EXPEDITION

[The Lord Mayor of London plans a ‘cockney expedition’: William Thompson, Lord Mayor of London, 1828-9.] Autograph Letter Signed to Theodore Hook, describing the itinerary of the three-day ‘excursion to the Medway’.

Author: 
William Thompson (1793-1854), Lord Mayor of London, 1828-9, ironmaster, financier and Member of Parliament [Theodore Hook (1788-1841), writer and hoaxer; John Wilson Croker; Sir Henry Blackwood]
Publication details: 
‘Mansion House [London] / 20 July 1829’.
£90.00

An excellent slice of Georgian London history. See his entry, and Hook’s, in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Fifty-five lines of text. On bifolium. In fair condition, on discoloured and lightly-worn paper, with closed tear at foot of gutter. Also present is a typed transcript. The letter concerns a proposed three-day ‘excursion to the Medway’. Hook has engagements that will interefere, but Thompson undertakes to land him ‘safe at the Tower by seven o’clock on Saturday’.

[Sir John Hunt [Lord Hunt], mountaineer, leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.] Original print of non-commercial colour photograph of Hunt, with his Autograph Signature on a label on the reverse.

Author: 
Sir John Hunt [Brigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt, KG, CBE, DSO; Lord Hunt] (1910-1998), mountaineer and army officer who led the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£80.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Colour Kodac print on matte paper: 3 and 3/8 x 5 inches (8.5 x 12.5 cm). In good condition, with light indentation of paperclip at head. A smiling elderly Hunt stands, with plaid shirt and hands in pockets of brown trousers, looking to his right, in front of a range of mountains. On the reverse is stuck a label signed ‘John Hunt’. See images.

[Sir Clements Markham, explorer in Peru, Secretary to the Royal Geographical Society.] Autograph Signature ('Clements Markham') on part of letter.

Author: 
Sir Clements Markham [Sir Clements Robert Markham] (1830-1916), geographer, explorer in Peru and writer, Secretary to Royal Geographical Society, organiser of British National Antarctic Expediition
Publication details: 
Without place or date.
£23.00

On 3.5 x 9.5 cm slip of paper cut from letter. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. On one side, from the conclusion of the letter: 'Yours very truly | Clements Markham'. On the other: '[...] have failed me: so no[...] | [...] you mind my putting [...]'.

[Sir Vivian Fuchs, Antarctic explorer.] Autograph Signature ('V. E. Fuchs | 1968') to illustration of the R. R. S. Shackleton, with anonymous typed note explaining why the picture was signed.

Author: 
Sir Vivian Fuchs [Sir Vivian Ernest Fuchs] (1908-1999),Antarctic explorer who in 1958 led the first expedition to cross Antarctica
Publication details: 
No place or date.
£45.00

8 x 12 cm illustration of a ship in polar waters, cut from book or periodical, with bold signature at bottom right: 'V. E. Fuchs | 1968'. Laid down on piece of white paper. In fair condition, but with slight bleeding of ink from signature towards foot of paper. Accompanying the item is an unsigned typed note by the recipient of the autograph, on a 4to piece of paper. It reads: 'Antarctic Crossing | The autograph of Sir Vivian Fuchs | The first crossing of the Antarctic continent was completed at 1.47 p.m. on 2 March 1958, after a 2,158 mile trek lasting 99 days from 24th Nov.

[Vice-Admiral Sir George Strong Nares, Arctic explorer and commander of first ship to pass through the Suez Canal.] Autograph Note Signed ('G. S. Nares.') regarding his 'delicate instrument for Alert or Discovery'.

Author: 
Sir George Strong Nares (1831-1915), Royal Navy Vice-Admiral, commander of first ship to pass through the Suez Canal, Arctic Explorer with Challenger Expedition and British Arctic Expedittion
Publication details: 
No date or place [1875?].
£250.00

See Nares' entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Clearly and boldly written, reading: 'Please give the bearer my delicate instrument for Alert or Discovery | G. S. Nares.' (Wikipedia) "Because of his previous experience in the Arctic, he was summoned from this assignment to take charge of another Arctic voyage in search of the North Pole in Discovery and Alert in 1875, the British Arctic Expedition."

Seventeen black-and-white pencil portraits of Tibetans by Antony Brett-James, including one of the sirdar Lobsang, who took part in the 1938 Everest expedition; with two portraits of Naga natives.

Author: 
Antony Brett-James (1920-1984), 5th Indian Division Royal Signals, military historian and Sandhurst lecturer [Lobsang (d.1945), Tibetan Sirdar; Himalayan Club; Everest Expedition, 1938]
Publication details: 
Executed in in Darjeeling (11), Dentam (1), Kewzing (1), Namchi (1), Phalut (1), Tanglu (1) and Naga (2) in 1943 (10), in 1944 (2) and 1945 (4).
£600.00

A feature of Brett-James's well-received war memoir 'Report My Signals' (1948) was the fifteen reproductions of his pencil drawings of Indian men who served under him. None of the portraits present here feature in that book or have been reproduced elsewhere, but those published in the book give an excellent idea of Brett-James's skill at conveying character in well-executed pencil sketches. The nineteen drawings in this collection are all in good condition, on aged paper, with occasional light creasing. Eleven are in 8vo, and eight in 12mo.

