BONAPARTE

One of the great figures in world history. See his entries in Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Oxford DNB. On one side of piece of laid paper rougly 11 cm squarer, with partial watermark ‘J G’. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with traces of mount on blank reverse. Folded twice. Reads: ‘London March 7 1842 / F M The Duke of Wellington presents his Compliments to Miss Busby / Not being resident at Oxford he has no Controul [sic] over any matter relating to the Bodleian Library. / Miss Busby should apply to the Vice Chancellor.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. It was in October of 1806 that a sixteen year-old Sinclair was arrested as a spy near Jena, and brought before Napoleon, who examined him and ordered his release. 1p, 16mo. On heavily aged, creased and worn paper with light staining above the signature, and strip torn away at bottom left. Addressed on reverse to 'The Editor of the / Mirror of Parliament.' Signed ‘George Sin Clair [sic]’. He thanks him for his kindness ‘in sending yesterday for a copy of the remarks which I made as to the [Prussian?] loan’.

Lord Longueville's once-celebrated judgement was that 'of all bad men he is the worst'. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the collection of Irish nationalist autographs of Miss Burgess of Norwich. On a neat piece of cream paper, 7 x 3 cm. In good condition, lightly aged. Nothing on the reverse. Reads: ?Faithfully yours / Arthur O?Connor.?

Something of an historic document. In February and March of 1814 Vincence had led the French delegation at the Congress of Châtillon peace conference, at which his counterpart was Lord Aberdeen, with the British Home Secretary Lord Castlereagh arriving partway through. On behalf of Napoleon, Vincence had led, with little success the subsequent negotiations with Russia, Prussia and Austria which resulted in Napoleon’s abdication and exile to Elba, by the signing of the Treaty of Fontainbleau, a month before the present letter, on 11 April 1814, which was ratified by Vincence.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 10.5 x 5 cm strip of paper, with thin mourning border, cut from the end of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with thin strip of glue from mount to one edge, and thin strip of paper laid down on reverse, with manuscript note 'Sir Thomas Wyse, Minister to Greece'. Strong stylish signature to valediction reading: 'I beg you to believe me / My Dear Lord / Sincerely Yrs. / Thos. Wyse'. Fragment of letter on reverse: '[...] truly at his discretion to go on [...]'.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on aged and somewhat brittle paper, with unobtrusive repair to one corner. Folded three times. Certainly not in Wellington's distinctive hand. Reads: 'The Duke of Wellington presents his Compliments to Mr: Briggs and begs to acquaint him that he is going out of Town this night. / But he will be happy to receive the Gentleman mentioned in Mr. Briggs's note at the Ordnance Office Pall Mall on Friday next at three oClock. / London / 27th: Novr: 1826.' See Image.

One of the great figures of world history. On one side of 10 x 3.5 cm piece of wove paper, cut from the end of a letter, with blank reverse. In fair condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of glue at right (away from signature) and central horizontal fold (over signature). Evidently cut from the letter in response to a request for an autograph. Reads 'Your obedient servant / Wellington'. See Image.

One of the great figures of world history. A 12 x 8 cm envelope, with the front panel addressed in Wellington's distinctive forward-sloping hand to 'M General / Henry Thomas'. Under this is a line wih three loops, and at bottom left the good clear signature 'Wellington'. The envelope is in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, and has been ripped open with military decisiveness. On the reverse is a government seal in red wax, of which the only clear impressions are the unicorn and a fragment of text at the head: '[...]R . IN . CHIEFS . OF [...]'.

During Lahrbush’s lifetime William John Thoms, in his ‘Human Longevity’ (1873), described his claim to have been born in 1766 as ‘the most barefaced case of pretended centenarianism which has ever come under my notice’. ‘Capt. Lahrbush’, who claimed to have been born in 1766, ended his days in New York. He also claimed to have guarded Napoleon in St Helena, and to have obbained a lock of Bonaparte’s hair there. In fact he was court-martialled for fraud in 1818, and sent as a convict to Australia.

