DESIGNER

[Alfred Parsons, landscape painter and garden designer.] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Miss Lewis'

Author: 
Alfred Parsons [Alfred William Parsons] (1847-1920), landscape painter, illustrator, and garden designer
Publication details: 
24 January [no year]. On letterhead of 54 Bedford Gardens, Kensington, W. [London]
£35.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once.Addressed to 'Dear Miss Lewis' and with good firm signature 'Alfred Parsons'. He will be very pleased to dine with her the following Friday, '& dance one set of Lancers after; I feel much complimented at being asked with the young people'.

[Walter Crane, book illustrator, designer and painter associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and the Art-Workers' Guild.] Autograph Signature and valediction of a letter.

Author: 
Walter Crane (1845-1915), book illustrator, designer and painter, associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and the Art-Workers' Guild
Walter Crane
Publication details: 
No place or date.
£35.00
Walter Crane

from the end of a letter. A good example of Crane's stylized and distinctive signature. Reads: 'Believe me, / Very truly yours, / Walter Crane'. The top part of a cropped 'P S' is present at bottom left. See Image.

[Alfred Parsons, landscape painter and garden designer.] Original pen and ink drawing of a clump of daffodils growing in front of mass of other foliage. Monogram signature on the drawing ‘AP.’, and with second full signature and date on mount.

Author: 
Alfred Parsons [Alfred William Parsons] (1847-1920), landscape painter, illustrator, and garden designer
Alfred Parsons
Publication details: 
‘Alfred Parsons. / Loseley Park. May 26th. 1893.’
£1,000.00
Alfred Parsons

An attractive and highly-finished production, in black ink, on 17.5 x 20.5 cm piece of wove paper, glued on the reverse at the four corners to a leaf extracted from the autograph album of the novelist George Meredith and his daughter Marie Eveleen (Mariette; 1871-1933), wife of Henry Parkman Sturgis (1847-1929), American-born banker and Liberal politician. Parsons' monogram signature 'AP. in its two-bordered square is at the bottom left of the drawing, and there is an additional autograph signature with date to the right of the drawing on the leaf of the Meredith album: 'Alfred Parsons.

[Jocelyn Herbert [Lousada], stage designer] Autograph Contribution (extracted) to an Album with individuals writing on the subject Happiness, Signed Jocelyn Lousada.

Author: 
Jocelyn Lousada nee Herbert (1917 – 2003), highly influential British stage designer.]
Publication details: 
No place given but dated 7 Feb. 1946.
£45.00

Album Page (extracted), 20.5 x 16cm, very good condition. A full page headed What is Happiness, continuing, Happiness in the abstract is indefinable - but it is also something for which everyone in their lives seems to be consciously or unconsciously searching - I think one should be humble in this search enjoying simple thins rather than wild escapades. She then lists some rules starting One should have a true sense of values (9 lines), concuding Probably if we could achieve any one of these one would be happy - but I think very few people do.

[Percy MacQuoid, threatre designer and expert on English furniture.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Percy Macquoid.') to 'Terrell', including a discussion of the significance of 'English Plate'.

Author: 
Percy Macquoid [Percy Thomas MacQuoid] (1852-1925), theatre designer, illustrator and expert on English furniture
Publication details: 
20 March [no year]. On letterhead of The Yellow House, 8 Palace Court, Bayswater, London, W.
£45.00

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. He begins by thanking him for his 'kindness in the matter of the plate at New'. He called there that morning and has 'sent on Dr Russells letter of introduction', and has 'written to Dr Moyle', explaining his object, and he hopes he will give him permission to have the [?] photod. wh: I consider about the finest piece of dated H English Plate in existence -'.

[Percy Anderson, painter and D'Oyly Carte stage designer.] Autograph Letter Signed to Cecil H. Broadhurst, regarding the 'tremendously fantastic' dresses he has designed for Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree's production of 'Joan of Arc'.

