COOPER

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Slip of paper, roughly 15 x 2.5 cm, cut from form. Somewhat discoloured by the glue with which it is laid down on irregularly-cut backing card. Good firm signature ‘Samuel Cooper’, followed by the lithographed word ‘Professor.’ in gothic script. See IMage.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. On 15.5 x 5.5 cm slip of paper, cut from an autograph album. In good condition, lightly aged, with some show-through from the writing on the reverse. Reads ‘To Minna May / With my love / “Auntie” Gladys / Gladys Cooper / 1935’. See Image.The writing rises slightly across the page, and a small section at the bottom of the initial ‘G’ and the ‘y’ of ‘Gladys’ have been trimmed away. On the reverse is the following, in an unidentified hand: ‘Philatelic Minna May / Came to lunch with me today: / took my box of stamps away, / Says she’ll bring ’em back – some day!

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Dosse was the proprietor of Hansom Books, publishers of ‘Books and Bookmen’ and six other arts magazines. 1 p, 8vo. In good condition, folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Mr. Dossé’ (Dosse did not spell his name with an accent) and signed ‘Louis Blom-Cooper’ (the hyphen, if hyphen it is, consisting of a tiny dot). He is flattered by the request that he ‘contribute occasionally to Books & Bookmen’, and ‘in principle’ he is ‘very willing to review appropriate books’, having written ‘one or two reviews way back in the 1950s’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. With regard to the subject of the letter, the 'penny banks' that were established in mid-Victorian England to encourage thrift among the working classes, see J. W. Dirring's thesis 'The Organization and Practice of Banking in Cornwall, 1771-1922', which states that ' the Penryn Penny Bank (founded in 1861), [...] was forced to stop payment in February [1879] with its funds inaccessible in the failed Cornish Bank'. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and creased, with postage folds, one of which has as short closed tear at edge.

Written with the charm for which she was renowned. See her entry and his in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 4to, on two leaves of cartridge paper. In good condition lightly aged. Folded twice for postage. Mostly written in pencil, with good firm signature (‘Yrs / Diana Cooper’) and last few lines in red ink. Begins: ‘My dear admiral - Forgive the scruffiness of the paper & the rudeness of a pencil but I’m in an unoccupied house & can find no essentials, tho’ I found y. letter to-day & have no idea when it was posted.

7.5 x 11.5 cm black and white publicity photograph by ‘ “Philco” London W.C.1.’ Expansive genuine signature ‘Gladys Cooper’ across bottom part of image, in addition to facsimile signature in white at bottom right. In good condition, on postcard with border trimmed. Dark sepia-toned image. A head-and-shoulders portrait, with Cooper staring to her right, with short frizzy hair, in fashionable gown. Scan on application

See her entry in the Oxford DNB, which describes how she accepted Max Reinhardt's offer ‘to play the Madonna in a mime play, The Miracle. This was first staged in the USA from November 1923 to the following May, and again for the following three autumns and winters. It toured Europe in 1927, and London and the provinces in 1932; the last performance was in January 1933.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: ?Mr S Cooper?s compts to the Board of Curators and will be obliged if they will favour him with a ticket for the Library for his friend Mr M. Foster for 6 months / For Mr Michael Foster / of Holywell Bedfordshire / June 14 1833. / 7, Woburn Place?. A pencil note in a contemporary hand at the head of the page gives a list of works by ?Prof. Samuel Cooper F.R.S.?

The two men were both from Norfolk: see their entries in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo, on the recto of the first leaf a bifolium, the verso of the second leaf being addressed by Cooper to ‘Dawson Turner Esq / Yarmouth / Norfolk’, with postmark and ‘More to Pay 1d’ and ‘Post Paid’, and small seal with impression in red wax. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice for postage, and minor traces of stub adhering to one edge. Reads: ‘Dear Sir, / You will greatly oblige me y voting for my Nephew Mr. Astley Cooper for the Athenaeum - / Yours very truly / Astley Cooper’. See Image.