[ Melton Prior, Special Artist of the Illustrated London News. ] Engraved illustrated invitation card to an 'Exhibition of Original Burmese War & Nile Expedition Sketches' at the St James's Gallery of 'Mr Mendozza'.

Author: 
Melton Prior (1845-1910), Special Artist of the Illustrated London News [the St. James's Gallery, London, of I. P. Mendoza; Burma, Burmese; the Nile Expedition, Egypt ]
Publication details: 
St. James's Gallery, 4A King Street, St James's. 20 June 1891.
£120.00

Printed on one side of a piece of 12.5 x 20 cm green card. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with central vertical crease line unobtrusively strengthened with archival tape. To the left of the page is an illustration of a British soldier officer a Burmese temple. The text is written out in a range of lettering characteristic of the period, and reads: 'Exhibition of Original Burmese War & Nile Expedition Sketches by Melton Prior Special Artist of the Illustrated London News. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness The Duke of Connaught.

[George Clarke Musgrave, English-born American soldier and writer] Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'G. C. Musgrave') to a reviewer on the 'Figaro', concerning his book 'To Kumassi with Scott'. With printed publisher's flier and press cutting.

Author: 
George C. Musgrave [George Clarke Musgrave] (1874-1932) English-born American soldier and writer, "Victorian Adventurer", author of 'To Kumassi with Scott' [Sir Francis Scott; 4th Anglo-Ashanti War]
Publication details: 
Both letters on letterhead of 12 The Leas, Folkestone [Kent, England]. 17 and 28 December 1896. Printed flier: Wightman & Co., "The Westminster Press," 104 Regency Street, London, SW. Undated.
£220.00

The two letters and flier are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper; the cutting is on aged newsprint, separated into two parts along a crease line. Letter One (17 December 1896): 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. He informs the recipient that, as the review list for the book is closed, its publishers Wightman & Co have sent on the reviewer's letter to Musgrave. 'We are following this course as much interest exists between the North Country & West Africa.

Autograph Letter Signed C. Patmore, with addressed envelope, to the Blackburn poet John Thomas Baron ('Jack O'Anns')

Author: 
Coventry Patmore (1823-96), poet
Publication details: 
Hastings, 5 Dec. 1881.
£120.00

One page, 12mo, bifolium, fold marks, good condition. Tamarton [sic for Tamerton] Church Tower & other Poems are now included in a volume called 'Amelia and other Poems.' It is published by Geo. Bell & Co. York Stret, Covent Garden. I do not know Mr Palgarve's address, but a letter to Macmillan & Co, his publisher would reach him.

Engraving ('J. Harris Sculpt'), reproducing a mediaeval illustration, titled 'The Expedetion [sic] of Africa, undertaken by the Duke of Bourbon, as General in Chief, with several other English & French Knights, at the entreaty of the Genoese.'

Author: 
J. Harris, engraver [The Expedition of Africa, 1390; Louis II (1337-1410), Duke de Bourbon]
Expedetion
Publication details: 
Undated. [London, circa 1810?]
£110.00
Expedetion

On paper 25 x 20 cm. Plate size 14 x 18.5 cm. Uncoloured. Title beneath print and engraver's details beneath bottom right-hand corner. Image and text clear and intact. On aged, creased and foxed paper with wear and slight loss to extremities. The illustration shows a number of galleons at sea with wind-filled sails. Each is filled with knights whose flags and shields, each bearing different designs and coats of arms, are ranged along the sides. The National Maritime Museum possesses a coloured copy of this uncommon print, which also featured in the Hennin Collection.

Two Typed Letters Signed and one Autograph Card Signed to the Secretary, 'Dominions & Colonies Section', Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Captain Sir Cecil Hamilton Armitage [the Ashanti Campaign; the Gambia]
Publication details: 
The letters 31 August 1927 and 22 March 1928; the card, 2 July 1928; all three items 76 Jermyn St, St. James's (one letter on letterhead).
£125.00

British soldier and colonial official (1869-1933), Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Gambia Colony and Protectorate, 1920-7. All three items very good. Both letters one page, quarto; both bearing the R.S.A. stamp, and one docketed. All three items signed 'C. A. Armitage'. LETTER ONE: Thanks the R.S.A.

Autograph Note in the third person to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Sir Bartle Compton Arthur Frere [THE ZULU WAR; BECHUANALAND EXPEDITION]
Publication details: 
27 July 1919; on embossed letterhead '67 WESTBOURNE TERRACE, | HYDE PARK, W.2.'
£26.00

British soldier (1854-1933) decorated for service in the Zulu War. One page, 12mo. Creased, discoloured and with a few pin holes. Docketed and bearing the R.S.A. stamp. 'Sir Bartle Frere presents his compliments & begs to enclose an envelope wh has just reached him fm. P. Office | 27. 7. 19 | The Secy | R. Society of Arts'.

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