BBC

[ Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey'. ] Typed Rehearsal Script of Maggie Wadey's 1987 BBC television adaptation. (directed by Giles Foster and produced by Louis Marks)

Author: 
Maggie Wadey, scriptwriter and wife of actor John Castle; Louis Marks (1928-2010) BBC producer and scriptwriter; Giles Foster, television director; Jane Austen [ British Broadcasting Corporation]
Publication details: 
[ British Broadcasting Corporation, London. ] At head of covering page: '3rd Draft - Typed 3rd June 1986'.
£120.00

[2] + 170pp., 8vo. On 172 leaves, held together by a steel stud. In good condition, lightly aged, with discoloring to first leaf and the last seven leaves dogeared. The names of the crew are given on the first covering page, and the cast of characters (but not the names of the actors playing them) on the second. An interesting artefact, indicative of the continuing reassessment and reinterpretation of the works of one of Britain's great writers.

[ Roger Senhouse, member of the Bloomsbury Group. ] Autograph annotations on his (and Lytton Strachey's) Byron books, in 'Byron and Byroniana' catalogue, and on Rayner Heppenstall's BBC telepathy experiment, with copy of printed BBC 'Findings'.

Author: 
Roger Senhouse [Roger Henry Pocklington Senhouse] (1899-1970), English publisher, member of Bloomsbury Group [ Elkin Mathews Ltd; Rayner Heppenstall (1911-81); Giles Lytton Strachey; BBC ]
Publication details: 
Catalogue: Elkin Mathews Ltd, 33 Conduit St, London W1. January 1930. BBC 'Findings', stamped with date 3 December 1945.
£220.00

ONE: Elkin Mathews catalogue. xii + 125pp., 8vo. 776 items, with a number of facsimiles. In grey printed wraps. Internally in fair condition, on aged paper, cocked at foot, in heavily-worn wraps with repair to rear cover. Containing numerous annotations in Senhouse's close, neat hand, mostly in pencil, giving bibliographical information relating to various entries, with reference to his own collection. Next to the entry for a first edition of 'English Bards and Scotch Reviewers' Senhouse writes: 'my copy "H S" Sold to Quaritch'.

[ Sir Patrick Moore. ] Typescript of 13 scripts for South African radio (series title 'Into Space'), with covering note from the South African Broadcasting Corporation and copy of letter from Rhodesia Broadcasting Corporation.

Author: 
Sir Patrick Moore [Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore] (1923-2012), English astronomer and writer and populariser of astronomy
Publication details: 
Moore's typescript without date or place. [Selsey, England, 1972.] The note and letter dating from 1972.
£165.00

ONE: Typescripts of 13 radio talks. 65pp., 4to. On loose leaves. Titles: 1, 'Our Earth in Space'; 2, 'Dreams of other Worlds'; 3, 'Rockets into Space'; 4, 'Man-made Moons'; 5, 'Man in Space'; 6, 'Space Research and Ourselves'; 7, 'Contact with the Moon'; 8, '"One small Step . . . ."'; 9, 'Space Stations and Lunar Bases'; 10, 'Mariners to Mars'; 11, 'Into the Hot Regions'; 12, 'The Grand Tour'; 13, 'Flight to the Stars'. TWO: Typed Note, signed on behalf of T. Van Heerden, Head of External Services, SABC. 16 March 1972.

[ Sir Patrick Moore. ] Typescript, with Autograph corrections, of 13 scripts for South African radio (series title 'Into Space'), with version rewritten for publication, and four Autograph Letters Signed, and Autograph Card Signed to H. David Lloyd.

Author: 
Sir Patrick Moore [Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore] (1923-2012), English astronomer and writer and populariser of astronomy [ H. David Lloyd of South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) ]
Publication details: 
Moore's correspondence on his letterhead, Farthings, 39 West Street, Selsey, Sussex. Dated between 11 November 1972 and 5 February 1973. The talks undated, but from shortly before this.
£600.00

Collection of eleven items. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Typescripts of 13 radio talks. 65pp., 4to. On loose leaves. Titles: 1, 'Our Earth in Space'; 2, 'Dreams of other Worlds'; 3, 'Rockets into Space'; 4, 'Man-made Moons'; 5, 'Man in Space'; 6, 'Space Research and Ourselves'; 7, 'Contact with the Moon'; 8, '"One small Step . . . ."'; 9, 'Space Stations and Lunar Bases'; 10, 'Mariners to Mars'; 11, 'Into the Hot Regions'; 12, 'The Grand Tour'; 13, 'Flight to the Stars'. With a few manuscript emendations by Moore in black felt-tip pen, and other editorial emendations.

