COWARD

[Alice Delysia [stage name of Alice Henriette Lapize], French actress and singer who moved to England and worked with C. B. Cochran and Noel Coward.] Autograph Signature on publicity photograph by Janet Jevons of London.

Author: 
Alice Delysia [stage name of Alice Henriette Lapize] (1889-1979), French actress and singer at the Moulin Rouge, who worked in England with C. B. Cochran and Noel Coward [Janet Jevons of London]
Alice Delysia
Publication details: 
Without date. At bottom right of image: ‘Portrait by Janet Jevons, 19/20 New Bond Street, W.1.’
£35.00
Alice Delysia

8.5 x 14 cm glossy publicity photograph on post card. In good condition, lightly aged. Inscribed across the bottom of the image: ‘Souvenirs / Alice Delysia’. A soft-toned head and shoulders image in black and white, of a smiling Delysia, eyebrows plucked, lips made up, and short hair Marcell-waved. See Image.

[Evelyn Laye, English actress and singer, star of stage and screen.] Autograph Signature added at foot of pencil sketch of her by Kenneth Sephton.

Author: 
Evelyn Laye [née Elsie Evelyn Lay] (1900-1996), English actress and singer, star of stage and screen, associated with Noel Coward [Kenneth Sephton]
Laye
Publication details: 
No date or place. [1950s]
£90.00
Laye

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. After a stint as one of George Edwardes’ Gaiety Girls, she made her name in a number of revues, her performance in the lead role of the 1929 Broadway production of ‘Bitter Sweet’ prompting Coward to praise her grace and charm and assurance, which he said provoked one of the most prolonged outbursts of cheering I have ever heard in the theatre. She was less successful in Hollywood, starring in the Romberg/Hammerstein musical ‘One Heavenly Night’ (1931), a failure for Samuel Goldwyn.

[Noel Coward] Autograph Note Signed Noel Coward to a Miss Weeds, apologising for having no photograph!

Author: 
Noel Coward [Sir Noël Peirce Coward (1899 – 1973), playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, etc]
Coward
Publication details: 
[Printed address] 111 Ebury Street, SW1, 15 May 1930.
£120.00
Coward

One page, 12mo, blue paper, good condition. See Image. I am so sorry - I have got no photograph so just the autograph must do -.

[Sir Philip Sassoon of Port Lympne: described by Noel Coward as ‘a phenomenon that would never recur’.] Autograph Signature (‘Philip Sassoon.) and autograph compliments slip.

Author: 
Sir Philip Sassoon [Sir Philip Albert Gustave David Sassoon] (1888-1939), politician, art collector and socialite at Port Lympne and Trent Park, cousin of Siegfried Sassoon, friend of Noel Coward
Sassoon
Publication details: 
No date [dated by recipient 12 June 1928]. Laid down on letterhead of 25 Park Lane, W. [London.], which carries the autograph compliments.
£50.00
Sassoon

Considered by his friend Noël Coward as ‘a phenomenon that would never recur’. See his entry by Osbert Sitwell in the Oxford DNB and the biography by Damian Collins, ‘Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of Philip Sassoon’ (2016). Clearly sent in response to a request for an autograph. The signature is on a plain 9 x 6 cm card, and reads simply ‘Philip Sassoon.’ The card is laid down at the foot of a 12mo letterhead, on which is written by Sassoon, above a flourish: ‘With Sir Philip Sassoon’s Compliments’. Both items in good condition, lightly aged.

[Angus Wilson, novelist, as British Museum librarian.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Angus Wilson.') to 'Rylands', regarding his letter to 'Noel', which he has asked 'Mr Greene' to show him.

Author: 
Angus Wilson [Sir Angus Frank Johnstone-Wilson] (1913-1991), novelist [British Museum, Department of Printed Books]
Publication details: 
12 October 1950; on letterhead of the Reading Room, British Museum, London, W.C.1.
£30.00

1p, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Folded twice, resulting in offset ink smudging. Reads: 'Dear Rylands, | I am writing to you in case Noel is away. I have asked Mr Greene to show you my letter to Noel, if this is should [sic] be so. Anything you could do to help, would be kind and good, I think.

[Enid Bagnold, author and playwright, to celebrity wig-maker Stanley Hall.] Nine Autograph Letter Signed, written in ebullient tones to 'Dear Stanley', discussing dramatic failures, Lady Diana Cooper, Harold Pinter, Dame Sybil Thorndyke, and others.

