AUTOGRAPH

See his entry, and those of his father and Cooke, in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 16mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with dab or red wax to one corner, and part of another corner torn away, presumably in breaking open the seal. Folded diagonally for postage. Addressed to 'My dear Mr Cooke' (the recipient's identity is beyond doubt) and signed 'Richd Westmacott'.

See his entry, and Hawkins’s, in the Oxford DNB. The subject of the letter, William Beetham, was an early emigrant to New Zealand, where he was one of the colony’s first European artists. 1p, 12mo. With mourning border. In fair condition, aged and worn, with a tiny piece of loss to one corner. Traces of paper mount adhering to blank reverse. Folded twice for postage. Addressed to ‘Edwd. Hawkins Esqr.’ and signed ‘F Chantrey’. Begins: ‘My Dear Sir / The bearer Wm.

Coleridge was the nephew of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. See his entry, and that of Cranworth, in the Oxford DNB. The letter relates to Palmerston’s first ministry. 1p, 16mo (cut down to a 12 x 10 cm piece of wove paper). In fair condition, lightly aged and discoloured, with traces of glue from mount adhering to one edge of blank reverse. Signing himself ‘J. T C’, Coleridge writes: ‘My dear Awdry / I have been with the Chancellor in consequence of the above - & promised to send him a minute in writing - where we have had trouble. Can you help me with your recollection. / In haste.

Sligo was appointed Governor of Jamaica in 1834. His efforts on behalf of the recently-emancipated slaves (including the financing of two schools) caused him to become unpopular with the plantation owners, and he was effectively ousted in 1836. 2pp, 12mo. Twenty-one lines of text. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded for postage. Small square of paper with engraving of the family crest laid down at the foot of the second page. Addressed to ‘My Dear Sir’ and signed ‘Sligo’. The Marquis’s handwriting is somewhat opaque.

See his long and appreciative entry in the Oxford DNB, concluding with the praise of his ‘pioneering achievements, especially in the fields of Vedic studies and comparative philology'. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lighty aged. Folded for postage. In autograph are the salutation (‘Dear Mr. Conway’) and valediction and postscript (‘Yours very truly / F. Max Müller / (in bed with a cold)’. The printed body of the letter reads: ‘Being quite unable to answer the numerous letters addressed to me, I had to choose this way of thanking my friends for their kind congratulations.

See his entry, and that of his father, in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with neatly-trimmed remnants of a windowpane mount adhering to the edges of the leaf. Folded twice for postage. Addressed to ‘My dear Madam’ and signed ‘R. W:’, followed by odd flourish.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Signed ‘J Fletcher Moulton’. Begins: ‘Dear Mrs Earle / Just at the worst moment of the fight your inspiring letter came to cheer me.’ He hopes he will be deserving of the ‘kind things’ she writes: ‘I could truthfully say things at least as kind in return but I fear my epistolary style does not lend itself thereto so I shall trust that you will take these as said.’ He ends by saying that he will retain the letter ‘as one of those which has [sic] given me most pleasure in my life’.

Olivier’s luminous achievements are well described in his entry in the Oxford DNB. An 8 x 11 cm photographic image, printed in black and white on an 8.5t x 13.5 cm card, with the actor's autograph signature mostly on the blank area beneath the image: ‘L Olivier’. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. An attractive image of the head of the young thespian, staring moodily to his right, hair slicked back, with part of white shirt and smart dark jacket just visible. Not present among the 114 portraits of Olivier in the National Portrait Gallery inventory.

See her 18 October 2006 obituary in Variety, which states that 'Bigley had been playing Laurey in the London production of “Oklahoma!” when she was offered the role of Sarah Brown, the “mission doll” who entrances gambler Sky Masterson in the show based on Damon Runyon’s characters.' She won a Tony Award for her performance. A 10.5 x 13.5 black and white photographic image, printed on an 11.5 x 16.5 cm piece of matt card. In good condition, lightly aged. A head and torso shot of a seated Bigley dressed as Laurey, smailing over her left shoulder against a plain and shadowy background.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB, which describes how she accepted Max Reinhardt's offer ‘to play the Madonna in a mime play, The Miracle. This was first staged in the USA from November 1923 to the following May, and again for the following three autumns and winters. It toured Europe in 1927, and London and the provinces in 1932; the last performance was in January 1933.

