CASSELL

[‘Tradesmen or gentlemen’? The Victorian man of letters.] Autograph Letter Signed from Andrew Wynter, author and physician, to Edward Walford, editor of the Gentleman’s Magazine, criticizing the ‘vexatious and illiberal’ publishers Bradbury and Evans

Author: 
Andrew Wynter [born Andrew Winter, pseudonym ‘Werdna Retnyw’] (1819-1876), physician and author [Edward Walford (1823-1897), editor of the Gentleman’s Magazine; Bradbury and Evans; Cassell and Co.]
Publication details: 
London: ‘4 Ladbroke Gardens, W. / March 3rd 1867’.
£180.00

See the entries for Wynter and Walford in the Oxford DNB. The present letter provides a valuable insight into the position of ‘the man of letters’ in Victorian periodical publication: according to the ODNB, Walford ‘edited the Gentleman's Magazine in 1866 and strongly objected to the proprietor Joseph Hatton's decision to change the character of that magazine.

[‘He as good as called me a liar: Sir Walter Newman Flower, proprietor of London publishers Cassell’s.] Autograph Letter Signed and two Typed Letters Signed to Sir James Marchant, complaining of treatment by Thomas B. Wells of New York firm Harpers.

Author: 
Sir Walter Newman Flower (1879-1964), proprietor of London publishers Cassell & Co, biographer and literary editor [Thomas Bucklin Wells (1875-1944) of Harper & Co., New York; Sir James Marchant]
Publication details: 
First TLS: 3 January 1928. Second TLS: 11 December 1928. Both on letterheads of Cassell & co. Ltd., La Belle Sauvage, London, EC4. ALS: 18 December 1928, on letterhead of Idlehurst, Sevenoaks.
£150.00

Publishing history does not get more vivid than this. See Flower’s obituary in The Times, and Wells’s in the New York Times. The three items in good condition, lightly aged. All three folded once and signed ‘Newman Flower’. First TLS (3 January 1928): 1p, 12mo. He writes that although ‘a very apologetic letter from Mr. Wells of Harpers’ has ‘cleared the air entirely’, ‘a reply from Holt’ received at the same time is not very satisfactory’, and ‘in view of the fact that Cassell’s and Harpers will be coming together again, it would, perhaps, be as well not to do anything at present’.

[ Cassell's, London publishers. ] Printed prospectus for 'The Boys' Newspaper'

Author: 
Cassell's, London publishers [ Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., Ludgate Hill; the Boys' Newspaper ]
Publication details: 
[ Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., Ludgate Hill, London. ] 'No. 1 Ready Sept. 15, 1880.'
£56.00

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Seventy-five lines of small type. The first page is headed: 'IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. | Messrs. Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co. beg to announce that THE NEW WEEKLY PAPER FOR BOYS, which they have been for so long a time and in so many influential quarters urged to undertake, is now in course of preparation, and will be published on the 15th of September under the title of | The Boys' Newspaper. | WEEKLY, Price ONE PENNY. | No. 1 Ready SEPT.

[ Printed pamphlet. ] The Official Programme of The Tercentenary Festival of the Birth of Shakespeare, To be held at Stratford-upon-Avon, Commencing on Saturday, April 23, 1864. Also, An Account of what is known of the Poet's Life; [...].

Author: 
[ By order of the Committee, The Tercentenary Festival of the Birth of Shakespeare, 1864 ]
Publication details: 
At London: Imprinted for Cassell, Petter, & Galpin, at the Belle Sauvage, in Ludgate-hill, near Paules Church-yard. 1864.
£80.00

The full subtitle reads: 'Also, An Account of what is known of the Poet's Life: a Guide to the Town and Neighbourhood of Stratford-upon-Avon And sundrie other matters just now of publicke interest relating thereto.' 96pp., 8vo. In red printed wraps. Pp.79-96 carry advertisements, as do the wraps, and there is also a leaf of advertisements on red paper inserted at rear. Aged and spotted, in brittle and worn wraps with slight loss to extremities. Illustrations in text. At head of front cover: 'Published under the Authority of the Committee.' Several copies on COPAC, but now uncommon.

[ Frank Thomas Bullen, English maritime author. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('F. T. Bullen') to E. A. Carr, suggesting a meeting, and expressing displeasure at the publishers Cassells.

Author: 
F. T. Bullen [ Frank Thomas Bullen ] (1857-1915), British maritime author and novelist
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 89 Barry Road, S.E. [ London ] 25 September [no year].
£50.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with minor traces of labels from mounting at head and foot. Having 'just returned from rather a long trip to the Mediterranean and found much arrears of correspondence' he can't write to Carr fully, but suggests that he call on him one day that week. 'I do not promise that I will do anything to swell Messrs Cassells bank a/c - I am rather displeased with them.' Carr's reputation was made by his 'Cruise of the Cachalot' (1898), a semi-autobiographical account of a whaling expedition.

