BRITISH

Uncle (1773-1843) of Queen Victoria, notable book collector. Paper dimensions approximately 1 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches. In good condition. Florid signature 'Augustus Frederick' above printed word '(Rank)' beside 'Lieutt. Coll. Com.' in manuscript, which in turn is above printed word '(Corps)' beside 'Loyal North Britons' in manuscript.

English Tory prime minister (1750-1830). On creased and grubby slip of paper, dimensions approximately 1 1/2 inches by 4 1/2, with three small glue stains from mounting on reverse. Reads 'Very faithfully yours | Robert Peel'.

George Canning (1770-1827), English Tory politician. The frank consists of only the central part of the front of the envelope, without stamp or postmarks, dimensions approximately 2 1/2 inches by 4 inches. Reads 'To D. O'Brien Esqre | 21 Craven Street | Geo: Canning'. Affixed at the foot of the recto of a letter written by his cousin Stratford Canning (1786-1880) in the third person (2 pages, 16mo, in good condition), reading 'Lord Canning begs that in the Votes distributed tomorrow morning the 2d. Reading of the Oxford University Bill may be fixed for Thursday the 6th. July.

Liberal politician (1873-1954). Both letters written while the Right Hon. Sir John Simon. Both letters dusty but in good condition. Letter to Hobman, 1 page, 4to. Thanks him 'for commissioning Mr Landa to come round with me on my Western Tour. He was a most excellent companion and we both enjoyed it. Since then I have been to Manchester and Colne Valley and Holderness, [& Bradford,] and everywhere I find Liberals in high [^ Spirits,] and thirsting for the fight.' Letter to Landa, 1 page, 16mo. He is writing for Lady Simon.

Father of Queen Victoria (died 1820). On piece of paper roughly 3 1/2 inches square. In very good condition. Fragments of seven lines of letter on reverse. These, and the valediction ('<...> yours | most faithfu') are written in a secretary's hand, and the signature 'Edward' is deliberately written over the words '26 December 1808 | HRH The Duke | of Kent' which are lengthwise and downwards. Docketed 'Lr. to F. Marshal H. <...> | The Duke of Kent 29 D<...>'.

Soldier and Tory politician (1893-1996), at 6 ft 7 inches the tallest ever Member of Parliament. 1 page, 16mo. Dusty but in good condition. He asks Landa to forgive him for not having thanked him earlier for assisting him with his lecture 'The Jew in Parliament'. He is grateful for 'the extremely valuable notes which you allowed Mrs. Knollys to take, and I feel that I can face my audience with equanimity and confidence.' Pencil notes on reverse giving addresses of W. A. Rutkowski, Samuel Lipman and Aaron Samuels.

English sculptor (1788-1867)(DNB), responsible for the Nelson on Nelson's Column. Both letters are discoloured by age, but otherwise in good condition. The first letter is 1 page, 16mo, cropped and mounted on a larger piece of paper. 'My Dear Sir Martin | Absence from Town will I hope be a sufficient apology for my not sooner acknowledging the receipt of your card of invitation for Wednesday next - and to state that I shall have great pleasure dining with you that day.' The second letter is 2 pages, 16mo, heavily discoloured and with remains of four wax mounts in corners and elsewhere.

English Conservative politician (1799-1880). 4 pages, 16mo. Creased and somewhat grubby, with minor damage at head of one leaf caused by previous mounting, but in good condition overall. He has received his correspondent's note and will 'be glad to aid the objects of the conference in any manner in my power'. He cannot however 'comply with the request of the Committee that I will preside over Section B. on Tuesday next'. He has to 'present the prizes at the Society of Arts on that morning'. There is also 'important evidence in a Committee of the H. of Coms.

Maternal grandfather of Queen Mary (1774-1850). In very good condition. Paper dimensions approximately 1 1/2 inches by 4 inches. Reads 'Adolphus Frederick. | Lt: Genl: & Col. in Chief.'

