CENTURY

ay is said to have preached nearly a thousand sermons before the age of twenty-one. On 11 x 8.5 cm piece of paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, but with patches of sunning. At the head of the page is the order for the books, presumably in Godwin's hand: 'A Volume of Crabbe's Works - to bind / 2 Vols to match it'. Beneath this is Jay's heavily-inked response: 'Will Mr Godwin leave the ordering of the binding till I see him? / Wm Jay'. Scan on application.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 12 x 5 cm piece of paper, cut from letter for an autograph hunter. In good condition, lightly aged. On one side: ‘With much esteem, / Believe me, my dear Sir / Yours ever Sincerely / W Morley Punshon’. On the other side: ‘[...] desire, of every part of the service but the Sermon & while we would not on [...]’ Annotated in pencil: ‘An eminent Wesleyan minister not long dead’. Scan on application.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 10 x 7 cm piece of paper, cut down from letterhead. In good condition, lightly aged, with pin holes at top left. Clearly sent in response to a request for an autograph. Reads: 'Yours very truly / W. W. Jacobs'. See scan

See W. Moister, ‘A History of Wesleyan Missions in all Parts of the World’ (1871). Each item 4pp, 12mo bifolium. All three with engraved illustration on first page, which has a drophead title. The three are worn and discoloured, with loss of text in caption in Item One (see below), and the first two items with cover illustrations crudely hand-coloured. ONE: No. LXXII, June 1838. Mostly consisting of ‘An appeal to the sympathy of the Christian public, on behalf of the cannibal Fejeeans’.

Anderson spent six years in England in the 1880s, acting to much acclaim at venues including the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-on-Avon. In 1887 she was the first actress to take on both roles of Perdita and Hermione at once in the Winter’s Tale. On 14 x 9 cm postcard, addressed (by the recipient) to ‘Norman Wetton / 7, Claremont Road, / Forest Gate, / Essex.’ Slightly grubby and worn, but in fare condition overall. On the blank side she writes: ‘Broadway / Worc / Mary Anderson de Navarro / Auto Graph only’. Scan on application

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 11 x 7 cm panel cut from the cover of the envelope. In good condition, lightly aged, laid down on brown paper cut from album. The intial ‘C’ of the Duke’s name curls under the rest of the signature with a loop, and with end of flourish possibly trimmed in cutting the panel. (Comparison with other examples of the future king’s signature as Duke of Clarence indicate that whatever loss there may be would be minimal.) Laid out in the customary fashion. Reads: ‘Bushy. December twenty third 1827 / Mrs: Skelton / Sandridge Lodge / St: Alban’s / Street’.

Novello’s three decades of unprecedented success began with the First World War song ‘Keep the home fires burning’. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 8.5 x 13.5 cm publicity photograph on postcard, printed in sepia. In good condition, with tiny dink at top left. Captioned at foot ‘MR. IVOR NOVELLO’. Prim-looking with side-parting in white shirt, tie, and dark double breasted suit, the darkness of which makes the signature ‘Ivor Novello’ rather difficult to make out. Scan on application

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. ONE: Five engravings from the ‘Comic Alphabet’. All about 8 x 12 cm. Uncoloured. Originally part of a long single piece of paper, fan-folded. In good condition, lightly aged. Two laid down on pieces of grey paper (cut from an album).

An attractive collection, by an unidentified artist, on uniform pieces of waxed or oiled cloth, cut to 10 cm squares with rounded edges. Each illustration features a different butterfly or moth, arranged with a different single leaf. Very nicely executed, in a wide range of colours, and suitable for display. Seen to their full advantage with a light source behind them. See Scan.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. A 10 x 3 cm slip of paper, cut from the end of a letter in response to a request for an autograph. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: ‘Yours Sincerely / Percy Scott’. Beneath this, in contemporary hand, in pencil: ‘Admiral Sir Percy Scott (Terrible)’.

On 14 x 9 cm plain printed postcard, addressed (by the recipient) to ‘Norman Wetton / 7 Claremont Road / Forest Gate / Essex’. On the plain side of the card she writes: ‘With pleasure here is the sign-manual of your’s [sic] faithfully / John Strange Winter. / (Henrietta. E. V. Stannard.) / Aug 24. 1905 -’.

