ALLEN

See Wendy Trewin, ‘The Royal General Theatrical Fund: a history, 1838-1988’ (1989), and Macqueen-Pope’s entry in the Oxford DNB. ONE: Carbon copy of letter from Macqueen-Pope to Allen, 15 May 1953, with three drafts of advertisement. 4pp, 4to. On four leaves. The letter, on the first page, is somewhat grubby, with rust spotting from paper clip, the other three leaves, each of which carries a proposed version of the advertisment, in good condition, lightly aged. The letter begins: ‘Dear Jack Allen, / Herewith three rough samples for the proposed advertisement concerning the Fund.

See the entries on Allen and Meredith in the Oxford DNB. On one side of 20 x 18 cm piece of paper, in good condition, with two vertical folds, laid down on 4to leaf of thick gilt-edged paper removed from an autograph album of Meredith's daughter Marie Eveleen (Mariette; 1871-1933), later the wife of Henry Parkman Sturgis (1847-1929), American-born banker and Liberal politician. Sixteen lines of heavily-revised text, in Allen’s close hand, with interpolation by him in the right-hand margin. The place of publication of the text has not been traced, but it is highly complimentary to Meredith.

20pp., 4to. Stapled into card wraps printed in blue and red. In fair condition, aged and worn, with vertical crease and rusted staples. The front inside wrap carries an 'Introductory Note' (including the claim: 'Half-an-hour's daily practice will produce material results in a very short time.') Labels and stamp of the Board of Education Library. The cover is illustrated with an engraving of two hands emerging from mountains and icebergs and shaking across the waters, above which are the Union Flag and two ensigns (Australia and Canada?), captioned 'Semper Fidelis'.

In addition to his achievements, Young is remembered for holding a dinner party in 1877, at which the Prince of Wales arranged to sit next to Lillie Langtry while her husband was discreetly seated elsewhere, thus beginning their affair. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and ruckled, with two small pinholes at head of first leaf, and traced of mount on blank reverse of second leaf. The letter begins: 'I have just got note from Mrs Langtry saying that she will have to go out of Town tomorrow morning and asking me to write to you to tell you'.

12 pp., 8vo. Modern marbled bds. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. This interesting item is of significance to Ruskin scholars, containing a whole page describing 24 drawings and engravings by him, as well as a number of interesting books from the library of a close associate. The item was previously bound by Rossetti in a volume with two, unrelated, others. It then passed into the collection of the art historian Rose Sketchley, whose sister C. J. Sketchley presented it to Fulham Public Libraries in 1949. It is scarce: no copy has been traced on either OCLC WorldCat or COPAC.

Around 70 items laid down on 36pp. of an 8vo. exercise book with ruled grey-paper pages, in quarter-binding with marbled boards with green cloth spine. With around eight more items loosely inserted. In good condition, lightly aged and worn.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The letterhead, printed in red and black, features the illustration of a phoenix in fire which featured on the covers of some Penguin Books publications of works by D. H. Lawrence. He begins by stating that Malcolm Kelly has sent him Bailey's letter 'with its very flattering reference to me'. He explains that he has 'always regarded the book business as a whole & not as two camps as it were, book-sellers & publishers'.

Both items are printed with elegant restraint, and  designed by Sebastian Carter (from the horse's mouth). Both are in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. The service with a horizontal central fold and the ticket with a vertical fold. The funeral service is printed in black and red on deckled-edged wove paper. The second page gives details of 'The Music' and the third 'The Order of Service', which features Michael Morpurgo, Richard Hoggart, Robert Lusty and Harry Paroissien, with Rev. Austen Williams officiating. The last page gives details of the eight musicians.

On 3 x 8 cm. slip of paper, cut from letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, laid down on piece of green card. Good firm signature, cut from a letter, beneath the typewritten words 'Yours faithfully,' The card is erroneously annotated in a contemporary hand 'Sir J. Allen | Prime Minister of New Zealand'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Cut down at margins, with loss to part of letterhead. Addressed to 'S Hague Smith Esqr | Pitt St North'. He writes that he has not yet received a sample for 'the slabs of white marble 12 inches square', and asks him to 'give an answer to Odling Bros', as he wishes to know 'what quantity I could get from the person whom you <?>, & about the quantity also'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with a 2.5 cm closed tear and slight loss at one edge causing damage to one word of text. The text is neatly written out in another hand over 14 lines. Allen's signature and other details in his hand are at the end: 'Wm. Allen | Stoke Newington near London | the 11th. of the 4th month (April) 1843'. Headed 'To my dear Friends on the Continent of Europe to whom these lines may come'.