Whig politician (1782-1845). 2 pages, 16mo. Dusty but in good condition. 'Dear Sir, | I have stated to Mr. Grant your desire for a for your son. But I could not express myself to him so as to make the appointment a favour to myself because I had before applied to him to give such an appointment to a friend of mine for his son, & I could not in justice withdraw this application. I stated however to him that I considered that the service you did in the Boundary Commission gave you a claim upon the Government, which my friend had not.' Signed 'Althorp'.

Scottish writer (1856-1930), biographer of Christina Rossetti. 2 pages, 16mo. Somewhat grubby and stained, and with minor glue damage. He thanks her for her letter 'which indeed I appreciate. | I have just come to the above address - now my permanent one - after a year's residence in Madeira; and, just at present, am much occupied, but later, I shall hope to come to see your treasures, telling you beforehand.'

English architect (1856-1942). Slip cut from letter, dimensions approximately 1 1/4 inches by 4 1/4. In good condition. Reads 'Yrs sincy | Reginald Blomfield'. Docketed in pencil '1935' and with tidy strip with 'SIR REGINALD BLOMFIELD, M.A., R.A.', neatly stuck down beneath signature.

Mr and Mrs H. Benheim and family lived at 17 Holcroft Avenue, London, NW2. The exercise book has green wraps, with 'HABERDASHERS' ASKE'S HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL' printed on the front and scored through. Above this, in manuscript, 'R. Bendheim. | French Grammar & Vocab'. 23 ruled leaves, with the material mostly glued over the pencil French exercises. A few items loosely inserted. Not in the best of condition, but a fascinating insight into the Jewish community of north London at a critical moment in its history.

English soldier, father of Frank Abney Hastings (1794-1828; DNB). The condition of these items is not good: the paper being discoloured, brittle and flaking. A series of intemperate communications. Letter 1 is one page, 8vo, of a bifoliate addressed and docketed on the reverse of the second leaf. It reads: 'I have taken a copy of the enclosed, which I send you, that you may get it written fairly, and signed. I shall be easier when it is done'. Letter 2 is 1 page, 8vo, with the remains of the second leaf of the bifoliate docketed.

English sculptor (1860-1928). Florid signature 'Geo. Frampton' on slip of paper, 1 inch by 3 1/2. Slightly smudged but in good condition. Attached to piece of blue paper docketed with biographical information about the 'Great Sculptor'.

Entomologist (1924-), author of the monumental 'Generic names of moths of the world' (6 vols, 1975-91). The recipient is the author of several works on gardening. 1 page, 8vo. In good condition, but creased and with one closed tear and with sellotape stains at head and foot. He thanks his correspondent for the letter of 10 September enclosing a caterpillar, and compliments him on its preservation. '[I]t is in perfect condition for determination. It is very difficult to preserve the green coloration, as in life.' He identifies the specimen as a cabbage moth.

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.

English portrait painter (1782-1875). In good condition. Dimensions approximately 4 1/2 inches square, cropped and with some loss of text after signature. Attached to larger piece of grey paper. Reads 'My dear Sir Martin | I accept with great pleasure your kind invitation for Wednesday the 29 Inst. | Ever yours faithfully | H. W. Pickersgill'.

Novelist, journalist and travel writer (1857-1942). Dimensions: 1 1/4 inches by 4 inches. In good condition, although creased along its length, and attached to a larger piece of paper docketed 'Morley Roberts. | Novelist & Journalist.'

Art dealer (1825-1910; DNB). 2 pages. 16mo biofoliate. In good condition. The recipients name is spelt 'Bewick' at the beginning of the letter and 'Bewicke' at the end. 'Dear Mrs Bewick | I came up from Southampton on Saturday. I am starting for Lancashire in a few minutes | I shall be back on Wednesday and off the following day | I can see you here if you can call about 5.30 | Yours sincerely | Wm Agnew'.