See his entry in the Dictionary of Irish Biography. On 7 x 4 cm piece of paper. In good condition, with slight discoloration. In O’Connell’s distinctive fine-nibbed hand reads: ‘Ever yours, / most sincerely / Daniel O’Connell’. The ‘C’ of ‘O’Connell’ extends downwards, and this flourish is very slightly cropped beneath the usual a loop.

Manby’s entry in the Oxford DNB states that ‘His interests ranged beyond the engineering world, and for many years he was involved in the management of the Adelphi and Haymarket theatres.’ Manuscript copy letter. 2pp, 4to. Thirty-three lines of neat text. Addressed to ‘Frederick Hodgson Esqre. M.P.’ Ends: ‘I am Dear Sir / Your very faithfully / Charles Manby’.On first leaf of bifolium. Reverse of second leaf docketted: ‘Copy C Manby to F Hodgson Esqr / Scarbro - Novr 8. 1841’ (the letter does not contain any reference to Scarborough). In fair condition, creased and lightly aged. Folded once.

St Aubyn’s entry in the Oxford DNB makes no mention of Plymouth or the Royal Navy. 9pp, foolscap 8vo, on nine leaves of laid paper with fleur-de-lys watermark. In poor condition: an attempt has been made to burn the document, and the left-hand side of each leaf has been badly damaged, with much of it crumbled away in burnt flakes, and the surviving text badly marked on that side. The description on the outside of the packet states that the draft is ‘For the perusal of Mr. Jones’ (presumably St Aubin’s lawyer).

On one side of 31 x 21 cm. A frail survival, worn, aged and with closed tears, with the backing damaged and stained. Text clear and entire in Greek key border. Blind stamp of Cardinal Zurla at bottom left. Signed by 'J. Patr. Constantinop. Vicesgs.' and by the scribe who completed the printed document in manuscript. Somewhat crudely printed, with Zurla's arms at the head. Headed: 'D. PLACIDUS ORDINIS S. BENEDICTI / CONGREGATIONIS CAMALDULENSIS / TITULI S. CRUCIS IN JERUSALEM S. R. E.

See his entry in Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed. The four items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Each letter signed ‘Gotthard Lechler’. A total of 200 lines of closely-written text, on 11pp, 8vo, and on three bifoliums and a single leaf. ONE (20 May 1882): Addressed to ‘Lieber Freund!’ 3pp, 8vo. 44 lines. 3pp, 8vo. TWO (14 November 1882): Addressed to ‘Verehrter Freund!’ 2pp, 8vo. 42 lines. THREE (23 July 1883): Addressed to ‘Verehrter, geliebter Freund!’ 4pp, 8vo. 83 lines. FOUR (14 August 1883): ‘Lieber und verehter Freund!’ 2pp, 8vo. 31 lines. See scans of sample letter.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items are in good condition, and each folded once. The second carries the merest trace of grey paper from a mount at one corner. ONE: To E. B. Nicholson, 3 November 1881. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Nicholson’s letter has been forwarded to him ‘here in my country house, where I am for a few days’. It is out of his power ‘to promise any assistance to your proposed Magazine.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items are in good condition, and each folded once. The second carries the merest trace of grey paper from a mount at one corner. ONE: To E. B. Nicholson, 3 November 1881. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Nicholson’s letter has been forwarded to him ‘here in my country house, where I am for a few days’. It is out of his power ‘to promise any assistance to your proposed Magazine.

A scarce and interesting piece of Queen Mary ephemera. No other copy traced. 13 x 16 cm bifolium card. In fair condition, lighly aged and worn. Printed on the front cover in metallic grey and bronze is an image captioned on the back cover: 'One of the three large mural carvings by John Skeaping, Starboard Gallery, Promenade Deck, R.M.S. Queen Mary.' On reverse of cover: 'KOCKTAILS / AND / KISSES / With HARRY HAYES / To-day's great thought: / Are You happy in your work?' On recto of second leaf: 'Amongst the Guests: / Bill Bailey and Liverpool Staff / Dr.

Rare: The BL has a copy (not annotated) and there's a copy on JISC at Reading, with the entry stating that consists of 104pp, rather than the 231pp of the present copy. See Elton’s entry in the Oxford DNB. He first served as a Conservative MP for Somerset in 1884-5, and the present item was composed during his second term, 1886-92. No title-leaf: drop-head title. At foot of first page: ‘A 55729. 30.?1/89. Wt. 6590,’. Introductory section credited on p.30 to 'Charles Elton. / B. F. C. Costelloe, / Assistant Commissioner.' Folio, 231pp.

