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The largest man-made explosion before the the development of nuclear weapons, with a force equivalent to nearly 3 kilotons of TNT, occurred when the French cargo ship SS Mont-Blanc, laden with wartime munitions, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin. The explosion devastated the Richmond District of Halifax, killing 2000 and injuring 9000. Each postcard carries the words 'Copyright Underwood & Underwood, N.Y.' next to the caption beneath the image, with 'Novelty Mfg.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Tasteful letterhead including the firm's device within an oval, printed in sepia. In good condition: on aged and lightly-worn paper. King was the leading London parliamentary bookseller, and it is interesting to see him apparently offering a work of his own to other publishers. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | We beg to acknowledge with thanks your offer of a translation of Herculano's "O Monge de Cister," which we much regret our inability to accept - our hands being very full just now, & all our arrangements for some time to come made.

Each of the three coloured plates is 19 x 14 cm, and each is laid down on a piece of 31.5 x 20.5 cm cream textured paper, each mount with caption and vignette printed in green. The three are placed in a portfolio, made of the same textured paper as the mount, with the front carrying the title, publishers' details, and an illustration (of underwater baby balancing on a fish). In fair condition, aged and with wear to extremities.

Shrubsole was a frequent contributor to the Manchester Guardian, and its obituary of 21 May 1927 was headed 'DEATH OF GREAT SHEERNESS GEOLOGIST WHO WON FAME THROUGHOUT THE WORLD' ('Experts in every continent sought his wonderful advice, and it was during his researches at Sheppey that he made many valuable discoveries. Below we are able to give a detailed account of his brilliant career. He was a frequent contributor to the columns of the "Guardian" up to the time of his death.'). 3pp., foolscap 8vo, in a bifolium. Printed in three columns of small print.

The report is 3pp., 4to, on a bifolium. Signed on behalf of the firm: 'Hoping that this information of our proceedings will be satisfactory to you | We remain | Gentlemen | Your Obedt Servants | Bathe & Kindon'. The letter begins: 'Gentlemen - | A Meeting of the London Floor Cloth Manufacturers, was held yesterday - & the result was, a rise of 2d. pr Sq: Yard, on their respective prices - this was carried, after considerable discussion, whether the rise should be 2d or 3d - but the majority decided for the 2d - at present'.

The two plans are both in good condition, on lightly-aged paper: each printed in black ink on one side only of a piece of white paper, and both folded twice. The first is landscape, 28 x 40.5cm, and carries the 'FIRST FLOOR PLAN' on the left, and 'GROUND FLOOR PLAN' on the right. The second is portrait, 40.5 x 29.5cm. It has two 'TYPICAL WARD PLANS' (third and fourth floors) above two 'SECTIONS A.B. & C.D. OF ELEVATIONS'. The Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital was established on High Holborn in 1816.

[1] + 24pp., 8vo. Stitched. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-spotted paper, with slight wear to edges of covers. A notice at the front reads: 'The Name following the title of a Book is that of the Donor. Where no Name is given, the Book has been obtained by purchase or by exchange.' The first two entries read: 'Ainsworth, William. Account of the Caves of Ballybunian. 1834. Henry Harris. | Airy's Lectures on Astronomy. 1849. F. F. Tuckett.' Loosely inserted are the replacement chart and a slip of paper carrying the note: 'BRISTOL NATURALISTS' SOCIETY.

17pp. 4to. Three illustrations: one in colour on the cover, and one each in black and white on the back wrap. The last page of text, numbered 17, is on the back inner wrap, followed by a decorative presentation of a biblical text. Covering the back outer cover is a black and white decorative representation of the text 'GLORY TO GOD | ON EARTH PEASE, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN. | IN THE HIGHEST', engraved by 'T. M.'. In coloured wraps, with attractive cover carrying a large coloured illustration of Old Janet and three others, looking at a donkey.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of glue to fold edge. The first two pages carry the 'Prospectus', beginning: 'NO Scientific subject can be so important to Man as that of his own life. No knowledge can be so incessantly appealed to by the incidents of the every day, as the knowledge of the processes by which he lives and acts. At every moment he is in danger of disobeying laws which, when disobeyed, may bring years of suffering, decline of powers, premature decay.

293pp., 4to. In brown leather half-binding, with black cloth boards and marbled endpapers. Three-page form relating to the firm's dealings with National Provincial Bank of England, filled-in and signed on behalf of the company by the secretary Henry A Burnell, dated July 1904. The minutes are in a number of different hands (beginning with Burnell's) and signed by a number of different chairmen.

