CHARLES

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In something of a hard sell he begins by stating that 'the "Sir Philip Sidney" letter, of which I showed you a facsimile the other day, [...] seems to me peculiarly suitable for your collection'. In support of the letter's 'exceptional rarity' he cites 'a letter of Thorpe's (the expert of autographs of his day) dated 1839 accompanying the autograph & giving its pedigree, in which he says "I never saw a letter of Sidney's for sale except the present"', adding that 'no other autograph of his has occurred since'.

On both sides of the 11 x 9 cm card. Very good, with light signs of age. He feels he must thank him for 'two numbers of the North American Review, both containing interesting articles'. despite 'their anti English spirit'. He was glad to read 'Bryce's article' to which he feels 'some injustice has been done'.

5pp., 12mo. The letter proper is three pages long, on a bifolium, and is accompanied by a two-page 'list of times & places' on a separate leaf. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. With 18 x 23 cm letterhead, on the cover of which Thornton has written 'To | Sir Robert Head. Bart. | III | Zimmer Strasse 97 | Hier.', with his signature 'C. Thornton' in the bottom left-hand corner.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper. The note reads: 'Ld Liverpool encloses a draft value 57 .. 12. 2 to Mr Broster he begs Mr Browster will acknowledge the receipt of this by a letter addressed as above'.

The two items in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: To 'C. Lavers Smith, Esq'. 21 April 1903. 2pp., landscape 8vo. He asks 'whether prints are to be had of Nell Gwynne's reputed birthplace at Hereford'. He made enquiries about the house in Hereford on the previous Saturday. 'It was pulled down in 1861; but in 1858 two photographs of it were taken, and I found an old photographer who had negatives which he promised to lend to me for a small consideration.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'T Hankey Senr'. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He thanks him for 'the many kind favors I have received & as the Turtle season has commenced & having retired from business & resigned it to my late Cook Mr. Geo Painter of this Tavern I should be obliged by your future favors to him who will be answerable for the Turtle.' He concludes: 'I stand Debtor to you'. The Tavern was situated at 129 Leadenhall Street. Painter would also become a purveyor of earthenware pottery from the same address.

12pp., 12mo. Stitched. Disbound. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Taking as its text 'Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?' (Psalm CXIX. 9). Scarce: no copy in the British Library, on COPAC or WorldCat.

Both items 1p., 16mo, and both in good codition, on lightly-aged paper. The first note reads: 'Mr. Charles Hallé presents his respectful compliments to Lady Blanche Drummond and would feel greatly obliged if she would kindly take his lesson to-morrow at 4 o'clock instead of half past three.' The second confirms the time for a second lesson.

The three items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. One is slightly creased, and the other two carry minor traces of rust from a paperclip. All three are accompanied by their envelopes, each bearing a circular royal stamp in purple, and a 'LONDON SW1 OFFICIAL PAID' postmark in red. ONE: 28 May 1954. 1p., 12mo. 'I am commanded by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to thank you for your letter, and for the leaflet announcing a reproduction of the "Album of Redouté".

A cultured man (an authority on numismatics), Fewster worked for the family firm of Thomas Fewster of Hull, paint, colour and varnish manufacturers. The present item is an attractive example of his professional interest in the developments in late nineteenth-century design (another is his collection of the designs of Christopher Dresser, in two albums, is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London). It is a small 4to (21 x 17 cm) album of green cloth, with embossed design of birds and foliage around the words 'Scrap Album' on front cover, and printed illustrated title by Marcus Ward & Co.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Brooks (who conducted the Literary Gazette between 1858 and 1859) writes that he has read Glen's 'friend's verses carefully, and with much pleasure. There is an echo of Keats in them, but no mere invitation.

ONE: Brooks's letter to Leitch Ritchie: 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for his 'kind and courteous communication', and is pleased that 'the article I sent seems to you adapted to the purpose'. Brooks has, he explains, 'availed myself of your suggestions in reference to the additions'. He continues with references to Vauxhall and 'The Highland Lamp'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged paper. With envelope addressed by Woodin to 'W. C. M. Kent Esqr | Sun Office', on which is written 'Your Card of course will admit any Friends'. The letter begins: 'My very dear Sir, | I have taken the Salle Robin and called it The Myriographic Hall, now I intend inviting the gentlemen of the Press on Thursday Evening March 3rd.

1p., 8vo. On grey paper. Aged and worn, with chipping, glue stains and remains of gummed label. Laid down on leaf removed from album. The document reads: '548 [i.e. the number of the despatch] | Kabul 28 Decr | To O.C. Jagdalah. | In continuation of this office No 544 the O.C. is directed to request he will at once arrange to send a sufficient party to hold Seh Baba. | He is also to arrange to escort the <?> sent with Capt Tucker as far as Lataband or Butkhak if necessary, on their return journey. | They should return on Wednesday'.

After leaving Dulwich College Mortimer was a classical scholar at Brasenose College, Oxford. In 1933 he was received into the Roman Catholic Church, after which he became a schoolmaster in Catholic schools, most notably Stonyhurst. According to his profile in the Catholic Herald, 5 August 1938, Mortimer was 'well-known as a composer and lyric writer, and his work has been broadcast from the early days of broadcasting. | Recently he has contributed " uncle-duty " to the [BBC] Children's Hour.

Spencer was a sharp operator (see Mandelbrote ed., 'Out of Print and into Profit', pp.285-287) and the present items give an hint of his methods. (The two letters are addressed from the premises at which his staff were said to practice their 'sophistications'.) His two letters (both signed 'W. T. Spencer') are in good condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with the second dated by Bois to 1931. Bois's letter (signed 'Winifred Bois') is in fair condition, with a short closed tear along one edge. Letter One: Spencer to Bois, 23 February [1931].