12 x 8.5 cm. Bifolium. Printed in red and black on thick watermarked deckle-edged laid paper. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Engraving in black ink on recto of first leaf, incorporating the words 'Rowfant Club' and '255 Erie St', showing a back-view of a man in a chair seated at a table, spreading open a large volume containing ''BOOK-PLATES'. Text on recto of second volume, printed in black and red, with the printed words 'Compliments of' followed by the autograph signature of 'F. H. Baer'.

Full title: 'Killing no Murder, Briefly Discours'd, In Three Questions, fit for Publick View, To Deter and Prevent Tyrants from Usurping Supreme Power. Writ by Col. Titus, under the Name of William Allen, and Dedicated to Oliver Cromwel. Now Reprinted, and Address'd to the French King.' 28pp., small 4to. Disbound. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with slight damage to last few leaves, affecting text. The original version was published in 1657, and advocated the assassination of Oliver Cromwell. Six copies on COPAC. Now scarce.

Each of the six issues in its original card wraps, the first four with cover design by Wyndham Lewis. Internally good, on lightly aged paper, in aged and worn wraps. A total of 176pp., 8vo. No.10 (May 1938), pp.29-54. No.11 ('Long poems by George Barker and Kenneth Allott', July 1938), pp.55-78. No.12-13 ('an attempt to get inside the covers of a small magazine a number of the best, and most representative, living poets born in America', October 1938), pp.79-118. No.14 (December 1938), pp.119-142. No.17 (April/May 1939), pp.1-26. No.18 ('A Special Number', June/July 1939), pp.27-62.

On piece of 6 x 10 cm paper. Laid down on 8.5 x 20.5 cm strip of paper cut from album. In fair condition, aged and worn, with a cross in light red ink through text. Bold signature, with date, and titles of two books above. Reads: 'Howells Londonopilis [sic] | Monumenta Vetusta | Thos Allen | Nov 10/24'.

2pp., 4to. Aged and creased, mounted in windowpane on leaf removed from album. Liscard Hall was built for the former Mayor of Liverpool and slave-ship captain Sir John Tobin. Allen writes that since arriving there he has 'painted too little subjects', and that he has 'a wish' to 'leave them behind me - but not unframed - size of Pictures 16in: x 12in:' If Cobbett does not have 'two tolerable frames of that size' he asks him to order two: 'I do not require the "best double distilled - extra hyper - superfine" - but something tolerably good looking'.

4pp., 12mo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter is addressed to 'My dear Father'. He begins by thanking him for his letter: 'I can picture the long-nailed Neb. sitting down to answer your request for an autograph. Strange, that you should have been hearing of Vaughan Williams just at that time!' He reports that he has been 'doing many poems for The British Weekly. The Editor saw something of mine & asked me to send whatever I liked. And his nonconformist readers do not seem to jib.

2pp., 12mo. Very good, on two leaves of lightly-aged paper. In a difficult hand. The recipient is addressed as 'B. F. Ainger, Delegate to Editorial Committee, <?> Excursion'. The first two pages of the letter only, hence lacking Brainard's signature. Having seen Ainger's name 'among the delegates from Pennsylvania', he is 'strongly reminded of a Maj B. F. Ainger formerly of the 2nd. <?> Artillery with whom I had the pleasure of an acquaintance long ago when we were watching the Defences of Bermuda Honduras &c.

Both 4to, in identical green printed wraps. Both issues in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight chipping and wear to wraps. Same illustration of two women looking out from the deck of a ship on front wrap of both issues, and same advertisements on inside covers and back. The first issue has 'SPECIMEN.' stamped in red on the front. First issue: frontispiece and 50pp., preceded by four pages of advertisements and leaf carrying an address to the public from the publishers, and succeeded by leaf whose recto is headed 'Gardening for September' and whose verso is headed 'New Books.

