ADAMS

See his entry, and that of Taylor, in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. On bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Only the sculptors heavily inked signature ‘John Adams-Acton’ is in his hand, the rest more lightly written by an amanuensis. Addressed ‘To, Tom Taylor Esqr.’ Begins: ‘I address you as a representative of the press to solicit you to pay my studio a visit.’ He lists the names of five ‘public and distinguished men’ whose busts he can show, beginning with ‘The Right Honble W. E. Gladstone - Premier’ and including ‘Isaac Holden Esqr.

Adams was the author of more than one hundred books. He was criticised by Louisa May Alcott for his use of slang and depiction of ‘low’ characters such as bootblacks, elements which make him sound like a proto-Mark Twain, and should attract renewed attention today. Without date or place. On 4.5 x 9.5 cm slip of wove paper. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of mount adhering to blank reverse.

For further information see Bridges-Adams' entry in the Oxford DNB (which reminds us that 'On 6 March 1926 the Memorial Theatre was burnt down, greatly to the relief of G. B. Shaw.'). The five items of ephemera are in good condition, lightly aged; the Typed Note by Bridges-Adams (Item Six below) is in fair condition, aged and worn. ONE and TWO: Two versions of the same circular headed ?SHAKESPEARE MEMORIAL THEATRE / STRATFORD-UPON-AVON / ENDOWMENT FUND.?, both ?signed? by ?H C Lacey? (?Organising Secretary | H. C.

The two items of ephemera are in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: Printed advertisement for ?National Shakespeare Day Appeal / for Tribute to Shakespeare / TO ENDOW THE MEMORIAL THEATRE, LIBRARY, / READING ROOM, ART GALLERY, AND LECTURE ROOM / Erected in the Poet?s Memory in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Town of his Birth.? Titled on front cover (with black and white illustration of rural scene) ?OUR ?COMMON HERITAGE.? / THE SHAKESPEARE MEMORIAL THEATRE, / STRATFORD-UPON-AVON.? 4pp, landscape 16mo. Bifolium.

The three items of ephemera are in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: Circular headed ?SHAKESPEARE MEMORIAL THEATRE / STRATFORD-UPON-AVON / ENDOWMENT FUND.? Dated 1 November 1923, and with autograph signature (possibly by proxy) of ?H C Lacey? (?Organising Secretary | H. C. LACEY M.B.E.?). Shakespeare?s coat of arms printed in red ink at top right.

On one side of 8.5 x 11 cm piece of grey card, with rounded corners. In good condition, lightly aged. Neatly and simply written out (in response to a request for an autograph), reading: 'Best Wishes | Sincerely | Winifred Brown.' Date by Brown at bottom left. Endorsed in pencil at head: 'First woman to win King's Cup Air Race | 1930'.

1p, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and creased, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with seal in red wax and postmarks, 'To | Mr Bartley | 8. Shacklewell End | Nr. Kingsland Turnpike'. The note reads: 'Sir W Adams presents his Compts to Mr Bartley & informs him that his fee for operating upon his Eyes & attendance is sixty Guineas. -' From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library.

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter would appear to be addressed to a contributor to Adams's 'Cyclopaedia of Poetical Quotations' (1853). It begins: 'Sir | I have much pleasure in acknowledging the receipt your obliging communications, and in thanking you therefore: the extract on Love I shall endeavour to find room for'. As it is 'a subject on which so many beautiful things have been said', he cannot include everything.

2pp.,12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He has been informed by 'Mr. Hill of the Victoria & Albert Museum' that Harington has 'a Backstaff'. Adams has been 'looking out for one for some years' without success and would like to purchase Harington's if he has 'no use for it. 'I think Mr. Hill mentioned to you that I had a collection of old navigating instruments & he has very kindly been trying to find a backstaff for me'. He ends in the hope that Harington will 'excuse the zeal of the collector'.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Adams' handwriting is difficult, and the name of the recipient is unclear. The letter begins: 'I expect the Spectator will have the article in on Saturday next - as I have returned the proof with the title which I composed to day | The Mechanics Magazine will I dare say be glad to copy it from the Spectator [...]'. He gives the address at which he will be staying for the following week: 'The Crouch | Lidford | Nr Lewes | Sussex'.

