ITALY

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. The letter reads: 'My dear Miss Macirone | Mrs. Cowden has recd. your letter, & forwards the enclosure to Clara [the Countess of Gigliucci, another sister]. | Mrs. C. C's hands are so afflicted that she writes with greatest difficulty; so I write for her. We Villa-ites know no one of the name of "Macirone" excepting your own distinguished family. We rejoice to hear you have regained yr. health, & that sweet Minnie is flourishing. We all send kindest remembrances. Excuse gt. haste'.

Closely and neatly written on five bifoliums. Text totalling 14pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with minor damage at head of third letter, and wear to extremities of the fourth. The first two letters (1856 and 1859) addressed formally, the third to 'Angela & Minnie', and the fourth and fifth to 'Angela'. She writes the first letter (1856) before her sister Clara's 'approaching visit to England', to thank Macirone for writing to express the pleasure she had received from Charles Cowden Clarke's sister's writing.

Only the prelims of the book are present, on four leaves. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight damage at the margin of the first leaf. Orioli's two inscriptions are on the two central leaves. Comprising a leaf with series title ('The Lungarno Series No. 12'); leaf with half-title and limitation (no 5 of 300) on reverse, signed 'G. Orioli'; title leaf; and contents leaf. The inscription on the title reads: 'This is for Barbara and Raphael | with love and affection | from Pino [Orioli] | Florence day of publication'.

1p., 16mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with slight rust spotting at head and trimmed margins. Concerning 'quattro versi di numero, i quali dicono soltanto un idea che mi venne spontanea'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Addressed to 'Gentlemen', the letter begins by acknowledging ('were it only for the sake of regularity") the receipt of a cheque for £30 18s 10d, 'being my share of the profits of the first Edition of a quiet nook'. He considers that this 'result [...] proves once more, if needed, that quiet books have no chance with the public', and concludes by acknowledging 'the great care and perfect taste which you have bestowed upon the Volume, and which alone ought to have secured to it an abundant Sale'. 'A Quiet Nook in the Jura.

Four pages, 8vo, not bound as issued, poor quality paper, dulled, very small closed tears at bottom, fold mark, mainly good condition. Presumably a translation for Italian consumption  and dropped on Italian soil from a plane! One copy ONLY listed on COPAC and WorldCat (only the title given on IWM website, no description).

For more information on Clark, see the account by Eric C. Graham, privately printed in 2010. All texts clear and legible, on aged and worn paper (especially the outer ones). ONE: Headed 'J. F. Clark | Newmarket | Feb. 2. 1852 read at Kirtling'. 30pp., foolscap 8vo. Saddle stitched.

88pp., 8vo. Stylishly-designed art book by Giuliano Briganti, Bruno Cora and Gillo Dorfles, primarily in black and white, but with sections in half-tone blue and brown. In colour covers with flaps. Italian and English text. Inscribed on half titled 'A. Y SONNABEND. | Eliseo Mattiacci'. In good condition, in lightly-worn covers.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with damp stain along one edge. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Scott'. He is sending 'by Bearer 4 sorts of french paper, 2 sheets of each, which you will be so good as to see that it is properly prepared before it is used - The grand Eagle with the watermarks will require a great deal of brushing with a hard brush as I think that many of the specks will brush off they being chiefly superficial'.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with damp stain along one edge. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Scott'. He is sending 'by Bearer 4 sorts of french paper, 2 sheets of each, which you will be so good as to see that it is properly prepared before it is used - The grand Eagle with the watermarks will require a great deal of brushing with a hard brush as I think that many of the specks will brush off they being chiefly superficial'.

All seven items are in good condition, on aged and lightly-creased bifoliums, and all docketted by the recipient. The Duke's letters total 13pp., 4to. Each is addressed, with postmarks, on the reverse of the second leaf, with one bearing part of a red wax seal. The letters all deal with the financial management of his affairs, with reference to substantial sums, with mention of Naples and Rothschild. The references to Mexican affairs in the correspondence are of particular interest, coming from a descendant of Hernan Cortes, and presumably still a substantial landowner in the country.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Charles R. Broughton Esqre | Foreign Office | London', and docketed by recipient on the same page 'Naples 22 June 1815 | Wm. Court | 12 July | A'. à Court has written 'Duplicate' in the top left-hand corner of the first page (he would have sent several copies of the letter in case one miscarried, but the fact that this is the one that was received by Broughton is evidenced by the docketing). In fair condition, on aged paper, with usual broken wafer.