Author: 
Enid Bagnold [Enid Algerine Jones, Lady Jones] (1889-1981), author and playwright [Stanley Hall (1917-1994), celebrity wig-maker]
Publication details: 
On letterheads of North End House, Rottingdean, Sussex. Two from 1965, the others from 1967, 1968 and 1969..
£300.00

The nine letters are in good condition, lightly aged. They total nineteen pages, on a mixture of 4to and 12mo leaves, and cards. A chatty and gossipy correspondence, written in a flowing loose hand, going well beyond business matters. The first letter, 9 May 1965, is signed 'Enid B.', the others being signed 'Enid'. It is the only letter in its envelope, which is marked 'Private' by EB and addressed by her to 'Stanley Hall Esq | Wig Creations | 25 Portman Close | Baker Street | London W.1'. The tone of the first letter is representative.

[ 'Madame Delysia' entertains the British troops in the Middle East. ] Duplicate copy of Autograph Letter Signed by Sir John Pollock, countersigned by her, giving conditions for her use of 'Mlle Fifi' and 'Darling'. With Typed Letter Signed from her.

Author: 
'Madame Delysia' [ 'Alice Delysia'; 'Elise Delisia' ], stage name of Alice Henriette Lapize (1889-1979), French entertainer; Sir John Pollock [ Sir Frederick John Pollock ] (1878-1963), author
Publication details: 
Pocock's letter from 173 Cranmer Court, Chelsea, London, 3 March 1941. Delysia's letter from 54 Buckingham Court, Kensington Park Road, London, 7 March 1941.
£150.00

Both C. B. Cochran, who promoted her career, and Noel Coward, who wrote 'Poor Little Rich Girl' for her, wrote highly of Delysia and her work. Three items, in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All three in an envelope addressed to Pollock and docketed by him 'Delysia (tour) Contract March 1941'. ONE: Typed Letter Signed from 'Alice Delysia' to Pollock. From her London address, 7 March 1941. 1p., 12mo. She writes that she agrees with his letter and has signed the copy (Item Two below).

[ Dulcie Gray, actress. ] Copy of typescript of 1991 autobiography 'Looking Forward, Looking Back'; corrected typescript of first part of unpublished book 'Four Years'; prompt copies for her and her husband of their autobiographical play 'Curtain Up'

Author: 
'Dulcie Gray' [ Dulcie Winifred Catherine Savage Bailey ] (1915-2011), actress, wife of actor Michael Denison [ (John) Michael Terence Wellesley Denison ] (1915-1998)
Publication details: 
None of the three items with place or date. 'Looking Forward, Looking Back' published in 1991. 'Four Years', 1940s or 1950s. The prompt copies for production of 'Curtain Up' at the Guildford Theatre, 1998.
£650.00

Gray - who in addition to her acting career was a crime novelist and lepidopterist - has an excellent entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, which also carries details of Denison. ONE: Typescript of 'Four Years | By | Dulcie Gray'. [2] + 63pp., 4to. Stapled. With front brown-paper cover with red label bearing title, with stamp of typewriting agency Ethel Christian, 36-38 Southampton Street, Strand. Signature of 'Michael Denison' at head of title-page. On aged and worn paper, and lacking the last couple of leaves and back cover.

[Jack Buchanan, Scottish actor and theatre manager.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Jack Buchanan'), thanking an unnamed recipient for his 'expression of appreciation', and noting the 'wonderful reception' of his musical 'Sunny' in Manchester.

Author: 
Jack Buchanan [Walter John Buchanan] (1891-1957), Scottish stage and screen actor and theatre manager
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Midland Hotel, Manchester. 27 September 1926.
£45.00

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for his 'letter and expression of appreciation - judging by the wonderful reception of "Sunny" in Manchester I am hopeful of its success in London.' He is enclosing 'the two photos asked for' (not present).

Two Signed Manuscript Legal Agreements with Sir Herbert Hay Langham, the first by the fraudster Walter Hastings Coward, the second by James Donaldson, regarding prospecting on the island of Madeira for 'Mines or Deposits of Chromium or Chrome Ore'.

Author: 
Sir Herbert Hay Langham (1840-1909); Walter Hastings Coward; James Donaldson; William Lattey, London solicitor [chromium and chrome ore mining in the island of Madeira; prospecting]
Publication details: 
The agreement with Coward dated 31 October 1892; drawn up by Henry Lattey, 24 Cornhill, E.C., London. The agreement with Donaldson dated 26 July 1895.
£120.00

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Neither is signed by Langham. ONE: Agreement with Coward, 1892. 1p., foolscap 8vo. On vellum paper with red embossed tax stamp. 'I Walter Hastings Coward hereby bind myself to disclose to Herbert Hay Langham all Chrome Ore or Chromium Mine that I may discover or otherwise acquire any right or share to or that I may have at present discovered or otherwise have acquired any right or share in the Island of Madeira'.

