LONDON

12pp., small 4to., on twelve leaves of thick art paper bound with pink ribbon, in blue and brown illustrated chromo-litho covers with flap carrying the royal crest. Internally good, in worn covers repaired with tape. The covers are designed in the distinctive style of the periodThe first eight pages each carry an arrangement of as many as a dozen black and white photographic illustrations of the firm's stock, within a coloured decorative borders (varying from page to page). The last four pages are entirely printed in black. The only text consists of captions to the illustrations.

23 + [1]pp., 12mo. Stitched, in blue printed wraps. Aged and worn, with creasing to wraps and fly-leaf, which is inscribed 'Ivor James | from | J. A. Grosvenor | May 20. 1921.' Excessively scarce: the only copy on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat at the British Library.

1p., landscape 12mo (16 x 20.5 cm). Addressed on reverse 'To | John Bowring Esqre | 6 Freeman's Court | Cornhill'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded into a packet for hand-delivery. Written in a crabbed, difficult hand. Begins: 'Tomorrow I will send you a copy of my Character [clearly 'The Life and Character of the Duke of Wellington', which is however generally ascribed to his namesake the Earl of Ellesmere], which you will see

Blaquiere

is just now in demand. Also a work which i can only lend him.

409 + [6]pp., 8vo. In blue cloth, with ornate design printed in silver on front cover, around a laid down photographic portrait of 'The late Alderman J. Rhodes, J.P. Founder of the Firm in 1824.' Spine reads: '1824. J. RHODES & SONS, LTD., 1901.' Text embossed on back cover. In fair condition, on aged paper, in lightly-worn and aged binding. Two leaves of addenda tipped-in, the first, with text printed in red, headed 'Notice. - American Competition!'; the second carrying text and illustration of the '"Rhodes" "Excelsior" Treadle Guillotine Shear'.

[179]pp., 8vo, paginated 167-189 (and magazine frontispiece); 329-350; 567-[587]; 721-741; 825-[847] [the last five from vol.88]; 67-87; 261-284; 351-374 [the last three from vol.89]. In a contemporary binding, with ticket of Goulden & Curry, The Royal Library, Tunbridge Wells. Very good, lightly aged and worn, in black leather half-binding with black cloth boards and gilt tooling. Ownership inscription on front free endpaper: 'Weldon | Didmarton | Janry. 1900 -'.

On 8.5 x 11 cm grey compliments slip printed in blue of 'Professor Sir Claus Moser, K.C.B., C.B.E., F.B.A. | Director'. In very good condition. The autograph, in red ink, reads: 'Best Regards | CM'.

58 + [2]pp., 8vo. Frontispiece photograph of Queen Victoria, seated with a fan. In yellow wraps ornately printed in brown (discoloured gold?). Disbound from volume of pamphlets, with library stitching to spine and small '5' in ink at head of cover. Advertisements on wraps and final leaf. Descriptions of 479 fans (no illustrations), the first four lent by Queen Victoria. Four page index listing scores of lenders, including Mrs Leopold de Rothschild, Princess Louise, the Marchioness of Bristol, the Irish Lace Depot, the London Glove Company, and the Duchess of York.

1p., folio. In fair condition, aged and worn, with two punch holes at head. The letter begins by drawing the recipient's attention to an 'enclosed statement relating to Emanuel Hospital. | The principals involved are of great public interest and apply to every educational endowment throughout the kingdom | They involve: - | The confiscation of property | The arbitrary removal of Governors against whom no complaint is alleged. | Entire disregard of the charter of foundation | The absolute prohibition of the gratuitous education of the poor except as the result of competitive examination'.

On both sides of a 22 x 42 cm leaf, folding into six 22 x 14 cm pages. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. In small print. A few replacement speakers noted in manuscript. Details of the lectures for this four-day conference cover a page, with speakers including Anthony Eden (replaced by 'Mr Nutting'), Herbert Agar and Gunnar Myrdal (replaced by 'Mr Kenneth Yonge'). The rest of the pamphlet carries background notes, beginning: '"Europe 1953", the theme of our conference, is a challenging and topical subject. The face of Europe, as much as Africa and Asia, is changing.