[Dilys Powell, journalist and film critic.] Typed Letter Signed to Robert Swan, declining his 'interesting offer' of 'original portrait drawings' by Swan himself.

Author: 
Dilys Powell [Elizabeth Dilys Powell] (1901-1995), British journalist, author and film critic [Robert Swan]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Sunday Times, 135 Fleet Street, London. 14 Octobeer 1936.
£38.00

1p., 4to. On creased and lightly-aged paper, with wear and chipping to edges. She thanks him for his letter 'and for your offer of original potrait drawings by yourself', in which she was 'greatly interested'. She explains that there is a limitation of space, 'and as a general rule we are exhibiting portraits only when we can associate with them some other relic or possession of the writer concerned'. In response to 'our appeal' she has received 'souvenirs of past writers, and I am concentrating on these. This being so, I feel I must very reluctantly decline your interesting offer'.

['Francesca Marton' [Margaret Bellasis], historical novelist.] Typed Letter Signed ('Margaret Bellasis | "Francesca Marton') to 'Mr. Wiener', agreeing to give a talk to his 'Society' and discussing a BBC radio adapation of her work by Lance Sieveking

Author: 
Margaret Bellasis [Margaret Rosa Bellasis], historial novelist under the pseudonym 'Francesca Marton' [Lance Sieveking (1896-1972), English writer and BBC radio and television producer]
Publication details: 
"Pilot's Cottage", 35 Victoria Road, Deal, Kent. 2 March 1968.
£35.00

2pp., 12mo. 36 lines. She begins by accepting an invitation to give a talk to Wiener's 'Society', about which she has 'hears so much'. She is 'honoured to add my name to such a distinguished roll of speakers'. She next explains why she believes radio to be 'infinitely superior to TV'. She next turns to 'Mr. Sieveking's adaptation', which she considers 'very clever, as he had to leave out the descriptions which formed such an important part of the book. He allowed me to see and criticise all his scripts, too. I'm so glad you are liking the result. Isn't the signature-tune pleasing?

[BBC TV International Balloon Race, May 1965.] BBC Press Service press pack with two maps (one of the 'Revised Route'), plan with text of 'The Free Balloon', biography of producer Brian Branston, 'Who's Who', 'Topographical Background' and 'History'.

Author: 
BBC TV International Balloon Race, May 1965 [Brian Branston (1914-1993); Jacques Demenint; Charles Dollfus; ballooning]
Publication details: 
One item on BBC Press Service (London) letterhead, dated 'May 1965 | CMG'
£150.00

Eight items, in good condition on aged paper, with the three photographic illustrations darkened. In blue card folder. ONE: Mimeographed typed biography of 'Ronald Victor Brian Branston'. On BBC Press Service letterhead; May 1965. 1p., 4to. TWO: Mimeographed typed 'Who's Who'. 2pp., foolscap 8vo. With entries on nine balloonists (from Albert van den Bemden to Anthony Smith, and including Charles Dollfus, 'curator of France's air museum') and two passengers. THREE: Mimeographed typed 'Topographical Background'. 2pp., foolscap 8vo.

Mimeographed Typescript of 'Stanley Morison: 1889-1967. A Radio Portrait. Compiled by Nicholas [sic] Barker and Douglas Cleverdon.' Transmitted on the BBC Third Programme.

Author: 
Nicolas Barker and Douglas Cleverdon [Stanley Morison; Tom Burns, John Carter, Arthur Crook, Brooke Crutchley, Sir Francis Meynell, Graham Pollard, Janet & Reynolds Stone, Beatrice Warde]
Publication details: 
[BBC Third Programme, London.] Recorded on 24 January 1969. Transmitted on 2 February and 6 March 1969.
£280.00

[1] + 23pp., foolscap 8vo. On 24 leaves attached in one corner by a metal stud. The title page carries the reference TM144D, and states that the producer was Cleverdon, and gives times of transmission, rehearsal and recording, with 'R.P. REF. NO.' and the details of the secretary who typed out the document. The piece was narrated by Barker, with the 'Speakers' are named as Burns, Carter, Crook, Crutchley, Meynell, Pollard, the Stones and Warde.

[Mimeographed typescript.] I.E.E.T.E. London Meeting. Future Developments in Television.

