ANTIQUES

70pp, on thirty-six leaves of a worn 16.5 x 10.5 late-Victorian album, bound in black cloth. An additional seven pages at the end of the volume carry an index, divided into 'China', 'Furniture' and 'Silver Pages'. In fair condition, aged and worn. The compiler is unidentified. The first nineteen pages of the volume carry a total of thirty-six 5.5 x 3.5 cm silk labels, each with a coloured illustration of an item of porcelain (from 'Astbury' to 'Zurich'), with the manufacturer's name and marks beneath, each accompanied by a strip of paper carrying a caption printed in blue.

A native of Scotland, Burton set up a china business in Falmouth in 1862, but soon turned to the sale of unusual items from around the world, purchased from sailors, his shop acquiring an international reputation and royal patronage. Printed on one side of a piece of pink paper, 38 x 25.5cm. A frail survival, on aged and worn high-acidity paper, with loss and chipping to the margins, and a few closed tears, but with the text complete.

Both lists 4to, but not uniform in size. List No. 10: Printed in black. 4to, 1 p. Fair, lightly-aged and creased. Coins divided into ten sections (from Farthings to Crowns) and three columns. The latest dated item is a 1960 crown. List No. 11: Printed in blue. Mainly advertising 'English Coin Sets in their original cases', but with 'ENGLISH SILVER' in three columns. Text clear and complete. On lightly aged paper, with some foxing along creases, and dogeared, creased edge.

The firm, apparently antique dealers (although it also bought and sold false teeth), was established in 1833. All items are addressed to Slocombe, with whom the family (to whom he was perhaps related by marriage?) were clearly on intimate terms. Grubby, dusty, creased, dogeared and with several closed tears. The first six letters are from J. B. Fraser, the first four being on the letterhead of 'R. D. & J. B. FRASER, LIMITED.' ('ESTABLISHED IN THE REIGN OF WILLIAM IV.') Letter 1 (Ipswich, 4 Jan 1899, 4 pages, 8vo), from J. B. Fraser, concerns 'Edith', who is recovering from illness.