1p., 8vo. Addressed on reverse to 'Mr Keene | Furnivals Inn'. In fair condition, aged and worn, with slight damage caused by black powder seal. The letter reads: 'Sir | On consulting with Mr Greening, I find it will be most adviseable <?> Mr Greening go to the Fleet - I wish therefore you could send over Mr Watson this Afternoon, when I will pay him the Money requisite for the Habeas <?>. | Sir | Your hble Servt | Robt Huish'.

It is Sir Basil Blackwell, in his DNB entry on Wilson, who described him as 'the most famous English [sic] bookseller of his time'. The freshness and enthusiasm conveyed by this small volume supports Blackwell's view that Wilson viewed 'bookselling not so much as a matter of retail trade as a service in which bookseller and customer met and shared the experience of contact with the precious manifestations of the spirit of man', as well as casting light on the methods and practices which made Wilson so successful.

For more about Joseph Wilson, ARIBA, FRIAS, see his entry in the Dictionary of Scottish Architects. From the familiar tone of his letters (Items Seven, Ten and Eleven below), there is every indication that he was closely related to his client, J. G. Wilson, proprietor of the prestigious firm of J. & E. Bumpus Ltd, and a man described by Sir Basil Blackwell (in his DNB entry on Wilson) as 'the most famous English [sic] bookseller of his time'. Eleven items, in good condition, lightly aged and worn.

From the papers of The Sun's receiver, Charles Fox of 11 Old Jewry, London. The ten items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. According to Bottomley's entry in the Oxford DNB, ' In 1902 he bought a moribund evening newspaper, The Sun.

On 8.5 x 9.5 cm piece of paper. In good condition, with light signs of age. Reads: '"Littera scripta manet" | Valentine Chirol'.

On the 8 x 13cm cover of the envelope. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with loss at head and to top right-hand corner from removal from an album, traces of which adhere to the reverse. Playfair's signature ('Lyon Playfair') in the bottom left-hand corner is unnaffected, and the address, also in his hand, reads: 'Messrs George Routledge & Son | Broadway | Ludgate Hill | E.C.' The orange circular franking postmark is incomplete, and reads: 'LON | OFF | PAID | B | 9 FE 86'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'My dear Young | Jack Calthorpe-Clayton is in the country: and I don't know when he will be home. He will be much grieved, I know, not to be here to welcome you back to our dingy old capital, when he knows of your apparition here | Yours very truly | J Palgrave Simpson'. The identity of 'Jack Calthorpe-Clayton' is uncertain. The name is certainly spelt thus, but may be a mistake for 'Colthorpe-Clayton'.

Packet of six items, held together with a pin. Totalling 8pp., folio; 3pp., 8vo. In good overall condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from 'Wm: R: Myers | Secy' to Messrs Thomson Hankey & Co, London. Executive Committee Office; 26 December 1855. 2pp., folio. Giving details of five documents which he is forwarding, 'on the Chairs received from Messrs. Druce & Co'. He writes that he is 'directed to communicate through you, that the Chairs are not accepted and will not be paid for, but will be kept on the account and risk of Messrs.

8pp., 8vo. Unbound pamphlet. In good condition, lightly aged and creased. Seventy numbered paragraphs, divided into two main parts, 'A Summary of the National Health Service Act' (itself divided into five parts: Central Administration; Hospital and Specialist Services; Health Services provided by Local Health Authorities; General Medical and Dental Services, Pharmaceutical Services and Supplementary Ophthalmic Services; Mental Health Services) and 'The Profession and the Act'. Scarce: no copy traced either on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.

Printed on one side of a piece of 15cm square card. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Four numbered instructions, preceded by: 'There would be a great need for extra bed coverings for children should evacuation ever take place. Suitable covers can be made by sewing together squares knitted up from scraps of wool. They will always be useful even if, as we all hope, they are not needed for their original purpose.' This initiative can be dated from a reference in 'Home & Country' magazine, 1939. Scarce: no copy traced in the Imperial War Museum or elsewhere.