[Desmond Flower.] Three Autograph Catalogues of his book collections: first, 'MSS., autograph letters, first & early editions by & relating to François Marie Arouet de Voltaire'; second and third, 'French Literature in first and early editions'.

Author: 
Desmond Flower [Desmond John Newman Flower] (1907-1997), director of London publishers Cassell & Co, 1931-1971, and book collector [Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet) (1694-1778)]
Publication details: 
Neither catalogue with place or date. [London, from the 1940s?]
£420.00

All three items in very good condition, in superior bindings. ONE (Voltaire catalogue): Written out by Flower in his neat, calligraphic hand, on the rectos only of 102 leaves, 8vo, with some blanks. In very good condition, in a lightly-wrn red morocco quarter binding, with grey boards and gilt title on spine. Entries are short and businesslike, as the following two examples indicate: 'Commentaire sur le livre des Délits et des Peines, s.l., 1766. Bengesco 1724. pp. viii + 120. A pretty copy in contemporary scarlet morocco. Ex libris Mortimer L. Schiff. | Ditto, s.l., 1766. pp. 104 + iii.

[Printed pamphlet.] A Catalogue of the Engineers' and Boilermakers' Tools & Machinery at the Soho Foundry, Smethwick, Birmingham. For Sale by Auction, by Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons & Cassell, May, 1896.

Author: 
Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons & Cassell, Auctioneers, 11, Billiter Square, London, E.C. [The Soho Foundry, Smethwick, Birmingham; W. & T. Avery; engineering; trade catalogue]
 Soho Foundry
Publication details: 
May, 1896. [London: Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons & Cassell, Auctioneers, 11, Billiter Square, London, E.C.]
£180.00
 Soho Foundry

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.

Obituary notice headed 'MR. JOHN CASSELL. Born January 23rd, 1817. Died April 2nd, 1865.'

Author: 
Cassell, Petter, & Galpin, London publishers [John Cassell (1817-1865)]
Publication details: 
Dated 'CASSELL, PETTER, & GALPIN. LA BELLE SAUVAGE YARD, April 3rd, 1865.'
£25.00

On one side of a piece of paper 21 x 14 cm. Mourning border. Very good, on lightly aged and spotted paper. Twenty-four lines of text announcing the 'death of our esteemed partner [...] for so many years [...] our fellow-labourer in the field of literary enterprise'. Cassell is described as 'a man of vigorous intellect and untiring energy, whose constant aim it was to render effectual assistance towards moral, social, and religious elevation of the people'.

Autograph Note Signed ('Wemyss Reid') [to Rev. E. J. F. Davies].

Author: 
Sir Thomas Wemyss Reid (1842-1905), British novelist and biographer
Publication details: 
8 July 1902; Falcon Hotel, Bude, Cornwall.
£30.00

One page, 12mo. On blue paper discoloured from glue by previous mounting. Seven-line printed biographical cutting in top right-hand corner. 'I am very happy to comply with your request [for an autograph].'

Autograph Letter Signed ('Tom Gallon') and Typed Letter Signed to Ernest Pertwee.

Author: 
Tom Gallon (1866-1914), English novelist, dramatist and humourist [George Routledge & Sons, Ltd.]
Publication details: 
TLS, 16 July 1903; ALS, 13 August 1903; both on embossed letterhead 190, Adelaide Road, St. John's Wood, N.W. [London.]
£56.00

Both items quarto. On worn, discoloured paper, with a couple of closed tears to the folds. Pertwee was the author of numerous anthologies for recitation, and these letters presumably relate to his 'Reciter's treasury of prose and drama: serious and humorous' (Routledge, 1904). TLS: 'Provided, of course, that Messrs. Routledge have actually agreed with you to publish the book of humorous prose recitations, I shall be very willing to allow you to reprint any one of the stories the titles of which I give below.

Invoice to J. Houlgate of the Yorkshire Society, 23 Davygate, York.

Author: 
[PUBLISHERS] Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co.
Publication details: 
6 November 1883; London.
£20.00

2 pages, 8vo. Creased and with several small stains in blue and red. A printed invoice, ruled with blue and red lines, filled in in manuscript with a claim for fourteen shillings, 'To advertising in | The "Live Stock Journal," | Nos. 448 & 449' [November 3 and 10 1882]. Payment details in red ink on reverse, which is docketed.

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