All items in good condition. The photographs range in size from 21.5 x 14.5 cm. to 18.5 x 16.5 cm., and show Knight at work on the sculpture, with her husband Mark Churchill present in one. Thuillier's text (1p., 12mo) reads: 'Geraldine Knight seen with her giant 10 ft. fibreglass and resin (GRP) Hinds Head which has been commissioned by Whitbreads for their new Brewery at Magor near Newport. The work has taken her a year to complete. She lives and works in a converted Bakery at Woodborough in Wiltshire where she has 4 large studios.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. He is enclosing 'Squeaker Toys', which are 'a few of a large series which I designed for a toy Firm'. He thinks they may assist Adams 'to get interesting "expressions" on the faces of some of your less sophisticated sitters!' He concludes: 'They would be a variation of the old request to "Watch for the dickey bird."' Adams was Britain's foremost children's photographer, patronised by the Royal Family, and was famed for his Dover Street studio disguised as a children's playroom, complete with toys.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. Letterhead in brown and black, with childlike self-portrait with dripping pallette. She is enclosing 'a few of my small picture books', thinking that they 'would be entertaining in a waiting room' Adams was Britain's foremost children's photographer, patronised by the Royal Family, and was famed for his Dover Street studio disguised as a children's playroom, complete with toys. From the Adams family archive.

14pp., 12mo. Disbound without wraps. In good condition, lightly aged. Poem of seventy five-line stanzas, arranged in four parts.

Draft invitation on both sides of landscape 12mo (11 x 18 cm) piece of paper. In fair condition, lighly aged. A rough draft, apparently for the design of a printed card. The main effort, on one page, reads: 'Mr. Geo. G. Adams, Sculptor, | Solicits the honor of a call, from | [wavy line] | to inspect his | [two wavy lines] | Private view on the [wavy line] | 126, Sloane Street.' There is the start of another attempt on the reverse. The poetical quotation is on one side of a 5 x 18 cm strip of paper, laid down on a paper backing. In fair condition, aged and worn.

4pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly-aged and worn. Long closely-written letter, friendly and informative. Topics include the breaking of his right arm, the weather in Johannesburg ('I do not take my landscapes in winter - but our Transvaal summer is my time to operate with the camera to record the trees - the clouds & all the mood that goes with it'), Adams's support for 'the London Salon panel of prints'.

Both letters 2pp., 12mo. Both in good condition, lightly-aged, the second with the first page lightly crossed through in pencil. The letters relate to work done for the firm of her brother-in-law Marcus Adams (described in his Times obituary as 'the outstanding child photographer of his day and photographer to the Royal Family for more than 30 years'), at 43 Dover Street, Mayfair. She begins the first letter by explaining that she has 'endeavoured to make the Woodall miniature like the snapshot, but unless they are really satisfied I had better do another.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Ornate letterhead printed in red and black, with engraving of a rising sun ('The Mark of Excellence'). Addressed to 'Messrs. Marcus Adams Ltd. | Child Photographers, | 43, Dover Street, | W.1.' The letter begins: 'I have in hand the production of a film somewhat of a national character, including all the episodes in the reigns of our Royal Family, from Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee onwards, and I thought it would be a very nice idea to finish the film with a short length of little Princess Elizabeth.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly-aged. Beneath the drop-head title: 'The Agency is authorized to refer to the following well-known writers: | Noah Brooks. | Hezekiah Butterworth. | Mrs. Margaret Deland. | William Elliot Griffis, D.D. | B. O. Flower, [Ed. Arena.] | Mrs. Burton Harrision. | Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. | William Dean Howells. | Mrs. Louise Chandler Moulton. | Philip S. Moxom, D.D. | Thomas Nelson Page. | A. D. F. Randolph, Publisher. | Charles Dudley Warner. | Mary E. Wilkins. | William Hayes Ward, D.D., [Ed. Independent.] | J. A. Wheelock, [Ed.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He requests him to have 'a warrant issued, in my favour, for a Buck from The New Forest, as soon after this letter reaches you, as may be convenient - and that you will give the instructions for its disposal'. He gives three numbered instructions regarding the warrant's packing and dispatch, adding 'going by the Luggage train is essential, in order that the expence may not be excessive'. In a postscript he asks that the buck be 'killed & dispatched ' when the weather is 'suitable'.

