BIRMINGHAM

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On aged and worn paper, with some repair, and traces of stub from mount still adhering. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with postmarks, to 'Messrs Beilby & Co | Printing Ink Manufacturers | Birmingham'. On the same page, in another hand: 'Mr Reuben Sparks.' Knowles's entry in the Oxford DNB gives the context. In 1816 he 'moved to Glasgow, where he established and ran a school for nearly twelve years [...] In 1823 and 1824 he added to his income by conducting the literary department of the Free Press, a Glasgow paper which advocated liberal and social reform.

[ Francis Robert Japp; Printed ] Questionnaire from the Birmingham Philosophical Society, printed., with Japp's responses in holograph to two only of the four questions and with signature "F.R. Japp" with date. Questionnaire, answers filled in by Japp, from, 'Translation of Scientific Memoirs' Committee', Birmingham Philosophical Society, 2pp, 4to, minor sunning, creases, good condition. NOT including the Printed Letter, p.[1], from H.W.

Although never Prime Minister, Chamberlain was described by Churchill as the man 'who made the weather' in the House of Commons, and was leader of the Liberal opposition for a few months in 1906. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and ruckled paper. He thanks the recipient for accepting his invitation, and considers that his 'assistance will greatly strengthen the commission'.

32pp., 8vo. Disbound without wrappers. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. The 'Preface to the Seventeenth Thousand' covers pp.3 and 4, and is dated 'January 11th, 1884.' The preface begins: 'Since the publication of this pamphlet, not three weeks ago, Mr. George has reappeared upon the scene, and has held up the class to which Mr. Chamberlain himself belongs to the envy and execration of the artisans of the metropolis.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on pink paper. In fair condition, lightly-aged, with minor evidence of removal from stub. A poem of 13 irregular stanzas. Begins: 'When some great warrior returns | Triumphant to his native land, | The heart of all the nation burns | To welcome him.

The Oxford DNB's entry on Bunn states that from 1819 to 1824 he held the lease of the Theatre Royal, Birmingham. 1p., 8vo. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to '- Perkins Esq'. In fair condition, with light signs of age and wear. Bunn begins his letter: 'My dear Sir, | The dreadful bustle attendant on producing "Waterloo" must be my apology. The Music & Manuscript are herewith sent - & not a note or a syllable of either has been copied.' He thanks 'Mr Howes for his kindness', which he offers to reciprocate, 'whenever in my power'.

On 7 x 13.5cm piece of watermarked laid paper, cut from the head of a 12mo leaf. Tastefully printed in red and brown, in gothic type with rubricated capital. Reads: 'MEMORANDUM | from | James Wilson, | Dealer in Ancient and Modern Books and Manuscripts; rare | and valuable County Histories, Old Poetry, Theology, costly | Works on the Fine Arts, Illuminated Missals, and other | Ancient MSS. on vellum, and Literary Curiosities and Rarities | in general. Catalogues issued Monthly, gratis andn post free. | 35, Bull Street, Birmingham,'. The date 'Jan 30th 86' in bottom right-hand corner of slip.

1p., 4to. On pink paper. In fair condition, lightly aged, worn and creased. With Dodd's personal oval stamp in purple ink. Reads: 'Mr J Gulliver | Sir | Will you kindly forward to me at the above the subscription on Bible you had of us in September | In so doing you will save the expences of sending a man'

[36]pp., 8vo. Stapled in red card wraps with circular cartridge design in silver. An attractive and glossy production, profusely illustrated. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with dink to spine. Section titles read: '"Who is this C. Eley?"'; 'The Brothers'; 'Together now for 40 years'; 'New Century, new problems'; 'Crisis and congratulations'; 'Pastures new'; 'War and Peace'; '"A policiy of enlightened self-interest"'; 'Eley at 150 years old'. From the papers of the noted gunsmith C.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for his reply to his 'plea for assistance in connexion with the possible publication by a foreign press of my history of Plague'. He had 'no intention' in writing 'of soliciting any financial aid from the Society, because any such solicitation would have been an impertinence on my part.' He would need £20,000 to have the book 'privately printed by one of the smaller English presses, such as Messrs.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium with drophead title. In good condition, lightly-aged, disbound. No copy traced.

