GAME

Showing signs of the early stirrings of the Great Game. See Canning's entry, and that of Fitzgerald, in the Oxford DNB. At the time of the letter Canning was serving in his first governmental appointment, as Under-Secretary to Lord Aberdeen in the Foreign Office, in Peel’s administration, while Fitzgerald was President of the Board of Control. The ‘Baron Brunow’ referred to in the letter is Russian Ambassador in London, Philipp Graf von Brunnow (1797-1895). 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of a bifolium. Docketed on second leaf, ‘Lord Canning / respecting Baron Brunow Novr 11/41’.

At the time of writing Gordon-Cumming’s trophies were being exhibited at this Piccadilly address, having previously formed part of the Great Exhibition. The recipient Henry Charles Angelo (1806-1866) was a member of the celebrated family of fencing masters, and was at this time teaching the art at the Cavalry College, Richmond. 2pp, 12mo. On the rectos of the two leaves of a bifolium, with the recipient’s name written lengthwise on the verso of the first leaf: ‘H. C. Angelo Esqr’. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice.

ANS, one page, 12mo, fold marks, one edge rough, some faint staining, text clear and complete. Dear Lord Fitzgerald | I send you Col Stoddart's last Despatches, & his letters to Ld Palmerston. | As most of them are the original papers will you return them as soon as read. See image. Note: A. The President of the Board of Control was a British government official in the late 18th and early 19th century responsible for overseeing the British East India Company and generally serving as the chief official in London responsible for Indian affairs.

Piece of paper, 11 x 3.5cm, good condition. Surviving text as follows: ever you wish. Hoping that your readers will find it interesting. Believe me yrs very truly | F.C. Selous||

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with minor damage at head. Folded once. He begins by requesting with 'much respect' to be excused 'on your great day', and explains: 'I write this from my bed, where I am confined with that delectable complaint the gout, and the moment I can move I must be off somewhere, either to Bath, or Buxton, to go through a regular course -'. He complains: 'This country does not agree with one -; we arrived in England 1 May, and I have already had three attacks of gout. I was seven months absent and was entirely free from it.

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with fold lines. Annotated up one margin: 'Writer of Travels &c'. Andersson writes: 'Dear Mr. Blackett, - | I enclose a literal translation of a paragraph extracted from one of the best Swedish newspapers, by which you will see that the King has honoured me with a medal. If you think that this paragraph may be of any use to you when advertising the 2d. Edition of “Lake Ngami”, it is quite at your service. Of course you may put it any [sic] language you may think proper. | Yours faithfully | Chs. J.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. He begins by informing the unnamed recipient that the reason for the delay in answering his letter is that Selous has 'just returned to this country from a trip to Hungary'. For his part, Selous will be 'very pleased if you will quote anything you like from my book, “Travel and Adventure in S. E. Africa”. He presumes that 'the publishers, to whom the book I suppose really belongs, will have no objection either, as to quote any passage from a book is to call attention to the book itself, which may result in the sale of a copy'.

Crisply printed, with the long s, on one side of a piece of 37.5 x 25 cm. thick laid paper. In fair condition, aged and worn, having been used to wrap up items, and with the following in manuscript on reverse: 'No. 1. | Vouchers | recd. of Mr. Gabell'. The text begins: 'Notice is hereby given, that by the Acts of 48 Geo. III. Cap. 55. and 52 Geo. III. Cap. 93.

Advert. leaf, Title-page, pp.[1]-302, sl. shaken, hinge strain, corners bumped, some marking, but still a goodlooking book. The first thrust of the plot isan expedition, plant-hunting in Northern India and the Himalayas which they cross to Seksura on the River Arun in Nepal(possibly invented names, perhaps inspired by Aranachan Pradesh). While there they hunted wild boar, attempted to climb Mount Everest (15 April 1868). They travelled to Khatang (which exists), Tashay,, Amarpore, a tiger hunt (successful), another tiger-hunt, jackals, lynxes.

A total of 46pp., mostly on 4to Mtotohovu letterheads. In fair condition, aged and worn. From the Meynell family papers. In the first letter he describes his preparations for an elephant shoot on the Serengeti: 'I a taking a 400 elephant gun a 300 high velocity gun, and a shot gun. My escort consists of a gun bearer, cook, tent boy lorry driver & skinner.' Of the participants in the '"Ngoma" native dance games' he writes: 'they really were awful, covered in red & yellow clay or mud - they really did look maniacs & I am sure are more than half Savages'.