18 + [1]pp., 4to. In grey printed wraps. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn wraps. Stamps, shelfmarks and label of the Ministry of Education Reference Library, London. Seven copies on COPAC.

19 + [1]pp., 4to. In grey printed wraps. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn wraps, with minor indentations to cover and title leaf. Stamps, shelfmarks and label of the Ministry of Education Reference Library, London. Eight copies on COPAC.

31pp., 12mo. In yellow printed wraps. In good condition, on aged paper, with rusting to staples and stamp and label of the Education Department Library, London. Giving details of 27 scholarships, from 'Abraham Birkin's Charity' and 'Alice Coles' Chairty' to 'Training College Scholarships' and 'University College'. Scarce: no copies on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.

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.

1p., 12mo. On laid paper with 'Pro Patria' watermark. In good condition, lightly-aged and dusty. Headed 'September 25th 1732' and docketed on reverse 'Account of Linen in 1732 of Bn. & Eliz. Adams.' Thirteen items, beginning with 'There is eleven pair of Linneng [sic] sheets' and ending with 'There is 1/2 a dozen of Dypers naptkin for night Caps'. The Northumberland origins of the Adamses is not referred to in the document, but is clear from one which accompanied it. The document derives from the papers of Benjamin Adams's descendant, the Alnwick solicitor Thomas Adams.

On both sides of a piece of 8vo paper, folded vertically to make a bifolium with 31 x 9.5 cm leaves. In fair condition, aged, worn and with a short central closed tear unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Docketed 'Acct. of the Funeral of [blank'], and elsewhere in another hand 'Benja Adams | Benja Adams'. A total of 78 individuals are named (including six deleted) over three narrow pages, with 32 (including three deleted) on the first page, 6 on the second, and 40 (including three deleted) on the third.

Folio, 1 p. Bifolium. Text on recto of first leaf; docketed on reverse of second leaf. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Headed 'Longhoughton | Northumberland'. Signed at foot by the Earl and Countess. Begins 'Licence is hereby Granted to Elizabeth Adams to Lett Lett or Assign over to Robert Adams All That Messuage or Tenement and the Lands thereto belonging with the Appurtenances Lying and being in Longhoughton held of us by Lease for Twenty One yeares from Ladyday One thousand Seven hundred forty and Nine'.

Offprint, "Transactions of the American Philosophical Society", vol.iv, New Series, brown paper wraps, 48pp., 4to, two one-word corrections in Hodgson's hand, some foxing, marginal chipping of page edges, fair. INSCRIBED "To President Adams | With the hommage | of W B Hodgson". Note: Hodgson served in the State Department through the influence of Henry Clay who, when secretary of state in Adams's administration, "assigned Hodgson to the Barbary States . . ."

4to, [viii] + 26 pp. In blue printed wraps. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in slightly dogeared wraps. Introduction by Gwilliam; opening address by Ennals; summaries of speeches and notes on speakers. Two copies on COPAC (not major libraries).

8vo, 34 pp + blank last page. Unbound and stapled. Fair, with central vertical fold, on slightly-aged paper, with light staining to the first and last pages. Signed on the first page by [three Americans] Henry L. Stimson; Charles F. Adams III; Dwight W. Morrow; [one French] Aristide Briand; [two British] J. Ramsay Macdonald; A. V. Alexander; [one Italian] Giuseppe Sirianni; [and all four Japanese representatives] Reijiro Wakatsuki; Takeshi Takarabe; Tsuneo Matsudaira and Matsuzo Nagai.