Author: 
F. C. McLean, C.B.E., B.Sc., M.I.E.E., Director of Engineering, British Broadcasting Corporation [The Institution of Electrical and Electronics Technician Engineers Limited; BBC]
Publication details: 
[The Institution of Electrical and Electronics Technician Engineers Limited] I.E.E. Lecture Theatre, Savoy Place, London, W.C.2. 1966.
£220.00

[1] + 14 pp., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with last leaf loose. '16 DEC 1965' stamped on title and first page. Discussing such issues as 'colour service', 'improvements in performance of receivers' and 'Recording of television signals'. From the archive of Pat Hawker, and marked up by him. No other copy traced

[Printed paper.] Video player and recording systems for home use.

Author: 
Dr P. Zaccarian (RAT) and C. B. B. Wood (BBC); Georges Hansen, editor [European Broadcasting Union, Technical Centre, Brussels]
Publication details: 
Brussels: European Broadcasting Union, Technical Centre. Second edition - March, 1972 (Tech. 3093 - E).
£200.00

31 + [1] pp., foolscap 8vo. Describes the features of Ampex Instavideo; AVCO Cartrivision; EVR Partnership EVR; Nordmende Colorvision; Philips VCR; Sony Videocassette; Teldec Videodisc; Vidicord; and other proposed systems. Illustrations and table in text. Stapled into brown printed wraps. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with initials on front cover. Scarce: no copies on OCLC WorldCat or COPAC. From the Pat Hawker archive.

Three Autograph Letters Signed and three Typed Letters Signed (all 'Charles') from the Chairman of the BBC Governors Lord Hill to the Observer journalist Hugh Massingham, mainly regarding their collaboration on the two volumes of his memoirs.

Author: 
Charles Hill (1904-1989), Baron Hill of Luton [Lord Hill], BBC 'Radio Doctor', Conservative MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Chairman of BBC Governors [Hugh Massingham (1905-71), journalist]
Publication details: 
On letterheads of Bury Knowle, Milton Road, Harpenden; The Independent Television Authority, 70 Brompton Road, London SW3; Winch Hill House, Wandon End, near Luton; and last three from Broadcasting House, London W1. 1963 (1), 1967 (1) and 1968 (4).
£120.00

Totalling 5pp., 4to and 3pp., 12mo. The six items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with the first three in autograph and the last three (from Broadcasting House) typed. Hill begins the first letter (22 April 1963) with the assertion that he is 'taking heed' of Massingham's 'stimulating advice', and this sets the tone of the whole correspondence.

Mimeographed typed transcription of a discussion on the BBC Home Service chaired by William Pickles: 'Taking Stock on the Budget', with the speakers Paul Bareau, Lord Chorley, H. D. Dickinson, Lord Hailsham, H. D. Hughes and Donald McLachlan.

Author: 
['Taking Stock', BBC Home Service, 1951; British Broadcasting Corporation; Hugh Gaitskell; William Pickles; Paul Bareau; Lord Chorley; H. D. Dickinson; Lord Hailsham; H. D. Hughes; Donald McLachlan]
Publication details: 
'12 April, 1951. 2115-2200 GMT. HOME SERVICE'. With compliments slip of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
£180.00

13pp., foolscap 8vo, each on a separate leaf. Compliments slip printed in blue. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Headed 'TRANSCRIBED FROM A TELEDIPHONE RECORDING'.

[Large printed colour poster, issued by the Army Bureau of Current Affairs.] Britain's Radio Covers The World. [ABCA Map Review No. 6.]

Author: 
ABCA Map Review No. 6 [Army Bureau of Current Affairs (A.B.C.A.), W. E. Williams, Director; Second World War propaganda; British Broadcasting Corporation; BBC]
Publication details: 
'Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Fosh & Cross, Ltd.' 'The period from January 18th to January 31st, 1943.'
£180.00

Printed on both sides of a piece of paper roughly 38 x 100 cm. In good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Folded four times. The outer side, printed in black and white, carries the article on 'the vast broadcasting network which spreads across the world from Britain', with large stylised map, with BBC microphone, indicating 'The BBC broadcasts day and night in 47 languages, to 200,000,000 listeners every week.'.

[British anti-German Second World War propaganda pamphlet, printing the transcript of a BBC broadcast.] The Woman from Poland.

Author: 
W. J. Brown [Second World War; occupation of Poland; Polish; Nazi war attrocities; fascism; BBC]
Publication details: 
'10/41 [i.e. printed October 1941] A., P. & S., Ltd.' 'Broadcast in the Home Service of the B.B.C. on Tuesday, 23rd September, 1941.'
£220.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly-aged and creased. Beneath the cover on the front page are four quotations: 'I don't know what astonishes me most about you British - your kindness and your courage, or your blindness.'; 'Not one in ten of you knows what a German victory would mean to you.'; 'Wake up.

