LONDON

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 9.5 x 10 cm piece of paper, laid down on 11 cm square piece of card. In good condition, lightly browned and aged. The letterhead is printed in red. The inscription reads ?Faithfully yours / Solomon J Solomon?.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice for postage and with an unobtrusive crease to one corner (not near signature). Reads: ‘Sir / A meeting of the Standard Commission will be held at Sir John Lubbock’s Bank, St. Mildred’s Court, Mansion house Street, on Thursday Feb 11, at 11 o’clock in the forenoon, when your attendance is particularly requested. / I am, Sir, / Your obedient servant / G B Airy’.

This prospectus is a scarce item: no other copy has been traced. A 4to bifolium, with four unnumbered pages printed in red. Somewhat aged and worn, with a horizontal strip of light discoloration at the head of the cover, which has the title and author’s name surrounded by a border made up of Tenniel’s illustrations, beneath this is a quotation from Dodgson’s poetry and the price of ‘7/6 net’. Across the middle two pages is the heading ‘The Centenary “Life of Lewis Carroll”’. The text begins by explaining that Reed has made use of Dodgson’s letters to Ellen Terry.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient of the letter that this envelope contained was born Jane Omond (1839-1932). She was the wife of the architect John James Stevenson (1831-1908), whose first wife was Elisa Anderson, the cousin of Skelton Anderson, husband of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. A 13.5 x 7.5 cm envelope, with the flap torn open at the back. Otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed by Anderson to ‘Mrs. J. J. Stevenson / The Red House / 3 Bayswater Hill / W’, and with her initials ‘E. G. A.’ at bottom right.Mrs. Garret [sic] Anderson’.

An interesting slice of social history, casting light on the decor of a substantial London property owned by an affluent member of the middle classes. Neatly and closely written over 18pp, foolscap 8vo. On five bifoliums bound together with green ribbon. First page with red ten-shilling stamp. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into the customary packet, endorsed crosswise on final page: ‘Dated 23rd. January 1894 / J. G. Grieve Esq / To / Mrs. E. C. Grieve / Assignment / of / Funiture &c. in 15 Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park.

See Cunningham’s entry in the Oxford DNB. Neatly written out in his distinctive hand. The present holograph gives the words to one of his most popular songs (an American version substitutes ‘Columbia’ for ‘Old England’). It was first published in the London Magazine in August 1822, and by 1834 was well-enough known to be discussed - and dismissed as ‘Puling nonsense’ - in ‘Sailors and Saints, by the Author of the Naval Sketch Book [i.e. William Nugent Glascock]’ (1834). 1p, 4to, on gilt-edged leaf of wove paper extracted from an album.

An interesting slice of social history, casting light on the decor of a substantial London property owned by an affluent member of the middle classes. Neatly and closely written over 18pp, foolscap 8vo. On five bifoliums bound together with green ribbon. First page with red ten-shilling stamp. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into the customary packet, endorsed crosswise on final page: ‘Dated 23rd. January 1894 / J. G. Grieve Esq / To / Mrs. E. C. Grieve / Assignment / of / Funiture &c. in 15 Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park.

See his entry in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. A year before these letters Hodgkinson had become an assistant keeper in the Department of Architecture and Sculpture at the Victoria and Albert, where his first task had been to organize the display of the Hildburgh collection of English medieval alabasters. Also in 1946 Robertson had begun his long career at Edinburgh University, having worked through the war at Bletchley Park, before joining the unit assigned to track down works of art looted by the Nazis.

1p, small 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice for postage. Written in a close hand, with a larger and more forceful signature, with long underlining: ‘John Gielgud.’ Reads: ‘Dear Mrs. Bannerman. / All my best thanks for the lovely lilies, which arrived fresh and safely. They are quite enchanting - and cost a small fortune if one buys them in a florists.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once for postage. The year is given in pencil, and a note in the same hand identifies the recipient as ‘Mrs Florence Doubleday (wife of publisher) in Oyster Bay’. Ten lines of text, in a close hand, with larger, firm signature ‘John Gielgud.’ A somewhat pompous missive. He thanks her for giving him ‘so delightful an opportunity of meeting you, and to ask me to stay in your charming house and meet your friends, who were all so nice to me’.

