FRAUDS

2pp., 4to. 59 neatly and closely written lines. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Addressed to Blair at the head. From the start the tone of the letter must have rung alarm bells: 'Encouraged by one of my Dublin Correspondents, who has just very lately won a rather considerable prize in my office as General Agent to the Board of Management for the Frankfort Ready Money Lottery, I beg hereby to take the liberty of tendering you my services in the purchase or sale of public securities, recovery of Debts, &c &c.

2pp., foolscap 8vo. Bifolium on blue paper. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with slight fraying and loss to extremities. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Superintendent B. T. Oswald | Police Office | Burton on Trent'.

12mo: iv + 132 pp. Unbound. In original red printed wraps. Stapled. A poor copy of a scarce item (COPAC only lists copies at the British Library and National Library of Scotland). Dog-eared and grubby, with wraps faded and with loss to extremities and spine repaired with tape. Staples rusted and worn through prelims. Text complete and entirely legible. Five essays: 'Chatterton and the Rowley Poems', 'Macpherson's Poems of Ossian', 'The Shakspeare Forgery', 'Psalmanazar and the Formosa Imposture' and 'Bentley and the Epistles of Phalaris'.

Victorian phrenologist (1788-1858) and natural philosopher. Paper dimensions roughly seven and a half inches by three inches. Folded four times. Good, but worn and with some loss to bottom corners from previous mounting. Reads 'I am | My dear Sir | Yours most truly | Geo: Combe | If you see Mr. <?> at the meeting put this letter into his hands, lest I should not see him before it. | [signed] G C'.

Victorian phrenologist (1788-1858) and natural philosopher. Paper dimensions roughly four and a half inches by two and a quarter. Very good. From autograph album. Mounted on larger piece of lilac paper. Crease line affecting first line of text. Reads 'I am | My dear Major Mair | Very truly yours | Geo. Combe'. Docketed in pencil at foot by Dame Sarah Elizabeth Siddons Mair (died 1941) '(Phrenologist) | Written to my Father - S. E. S. M.'