Author: 
Percy Anderson (1851-1928), painter and stage designer with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree [Cecil Herbert Broadhurst (1866-1934); Gilbert and Sullivan]
Publication details: 
6 October 1913; on letterhead of 55 York Terrace, Regent's Park, N.W.
£120.00

2pp, 12mo; and 1p, 8vo. On a bifolium, with the 8vo page written lengthwise across the central pages. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. Signed 'Percy Anderson.' According to a pencil note Broadhurst was Beerbohm Tree's 'press agent'. He has received Broadhurst's letter late the same night, and begins by informing him that he cannot go to Covent Garden the following day as he will be with a sitter.

[Percy Anderson, D'Oyly Carte stage designer.] Four Autograph Letters Signed to theatrical wigmaker William Berry Clarkson, praising the work he has done on his behalf, in connection with several productions.

Author: 
Percy Anderson (1851-1928), stage designer and painter with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree [William Berry Clarkson (1861-1934), theatrical wigmaker; Gilbert and Sullivan]
Publication details: 
12 March 1912, 31 December [1912], and the other two without year; all on letterheads of 55 York Terrace, Regent's Park, N.W.
£450.00

Total of 7pp, 12mo. All in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Each folded once. All signed 'Percy Anderson'. ONE: 12 March 1912. Begins: 'Your properties are quite splendid.' He thanks Clarkson and his assistant for the trouble they have taken 'over the “M[?]”'. Ends: 'I thought everything as good as it cd be – I refer to yr work of course'. TWO: 31 December [1912]. He thanks him for his 'delightful' card, and for 'yr. good wishes & for the tickets you so kindly send me for The Miracle.

[Sibyl Colefax [Lady Colefax], interior decorator and socialite.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Sibyl Colefax') to 'Mrs. Fox Pitt', offering to do the interior design for the Old Mill Hotel, Harnham, Salisbury.

Author: 
Sibyl Colefax [Sibyl, Lady Colefax, née Halsey] (1874-1950), interior decorator and socialite [Mary Fox-Pitt, proprietor, the Old Mill Hotel, Harnham, Salisbury]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Argyll House, 211 King's Road, Chelsea, SW [London]. No date.
£56.00

2pp, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once. The letter concerns Colefax's offer to do the interior design of the Old Mill Hotel, Harnham, Salisbury, whose proprietor was Mary Fox-Pitt, daughter-in-law of Augustus Pitt Rivers. Begins: 'Dear Mrs. Fox Pitt | Lady [?] told me to write to you, & she has also told me of your exceedingly interesting plan of making an ideal Hotel near Salisbury.' Colefax boasts that she knows 'all that neighbourhood so well'. She feels the hotel 'would be a wonderful boon to everyone who lives there'. She now comes to the point.

[Arthur Weigall, Egyptologist.] Autograph Letter Signed to F. Eyles regarding his work as set designer for London revues, referring to Gertie Millar, Fay Compton, Robert Hale, Phyllis Monkman, Raymond Rôze, King of the Belgians, President Roosevelt.

Author: 
Arthur Weigall [Arthur Edward Pearse Brome Weigall] (1880-1934), Egyptologist who succeeded Howard Carter at Luxor as Chief Inspector of Antiquities for Upper Egypt, set designer for the London stage
Publication details: 
'The Studio | 117. Fulham Rd.' [London.] 22 March [1916].
£180.00

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. With envelope addressed to 'F. Eyles Esq. | 38 Bedford Place, | Russell Square, | WC'. Year of letter added in pencil. Signed 'Arthur Weigall'. Having made his name in Luxor as an Egyptologist, Weigall was a successful set-designer for the London revues during the First World War, and the present item concerns a magazine article regarding this work.

[Vertès, Hungarian-French costume designer.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Vertès') to 'Cher M. Ede', accompanying a Typed Signed Article on his oscar-winning collaboration with John Huston on the 1952 film 'Moulin Rouge'. Both documents in French.

Author: 
Vertès [Marcel Vertès] (1895-1961), Hungarian-French costume designer and illustrator, winner of two Academy Awards [John Huston (1906-1987), American film director; Eliot Elisofon; Oswald Morris]
Publication details: 
Letter dated 4 January 1954. No place. Typed account without date or place.
£450.00

Vertès won two Oscars for his work on John Huston's 1952 biography of Toulouse-Lautrec, 'Moulin Rouge': Best Art Direction (with Paul Sheriff) and Best Costume Design. The second of the present two items is an article Ede had invited Vertès to write on his role in the film; the first is the covering letter with which it was sent. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed to 'Cher M. Ede'. 4 January 1954. 2pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He is enclosing 'le petit texte', which he hopes will be to Ede's taste.