In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. Galsworthy writes: 'Dear Evans | Here is the MS. Price £300 [amended from 315] less half your Commission £30. = £285. nett. | Sincerely yours | John Galsworthy'. For such a short message, the manuscript shows signs of indecision: the latter part, from the word 'less', has clearly an addition, and the word 'half' has been inserted with a caret. While the manuscript referred to may well be the second collection of Forsyte Novels, 'A Modern Romance', published by Heinemann's in 1929, Galsworthy's price does seem rather cheap.

1p., 4to. Good, on aged and lightly-creased paper. 'The Duchess of Hamilton will be much obliged if Messrs G. Routledge & Sons will send her the newest edition of | A History of British Birds | by Rev. F. O. Morris | Newly revised corrected & enlarged | @ £4 - 10 - 0 | To above address -'.

1p., 4to. Good, on aged and lightly-worn paper. The letter reads: 'Dear Mr. Price | In reply to our advertisement for items on Watlington we have received the enclosed report of deeds, which we could supply at £2.15.0 if of any interest to you. If you wish to see them I think we could get them on apro. | Yours truly | A. E. Dobell'.

12pp., 4to. In original printed wraps. In fair condition, on aged paper, in aged wraps with chipping to extremities and spine reinforced with tape. Articles include 'The Tetrodyne' by H. Andrews, 'Circuit for Reception on 20 Metres Band' by E. J. Simmonds, 'Key Crashes', 'G2W.J.', 'Experimental Work With Mosul'. The T. & R. Bulletin ran from 1925 to 1942. COPAC lists copies at Imperial College, Oxford, Cambridge and the British Library. From the papers of telecommunications expert Pat Hawker [John Patrick Hawker] (1923-2012).

Six addressed to 'Edward'; five to 'Teddy'; one to 'Eddy; one to 'Edouard'; one to 'Cher amis' and one to 'Dear Roger'. Totalling 22pp., 4to; 11pp., 8vo; 2pp., 12mo. Ten of the fifteen letters are dated, the other six having only month and year. With copies of two typed letters to Ceccaldi from Edward, one from 1973 in English (1p., 4to), and the other from 1980 in French (2pp., 8vo), the latter accompanied by a synopsis of Ceccaldi's 'The Flight of Icarus', with a foreword by him, and a biography (the three items totalling 4pp., 8vo); also manuscript notes (1p, 8vo; 3pp., 12mo).

16pp., 12mo. Printed in green, with 15 illustrations (one on each page except p.2). Stitched. In fair condition, on aged paper. Separate 'NOTICE' (1p., 12mo) on blue paper loosely inserted, informing the public that the firm 'do no retail business whatever', and hoping 'that all orders will be given direct to the local booksellers'. Scarce: no copy on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

16pp., in illustrated wraps with the outer covers printed in green and brown, and three more pages of advertisements on insides and back cover. Bifoliate order form (4pp., 12mo) loosely inserted. The old stalwarts John Ruskin, Kate Greenaway, Walter Crane, Edward Lear, jumbled together with newer titles such as 'Gobbo-Bobo, The Two-Eyed Griffin', 'Prince Cheery-Heart' and 'The Bunkum Book. A Tale of Topsy Turvy Land'. Sadly no mention of Beatrix Potter ("Peter Rabbit" published 1902.). Scarce: no copy on OCLC WorldCat or COPAC.

4pp., foolscap 8vo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Sections on Tins, Rubbers, Industrials, Yields; with graph and table. Begins: 'Once more the Malayan shares were overshadowed by the gloom in the rubber market. The rubber price which stood at $1.01 1/2 on October 3, continued to slide until at the end of the month it had reached 88 3/4 cents per pound with the bottom still not in sight.' From the private papers of C. A. A. Nicol (1921-2012), OBE, CPM, AMN, Special Branch, Malayan Union Police Force.

10pp., foolscap 8vo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Sections on Industrials, Tin, Rubber, Company Reports; with full-page table of 'Market Price of Rubber and Nett Profit per Pound'. Begins: 'September was a strange sort of month - quiet by recent standards with hte market suspended between shade and shien as bearish and bullish-looking clouds scudded across the scene in jumbled sequence leaving investors and speculators confused and cautious.' From the private papers of C. A. A. Nicol (1921-2012), OBE, CPM, AMN, Special Branch, Malayan Union Police Force.