A brown-tinged print (not sepia), on 16 x 21 cm matt card, with 0.75 cm border. In fair condition, very lightly creased and worn. A full length shot of a smiling and clean-shaven Keel, in cowboy getup with ponyskin chaps and his cowboy hat in his left hand, opening what is clearly a stage-prop wicket gate, with backdrop of farm behind him. In Keel's autograph in light blue ink to the left of his torso: 'To Mary, / Best of Everything / Sincerely / Harold Keel'. See Image.

Power made his Broadway debut in 1922. The film role for which he is perhaps best remembered is as Gregory Peck's boss in 'Roman Holiday' (1953). A 15 x 12 cm black and white image, printed on 17 x 14 cm matt card. In good condition, lightly aged. A head and shoulders shot of a pensive Power, pipe in mouth, trilby on head, in pin stripe suit jacket with white shirt and tie. At top right, against the plain background, in green ink, Power has written: ‘Best Wishes / Hartley Power.’

Three pages,12mo, bifolium, corner marked, mainly good condition. Text: The Grand Duke is desirous to see the Docks [underlined] on Wednesday, & we thought the best way of peforming it would be in going there by water. | Could we therefore have your Barge on that day - when [underlined] should we embark & at what o'clock [phrase underlined] - for the tide.

See his entry and Taylor’s in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. Sixteen lines of closely-written text. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Begins: ‘My dear Mr. Taylor / Would you allow me to introduce a friend of mine Mr. Knewstube to you.

See his entry in Grove’s, and Percy A. Scholes’s obituary in the Musical Times, June 1941. 2pp, 12mo. Addressed to ‘Messrs. T. Seeley Clark & Co:’ and signed ‘Stewart Macpherson’. On bifolium of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. They have led him to understand that he would have a revised proof of his ‘biography for Modern Makers of Music’ in time for the publication of the work in the autumn would be published that autumn, and is writing to remind them that he has ‘not yet received the revise’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The poem, one of Watkins’ best, is printed under the heading ‘VERNON WATKINS | Poet and Goldsmith’ on both sides of a 12mo leaf, paginated 13-14. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. On the lower part of the second page is a reproduction of an attractive pen drawing of Richmond Bridge by Eleanor Poore. After the end of the poem and above the illustration is Watkins’ assured signature, good and clear: ‘Vernon Watkins’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, together with that of the Williams family. (The recipient Joseph Lionel Williams (c.1832-1877) was son of the wood-engraver Samuel Williams (1788-1853).) 2pp, 12mo. On paper with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo, with last page written crosswise. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Addressed to ‘Dear Sir Edwin’ and signed ‘F D Lugard’. He regrets to inform him that there is ‘no present vacancy in Northern Nigeria’, but that he has ‘written to the c.o. on behalf of Mr Trayler whom you recommend, & I hope he may obtain an appointment in another Colony if no vacancy occurs in N. Nigeria’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In his expansive hand, with a good bold signature. On worn and aged leaf of laid paper, with two small punch holes to inner edge, affecting one word of text. Reads: ‘Dear Sirs / I feel quite at a loss to express my sense of this mark of your attention. I can only assure you that my best exertions shall not be wanting to promote your views & interests. / Meantime / I am Dear Sirs / Yours faithfully / John Graham Dalyell’.

See 2pp, 16mo. On first leaf of a bifolium, with the reverse of second leaf addressed ‘To the / Lady Georgiana Ellis / Spring Garden [sic]’, and with torn corner of second leaf beneath red wax seal. Folded twice for postage. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ‘I have a thousand apologies to make for not having already said that my sister & I should have much pleasure in dining with you on the 19th. The truth is, that she thought I had done it & I thought she had - We are ashamed of ourselves’. The second part of the letter is difficult to decipher.