[ 'Edward Carrick', i.e. Edward Craig, art director, author and illustrator. ] Page proofs of his 'Designing for Moving Pictures'.

Author: 
'Edward Carrick' [ Edward Craig (1905-1998), art director, author and illustrator, son of Edward Gordon Craig (1872-1966) ]
Publication details: 
The Studio Publications, London & New York. Printed in England n Fosh & Cross Ltd., Mansell Street, London (Blackmore Press Ltd.).
£450.00

104pp., 4to. Unbound page proofs. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. In worn envelope with printed details of 'The Studio Publications', addressed to 'Edward Carrick, Esq., | G.P.O. Film Unit, | Soho Square, | London, W.C.', amended to '20 Gordon Place', 'W.8.' This was Craig's foremost work, highly influential. Comprising eight signatures of text, each initialled by him with the date 6 March 1941, seven of them with stamp in red ink: 'MARKED PROOF'; together with two signatures of illustrations on art paper, included in the pagination, one of them also signed and initalled.

[ Arnold Rattenbury, poet: inscribed copy. ] "Mozart Pieces" with Woodcuts by Thomas Bewick .

Author: 
Arnold Rattenbury (1921-2007), poet and exhibition designer; his wife Sim Rattenbury [ born Simonette Cooper-Willis ]
Publication details: 
Arnold Rattenbury - 127 Kenilworth Court Lower Richmond Road SW15 [ London ]. For New Year 1971.
£300.00

16pp., 16mo. Stapled. One minor manuscript correction. Aged and worn, in lightly-stained card covers carrying six Bewick woodcuts in black, with text lengthwise and upwards in red. The insides of the covers are red in colour, and on the front inside cover is written 'love from | Sim & Arnold'. Whether the hand is Rattenbury's or his wife's is not clear. Fourteen poems, from 'Considering K 279 to K 284' to 'Koechel's Adoration'.

[ 'Erik Designer' [ Erik Nordgreen ]', Danish stage and costume designer. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Erik') to the London bookseller Barry Duncan, with two handbill advertisements, one on coloured card (with portrait drawing) and one a handbill.

Author: 
'Erik Designer' [ Erik Nordgreen (1921-1987) ], Danish stage and costume designer, based in Bootham, York [ 'Formerly with Tobis (Continental) Films' ]
Publication details: 
Letter from a Blackpool address, on his letterhead with 'Perm. Address . . . Eastfield House, 32 Grosvenor Terrace, Bootham, York'. 6 April 1946. Handbill with same York address; card with both Blackpool and York addresses.
£150.00

ONE: Letter: 1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. He asks Duncan to look out for books in a number of fields, beginning with ones 'on old-time stagecraft giving technical data & information on trick effects, transformation scenes, etc, with particular reference to pantomime'. TWO: Advertisement. Printed in black on one side of a 14 x 26.5 cm piece of blue card. Folded twice to make three 14 x 8.5 cm pages in concertina. In stamped postmarked envelope, with his device printed in red on cover, addressed to Duncan at the Thule Gallery, St Martin's Court.

[ Laurence Irving, Hollywood set designer. ] Two Typed Letters Signed ('Laurence' and 'Laurence Irving') to 'Teddy' [ set designer 'Edward Carrick',i.e. Edward Craig ], regarding the film industry and his membership of the Society of Art Directors.

Author: 
Laurence Irving (1897-1988), Hollywood set designer, artist and RAF Squadron Leader, grandson of the actor Sir Henry Irving [ 'Edward Carrick' [ Edward Craig (1905-1998) ],; Society of Art Directors ]
Publication details: 
Both on his letterhead, 11 Apple Tree Yard. 23 August and 24 November 1949.
£220.00

Both items in good condition, lightly-aged. ONE: 2pp., 4to. Having returned from 'a rather long painting expedition to France' he finds that 'circumstances have arisen in regard to the administration of the Society' [ the Society of British Film Art Directors and Designers, of which Craig was a leading light], and in the light of these circumstances Irving feels compelled to resign. 'It is [...] unlikely that I shall design any more films.