The three items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, pinned together. ONE: Duplicated typescript titled 'Appointment of Women Officers as voluntary Members of the Regular Army Reserve of Officers'. 3pp., two of them foolscap 8vo, the other landscape 12mo. Divided into 18 sections under the headings: General; Purpose of the Reserve and Liability for Service; Eligibility for Appointment; Age Limits; Rank on Appointment; Training; Uniform; Change of Address and Change of Name by Marriage; Permanent Residence Abroad; Removal on Account of Age from the RARO; How to Join.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. On aged paper worn at extremities. Addressed on reverse (which also carries docketing and calculations) to 'Messrs. Talver Milburn & Prestwich | 24 High St. Boro' | London'. The letter begins: 'Gentn. | The enclosed bill value £186. 13. 4 - you will place to my Fathers acct. & acknowledge Pr. return to this place. In the statement made of the balance of his acct. I presume you omitted to give him credit for the Stock sold & the Dividend upon it'. In the second paragraph he gives details of '2 bills' he has drawn on the firm.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper. An unpublished jeux d'esprit on the well-known poem by Isaac Watts (also parodied by Lewis Carroll), the poem consists of twenty-four lines arranged in six four-line stanzas, followed by: 'written in the shortest minute of the longest day by | Thomas Haynes Bayly | June 22nd. 1835.' The first two stanzas read: 'As "doth the little busy Bee | "Improve each shining hour, | "And gather honey all the day | "From every opening flower." | So doth the busy T. H. B.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, but with loss at foot and traces of mount on reverse. The letter is addressed to 'Mrs Ashurst Morris | Victoria Hotel | ' (the last word damaged at the foot of the page). It reads: 'Dear Madam, | Thanks for your letter. Pardon my delay in answering, but our plans have been a little uncertain. We shall not be staying in London after the date mentioned, otherwise, we should have been very glad to continue our present sojourn at your comfortable flat.

2pp., small 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Smith | Mechanic Arms | Henry Street | oppe Ancott Street | Manchester'. With contemporary note, in another hand, on separate piece of paper: '312. | Journal of Sergt. Major Dove, of six Years Service of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, in the Peninsula'.

Printed Hankey & Co. cheque for £156 17s 10d., on account of the 'Exors Sir Wm. Alexander', signed by 'Thomas Hankey Jnr. | Exor'. In fair condition, on aged paper. On the reverse: 'Travelling Expenses of | Mr. J. A Hankey | Coll. Hankey | J Hankey J. | R. Alexander | A. Js. Alexander | } and 3 Servants | from London to Edinburgh & back to attend the funeral Expenses of Sir W. Alexander. | £156. 17. 10. | J H Jnr'.

Full title: 'Comparative Statement of the Imports into Bristol from the West Indies of Sugar, Rum & Coffee, together with Sugar from the East Indies and Mauritius from the 1st. January to the 30th. Septr in the Years 1839 & 1840 shewing the Stocks remaining under Bond at the latter date.' 3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Addressed (with two postmarks, one of them from Bristol) on reverse of second leaf: 'P.P. | Messrs. Hankey Wilson & Co | London', and docketed by the recipients: '496 | Ariel & Beloe | 30 Sept 1840 | recd 2 Oct [1840] | no answer'.

Each of the six issues in its original card wraps, the first four with cover design by Wyndham Lewis. Internally good, on lightly aged paper, in aged and worn wraps. A total of 176pp., 8vo. No.10 (May 1938), pp.29-54. No.11 ('Long poems by George Barker and Kenneth Allott', July 1938), pp.55-78. No.12-13 ('an attempt to get inside the covers of a small magazine a number of the best, and most representative, living poets born in America', October 1938), pp.79-118. No.14 (December 1938), pp.119-142. No.17 (April/May 1939), pp.1-26. No.18 ('A Special Number', June/July 1939), pp.27-62.

2pp., folio. On single leaf, with the reverse paginated 2. In double column. The article begins: 'No sign of the times appears to us fraught with more emphatic warning than the proposal of Dr. Pusey, that the Universities should abandon subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles, as the practical qualifications for orthodox Church of England Protestant teaching.' A footnote cites a work by Macbride.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter reads: 'I beg to re-enclose for the excerpt from your publication "Men & Women of the Time," of my biography which I have revised, making a very few alterations, & adding a few lines which I write on the other sheet of this note: [not present] my permanent address now is the above'. The note relates to the fifteenth edition of the work, published by G. Routledge & Sons in 1899.

7 + [1]pp., 12mo. Stitched and unbound. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Signed in the top right-hand corner of the first page, above the drop-head title, 'Charles Hesketh'. The final page carries a list of seven works 'By the same Author.', the latest dating from 1851. Excessively scarce: no copies on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.