1939

[Liverpool concerts for ‘Spain Relief’, 1939: John Goss, Communist baritone.] Two Typed Letters Signed to ‘Mr. Cameron’ and one Typed Card Signed to ‘Miss Cameron’, on behalf of the Musician’s Group of the Left Book Club.

Author: 
John Goss (1894-1953), Communist baritone associated with Peter Warlock and Frederick Delius [Spanish Civil War; Left Book Club; Liverpool]
Publication details: 
The letters to ‘Mr. Cameron’ dated 21 December 1938 and 9 January 1939; both from 35a Woburn Square, WC1 [London]. The card undated [early 1939], with London postmark.
£120.00

See his entry in Grove’s. Each with his firm signature 'John Goss'. The two letters in fair condition, on aged and creased paper, folded for postage, the first of the two with a short closed tear to one edge. The card in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: TLS to ‘Mr. Cameron’, 21 December 1938. 1p, 4to. Cameron’s letter ‘to the convener of the Musician’s Group of the Left Book Club’ has been passed to him.

[ Charly Wesmael, Belgian Second World War cycling frontier guard. ] Printed memoirs, in French, titled 'Ma Camionnette et Moi | Souvenirs de Guerre d'un Garde Frontière 1940'.

Author: 
'Charly Wesmael, 1er Regiment - 1er Bataillon - 6me Compagnie' [ Belgian Second World War bicycling frontier guard ('un humble garde-frontière') from the 'régiments de cyclistes frontières' ]
Publication details: 
Undated (1940s or 1950s?) 'Brochure crée et editée par des Anciens Combattants'. [ Printer's details on wraps: 'G. THONON. HERSTAL'. ]
£220.00

Duplicated Typescript of 25pp., 4to, on rectos of 25 leaves. In conventionally-printed wraps by 'G. THONON. HERSTAL', bearing the title and author's name. With bookmark ribbon striped with the colours of the Belgian flag bound-in at the back. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn wraps. Dedicated on first page carries the dedication 'AU ROI LÉOPOLD | Digne fils du Roi Chevalier | un humble garde-frontière | dédie ses souvenirs | SEPTEMBRE 1940'.

[ Finland, The Winter War with the Soviet Union, 1939-1940. ] Duplicated Typescript [ by the Communist Party of Great Britain ], headed 'FINLAND', defending the Soviet Union over its actions in the Winter War, 1939-1940.

Author: 
[ Finland: the Winter War with the Soviet Union, 1939-1940; Communist Party of Great Britain; Jimmy Shields (1900-1949) ]
Publication details: 
Without details or date. [ Communist Party of Great Britain, London. Circa 1939. ]
£100.00

3pp., 8vo. In fair condition, single-spaced, on three leaves of aged and worn paper, held together with a small rusted pin. Designed to clearly state the party line. Begins: 'If we want to understand what is going on, we must understand the Background.' Sections titled 'The Background' and 'The Attitude of Britain' follow. A key section reads: 'But whatever people think - the Russian Government decided that the time was ripe to take control of the Baltic. They were not frightened of Finland or the Finns - but they were apprehensive of Finland in conjunction with the great powers.

[ Printed volume. ] American Booktrade Directory, including lists of publishers, booksellers, periodicals, literary agents, book clubs, etc.

Author: 
[ American Booktrade Directory 1939, R. R. Bowker (Office of The Publishers' Weekly) ]
Publication details: 
New York: R. R. Bowker Co. Office of The Publishers' Weekly, 1939.
£25.00

326pp., 4to. In green cloth binding with title in black on front cover. Internally good and tight, on aged paper, in worn binding with staining to front and back covers. In eighteen sections, including 'Auctioneers of Literary Property - United States', 'British Publishers', 'American Representatives of British Publishers' and 'Book Clubs in the United States'. Scarce.

[ Sabu, Indian film actor. ] Autograph Note Signed, given during the shooting of the film for which he is best known, 'The Thief of Baghdad'.

Author: 
Sabu [ Sabu Dastagir; Selar Shaik Sabu; Sabu Francis ] (1924-1963), Indian film actor working in England and Hollywood
Publication details: 
No place [ Twickenham Film Studios ]. 1939.
£65.00

Good firm inscription on 18 x 16 cm leaf of blue paper removed from album. Reads: 'To Ann | with very Best wishes | from | Sabu | THE THIEF OF | BAGHDAD | 1939'. The recipient was the daughter of a cameraman at Twickenham Film Studios.

[New York World's Fair 1939.] Collection mainly consisting of publicity and administrative material: press releases, information bulletins, contracts, contact lists, photographs, plans, coloured panorama, book, newspapers, pamphlets, questionnaire.

Author: 
New York World's Fair 1939 [Grover A. Whalen (1886-1962); Frank Monaghan; Bayard F. Pope]
Publication details: 
New York World's Fair 1939, Main Office, 24th Floor Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York City, N.Y. Produced between 1938 and 1940.
£3,000.00

Attended by 44 million people, the New York World's Fair was an enormous enterprise, with a vast number of exhibits and pavilions from all over the world spread out over 1216 acres of the Flushing Meadows/Corona Park district. The fair's official 'theme' was 'the demonstration of "a happier way of American living through a recognition of the interdependence of man, and the building of a better world of tomorrow with the tools of today"'.

[Two printed items.] 'Regulations for The Organisation of Detachments of The British Red Cross Society' (January 1939) and 'Dress Regulations for British Red Cross Detachments and the Society's Voluntary Detachments' (May 1939).

Author: 
[The British Red Cross Society, regulations and dress regulations, 1939]
Publication details: 
Both items by The British Red Cross Society, London. The 'Regulations' ('Form D'): 14 Grosvenor Crescent, London, S.W.1. January 1939). The 'Dress Regulations' ('Form D(7)'). May 1939.
£180.00

Two stapled pamphlets. Both in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Both items are scarce, with no copies of either listed on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat. ONE ('Regulations'). 52pp., 8vo. Fold-out at rear: 'Chart shewing the organisation of the British Red Cross Society and its connection with (a) the International Red Cross, and (b) His Majesty's Government departments'. Table of contents at front, listing numerous topics from 'Definitions' to 'Air Raid Precautions Reserve'. Addendum (1p., 8vo) headed 'FORM D. January, 1939 | Amendments No. 1', loosely inserted.

Signatures of c. 30 performers at the Royal National Eisteddfod. 1939 Denbigh

Author: 
[The Royal National Eisteddfod. 1939 Denbigh]
Publication details: 
[Denbigh, 1939].
£180.00

Two leaves extracted from an album, each 20 x 16cm, with approximately 30 signatures (a few with additional words like "Sincerely") of performers at the Denbigh Eisteddfod. More readable signatures include the soprano Isobel Baillie, Oswald Rees Owen, Haydn Morris, Morris T. Williams (the nationalist printer presumably), Nesta Harris, Joseph Carl, Gomer Jones, Josephine Jones, T. Hopkins Evans, John Parr (bassoonist), Ivor Hughes, John Fullard (tenor, perfoming with the Tredegar Orpheus Choir as Baillie above), Reginald Goss-Custard (organist and composer), Francis Russell, Ivor Hughes.

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