Giving an insight into the nuts and bolts of Georgian medical practice. See Cooper's entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient was the son-in-law of the apothecary William Complin (1729-1808), and lived in Mansell Street from the latter’s death until his own, and was possibly succeeded at the address by his son George, also a surgeon. The material is in good condition, lightly worn, on aged paper. All items 1p, 12mo, and four on bifoliums addressed on second leaf. All six signed ‘Astley Cooper’. ONE: ALS. ‘Tuesday’.

Edward Knobloch’s play ‘My Lady’s Dress’ (‘in which’, as one newspaper wrote at the time, ‘the heroine’s dream takes her to the foreign [and London] scenes surrounding the manufacture of a costly gown’) premiered at the Royalty Theatre in London in 1914 and was revived several times through the 1920s.

See the entries for Cooper (born Arthur William Douglas Cooper) and Richardson in the Oxford DNB. From the papers of the recipient, Philip Dosse, who was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Art and Artists and Books and Bookmen. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. 2pp, 8vo, on a single leaf of air mail paper. Forty-six lines of text. Somewhat worn and creased, but in fair condition overall.

Lonsdale’s entry in the Oxford DNB has the following to say: ‘In 1925 The Last of Mrs Cheyney was produced at the St James's Theatre, with the leading roles played by Gladys Cooper, Ellis Jeffreys, Ronald Squire, and Sir Gerald Du Maurier. This, Lonsdale's most famous play, ran for 514 performances [from 22 September 1925] in London, and enjoyed comparable popularity in New York, Berlin, and Paris.

An interesting letter, indicating the piety underlining Shaftesbury’s philanthropy. See his long entry in the Oxford DNB, which sums up his achievements as ‘very substantial’ and ‘a source of enduring inspiration to others’, together with those of Russell and Skinner, the last of which contains, regarding the part of the ‘Drummondite controversy’ relating to the Rev.

See his long entry in the Oxford DNB, which sums up his achievements as ‘very substantial’ and ‘a source of enduring inspiration to others’. 1p, 16mo. On bifolium with thin mourning border. In good condition, folded twice. Written in his characteristically-inky hand, and signed ‘Shaftesbury’. Reads: ‘Dear Mr Rowley / I did not forget your request. I trust that, by the blessing of God, your [fears?] are [removed?]. / Yours tr[ul]y / Shaftesbury’. Seee image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both letters in good condition, lightly aged. Both signed ‘Duff Cooper’ and the first addressed to ‘Thomas Earp, Esq., / Kitcombe House, / Newton Valence, / Alton, / Hants.’ ONE: TLS, 9 January 1952. 1p, 12mo. He will try to get hold of a copy of ‘Voyage de Shakespeare’ and is glad Earp liked his ‘little book on the same subject’. In an autograph postscript he writes: ‘I suppose you have tried the London Library.’ TWO: ALS, 11 April 1952. 2pp, 12mo.

Two pages, folio, fold marks, a little grubby, some damage (by stamp vandal?) marginally affecting text, ow fair.. A. The covering letter by Tho. Phippard, sending the Bill in the Election, asking the recipient, E.Nicoletts, Bridport, to fill in the blanks with the average sums charged per diem by the other agents. I have not included many days [absent?] in the business. My bill will be higher than some agents as I was directed to proceed in canvassing my Division earlier in consequence of the proceedings of Ashleys [ie Later Lord Shaftesbury].

3pp, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, with closed tears and thin vertical strip of paper on reverse of second leaf, which carries a seal in black wax and Yates's address to 'T. P. Cooke Esqre. | 28 Manchester Street | Manchester Square'. An interesting letter regarding a Victorian stage dispute. In an understated style, Yates makes a serious accusation: Cooke has broken his word over the manuscript of Fitzball's play 'The Red Rover' (Yates had produced the piece with himself in the title role in 1828, and would do so again in 1831).

44pp, 4to. In poor condition, worn and stained, in damaged remains of vellum-paper wraps. Library stamp carelessly cut away from blank part of title, causing closed cut to second leaf. Six copies on JISC LHD (COPAC); now uncommon. The date of publication is mistakenly given in Colbatch's entry in the Oxford DNB as 1729.