1p, 4o. On watermarked laid paper. In fair condition, with slight wear and chipping; folded twice. Two manuscript endorsements on reverse, which also carries minor traces of previous mounting. In fairness to Dupuytren, his finest achievement is not operating on Napoleon’s hemorrhoids, but the description and first successful operation on what is now known as Dupuytren's contracture. Image lived with Dupuytren while studying medicine in Paris. Signed in untidy medical hand: ‘Paris le 4 juil: 1829 | B Gull Dupuytren’.

The two translations, in the same original red leather notebook, totalling 226pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding. The first translation in the volume is a fair copy, without corrections, of a work published in French in 1823 as 'La V?rit? sur l'Incendie de Moscou; par le Comte Rostopchine' (Paris: Ponthieu). Neither Curling's nor any other English translation appears to have been published. The second translation (the printed version of which is the first of the two pamphlets) is heavily corrected, with seven pages of additions loosely inserted.

2pp, 8vo. On a gilt-edged leaf of umwatermarked wove paper. In good condition, lightly aged. A fair copy in Milnes's autograph. A curious poem, in which Milnes's Napoleon-worship wins through over considerations of the futility of war. Retitled 'The Funeral of Napoleon', the poem was first published in 1841 in the Spectator, and in slightly different form in Milnes's 1844 collection 'Poems, Legendary and Historical'. There are a number of differences between the present version and that published in the Spectator. The final stanza is entirely recast.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, aged and worn; laid down on part of a leaf removed from an album. Bathurst's name written in two nineteenth-century hands at the head. The letter was evidently written on receipt of an engraving of Captain George Nicholas Hardinge (1776-1813) of HMS St Fiorenzo, adopted son of George and Lucy Hardinge, who was killed in a naval action off the coast of Ceylon.

Pp.Title; blank; 56; blank, folio, full calf, dec.g., recased (rescuing most of title), marbled eps, corners bumped, binding still attractive, faint foxing, mainly good condition. INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR "Presented to B. Docking Esq | By Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte. | London the 9th of December 1857." No other copy currently on the market; six recorded in British and Foreign libraries. Apparently not held by the Bibliotheque Nationale.

1p, 4to. On recto of first leaf of bifolium, the verso of the last leaf of which is addressed by Daru 'à monsieur | F. Didot père & fils | rue jacob No 24 | Paris'. In good condition, lightly aged, with stub from mount adhering. Sixteen lines of text. The text is in French, and concerns 'la Copie des vers que j'ai lus à l'institut pour imprimés avec les autres pièces lues a cette place', which he discussed with 'M Raynouard' (François Just Marie Raynouard) the night before.

Waldburg-Truchsess appointed Beethoven Kapellmeister to the King of Westphalia when serving as the King's Chamberlain, and was one of the four Commissioners responsible for supervising Napoleon's exile in Elba. The letter is written on the eve of his return from the Hague, where he had been Prussian ambassador since 1827. 1p., 8vo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear along one edge, and damage to second leaf caused by breaking of seal (not present).

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Docketed: '29th. Decr 98 | Returned the Inclosure with Lady Spencer's thanks'. He is enclosing the letter (not present) which 'he mentioned from the Madeira merch[an]t. - The Postscript of which takes notice of the Report of Buonaparte's assassination having reached that Island on the 19 Novr. which is two days later than only, than the time the Report reached Constantinople.' The letter is 'on private business', and he would have forwarded it, had not business in the House of Commons kept him from Fulham.

1p., 12mo. In good conditionl, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of stub along one edge. Reads: 'Lord Dudley Stuart presents his Compliments to the Editor of the Globe, and would feel greatly obliged by the insertion of the accompaning article in his Columns tomorrow (Saturday)'. The Association was founded in 1832 by the Scottish poet Thomas Campbell and the German lawyer Adolphus Bach.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The reverse of the second leaf, with seal in black wax, is addressed to 'Capt Crossley | &c &c &c | O L M', and the foot of the letter to 'John Crossley Esqre | Capt: Oldham L: M:' (Crossley, the commanding officer of the Oldham Regiment of Local Militia, built up a notable collection of military memorabilia, which was dispersed after his death.) The letter begins: 'With this you will receive the interesting little "Bijou" - Bonaparte's Star of the Legion of Honour for which I beg a place in your curious Collection.

