CALLIGRAPHY

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. He published two dozen works on calligraphy, and Pepys described him as ‘the famous writing-master’, and employed him to engrave his slide rule, but it is as an arithmetician that he is remembered: two works published shortly after his death, purportedly from his manuscript, gave rise to the expression ‘according to Cocker’. It has not been established which one of Cocker’s works the present item comes from (his earliest, ‘Pen’s Experience’, is lost). In black ink on one side of a 17 x 11 cm piece of laid paper.

I am obliged to a multi-lingual friend for the information I give. Eight pages, pages 7/8 blank, not paginated,12mo, unbound, stains on title and its verso not affecting text. See images. Titled This is the creed of sheikh al-Dardiri. Al-Dardiri was born in 1715 AD in Asyoot in Egypt. He's one of the imams of the Sunni Islam of Maliki school of thought. This document was written by Mohamed Ahmed Ibin Alhaj Mohamed Ahmed Abu Qaseesah in 1797. It discusses the twenty attributes in Sunni Islam that are obligatory for God Almighty, according to Al-Dardiri.

One page, 8vo, laid down on sl. larger piece of stiff paper, edges v. slightly frayed, faint ink line through (clear) text, name of Everard Meynell stylishly printed (or more likely written calligraphically) at base. Text: I have written for the Examples of Handwriting required by you, and will probably get them if Mr. Johnston [Edward Johnston?] is selling any at present. But I know one is liable to disappointment in that quarter.

Two issues of "De Ganzeveer", 1973, 12 and 14pp, green card wraps, very good condition, with Autograph Note Signed "Jan Schalkwijk", paper 14 x 11cm, "Dear mr. Fairbank, may I wish you a good Christmas & a good 1970! ! I hopew, de Ganzeveer" enjoys you. | Yours sinc. | Jan Schalkwijk." Calligraphically written.

Each item is on a sheet of laid paper, 39 x 29 cm, and each with the Roycroft watermark. Both items are grubby, with wear and creasing to extremities, but with the design and much of the margin entirely undamaged. Both have an identical block of printed text (roughly 13.5 x 9 cm) at the centre: 'THE truth is that in human service there is no low or high degree: the woman who scrubs is as WORTHY of RESPECT as the man who Preaches | ELBERT HUBBARD'.

One page, octavo. Very good. Neatly written, as one might expect. 'My usual charge for comparing writings is 2 Gnas and for deciphering MSS. according to the time occupied therein'. He will be 'in Town week after next but as I have to attend at the Courts at Westminster it is uncertain at what hour you would find me here unless you made an appointment beforehand.' Chabot was the author of 'The handwriting of Junius professionally investigated by Charles Chabot, expert | With preface and collateral evidence by the Hon. Edward Twisleton' (1871).

Draughtsman and printmaker. One page each, 8vo, in his normal calligraphic hand, some peripheral damage but mainly good condition. (1927) He acknowledges receipt of a cheque and the return of a parcel of prints - thanks. (1942) He informs Fletcher that "The lithograph Enrico Cecchetti was published by C.W. Beaumont . . . He may have a copy left. I have only one, and that is stored away in Bushey, Herts. It might be unearthed, but not immediately." Two items.