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear to extremities. Addressed to 'F. Gardner Esq | Little Coggeshall | Essex'. The letter is signed 'Wm Ford | Per Pro' and reads: 'Dear Sir | In reply to your kind enquiry the cost to improve the shooting of your little .410 would be about 10/- if a double gun as near as I can tell without seeing it. | Trusting to be favoured with your kind command'. The letterhead contains a mass of text at the head and filling the left-hand margin.

Two Vols bound in one, hf. lea, faded and worn, marbled boards, worn, contents v.g.. Vol. I, pp.iv.174; Vol. II, iv.148 (inc. indexes and list of members). Honorary Vice-Presidents include Haeckel, Babington, Huxley, Lankester. Scarce.

All three items in good condition, on lightly aged paper. ONE: 4 December 1821. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. The letter, which concerns her plans for a book, begins: 'My dear Sir | In consequence of your opinion, I send a prospectus for Mr. Dawes [the critic Manassah Dawes (d.1829)?], which you will have the goodness to forward at a proper opportunity. But for this opinion, I should not have had the courage to apply to him, though the refusal of two persons ought not to prevent the application to a third. Nothing in my opinion could have been more certain than the subscriptions of Mr.

6pp., 12mo. In green printed wraps. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with shelfmarks, stamps and label of the Board of Education Reference Library, London. Printed voting slip (1p., 12mo, creased) of the 'Association of Technical Institutions. Election of Council, 1937.' loosely inserted. Scarce: no copy in the British Library or on OCLC WorldCat, and only two copies on COPAC.

The three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, the second letter having a few very short closed tears on fold lines. The first two signed 'W F Hook' and the third 'Walter Farquhar Hook'. ONE (26 July 1828): 2pp., 12mo. Apologising because 'waiting upon' the Corries will now be impossible, as 'Sir Robert and Lady Wilmot intend to come on a Visit': His Mother will not be able to see Sir Robert, so Hook will be 'compelled to stay at home to entertain him'. TWO (16 April 1829): 2pp., 4to. On gilt-edged bifolium.

1p., 8vo. On bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with a few small closed tears to edges. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with broken red wax seal, Penny Red stamp and postmarks, to: 'Revd. Dr. Wiseman, | St. Mary's College | Oscott | Nr. Birmingham'. 22 lines of text, closely and neatly written. Daly begins: 'I am sorry to trouble you by laying before you the Letters [not present] of a man of the name of Thomas Male - Bookseller & Bookbinder residing at St. Mary's, who has by representing himself as patronized by you got Credit from me to the Amount of £11 . 9 .

Corrie was the son of Rev. Josiah Corrie (1725-1800) of Kenilworth. He was educated at Daventry Academy and New College, Hackney. He was a schoolmaster and a Unitarian minister at the Old Meeting House (1817-19), and president of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, to which, in 1819, he introduced Maria Edgeworth, who notes in a letter her admiration for his 'very agreeable benevolent countenance, most agreeable voice'. In William Field's memoir of Dr Samuel Parr he is numbered among the 'clerical friends' in whose company Parr 'delighted'.

[2] + 8 + [1] pp., small (18 x 14 cm.) 4to. Sewn with green ribbon into white wraps, with 'Pattie's Christmas Tree' in gilt on front. In good condition, with the wraps slightly sunned in panels. Inscribed at head of title-page 'With kind regards'. The pamphlet contains a single poem titled 'Pattie's Christmas Tree', printed on eight pages each with decorative border in gilt. Printer's slug on revers of title, and colophon on last page. The beginning and end of the poem indicate the theme.

44pp., 4to. In original grey wraps, with coloured illustration by 'Scott' of a Restoration lady by a sundial and the word 'Watches' on front cover. In good condition, lightly-aged with slight rusting to staples. The catalogue is printed on art paper, without indication of date or publisher, but with a label printed in red from Adolph Scott Ltd, tipped in at the front, stating that 'Prices in this list are subject to 50 per cent.