Fowler’s entry in the DNB states that he resigned his tutorship in 1910, when he ‘retired to Kingham, where, since 1873, he had enjoyed a country home and entertained his pupils. From 1899 he lived there with his sister Alice’. On both sides of what was an 8vo leaf, the lower part of which has been torn away, leaving a piece roughly 20 cm square, with 26 typed lines and the autograph valediction, in a large bold hand, ‘Yours sincerely / W. Warde Fowler’. Aged and worn, but with the remaining text clear. A nice letter, combining Fowler’s main interests.

Something akin to a CV in a neat contemporary hand (perhaps Ord’s own, in pursuit of preferment or a pension?). A useful summary of Ord’s career features in ‘Commissary Wilson’s Orderly Book. Expedition of the British and Provincial Army, under Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Amherst, against Ticonderoga and Crown Point. 1759.’ (New York, 1857): ‘THOMAS ORD was appointed Captain in the Royal Artillery on 1st March, 1746. He was an excellent Officer, and stood high in the Duke of Cumberland’s esteem, by whom he was selected to Command the Artillery in Braddock’s Expedition.

One of the great figures in British history. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Good neat signature 'W E Gladstone' on 7 x 2.5 cm slip of card. In good condition, lightly aged. See Image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 4to. Bifolium. Fifty-eight lines of text. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded three times. Minor traces of grey-paper mount adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf. Addressed to ‘George Anderson Esq / M.P. / House of Commons’, and signed ‘W. G. Dickson’. Two annotations in a contemporary hand, one beneath the signature. The first paragraph reads: ‘My dear Sir / I have to thank you for the copy of your bill “to extend the jurisdiction of Sheriff Courts in Scotland,” which I received this morning.

The second of these ballads, 'Silver Threads Among the Gold', by the American Eben Eugene Rextord (1848-1916), was immensely popular on its release in 1873 with music by Hart Peas Danks (1834-1903). The earliest reference to the first ballad, 'Could you lend my mother a saucepan?' is in an 1885 number of 'All the Year Round'. The song is an absolute hoot, but its text is not to be found anywhere on the internet.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. On 12.5 x 3 cm slip of paper cut from letter. Aged and worn, with nick lost from left side, and remains of mount on reverse. Reads: ‘I remain / Yours very truly & affectionately / Sarah Trimmer’. See Image.

Certainly a very scarce item. JISC only lists one physical copy, at the British Library. 12pp, foolscap 8vo. Stabbed as issued. In fair condition, on worn, discoloured paper. A ‘Schedule’ at the start lists four numbers ‘in Series’: ‘Governor Douglas to the Duke of Newcastle’, 11 April 1853, ‘With copy of Proclamation declaring the Rights of the Crown with respect to Gold found at Queen Charlotte’s Island.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. Eighteen lines of typed text, under the heading ‘VISION AND SERVICE.’ Undated, but certainly written after 1918, since the document is responding to changes since ‘the pre-war world of yesterday’. The final reference to a ladder, echoes a passage in Leverhulme’s 1919 tract ‘The Six-hour Day and other Industrial Questions’. Large bold signature at bottom right: ‘Leverhulme’. The signature and its environs are in good condition, on a document of aged and worn paper, with tearing to a central horizontal fold repaired with archival tape.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Autograph Signature and valediction to letter on 11 x 4.5 cm slip of paper: 'My dear Sir / Yours most truly / David Welsh'. In good condition on lightly-aged laid paper, with neat vertical fold. Tiny slip of paper with pencil note in contemporary hand laid down on blank space at left of slip.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, folio. Text clear and entire, on worn and grubby paper, with chipping to edges and slight loss to one corner, with one closed tear repaired with archival tape. Embossed tax stamps at head. Good firm signature at bottom right ‘David Dundas.’, beside small seal in red wax, with crumbling impression. At bottom left: ‘Signed Sealed and Delivered (being first duly stampt) in the Presence of us / John Landon / M King’. Downwards in left-hand margin: 'Entered in the Office for Auditing the Public Accounts the 9th of February 1797 / Thos Gibbes’.