Folder, titled 'List Of 213 Celebrities', containing material including a list of names and addresses of supporters of C.A.S.T., the Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres, drafts of typed addresses 'by' Noel Coward, original designs for slogans.

Author: 
[Noel Coward; Alec Clunes, Honorary Treasurer, Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres (C.A.S.T.); Vivien Leigh]
Publication details: 
Without place or date. [London. Circa 1942-1943.]
£320.00

The Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres appears to have been active from January 1943 until at least 1944, with the actor Alec Clunes as Honorary Treasurer. The fourteen items in this collection are in good condition, on aged paper, in a beige card folder carrying the title 'LIST OF 213 CELEBRITIES'. [NB. While the first item described below is likely to be, as its title states, the work of Noel Coward, one other item at least in this collection (present in two versions as nos.

Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate to Montague Shearman, regarding the 'Controversy' surrounding Noel Coward's 1931 play 'Cavalcade', forwarded with two covering notes by Agate's secretary Alan 'Jock' Dent to E. F. Gye.

Author: 
James Agate (1877-1947), critic [Alan Dent [Alan 'Jock' Dent; Jock Dent] (1905-1978), journalist; Montague Shearman (1886-1940), art collector; Ernest Frederick Gye (1879-1955), diplomat; Noel Coward]
Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate
Publication details: 
The copies of Agate's letters to Shearman, 5 and 6 November 1931; Dent's notes to Gye of the same dates; all four items on letterheads of 25 Palace Court, London, W2.
£145.00
Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate

A total of 8 pp, 4to, all on Palace Court letterheads. Dent's notes both signed 'Jock Dent.', and the copies both signed 'James Agate'. Two important, energetic and vivid letters by Agate, totalling 6 pp, 4to, defending Coward's play and his position on 'the intellectual and the popular', against the 'pseudo-intelligentsia' of the barristers Shearman and 'Jack' St John Hutchinson (1884-1942).

Typed Note Signed ('Chas B Cochran') to Mrs G. M. Place, Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd., Parker Street, Kingsway, W.C.2.'

Author: 
C. B. Cochran [Sir Charles B. Cochran; Sir Charles Blake Cochran] (1872-1951), English theatre impresario
Publication details: 
9 November 1940; on letterhead of 'Charles B. Cochran | 49, OLD BOND STREET, | LONDON, W.1.' ['Telegrams: "Cockranus, Piccy, London."]
£28.00

Landscape 12mo: 1 p. Headed 'Stage and Film Decor.' He thanks her for her letter of 4 November. 'I eagerly await book. If you could spare me more than one [last three words underlined] I should be appreciative.'

Autograph Signatures ('Gertrude Lawrence.', 'Ivy St. Helier' and 'Joyce Carey').

Author: 
Gertrude Lawrence (1898-1952), Ivy St Helier (1886-1971); Joyce Carey (1898-1993); English actresses associated with Noel Coward
Publication details: 
Dates and places not stated.
£45.00

On a leaf of cream paper, 8.5 x 12 cm, part of a bifolium taken from an autograph album. Very good. All three signatures are bold and clear. The signatures of Lawrence and St Helier are on one side of the leaf, and that of Carey is on the other. Lawrence's signature is in ink, and the other two in pencil. Three signatures,

Autograph Signature.

Author: 
Noel Coward (Sir Noel Pierce Coward, 1899-1973), English actor, playwright and song writer
Coward
Publication details: 
Date and place not stated.
£35.00
Coward

On leaf of light blue paper, 8.5 x 12 cm, removed from an autograph album. Very good.

Typed notes signed (x 6) to Thomas Bass,

Author: 
C.B. Cochran
Publication details: 
between 1927 and 1937.
£100.00

English impressario (1872-1951), nicknamed "Cocky", closely associated with Noel Coward, knighted in 1948. All one page, five with the letterhead Charles B. Cochran, 49 Old Bond Street (three 8vo and two 4to), and one, 12mo, with the letterhead of the Midland Hotel, Manchester. One in stamped addressed envelope. All thanking Bass (of 22 Delta Street, Lightbourne, Moston, Manchester) for his letters praising the Manchester performances of Cochran's revue.

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