2pp., 12mo. On bifiolium of ruled paper, with 'HIERATICA' watermark of 'J. S. & Co.' From the Lynd archive, and judging from the handwriting a youthful effort, almost-certainly dating from before Sylvia Dryhurst's marriage to Robert Lynd in 1909. In fair condition, on aged paper. In seven stanzas, the first three giving a taste of an amusing and unusual jeu d'esprit and excellent piece of Edwardian social history: '1) By some devil surely sent | Sandal hunting off I went, | And my footsteps never slowed | Till I reached the Finchley Road. | Chorus: (with fervour) Damn them ! | Damn them !

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear to corners. The context of the letter is apparent from the following advertisement in The Times, 29 June 1846: 'On the 30th of June, will be published, in 8vo., price 2s. 6d., the first number of | THE MONTHLY PRIZE ESSAYS. Each number will contain six Essays in Prose and six in Verse. The first prize for prose will be £20; the second, £15; the third, £10; and the other three, £5 each. There will be but three prizes for poetry - £5, £3, and £2. The Essays must be delivered by the 30th of the previous month.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium, with mourning border. In envelope, with stamp and postmark, addressed by Yonge to 'J. J. Bacon [sic] Esq | 18 Griffin St. | Welton | Blackburn | Lancashire'. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn envelope. He informs him that his edition of Plutarch's 'Parallel Lives' was published by Chapman & Hall.

An attractive example of provincial printing, in letterpress on one side of piece of 9 x 6 cm card. Headed: 'RICHARD TUCKEY, | WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANT, | High Street, | FAREHAM.' Giving prices in shillings and pence for four Wines (Fine old Port; Sherry; Maderia [sic]; White Cape) and six 'Genuine Spirits' (Cognac, Fine old; Jamaica Rum, old and soft; English Geneva; Hollands ditto. pure white; Porter; Cyder). Printed in roman, with four words in black letter ('FAREHAM', 'Wines' and 'Genuine Spirits') and two words in italic ('High Street,').

1p., 4to. On thin paper. In good condition, lightly-aged, and laid down on a piece of card. The receipt has not been filled in in any way. Beneath the decorative letterhead are the 26 categories, in copperplate: Port; E. J. Madeira; W. J. Madeira; Malmsey Madeira; Cape Madeira; Bucellas; Lisbon; Teneriffe; Sherry; Mountain; Calcavella; Hock; Moselle; Hermitage; Burgundy; Claret; Sauterne; Champagne; Vin de Grave; Barsac; Frontigniac; Constantia White & Red; Brandy Cognac; Rum Jama.; Hollands; Shrub.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Ainsworth begins: 'My dear Mr. Fullom, I am happy to tell you that you are under a great mistake. Your manner, on the occasion you refer to, produced the most favourable impression upon me.' Fullom 'exhibited great delicacy and modesty', and Ainsworth 'stated as much to Mr. Hurst'. The omission was in fact on Ainsworth's own part, in neglecting to thank Fullom for his 'flattering proposal to dedicate your romance to me'.

ONE (memorandum): Headed: 'Memorandum of an Agreement between Messrs: Henry S. King & Co: of 65 Cornhill London of the one part and Mortimer Collins Esqre. of Knowl Hill, Twyford, Berks of the other part.' 19 March 1872. 1p., folio. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Pencil annotations. Five stamps at head (four embossed and one ink).

An interesting collection of typographical ephemera. ONE: Landscape 8vo wood engraving, captioned 'This illustration, entitled "Psyche in Charon's Boat," was engraved on wood by William Morris from a design by Edward Burne-Jones and forms one of a series in illustration of the story of Cupid and Psyche in "The Earthly Paradise." It is proposed to issue one or two of these designs, which have never been published, though one of them formed the frontispiece to the "Note on the Kelmscott Press" by Mr. S. C. Cockerell.' In good condition, on lightly-aged paper.

8vo., 69pp. Unbound as issued. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with worn and chipped printed front wrap still present, with ownership inscription at head (''). 482 lots, with several of the books ticked in pencil. Included, as lots 95 to 112A, are 'specially printed copies of the various Lyceum Plays, as arranged for the Stage by SIR HENRY IRVING; they contain numerous manuscript alterations in the text in the handwriting of the great Actor, and are in consequence of very great interest'.

7.5 x 15 cm. With green overprint. In poor condition: worn and with one small hole, and faded manuscript signature and endorsement.

An attractive Gothic Revival item, tastefully printed in red and black. Printed on nine 13 x 9 cm panels, laid down on a cloth backing opening out to 39.5 x 28 cm; in original 14 x 10 cm printed card cover, with engraved title on front, within a gothic arch. In fair condition: aged and worn in worn and rubbed covers, with small white circular label on front board. Arranged, appropriately enough, in four columns headed: Name of Style; Reign A.D.; Illustrative Examples; Characteristics.