Four Typed Letters Signed from H. Hugh Harvey to the diplomat Frederick Ernest Gye, regarding gramophone recordings of Gye's mother Dame Emma Albani.

Author: 
H. Hugh Harvey, musicologist [Dame Emma Albani (1847-1930), Canadian soprano; her husband Ernest Gye (c.1848-1925) and son Frederick Gye (1879-1955)]
Publication details: 
11 and 19 September, and 6 and 27 October 1952; all four on his letterhead of 24 Wessex Gardens, Golders Green, London.
£350.00

Totalling 5 pp, 4to. All texts clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. He begins the first letter 'I am venturing to address you on the assumption that you are the son of the revered singer DAME EMMA ALBANI, and most sincerely trust that my letter may not come amiss.' Harvey is writing an article for Albani's centenary the following year 'for Sir Compton Mackenzie's magazine The Gramophone - for November, 1952' and is 'very anxious to obtain definite details of the two UNPUBLISHED Records which Madame ALBANI made for The Gramophone Company in 1904', of which he gives the details.

Typescript of BBC radio programme 'Tomorrow's Doomsday. A biographical symposium to mark the centenary of the death of Thomas Lovell Beddoes 1803-1849' by John Keir Cross and Montague Shaw.

Author: 
John Keir Cross (1911-1967), Scottish writer of science fiction and fantasy; Montague Shaw, production manager at Faber & Faber Ltd [Thomas Lovell Beddoes, English poet]
John Keir Cross (1911-1967), Scottish writer of science fiction
Publication details: 
[Pencil note gives date of transmission on the BBC Third Programme as 29 January 1949.]
£150.00
John Keir Cross (1911-1967), Scottish writer of science fiction

Folio, [ii] + 16 pp. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and spotted paper. First page headed in pencil 'Mr. John Keir Cross' and with the following, also in pencil, at foot: 'Transmission: Sat. 29th January, 1949. | 7.45-8.25 p.m. Third Prog.' First two pages give details of the production, including the names of the producer Noel Iliff and of the seven 'Speakers': Alan Wheatley, Laidman Browne, Valentine Dyall, Patricia Jessel, Anthony Jacob, Robert Marsden and Raf de la Torre. Second page includes instructions regarding the characters of the 'Voices' and a 'Production Suggestion'.

Autograph Signature of the British bass Robert Easton, who took part in the first BBC television broadcast.

Author: 
Robert Easton (1898-1987), British bass
Publication details: 
Undated.
£10.00

On piece of light-blue paper, removed from an autograph album. Firm signature. In good condition. Reads 'Robert Easton.'

A small collection of mainly printed ephemera and photographs left behind by a BBC employee, Miss E.S. MacGregor, spanning 1942-1981.

Author: 
[The British Broadcasting Corporation; BBC]
The British Broadcasting Corporation
Publication details: 
[1942-1981].
£225.00
The British Broadcasting Corporation

17 items, as follows: three photographs, 10 x 9, 16 x 11, 22 x 16cm (i. 14 members of staff captioned News and Newsreel, 40s?; ii. circa 30 people who attended the BBC Staff Dance in 1942; iii. Photo. with stain, Studio view from above, cameras , gantry, sets, and schoolboys posturing in front of camera 2 (Jennings? or William?); c. Plan of BBC Television Studios.Lime Grove.

Archive of material, mainly comprising 150 Typed Letters addressed to the English operatic tenor Stephen Manton [Stephen Manton Bradbury], from the British Broadcasting Corporation, between 1944 and 1952, and concerning his work for the BBC.

Author: 
Stephen Manton [Stephen Manton Bradbury] (1908-1970), operatic tenor, director of the Intimate Opera Company from 1944 [British Broadcasting Corporation; BBC]
Publication details: 
The letters, all on letterheads of the British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC], mainly from Broadcasting House, London, dating from between 1944 and 1952.
£350.00

For more information about Stephen Manton Bradbury, or Stephen Manton as he was known professionally, see his obituary in The Times, 8 September 1970. The collection is in good condition, on aged paper. The correspondence from various figures in various BBC music departments, both London and regional, and in a variety of formats from 4to down to 12mo, breaks down to the following number of items per year: 1944, 8; 1945, 5; 1946, 30; 1947, 34; 1948, 32; 1949, 22; 1950, 11; 1951, 15; 1952, 1.

Autograph Signature ('Steuart Wilson').