2pp., 4to. Printed in small type, with manuscript additions on both sides of the first leaf; addressed on the recto of the second leaf, with broken red wax seal: 'P. P. 9d | Mr Baldwin | Copper plate printer & | Birmingham | Sheffield | Oct 8th.' Great St Helens was a centre for firms concerned with bankruptcy and liquidation, and this interesting document offers banking services for 'needy Manufacturers and Tradesmen', with a use of Masonic imagery which is designed to reassure.

36pp., 18mo. With frontispiece (preceding half-title) of 'I. CRANE / BROMSGROVE', showing a crane and a carriage lamp, within a circular border reading 'To make the Watch go faster turn the Regulator to the right & Slower the Contrary'. Side stitched in original pink printed wraps. In fair condition, in worn and lightly-stained wraps. Nicely printed on wove paper with 'LLOYD 1795' watermark. Poem titled 'Introduction' on p.5, followed by the title poem on pp.7-36. No copy of this attractive edtion on either COPAC or WorldCat, nor of any other printed by Grafton & Reddell.

1p., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. In envelope addressed by De Tabley to 'Mrs. Kate. A. Wright. | Monona House | Small Heath | Birmingham.' In reply to her letter of 18 June, he states that he will have pleasure in permitting her to 'insert the five pieces' which she enumerates in her 'forthcoming Collection of Poems and Ballads of the Nineteenth Century'. Kate A. Wright's 'Dainty Poems of the Nineteenth Century' was published in Birmingham in 1895. The titles of the five poems are given in another contemporary hand [Mrs Wright's?] on the reverse of the second leaf.

4pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with the second leaf neatly placed in a paper windowpane mount. He writes that he has been 'excessively busy', and this has delayed his 'coming to a decision re the lecture'. 'Since the 4th Oct. I have written two large books, besides any amount of magazine work &c.' As he has '4 books to write before May', he is afraid his 'lecture on Caravan Life will have to be deferred till another season'. He has been asked to 'lecture on Kindness to Dogs, &c with living specimens on the stage at Birmingham', and fears that 'even this will have to be put off'.

8vo, 43 pp. In original grey printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, in discoloured wraps. Title taken from front wrap. Title-page reads, in abridged form: 'By order of Messrs. W. & T. Avery, Limited, who have recently acquired the Freehold. | Soho Foundry, Smethwick, Birmingham. To Engineers, Boiler Makers and Others.

2 pp, 12mo. He is only in Putney for a day, and does not expect to be able to see Schnadhorst. Sir Charles Dilke 'says that Oct. 13 is fixed for Halifax, and that he is not sure that he may not be able to go there after all'. If this is so, 'it would be best to change my day at Newport from the 13th. October'. He will tell '', and would be grateful to Schnadhorst for arranging another day.

Folio, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Lightly-aged and creased. Remains of red wafer in left margin. Folded into a packet, and docketed on reverse 'Case for Mr. Wheler | 1 G[uine]a. | Martin & Hay for Nevill'. The upper half of the document consists of eighteen lines in the hand of the enquirer (presumably one of a firm of solicitors named 'Martin & Hay", acting for one 'Nevill'), with the last two lines posing the question; the lower half consists of fifteen lines in Wheler's hand, signed by him 'Frans Wheler', and dated by him in the bottom left-hand corner.

12mo (leaf dimensions 22 x 14.5 cm), 4 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. On lightly-worn and aged paper. Excessively scarce: no copy in the British Library, on COPAC, or on WorldCat. Five songs: 'The Union Jack. Air "Nancy Lee." ', 'The Shamrock, Thistle, & Rose. Air "The British Grenadiers." ', 'The Unionists' song. Air "The Mermaid." ', 'Here's To Our Cause. Air "Drink, Puppy, Drink." ' and 'Loud Roars The Gladstone Thunder. Air "Bay Of Biscay." '

Two copies: one a revised proof, the other out-of-series, with manuscript additions to the list of subscribers. Both copies 8vo, 25 pp, in original grey printed wraps. Both copies internally tight and clean, in grubby wraps. Attractively printed on thick laid paper, with the wraps printed in red and black. Pp.7-9 of the proof have been deleted, with the manuscript instruction, p.7: 'Take out this & the passages marked on next two pages & insert MS. sent'.