2pp., 4to. 29 lines, in a neat calligraphic hand. In good condition, on lightly-aged laid paper. The document is signed 'Giovanni Soglia' and begins: 'Dal Sig. Dotte. Galeati ho ricevuto il fatto informativo della Causa già agitata fra il Sacerde. Francesco Gardi di Lugo, il Sig. Antonio Fornioni, e la Mensa Vescovile d'Imola; qual causa, atttesa la difformità delle due sentenze già pronunciate, si vorrebbe portare al Tribunale della Sac.

On 28 February 1885 The Times announced the death of Eber, 'for many years our valued correspondent at Vienna'; and a hundred years later (24 September 1985) the same paper described Eber as 'the condottiere-journalist, General Ferdinand Eber, whose habit of engaging in wars as well as reporting them earned him the displeasure of his masters in Printing House Square'. Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight damage from previous mounting. Both addressed to 'My dear Wreford', and both written in a difficult hand. Letter One: 3pp., 12mo.

1p., foolscap 8vo. 36 lines of text. A frail survival: in fair condition, lightly creased and aged, with short closed tear repaired on reverse with archival tape. Badge design at head of text, with white shield with yellow cross against blue background, and facsimile of McCreery's signature at foot. The text begins: 'On 9th April, the Eighth Army started the last great battle in Italy. Twenty-three days later, on 2nd May, the enemy surrendered unconditionally.' The penultimate paragraph reads: 'The unconditional surrender of the enemy bring the Eighth Army many new and urgent tasks.

1p., 4to. 25 lines of text. A frail survival. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. Signed with facsimile of signature of 'B. L. Montgomery.' Divided into six points, the text begins: '1. The time has now come to carry the war into Italy, and into the Continent of Europe. The Italian Overseas Empire has been exterminated; we will now deal with the home country.' The last point reads: '6. To each one of you, whatever may be your rank or employment, I would say: | GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING IN THE HOME COUNTRY OF ITALY'.

2pp., 4to. 35 lines of verse. On a leaf of laid paper with watermark 'J WHATMAN | TURKEY MILL'. Paginated 13-14. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The first page begins with the line 'The shrouding soil, and give it back to air,' and the second page ends with the line 'Won it's [sic] dark truth, and Gaspar fed on such.' The verses in this manuscript are published on pp.19-21 of 'A Day at Tivoli: with other Verses' (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, Paternoster-row, 1849).

4to, 1 p. Twenty-lines. Text clear and complete. He has found 'il Barone' and is going to see 'Der Freishutz'. Monico is 'una gran bella citta', where he has seen 'molte belle cose'. He finds the Madonna of Rafael 'Divina'. A postscript concerns the print-seller Ackermann, as well as the art dealer Woodburn, and 'Cockerill'. The reverse carries a closely-written 30-line manuscript, in another hand, apparently in German, and followed by an indecipherable signature. It contains at least two references to 'Campball' [sic].

Both letters 8vo, 1 p; the first on pink paper. Both texts clear and complete. Both fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Letter One: She was surprised to learn that Lawrence had 'Miss Babbington with you because I did not even know that she was on the stage. I thought she was with a publishing house.' After the 'long and wonderful run' she is sorry that Lawrence's leading lady is leaving. 'Although I never intend to go back to the stage again, I shall always have the same keen interest in matters theatrical [...] the variety profession is my first love'.