Author: 
Sir James Steuart Wilson (1889-1966), English tenor and musical administrator
Publication details: 
Undated.
£30.00

On a fragment, roughly 11 x 16 cm, of a page of laid paper from a diary. Good, on lightly aged paper. Two signatures, under the heading 'July 22': 'Spencer <?> | Steuart Wilson.' Lightly docketed in pencil.

Autograph Signature on card, addressed to autograph collector Albert Millward.

Author: 
Murray Kash, Canadian-born British actor, announcer and author, compere of the BBC television programmes 'It Pays To Be Ignorant', starring Michael Bentine (1957)
Publication details: 
Undated; place not stated.
£35.00

One page. Dimensions of card roughly three and a half inches by four and a half. Right-hand side and bottom edge of card cropped. 'Autograph of' printed at head, and beneath this 'To Albert Millwa | With very best wi | Murray Kash'. The right-hand edges of the letter 'K' in Kash's name extend rightwards over the rest of the word, and may be very slightly cropped. Upper four lines of biographical cutting laid down at foot. Fragment of printed letter from Millward (and signed by him) requesting the autograph, beneath remains of plastic film on reverse.

Typed Letter Signed to Leslie Bloom of the Gallery First Nighters' Club.

Author: 
Ian Wallace (born 1919), English baritone singer connected with Flanders and Swann
Publication details: 
29 October 1956; on letterhead 27 Stormont Road, Highgate, London, N.6.
£18.00

Two pages, on letterhead of roughly 13.5 x 17.5 cms. He has sent a wire accepting the 'kind invitation'. '[A]s you can imagine we are rehearsing all day and every day at the present [...] The only thing thaht could stop me being with you is that we are, I understand, to record the "Fanny" music for a long-playing record on that Saturday'.

Autograph Letter Signed to unnamed male correspondents.

Author: 
Léon Goossens
Publication details: 
BBC. | Evesham. | Ware. | 18/3/42'.
£45.00

English oboist (1897-1988). One page, octavo. Good, on thick laid paper. Pin marks in one corner and neat red stamp '20 MAR 1942'. He 'would like to see the proofs of the Mozart Quartet to check up the crescendo's and diminuendos just in case they are not correct.' He agrees with the 'scheme of marking only the parts'. 'With regard to Boughton's times I have them safe, I hope to play them in the near future but am rather at the mercy of the BBC.'

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mayhew'.

Author: 
Sir Stephen George Tallents
Publication details: 
14 July 1935; on embossed Post Office ('ST. MARTIN'S LE GRAND, | LONDON, E.C.1.') letterhead, deleted and replaced by '<Sutton-at-Hove | Dartlow?>.
£38.00

British civil servant (1884-1958), controller of public relations at the BBC from 1935 to 1940. Two pages, 4to. Very good, but with minor traces of tape adhering to two edges. Marked 'Private & Personal'. He thanks his correspondent for writing so fully and heartily sympathizes. 'Practically, I am not at all clear what the issue of the delay will be so far as I, and so far as Ryan, are concerned. The B.B.C. job [...] has been announced sooner than was intended & has not lightened my day's work.

2 Autograph Letters Signed and 1 Typed Letter Signed to Mrs Roscoe.

Author: 
Mabel Constanduros
Publication details: 
18 April 1944 and 17 April 1945, both handwritten on letterhead 9 Wetherby Gardens, London, S.W.5; typewritten letter of 11 November 1947, on letterhead 10 Egerton Gardens, S.W.3.
£100.00

Humourist, actress and radio comedienne, originator of the Buggins Family. All three letters are 8vo, and in good condition, but all have damage to one corner caused by rusting paperclip. In the first letter she thanks her correspondent for 'the little books [...] I am a great lover of poetry, and like learning verse by heart. I used to do it in the early days of war to keep myself from worrying too much'. She has visited Stationers' Hall. Letter 2 is a note declining an invitation to a party.

Autograph Letter Signed to [R. N. Freakes].

Author: 
David Seth-Smith
Publication details: 
10 March 1934, on embossed letterhead 'CURATORS HOUSE | ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, N.W.8.'
£35.00

Presenter of 1930's show on BBC radio, 'The Zoo Man'. 1 page, 12mo. Folded twice. In good condition. 'All you can do for your parrot is to paint the jaws with iodine, but I am afraid the trouble may be with the kidneys & in that case you cannot do much. | Give quite simple food, nothing fattening | Yours truly, | D. Seth-Smith "The Zoo Man". Seth-Smith's book 'The Zoo Man Speaking' was published by Thomas Nelson in 1937. In grubby stamped envelope addressed in autograph to Freakes.

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