[ Simon Lane, novelist and bon viveur. ] Typescripts of two unpublished plays, the first signed by the author: 'Anagrams' and '"Petipa Dort" or "The Sleeping Princess Revised (again)"'.

Author: 
Simon Lane [Oliver Simon Lane] (1957-2012), novelist, playwright, bon viveur and wit
Publication details: 
'Anagrams' signed by Lane with the address 9 Kenilworth Court, Lower Richmond Road, Putney, London SW15 1EW, and dated 9 November 1978, 'Petipa Dort' with typed name 'O S LANE ESQ', from the same address.
£350.00

In his obituary in the Independent, Lane was described as 'one of those writers whose published oeuvre is only matched by the supreme fiction of their own existence'. The present two pieces, both unpublished, date from his time studying theatre design at Wimbledon Art School, before 'launching himself across the globe, seemingly supported only by his verbal brilliance, good looks, perfect wardrobe and genius to amuse'. ONE: '"ANAGRAMS [no closing quotation mark] | A One Act Play - by Simon Lane'. [3] + 19pp., 8vo. Duplicated typescript on loose leaves held together by paper clip.

[Raymond Leppard, conductor.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Raymond') to the artist and set designer Yolanda Sonnabend

Author: 
Raymond Leppard (b.1927), English British conductor and harpsichordist [Yolanda Sonnabend (b.1935), theatre designer and artist]
Publication details: 
On his letterhead, 16 Hamilton Terrace, NW8. 24 May 1970.
£35.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He thanks her 'for giving me the wrongly addressed envelope'. He has tried ringing her 'a dozen times' and gives her number for checking. He ends by inviting her to dinner.

[Margaret Francis Harris, theatre designer.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Margaret Harris') to 'Mr Rhodes', discussing the sale of her 'Motley designs' to the University of Illinois.

Author: 
Margaret Harris [Margaret Francis Harris] (1904-2000), English opera, costume and theatre designer [Motley Theatre Design Group]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Theatre Design Course at Riverside, Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, Hammersmith. 17 June 1982.
£80.00

2pp., 8vo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. She apologises for not being able to be 'helpful on any of your questions'. She does not even possess a copy of her own 'Designing and Making Stage Costume'. 'I have no Motley designs at all, as every one which was in my possession has been sold to the University of Illinois, who have taken the whole collection of about 3000 swatches.' She is glad to hear that he has some of them, 'as it means that there are a few still in this country'.

[Althea Willoughby, English artist.] Two Autograph Letters Signed and one Autograph Note Signed to the publishers Ingpen and Grant regarding her designs for woodcut engravings for Alexander Somerton's 'Glades of Glenbella'.

Author: 
Althea Willoughby (1904-1982), English artist, designer of posters for London Transport, 1933-1936 [Ingpen and Grant, London publishers]
Publication details: 
All three from 20A Alfred Place, SW7 [London]. 14 April, 10 July and 2 August [1929].
£120.00

Each item is 1p., 12mo, the note being the last of the three. All written in green ink, the first on green paper, and the other two on pink paper. The three in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Written in an attractive, calligraphic hand. ONE: She writes that she is enclosing 'four rough designs [not present] for the woodcut frontispiece to the "Glade [sic] of Glenbella', and asks to be informed by return of the firm's choice, and she will 'get on with it at once'. She ends with a query about galley sheets. TWO: Docketted with brief pencil accounts.

Five Autograph Letters Signed, in French, from the French artist and designer Jean-Denis Malclès to an unnamed correspondent, regarding the sale of maquettes of costumes of a production of 'Orphée aux Enfers'. With price list of 31 items.

Author: 
Jean-Denis Malclès (1912-2002), French artist, illustrator and costume, set and poster designer for film, theatre, ballet and opera, who worked with Cocteau, Anouilh and others
Publication details: 
The five letters from 152 rue Leon-Maurice Nordmann, Paris. One from 1980 and the other four from 1982.
£280.00

The first four letters are each 1p., 12mo; and the fifth letter is 1p., 4to. The price list, which accompanies the last letter, is 2pp., 4to. All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. In the first letter (4 May 1980) he replies to his correspondent, thanking him for a letter 'concernant la representation d'Orphée aux Enfers que vous avez vu à Oxford en 1977'.