An characteristic letter by the author of 'Our Village', written in the year of her move from Three Mile Cross, Berkshire, to nearby Swallowfield, itself eight miles from Pearson's home in Sonning. See the entries on Mitford and Pearson in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. On the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium which has been unfolded with the fore-edge of the second leaf attached to a nineteenth-century stub. In good condition, lightly aged.

See his entry, and that of Bishop King, in the Oxford DNB. For the context of the present item - a chapel ‘built by an ingenious use of a portion of the Old Palace ruins’ - see Randolph and Townroe, ‘The Mind and Work of Bishop King’ (1918), chapter 6: ‘The entire furnishing and decoration of the chapel was undertaken by members of the English Church Union, in response to an appeal made by the President of the Society. The consecration took place in 1888.’ (The Bishop’s letter of thanks to Lord Halifax is quoted.) 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, lightly aged, with one dog-eared corner. Reads: ‘To the / Secretary of the London Library. / St James’s Sq / Sir / Be good enough to let me have the book of which I enclose the title / Yours / Halifax’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The identity of the recipient is unclear. Written on one side of a small (12 x 9.5 cm) plain card. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with one vertical crease. Reads: ‘Dear Walter / Enclosed is, as you may see, addressed to Speaker Court. I opened it & think it may be for Miss Erskine. If not, will you send it on to Lady Ilbert. Nothing is known of it here. / Yours sincerely / James W Lowther’. Lady Ilbert was wife of the Clerk of the Commons, Sir Courtenay Ilbert, from whose papers the item derives.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Folded four times. Begins: ‘Lord Carnarvon presents his Compliments to Mrs. Page and is extremely obliged by her polite attention in sending him the Papers relating to the boundaries of Highclere - Burghclere, and Woodhay Parishes, which he has no doubt will prove extremely useful to him’. He has ‘many apologies to make for not sooner acknowledging the receipt of the Papers, but he has been for some time past incessantly occupied in attending the Committee on the Gt.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once. From Taylor’s papers. Addressed to ‘Tom Taylor Esq’. Begins: ‘Dear Mr Taylor / I have profited by your kind instructions, & enrolled myself on the List of the Arundel Society.’ He finds the collection ‘well worth seeing’, and ‘the Van Eyck in particular strikes me as being the most wonderful example of successful reproduction in Chromo Lithography that I have yet seen’. Signed ‘J Walter’. From Taylor’s papers.

See his entry in Grove’s. A good large firm signature, 'John Goss'. On irregularly-shaped piece of laid paper cut from a printed programme, a 9.5 x 8 cm rectangle with one large triangle cut from a corner. Written over part of the words to the song 'I am a brisk and sprightly lad'. The printing on the back headed ' Once I loved a maiden fair Anon., 1600 / I am a brisk and sprightly lad Anon., 1750 / MR. JOHN GOSS.'

See Forster’s entry in the Oxford DNB. The postcard carries on one side a photograph of a ‘famous entrance hall’, part of the series ‘Simon McBride’s England’. In fair condition, a little browned and worn, with small pin hole at head. Addressed to ‘Miss Margaret Forster / 11 Boscastle Road / LONDON NW5 1EE’. Begins: ‘How nice you are to write about the C4 review of “Lady’s Maid”. She was ‘so pleased’ to see Trollope’s novel ‘The Lady’s Maid’ ‘sitting deservedly in the top ten for so many weeks - roll on the paperback!’ Concludes: ‘And I love the look of your garden. / Joanna T.’

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.

Taylor is noticed in his brother’s entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf carrying the address (‘R. S. MacKenzie Esqr / Chesterfield’), and a seal in black wax, beneath which is a corner of the leaf, cut away in opening the letter, the leaf also being annotated ‘James Taylor of Bakewell / author of “What is Money?”. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of brown paper mount along inner edge of second leaf. Good signature, with expansive flourish, ‘Jas Taylor’.