; Sir Henry Blackwood]

[The Lord Mayor of London plans a ‘cockney expedition’: William Thompson, Lord Mayor of London, 1828-9.] Autograph Letter Signed to Theodore Hook, describing the itinerary of the three-day ‘excursion to the Medway’.

An excellent slice of Georgian London history. See his entry, and Hook’s, in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Fifty-five lines of text. On bifolium. In fair condition, on discoloured and lightly-worn paper, with closed tear at foot of gutter. Also present is a typed transcript. The letter concerns a...

£90.00
William Walker Stephens of Leith and Einburgh, Scottish merchant, mechanic and inventor

[William Walker Stephens, Edinburgh merchant and inventor.] Autograph Letter Signed to Frederic Harrison, presenting a copy of his book ‘Higher Life for Working People’, intended to counter ‘revolutionary “Socialism”’ and ‘Social mal-adjustments’.

See Harrison's entry in the Oxford DNB. Previous to the appearance in 1899 of ‘Higher Life for Working People’ Stephens had published a life of Turgot in 1895. Both appeared with the long-established London publishers Longmans. He was sole trustee of the soap manufacturers William Taylor &...

£60.00
John Timbs (1801-1875), antiquary and author

[John Timbs, antiquary and author.] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr Hogg', complaining of poor health and asking him to write prescriptions for him and his 'poor friend Bates'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of mount adhering to one edge. Folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr Hogg’ and with good firm signature ‘John Timbs.’ Since the previous Tuesday he has been ‘laid up again’ with ‘...

£56.00
Joseph Knight (1829-1907), English theatre historian and drama critic with the Literary Gazette, Athenaeum, Sunday Times, Globe and Daily Graphic

[Joseph Knight, drama critic and theatre historian.] Autograph Letter Signed to a bookseller, discussing purchases from a catalogue.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Recipient not named (addressed to 'Dear Sir'). Signed 'Joseph Knight' and neatly written. He is sending the 'cheque as promised', and asks whether a book was 'a very nice copy', since he was 'disposed to order...

£50.00
Lady Dufferin [(1843?1936), Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava], Vicereine of India, wife of Frederic, 1st Marquis, Viceroy of India.

[Lady Dufferin [Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava], Vicereine of India; Emily Faithfull] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Miss Faithful', regarding her celebrated fund to provide medical care for the women of India.

See her entry, and that of her husband, in the Oxford DNB. Hers states: 'most memorably used her energies to found the National Association for Supplying Female Medical Aid to the Women of India, often known as the Countess of Dufferin Fund, in 1885.' 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper....

£120.00
Ralph Bernal (1783-1854), Whig politician of Sephardic Jewish extraction, archaeologist, slave owner and art collector

[Ralph Bernal, Whig politician, slave owner and art collector.] Autograph Signature to frank addressed to William Smith, with postmark.

See his entries in the Oxford DNB and History of Parliament. Frank cover, laid out in the customary fashion, on 12.5 x 7 cm panel cut from front of envelope. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper. Usual red frank postmark: ‘FREE / 29JA29 / 1831’. Reads: ‘London January twenty nine 1831 /...

Art and Architecture £28.00 BERNAL
Philar?te Euphemon Chasles (1798-1873), French man of letters [John Payne Collier (1789-1883), Shakespearean critic and forger; Charles Wentworth Dilke (1789-1864), editor of the Athenaeum]

[Philar?te Euphemon Chasles, French critic.] Autograph Letter Signed, in French, [to Charles Wentworth Dilke, editor of the Athenaeum,] criticising John Payne Collier?s scholarship.

See the entries on Collier and Dilke in the Oxford DNB. The eight volumes of Collier?s edition of Shakespeare?s works were first published between 1842 and 1844, with the sonnets and other poems in the last volume. The Athenaeum carried a long review of vols.2 and 3 of Collier?s edition on 9...

£100.00
R. E. Forrest [Robert Edward Treston Forrest] (1835-1914), author and engineer, son of Captain George Forrest of the East India Company, winner of Victoria Cross during Indian Mutiny [James Payn]

[R. E. Forrest [Robert Edward Treston Forrest], author and engineer in British India.] Autograph Letter Signed to James Payn, regarding the death of his mother and its effect on the writing of his latest book.

See the Oxford DNB entry of the recipient James Payn (1830-1898), at the time of this letter the editor of the Cornhill Magazine. More significantly, Payn had since 1874 been a reader for Smith, Elder, and the present letter stems from the firm?s interest in Forrest?s ?tale of the Indian Mutiny...

£56.00