Autograph Signature of the artist, children's book illustrator and poster designer John Hassall.

Author: 
John Hassall (1868-1948), English painter, children's book illustrator and poster designer
Publication details: 
Without place or date.
£25.00

On one side of a 5.5 x 20 cm strip of laid paper, cut away from the bottom of a letter. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount adhering to the reverse. Reads, in a firm attractive hand: 'Yours very sincerely | John Hassall.'

Autograph Letter Signed ('Oliver') from artist and stage designer Oliver Messel to collector Hans Juda, describing his terms for the sale of the originals of two 'designs for the Glyndebourne brochure' in 1952, which Juda's firm helped produce.

Author: 
Oliver Messel [Oliver Hilary Sambourne Messel] (1904-1978), English artist and stage designer [Hans Juda [Hans Peter Juda] (1904-1975), art collector and publisher; Vagn Riis-Hansen]
Publication details: 
No place or date. [2 December 1952.]
£220.00

1p., folio. Fair, on lightly-aged paper; with staple- and punch-holes in left-hand margin. Docketed in pencil, at head 'file Oliver MESSEL', and at foot '2/XII/52'. He thanks him for 'your charming messages [...] about the designs for the Glyndebourne brochure', which were 'given me by Vagn' (Messel's partner Vagn Riis-Hansen). 'For the one design ie.

Autograph Letter Signed Jack Pritchard, furniture designer, to Molly [Rosemary (Molly) Cooke], his future wife, a sprightly letter with eccentric presentation about a book she apparently published anonymously .

Author: 
Jack Pritchard, British furniture designer (1899–1992).
Autograph Letter Signed Jack Pritchard, furniture designer
Publication details: 
Pembroke College, Oxford, [1921]
£125.00
Autograph Letter Signed Jack Pritchard, furniture designer

FURNITURE DESIGNER AUTOGRAPH CAMBRIDGE UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN POETRY POEMS

Four Autograph Letters Signed (all 'A. Rutledge Crouch') to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
A. Rutledge Crouch, English designer and illustrator
Publication details: 
14, 20 and 28 February and 8 March 1941; all on letterheads of 'Redcot', Rutland Road, Wanstead, Essex.
£120.00

The first three items are 4to, with the first two of two pages and the last of one page, all with a brown border. The fourth item is 12mo, 1 p. The quarto items have some creasing and discoloration to the extremities, and a few closed tears. The 12mo item is good. Text of all four letters clear and entire. The correspondence concerns Crouch's application for membership. He gives the names of individuals who 'have signified their willingness to second' Crouch: Sir William Wayland, M.P.

Typed Letter Signed to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Herbert Sammons [D. Napier & Son]
Publication details: 
22 August 1947; on letterhead of D. Napier & Son Limited, Acton.
£35.00

Scottish engineer (died 1967), noted for his innovative design of a gas turbine engine. One page, 12mo. Very good. Pinholes to one corner and bearing a date stamp. He is honoured to be nominated as a fellow of the Society, and encloses the proposal and a cheque (neither present), thanking the Council 'for the kind invitation extended to me'. Signed 'H. Sammons'.

autograph letters signed (x 2).

Author: 
Tom Heslewood
Publication details: 
one 1910 and one 1940.
£20.00

Actor and costume designer (1868-?). The first letter, docketted "Alas poor Tom -", to Miss Grosvenor, 4 December 1940, 18 Selwood Terrace., 2 pp, 8vo. He apologises for not being able to attend any of her at homes. "I have been at Plymouth & Cardiff the last fortnight with H. B. Irving [Henry Brodribb Irving, 1870-1919] arranging his new play". The second letter, to L. E. Berman, 21 April 1940, with embossment 52 Temple Fortune Hill, 2 pp, 12mo, in stamped envelope addressed in autograph. He thanks him for forwarding the letter from Barking.

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