2pp., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with wear to extremities. He begins by discussing his own holiday, Fagan's and that of Porteous, before describing the weather on his trip to Argentina from England, with news of his plans ('I will try & get home for B.M. meeting 10th Janry.' Changing the subject, he writes: 'Hope you are getting to work in the Spirit room. It is a pity we cant have Oliver Lodge on the Sub Cttee. His address bored me & I think it most disappointing. I hoped for something much more exciting. It was only anti-cock-sure-Schafer.

28pp., 12mo. In grey printed card wraps. Wear to spine from disbinding, otherwise in very good condition. Printed compliments slip loosely inserted. Copies at the British Library and seven other locations on COPAC.

2pp., 12mo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Declining, in polite terms, to comply with her request that he consent to put his signature to 'a paragraph about myself, for the purpose of publication'. He explains that he would be 'very sorry that anything should be printed about me which I myself had [not] dictated or signed'.

A significant letter, filling gaps in the provenance of Bellini's Crucifixion, now in the Louvre. All that has been known hitherto about the painting's provenance is that at the beginning of the twentieth century it was in the Paris collection of the banker Rodolphe Kann, and that before the Second World War it was owned by the Florentine dealer Alessandro Contini Bonacossi, from whose heirs it was acquired by the Louvre in 1970.

Eight items, in good condition on aged paper, with the three photographic illustrations darkened. In blue card folder. ONE: Mimeographed typed biography of 'Ronald Victor Brian Branston'. On BBC Press Service letterhead; May 1965. 1p., 4to. TWO: Mimeographed typed 'Who's Who'. 2pp., foolscap 8vo. With entries on nine balloonists (from Albert van den Bemden to Anthony Smith, and including Charles Dollfus, 'curator of France's air museum') and two passengers. THREE: Mimeographed typed 'Topographical Background'. 2pp., foolscap 8vo.

LETTER: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged and worn paper. Kitton writes that he has received two copies of the Book Buyer for March, and is 'much interested' in it for two reasons: 'Mrs. Garlands flattering comments upon myself and my work', and 'a very generous notice of my latest Dickens production'. He finds illustrations 'excellently reproduced', and praises 'the careful attention that has obviously been bestowed upon the preparation of both blocks and letterpress'. Turning to another matter, he notes 'a query (no.

A substantial letter, 3pp., foolscap 8vo. 100 lines of text. Bifolium. In very good condition, on aged paper, with one closed along crease line neatly repaired with archival tape. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with Chatham postmark, frank, and black wax seal, to 'Viscount Ingestrie M:P. | 2 Wilton Crescent | Belgrave Square | London'. An interesting document, in which a distinguished Victorian naval architect makes detailed criticisms of an innovation in his field. (HMS Gorgon was designed by Sir William Symonds and launched in 1837.

99 + [3] pp., 4to, of which 31pp. are original photographs, on grey card mounts, each with tissue guard and manuscript caption in white ink. A further five small photographs laid down on pages of the typed text. In very good condition, on aged paper, in modern green leather quarter-binding with cloth boards and misleading title on spine 'THE BUDGET | CAMBRIDGE' In a contemporary hand on leaf preceding title-page: 'Please return to | Chas Nunneley | (Room 1, 3rd Floor) | A & R Branch | A. G. Dept | General Post Office (North) | (London) | E.C. | or to | C. O.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE (letter): 1p., 12mo. In a neat and elegant hand, it reads: 'Tuesday Night | Dear Laura | I send the tickets; as Goldsmith sent the portion of Lord Clare's haunch of venison to Sir Joshua - | "To paint it or eat it, whichever he pleased" | I am glad you like the Philharmonia | Your affecte. Friend | John Hullah'. TWO (cutting of sheet music): Written in pencil on one side of a 6.5 x 15 cm piece of paper, docketted 'Written by John Hullah 1861 | for

'. With a few words in Hullah's hand at head.

1p., 4to. 22 lines of text. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount on reverse.

1p., 4to. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'The Revd Mr Cory | Blithfield'. In good condition, on aged paper, with small closed tear in top left-hand corner. He informs Cory that Lord Bagot and his family will be visiting him, and playfully reminds him: 'You will recollect you owe me a Visit, at least you said you wd. favor me with your Company some day or another - I think you will never find us so pleasant as when surrounded by your excellent Blithfield friends.' He concludes by urging him to 'come & try our Air, which is said to be good'.

The two documents are on 33 x 24 cm pieces of vellum, and are pinned together. Both in very good condition. Both are printed forms, made out by the signatory. Bramwell's certificate begins (with the manuscript portions in square brackets): 'These are to Certify that on the [Twenty eighth] day of [March] in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-[one] before me the undersigned [Sir George William Wilshere Bramwell Knight one of the Barons of Her Majestys Court of Exchequer] Appeared personally [Catherine Stein] the Wife of [Peter Stein] and produced a certain Indenture marked [A]'.

The certificate is 1p., 4to, on the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium. It reads: 'I hereby Certify that on the twenty-first day of April, One Thousand Eight hundred & sixty five, Walter Stevenson Davidson of No. 16 St. James's Street, Esquire, is a registered Proprietor in the Books of the Peel River Land & Mineral Company Limited of Sixty five thousand pounds (£65,000) Consolidated Stock. | C. A. Aylmer. | Secy.' The recto of the second leaf carries the following: '21st. Apl 1865 | Memo. | Mr.

2 vols: xix + [1] + 288; ix + 263. With frontispieces to both volumes (both with tissue guards) and the eleven other plates called for. First edition, first issue, with the plate facing p.238 of vol.2 in its first state (without the 'grotesque' border), and the 36-page undated publisher's catalogue bound-in at the end of vol.2. In primary binding of pink cloth with floral pattern, and the gilt titles on the spine held up by an image of a clown.