Letter: 12mo, 1 p. On bifolium. Text clear and complete. On aged and ruckled paper. Slight damage to second leaf caused by breaking open of wafer. Addressed to 'Illustrissimo Signore'. Having 'un affare di qualche importanza alle nove', he would like to give Twining his lesson (presumably in Italian) the following morning at 8 o'clock. He hopes that coming half an hour early does not cause any inconvence. Receipt: on one side of a slip of paper, 7 x 19.5 cm. Headed 'Memorandum del Signor Twining'. For '18 Lezioni la prima delle quali fa data li 15 Novembee', and signed 'Galignani'.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Fair, on aged paper with a little light staining. The recto carries the seventeen-line letter to a 'Gentilissima Dama', in response to a request for an autograph. On the reverse of the second leaf is a four-line poem, signed and dated by Negri, beginning 'Come un Nume che si adora'. In the letter Negri writes that he does not have 'la presunzione di credere che il mio autografo meriti di essere conservato'.

The author is obscure, but the letter is addressed to 'Sir Rennell' [Sir James Rennell Rodd (1858-1941), diplomat and author]. 2 pages, 16mo, creased but in good condition. A florid missive beginning 'In this tempest of egotism and hate which has plunged us all into Teutonic darkness, you will not have forgotten, my dear Sir Rennell, the lines of Coleridge: | [...]'.

Dimensions of paper roughly twelve and a half inches by fifteen and a half. Dimensions of plate roughly eleven inches by six and a half. On top of a stone plinth two eagles support a crowned crest with shell motif, showing a crowned eagle over a castle. The inscription on the base reads 'DIANAE FABVLAS | OLIM | A DOMINICO ZAMPERIO | PICTORE | VVLGO DOMENICHINO | IN PALATIO BASSANI | PRINCIPIS IVSTINIANI | DE PICTAS'. Apparently the frontispiece or engraved title to an oblong folio volume published in 1713.

Two pages, octavo. Good, with traces of stub adhering to one uneven edge. He feels there is 'surely telepathy in the world' as, 'only last night tired of the dull inaction after a bout of 'flu', he was assembling autographs for his correspondent. '[T]hey all explain themselves except perhaps Boardman Robinson the American cartoonist and Rose Bradley the writer on teh 19th. Century. I send one too from Lord Seaforth who only died last week.

Text of all three items clear and complete. All three on lightly aged paper, creased and with some wear to extremities. Letter One (8vo, 1 p; 20 lines of text): She thanks Bonham Carter for her 'kind and appreciative letter' and 'will see that through the English Embassy' she receives 'a copy of my short story: "I due prigionieri", of which your son is the protagonist'. (An officer in the Grenadier Guards, during the war Mark Bonham Carter had escaped from a prison camp in northern Italy.) Describes material she is sending relating to her 'literary career'.

4to: viii + 257 pp. In original grey printed wraps. Internally tight, on lightly-aged and foxed paper. Wraps spotted and worn, with chipping to extremities. The preface describes the work as 'una bibliografia descrittiva degli studi di Indianistica fatti in Italia nel periodo che va dal 1911 al 1937.' A descriptive bibliography of Indian studies in Italy, 1911 to 1937. Scarce in Britain: COPAC lists copies at the British Library, Oxford and SOAS.

4to: 1 p. Printed on the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium of paper watermarked 'R BARNARD | 1828'. Fifteen lines of text. Text clear and complete on aged, creased paper with chipping to extremities, and the two leaves of the bifolium nearly detached. Docketed in contemporary hands '819' at the head of the printed page, and 'No. 72' on the reverse of the second leaf 'No. 72'.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, 11 x 18 cm. Laid down on a slightly larger piece of paper. Good: lightly aged with three neat vertical folds. Reads 'Oh! land of beauty - sun-lit Italy! How often do I fondly think of thee, | And of the days gone by . . . . . ! | [signature] A. Maffei | April 14th | 1866.'

Printed on piece of thick paper 31.5 x 22.5 cm. Dimensions of image 24 x 18 cm. Removed from mount, and with glue adhering to reverse and in thin strip at head (not affecting image). Small closed tear in border at foot, just beneath Mascagni's dating of his note. Soft-focus black and white head and shoulders shot, showing a firm-jawed jowlly bow-tied Mascagni staring abstractedly to his right, with a medal in his buttonhole.

One page, on back of printed postcard. Very good. Photograph of the Via Appia on reverse. Reads 'Dear Sir | In reply to your request I have pleasure in sending you this'.