FITZGERALD

An unusually forthright communication for the period. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. At the time of writing, Fitzgerald was President of the Board of Control under Sir Robert Peel. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and ruckled. Signed ‘Vane Londonderry’. Begins: ‘My Dear Ftizgerald / I had not an opportunity to thank you as I would in the H of Lords for all your kind attention to my wishes.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On one side of a 12 x 7.5 cm post card. On brittle, discoloured card, with chipping to corners and some repair with archival tape. Self-printed with stamp, addressed, with postmark, to 'Percy Fitzgerald, Esq. / 37 St. George's Road / SW.' On other side, with letterhead in fancy type, regarding Fitzgerald's book 'London City Suburbs', which he has just published, reads: 'See todays & last Saturdays Daily Telegraph new no. (June) of Art Journal for notices L. C. Suburbs. Stamped at bottom right: 'The Leadenhall Press, Ltd:' See Image.

See his entry in the Dictionary of Irish Biography, and his father’s entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. 72 lines, closely written. In good condition, lightly aged and folded for postage. Addressed to ‘My dear Sir Henry’ and signed ‘Joseph D’Arcy Sirr’. In response to an invitation to write, there are ‘two or three points’ on which Sirr would seek information. These relate to what appears to be a mistake by ‘Mr Davy’ on publishing a manuscript regarding ‘Lady C. Grey’ who is buried at Yoxford. He is also ‘enclosing [not present] a curious copy of a MS made for me, but wh.

The present item differs from the version published on pp.248-254 of the ‘Notices of the Proceedings’, vol.2 (1854-1858), and no other copy has been traced. Drophead title: ‘Royal Institution of Great Britain. / Weekly Evening Meeting, / Friday, April 25, 1856. / Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, Bart. D.C.L. F.R.S. Vice-President, in the Chair. / W. B. Donne, Esq. / On the Works of Chaucer, considered as Historical Illustrations of England in the 14th Century.’ 10pp, 16mo, paginated [1]-10. In very good condition, lightly aged. Stabbed as issued, with no wraps, and unopened. Begins: ‘MR.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, on the first leaf of a bifolium, the blank second of which carries traces of mount. Folded twice. Begins: ‘My dear FitzGerald / I thank you very much for your obliging note - and I rejoice greatly that you have obtained for Capt Macgregor this mark of favor and distinction. India has no better soldier, nor has any political agent, placed in trying circumstances, shewn a better nerve or a sounder discretion’. FitzGerald’s ‘just notice of him’ will be ‘well appreciated’ by others.

The diary is a 4to, with around 100pp. (a week’s entries on each leaf). In worn and marked printed olive boards with cloth spine; internally good and sound on lightly-aged paper. No ownership inscription, but from the E. V. Knox papers, and with entries in Knox’s hand and that of his wife Mary, illustrator of Mary Poppins, and daughter of ‘Winnie the Pooh’ illustrator Ernest Shepard. The eighteen inserted items, in good overall condition, are described here before the contents of the diary.

See Knox’s entry in the Oxford DNB, along with those of his father Edmund Arbuthnott Knox, his brothers Ronald, Dillwyn and Wilfred, his wife the ‘Mary Poppins’ illustrator Mary Shepard (daughter of Ernest Shepard) and his daughter the novelist Penelope Fitzgerald. At the time the present material was composed Knox had been involved with Punch for more than four decades (1904-1948), holding the editorship for the last sixteen, with the magazines circulation rising to a peak of almost 200,000 as he approached his retirement.

Ruthven was born in Ireland, the son of Galway landowner Clifford Trotter. He was a master mariner, a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and wrote several nautical manuals. At the time of his retirement as commodore of the Orient Line of ships in 1911, Ruthven had completed forty-five years at sea and thirty years in command of Orient steamers (Orient Steam Navigation Company, Limited – hereafter OSNC).

23 x 20.5 cm colour print of publicity photograph of a smiling formally-dressed Kennedy, arms crossed before him, on 28 x 21.5 cm piece of paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn at the edges. Inscribed in blue pen, beneath the image: 'To Karen - | My best | Ted Kennedy | '83'. The year is written within the loop of the 'y' of Kennedy's signature.

ALS, on letterhead of 22 Old Broad Street, EC, 2pp., 12mo. Recommending The Great Gatsby, 'the book of which I spoke in the course of your brief discussion of the younger American writers the other evening'.

a. Dean Rusk, 3pp., folio, unbound as issued. Subjects: taking up Kennedy's remarks in Seattle; Afghanistan; Korea; the Philippines; Berlin; NATO meeting; the Congo; Dominicn Republic/OAS; Cuba, Peru and Columbia; Vietnam (US policy to preserve the Republic Vietnam, the means are being considered). It concludes with the ref. A-17266-AC. B. (attached by staple) Stevenson Address at Fordham University (A Relesase from the UNited States Information Service, American Embassy, London).

ALS, on letterhead of 22 Old Broad Street, EC, 2pp., 12mo. Recommending The Great Gatsby, 'the book of which I spoke in the course of your brief discussion of the younger American writers the other evening'.

16pp., foolscap 8vo. Stapled into white printed covers, with 'ransom note' design on front and facsimile on back of letter from the Warren Commission members to the President of the United States, 24 September 1964. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The document ends, under the publication details on the last page: 'Meanwhile back at the peanut farm: A PRESIDENT FOR AMERICA | The difference between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter is one of style and personality. Theirs [sic] policies are remarkably similar. | The Economist Oct.