1p., 8vo. On cheap paper stock. Aged, and with chipping and closed tears to extremities. Stamped on the reverse by the Paris bookseller C. F. Labarre (fl. 1970). Printed in the bottom left-hand corner: 'No. 6012.' 37 lines of text.

1p., 8vo. On grey paper. Aged and worn, with chipping, glue stains and remains of gummed label. Laid down on leaf removed from album. The document reads: '548 [i.e. the number of the despatch] | Kabul 28 Decr | To O.C. Jagdalah. | In continuation of this office No 544 the O.C. is directed to request he will at once arrange to send a sufficient party to hold Seh Baba. | He is also to arrange to escort the <?> sent with Capt Tucker as far as Lataband or Butkhak if necessary, on their return journey. | They should return on Wednesday'.

2 pp, 12mo. On the first leaf of a bifolium of wove paper. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Signed 'L. N.' in type at end. A 114-line poem, in rhyming alexandrine couplets, beginning 'Messieurs, au jeu du whist adoptez constamment | L'air grave britannique et le flegme allemand.

4 pp, 16mo. Paginated [1] to 4. On a bifolium of wove paper. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with thin strip of previous mount adhering to inner margin of first page.

Reprinted from "Proceedings, Royal Military Institution," No. 6, Vol.XII. 19pp., tall 8vo, original blue wraps, slight;y chipped, and sunned at edges, worn at bottom of spine, mainly good.remnants of album page on back cover. Inscribed "With the Author's Compliments." From an album created by the engineer son of M.C. Meigs, engineer, sometime distinguished Quartermaster General for the Union Army. No copy on COPAC or WorldCat.

Reprinted from "Proceedings, Royal Military Institution," No. 11, Vol.XII. 4pp., with two folding plates, tall 8vo, original blue printed wraps, sunned at edges, mainly good, remnants of album page on back cover. Inscribed "With the Author's Compliments." From an album created by the engineer son of Montgomery C. Meigs, engineer, sometime distinguished Quartermaster General for the Union Army.

Advert. leaf, Title-page, pp.[1]-302, sl. shaken, hinge strain, corners bumped, some marking, but still a goodlooking book. The first thrust of the plot isan expedition, plant-hunting in Northern India and the Himalayas which they cross to Seksura on the River Arun in Nepal(possibly invented names, perhaps inspired by Aranachan Pradesh). While there they hunted wild boar, attempted to climb Mount Everest (15 April 1868). They travelled to Khatang (which exists), Tashay,, Amarpore, a tiger hunt (successful), another tiger-hunt, jackals, lynxes.

8vo: 3 pp. Lightly creased and aged, but in good condition overall. Text entirely clear and legible. Headed ''African Affairs | Book Review (Pollock)'. A knowledgeable and readable review, for the magazine 'African Affairs', beginning 'Thomas Leask was a modest elephant-hunter with a passion for scribbling. [...] he never seems quite to have got over his surprise at finding himself transplanted from his native Orkney to the land of the lordly Matabele and miserable Mashona.

Traveller in Spain and elsewhere, and author. 2-4pp., 8vo. He discusses extensively his work on "a Handbook on Russia & Great Britain in Central Asia", giving a resume of chapters and asking for copies to be sent to various places. "No question is more important at present". FOUR ITEMS,

Politician and director of Trueman, Hanbury, Buxton and Co. (1840-1924), whose entry in 'Who's who' describes his 'Recreations' as 'a keen follower of big game in four continents'. All three items 12mo and very good. The first two items on cream paper and bearing the Society's stamp; the last item on grey paper and docketed. First and last item signed 'E N Buxton'. ITEM ONE (two pages) addressed to 'Sir Trueman' [sic]: 'I have not forgotten that you asked me how my films stood the Climate & if I got any decent results in the Soudan'. Offers to show Wood 'a few' at the Athenaeum.

2 pages, 16mo. Somewhat grubby and creased, and obtrusively docketed in ink, with the phrase 'Sent off | 10th 28' written across the text on the recto. Reads 'Dear Sir, | You hoped to return my book (album) last week but no doubt the holidays interfered. I am just sending a line to say I am leaving Town for the Country for the summer early on Monday next so hope it may be returned this week | Yours sincy | E Lechmere'.