Captain Charles Dickson Inglis, R.N. (born c.1835; fl. 1898), is best known for his offer in 1887 to buy South Georgia in the Falkland Islands for the purposes of sheep-farming. This collection of his correspondence is neatly bound in a crude octavo volume, and is preceded by a manuscript index by him. Items in good condition overall, with minor discoloration and spotting, mainly caused by the glue used in mounting the photographs. All the letters are 8vo and smaller, several of them being cropped at the head, but with the cropped strips loosely inserted.

Director of the Tate Gallery (1869-1936). 1 page, 8vo, grubby and creased, with otherwise-blank verso docketed and attached to piece of card. 'Both our funds and our space are extremely limited and Mr Warne Browne's 'Catch of Pilchards', though a pleasant subject picture, is scarcely of national importance and my Board would not consider purchasing it. | It might possibly be of interest for a local Museum such as the Truro Gallery or the Passmore Edwards Art Gallery, Newlyn. I am returning the reproduction | Yours very truly | Charles Aitken | Director'.

Medical journalist and reformer (1835-98), editor of the British Medical Journal. 2 pages, 8vo, in good condition, docketed in pencil. The recipient is not the celebrated collector of autographs but a physician of 13 Salisbury Street, Strand. 'I am staying at Weybridge & shall expect to be in town only for an hour on Thursday & shall hardly be able to have the pleasure of seeing your friend, but if you or he should write to me I shall be very glad if I can in anyway be of service to you.'

Presumably Richard Pigot (1774-1868) who is described in Boase, Modern English Biography, as being a colonel in the dragoon guards at the time of writing and a general from 1851. 2 pages, 8vo. In good condition, but with one margin still adhering to the remains of a stub. 'I enclose you a letter to my old friend Lord Anglesey in favour of Mr Frederick Foster [...] I shall feel obliged to you by your interesting yourself in his behalf to obtain any vacancy that may occur in the Ordnance as a Messenger.

Presumably printed for a Royal Air Force regimental reunion. Card bifoliate, 16mo, with 3 pages printed in green ink and featuring crude vignette of men in action in black ink on recto of first leaf, and with verso of second leaf reserved for autographs. Discoloured but in good condition. Recto of first leaf headed '"D" Squadron | R.A.F. Regiment O.C.T.U., Sidmouth. | 29th October, 1942 - 23rd January, 1943.' Across the opening are listed the men of nos. 13, 14, 15 and 16 flights. Among around a dozen autograph signatures in pencil or pen are those of the Squadron Commander Major J.

British Tory Prime Minister (DNB). One page, 16mo, on mourning paper, creased but in good condition. The foot of the leaf, which would have borne the recipient's name, has been neatly torn away. 'My dear Sir, | We shall be very glad to see you on Monday, & the Three oclock Train will bring you here in good Time | Yrs Faithfully | Palmerston'.

In the first letter Eccles thanks Mackenzie for his congratulations on Eccles' 'scheme for forming a national collection of works of art'. Any help the EAC can give will be welcome, 'as the need for pictures and works of art for Government buildings, both at home and overseas, is really great'. In the second letter he thanks him for his telegram of congratulations 'on the Coronation decorations. Everyone in the Ministry of Works has tried hard to produce something worthy of the Queen and of our contemporary art'. Two items,

Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, British statesman who made Canada a confederation but failed to create a federation of South Africa; Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Interesting matter relating to South African affairs. He encloses (not present) a passage of Lanyon's from the Government Gazette.

English army officer and agent in the film business. Long and informed summary of 'the necessary points of our conversation'. Begins with description of Indian film industry: 'I have checked with India House these figures, and discovered that my sources of information are far more up to date than the Government's'. He encloses (not present) one of the stories he has found to 'make into Arabic films': 'Enslaved' by the Poet Laureate John Masefield. 'I have his written permission to make it into an Arab film'.

English politician. 'Are not the editors of the Sporting & Dramatic News going to make any use of your drawings? & if not, would there be any possibility of your being able to let my sister have the pencil sketch you made of her? She would value it very much. | We have been hard at work acting here, & all went off very well.'