Regarding the recipient of this letter see Dorothy Bentley Smith, 'No Ordinary Surgeon: The Life and Times of William Binley Dickinson' (2017). 1p, 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, with minor loss to edge of second leaf through breaking of seal. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with postmark, to '- Dickenson Esq | Surgeon | Macclesfield'. Cooper begins by thanking Dickenson for his 'very kind present of a Brace of Grouse received this morning – I beg yourself & Mrs Dickenson to believe that I feel grateful for your recollection of me'.

2pp, 8vo. On a single leaf. In fair condition, aged, worn and creased, with one short closed tear. Folded twice.

Four good letters, in which the author's love for his wife and grief at her death are apparent. Littleton Powys was the second-eldest of eleven, his siblings including writers John Cowper Powys, T. F. Powys and Llewelyn Powys, architect A. R. Powys, artist Gertrude Powys, lacemaker Marian Powys, and poet and novelist Philippa Powys. His autobiography 'The Joy of it' was published in 1937, with the sequel 'Still the Joy of it' appearing in 1956. The four letters are in good condition, lightly aged. They total 12pp., 12mo.

1p., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Sir | There is no need to notice the enclosed, beyond sending the writer a copy of the Report, as soon as it is out.'

Littleton Powys was the second-eldest of eleven, his siblings including writers John Cowper Powys, T. F. Powys and Llewelyn Powys, architect A. R. Powys, artist Gertrude Powys, lacemaker Marian Powys, and poet and novelist Philippa Powys. His autobiography 'The Joy of it' was published in 1937, with the sequel 'Still the Joy of it' appearing in 1956. The three letters are in good condition, lightly aged. They total 8pp., 12mo. The main topic is the correspondence between the recipient Brooks and Powys's wife Elizabeth Myers, which would feature in Powys's 1951 edition of her letters.

On small square of laid paper. In fair condition, aged and worn, with loss to one corner from opening of the wafer, and tape staining to two edges. Received 19th June 1814 of Messrs. Snow & Co a Box of Jewells [sic] The Property of Lady Elizabeth Palk which was deposited with them about the latter End of June, last year - | Shaftesbury'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Docketted on reverse of second leaf of bifolium: 'London 6th. Decr. 1861 | Sir Daniel Cooper', and beneath this in pencil 'Australian Bart.' The letter has an embossed armorial motif at its head. Written to a family member or close friend, the letter begins: 'I will meet you at the Bank of New South Wales on Monday at One O'Clock when I hope Mr. Ludlow will also be able to give me the statement for Thomas -'. He asks him to inform him 'what has become of the £580 alluded to in the enclosed letter'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of stub adhering to reverse. Addressed on reverse, with broken seal in red wax and postmarks, to 'Miss Beavan | Brynry Hydd [ i.e. Bryn yr Hydd] | Glasbury | Hay | South Wales'. An expansively-written note, above a similar signature, reading: 'May I request you to read the accompanying Circular, and to give it your favourable consideration?'

The two documents are printed forms, completed in manuscript. Both are tipped-in onto a leaf removed from an album. Both in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: 'C No 1429'. Dated 12 October 1798 and signed by 'J L Towers', 'Register.' Recording the birth of Sarah Cooper, daughter of Thomas Cooper and Jane Cooper (daughter of the Rev. Israel Lewis', born in Homerton, in the Parish of Saint John Hackney, on 17 June 1783. Witnessed by 'E. S. Cooper' and 'Sarah Mackaness'. TWO: 'E No 3478'. Dated 30 January 1816.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. The subject of the letter is the Mines Act, passed 10 August 1842, which barred women and girls and boys under ten from working down the mines. The letter, which is headed 'private & confidential', reads: 'Lord Ashley cannot refrain from thanking the Editor of the Globe for the friendly & able support to the measure now before Parliament, which he gave in his Paper of last Evening.

3pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight staining to one corner from paper clip. A good letter, filled with detail. Apart from brief opening and closing paragraphs the whole of the letter is devoted to reminiscences of his life before leaving England for America. At one point he comments: 'it is only when one is thinking back, as I am now, that one realizes the speed with which time fugits; it is now 21 years since I have been home, and 30 years since Bob and I were in "Irene" at the Empire.' The reminiscences begin: 'Barring a trip to U. S. and Australia with G. P.