1p., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged with strip from stub adhering to one edge. Addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To | John Crossley Esqr. | Rochdale.' Crossley, the commanding officer of the Oldham Regiment of Local Militia, built up a notable collection of military memorabilia, which was dispersed after his death.

1p., 12mo. On aged and lightly-worn paper. It will give him great pleasure to wait upon Salaman and his sister, and he will certainly do so 'unless absolutely prevented' by the House of Commons, which he hopes will not be the case. The word 'Lord' has been added in a contemporary hand before Stuart's signature.

On 5.5 x 14 cm. strip of paper. Apparently written in response to a request for an autograph. Reads: 'I am much flattered by the demand | C L. Bonaparte' ('demand' being a mistake for 'request').

2pp., folio. In fair condition, on aged paper. He writes that two of his aides-de-camp belong to the 'famille distinguée' of Duverger, and asking for assistance in obtaining preferment for a third in the service of the King of Westphalia. The document is annotated by the recipient at the head of the first page.

1p., folio. In fair condition, on aged paper. The petition is headed 'A Monsieur le Baron de Schonen | liquidateur de l'ancienne liste civile', with 'Sallemant' (the name of the petitioner) beneath it in another hand. Clausel's note, of eleven lines of a few words each, is in the left-hand margin, and recommends to 'la bienveillance de Mr. de Schonen' the petition of a woman who describes herself as 'une malheureuse veuve'. Laid down on the reverse is a piece of card, carrying a biographical note in English in an nineteenth-century hand.

3pp., 8vo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Unsigned, but certainly in Croly's hand. The first page is headed: '- for tho' the Old Law was established in the promises of temporal prosperity, yet the gospel is founded in temporal adversity'. The three extracts, fiercely critical of the French emperor, follow over a total of 61 lines, with a few minor emendations.

3pp., 4to. On bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with half of a black wax seal, 'For | Mrs. Richards | Bampton.' This copy was made within a month of the composition of the poem, for the wife of a fellow Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. The recto of the second leaf carries the following note by Mant: 'with Mr. Mant's best compliments to Mrs. Richards. | Oriel Coll. June 15th.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Of great interest, as giving the informal position of the British Home Secretary on what was at the time the most important problem facing him. Granville would only last as Foreign Secretary for a week after writing this letter, as Russell's Liberal Government would fall on 27 February. Ironically, his elevation to the post of Foreign Secretary the previous Boxing Day had been due to Russell forcing Palmerston's resignation over his unauthorized recognition of Louis Napoléon's coup d'état. The letter is addressed to 'My dear Baron'.

46pp., 12mo. In original printed wraps, with the last two pages of the catalogue on the back cover. 704 priced items, with descriptions. Reproduction of no. 612 (mezzotint of Napoleon by Charles Turner from J. J. Masquerier) on front cover. In fair condition, on aged paper, in aged and worn wraps, with occasional pencil markings in margins. An important catalogue, issued in part to make a point during the Great War.

1p., 4to. Thirteen lines of text, daintily printed in small type. On lightly-aged and creased paper, with a number of short closed tears. Dated in print at the foot 'Castletown, Isle of Man, | 1847.' Beneath this De Renzy has written, in manuscript, '1st January, | [signed] George Webb De Renzy, Major | and Barrack-Master'.

Dimensions of tile 16 x 12 cm. Dimensions of print 14 x 10.5 cm. The photographic image has been reversed, with Napoleon's left hand draped over the chair. In good condition, with white label with word 'Napoleon' pasted to reverse. In remains of light-green card box.