8pp., 12mo. On four bifoliums, placed inside one another to make a booklet. Each bifolium with embossed [West Point?] letterhead of a letter 'W' within a shield. A fair copy, with the title reading: 'Benny Havens, Oh! | as sung | by the | U.S. Corps Cadets - | 1864.' The twenty-two line introduction covers the whole of the second page.

12mo, 12 pp, and fold-out frontispiece of table showing the 'British National Debt, funded and unfunded, stated in millions of pounds sterling' from 1689 to 1843, with four other columns. Stitched and in original printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Several copies of varying condition. Usually Fair: lightly-aged and creased. Scarce: other than electronic reproductions, COPAC only lists copies of this second edition at the Bodleian and British Library.

Folio (34 x 21 cm): 32 pp. With all eighteen foldout plans. Unbound and stapled. Text and plans clear and complete. In fair condition, with slight rust to staples and the last leaf (carrying Plan XVIII) loose. The report is addressed to 'The Honorable the Premier of the Colony of Victoria', and dated 'University of Melbourne, 2nd November, 1891. This is, as Allen sets out his aims in the first paragraph, explaining that he is submitting 'the Third and Final General Report concerning my visit to Great Britain and the Continent of Europe.

4to, 2 pp. Thirty-two lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and creased paper. A tactful letter in response to an enquiry concerning the possibility of employment as a translator of Dutch publications. Unwins 'very seldom have occasion to translate from Dutch, but we should always be glad to give consideration to any important Dutch book which you were able to bring to our attention'. He suggests times when Thompson might be able to meet Stanley Unwin, who is travelling on the continent.

Folio: ii + 21 pp. After 'Popish Successor,' the title continues 'Exactly drawn by the Reigns of Christian the Second, and Sygismond King of Sweden, and Ferdinand the Second King of Bohemia.' Text clear and entire, on discoloured and lightly-foxed paper. Slight chipping to edges, and quite heavy discoloration to the final few leaves, with small hole at foot of last leaf (the reverse of which is blank), affecting the word 'FINIS.' but leaving the text undamaged. In very good modern calf quarter-binding, with marbled boards and title on red label on spine.

On a light-green leaf (11 x 14 cm) removed from an autograph album. Lightly aged and creased. Reads 'Hugh P. Allen | Nov 8. 1928'. Lightly docketed in pencil. Two other autographs on reverse.

12mo, 32 pp. In original pink printed wraps. Unbound and stitched. Text clear and entire. Tight, but grubby and dogeared, and with closed tear and creasing at head of recto of front wrap. Densely printed in a variety of point sizes, with frontispiece and twelve wood-cuts (one for each month). Contains advertisements, 'Borough Regulations', a 'Gardener's Calendar', 'Table of the Sun's rising and setting' and other matter. Neat ownership signature of 'Mrs. Paterson' at head of recto of front wrap, and twelve others of her signatures at the head of each month.

One page, 12mo, on mourning paper. Aged and cropped at foot. Dusty, and with minor paperclip stains to edges, and traces of previous mount on reverse. Reads 'Dear Sir, | I have much pleasure in sending you my Autograph. | Yours truly | "Allen Raine" '. Four-line cutting giving printed biography neatly laid down in bottom right-hand corner.

Small 8vo. Pages: x + 74. In original cream printed wraps. One of two hundred copies of the 'Small Paper edition'. In the 'Moray Library'. Internally sound and clean. Light spotting and wear to wraps. Minor foxing to endpapers. Trenchant observations on an interesting selection of late-Victorian authors.

Inventor and engineer (1870-1923), whose papers are held by the Royal Society. During the war Harker was in the Inventions Department of the Ministry of Munitions. One page, 12mo. Good, if slightly grubby. Docketed in pencil and bearing the Society's stamp. Reads 'I send herewith a short contribution to the discussion of Dr Flemings paper at which I was present but in which on account of lack of time I did not feel it desirable to take part verbally.' Signed 'J. A. Harker'.