See Michael Kennedy's assessment of Boult, in his entry in the Oxford DNB: 'In the music he admired most, Boult was often a great conductor; in the rest, an extremely conscientious one.' On card with stamp, crest and ‘POST CARD’ printed in red. In fair condition, lighly worn. Addressed to ‘Miss Minshull / 1 Claverley Grove / Finchley N.3.’ Reads on the other, crosswise: ‘Please excuse a hasty scrawl: can you come to Lincoln’s Inn at 5 on Wed? Dont answer if all right. / I am so glad you’re able to do it: it will be fine I think. / Adrian C. Boult / 11 Chelsea Embankment / S.W.3.’

See Michael Kennedy's assessment of Boult, in his entry in the Oxford DNB: 'In the music he admired most, Boult was often a great conductor; in the rest, an extremely conscientious one.' The two items are unrelated. LETTER: 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly creased. Folded twice for postage. Addressed to ‘C. Holme-Barnett, Esq., / 54 Anchorage Road, / Sutton Coldfield, / Warwickshire.’ The salutation and valediction are in Boult’s autograph: ‘Dear Mr Holme-Barnett’ and ‘Yours sincerely / Adrian C. Boult.’ The letter concerns two Birmingham conductors.

See Smith’s entry in the Oxford DNB, and Michael Kennedy's assessment of Boult, in his entry in the same work: 'In the music he admired most, Boult was often a great conductor; in the rest, an extremely conscientious one.' The two items are unrelated. LETTER: 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once for postage and with corners snipped diagonally to make an octagonal shape. Salutation and valediction are in Boult’s autograph: ‘Dear Mrs Brown’ and ‘Yours very sincerely / Adrian C. Boult’. PROGRAMME: 12pp, 8vo. Stapled.

See his entry and hers in the Oxford DNB. The two items are in good condition, lightly aged, and each folded once for postage. Neatly and firmly written. Both addressed to ‘Dear Miss Scott’ and signed ‘Keith Falkner’. ONE: 2pp, 12mo. Eleven lines. He will be ‘pleased to sing in the “Peasant Cantata” at the Union “At Home” on June 28th’ and asks to know ‘which version you will be doing as soon as you decide?’ He ends with thanks for her ‘kind sympathy - I do appreciate it very much’. TWO: 2pp, 8vo. Twenty-three lines of text.

See his entry and hers in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘Lionel Tetris.’ Begins ‘Dear Miss Scott / It was so kind of you to give us such a nice tea-party yesterday[.] We thoroughly enjoyed it and thank you very much indeed. / We hope you will come & see us soon[.] Won’t you come to Lunch one day?’

Grafe’s putative intelligence work during the war is referenced in Helen Fry’s ‘The Walls Have Ears | The Greatest Intelligence Operation of World War II’ (2019). He worked as translator and editor from as early as 1950 (for Phaidon) and 1986 (for Thames and Hudson). Nigel Spivey, in his ‘Phaidon 1923-98’ (1999), describes how, during the ‘Harvey Miller period’ at the firm, ‘Steady editorial continuity within the workforce at Cromwell Place was provided by an ex-Viennese scholar called Innocenz Grafe (who for a perhaps obvious reason preferred to be known as simply ‘Dr G.’ ’.

C. A. Russell’s 2003 biography of Edward Frankland contains a thumbnail biography of Phipson, who ‘obtained a doctorate at Brussels in 1855, and after editing Cosmos in Paris, directed an analytical laboratory at Putney (at 4, The Cedars, almost on the site of Frankland’s earlier exploits at the now demolished College of Engineering). He became a Fellow of the Chemical Society in 1862 and was a prolific author of short papers as well as an accomplished amateur violinist’. See the short biographical notice in C. J. Bouverie, ‘The scientific and literary works of Dr. T. L.

1p, 4to. On discoloured and somewhat grubby paper, folded twice for postage. Addressed to ‘S. Hodgson Esq.’ and signed ‘H M. Hake’. Hodgson has sent Hake ‘a manuscript fragment’, which does not seem to indicate either of ‘the portraits in the Gallery’. He has ‘looked up the record of portraits offered in the past but there is no mention of Mrs. Cruikshank or her executors.’ He asks a related question before turning to the subject of the physician Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson (1828-1896), who was in Hake’s opinion ‘more of a professional worthy than a national one’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The six items - written in the semi-retirement that followed Escott's breakdown in 1885 (Joseph Chamberlain and Lord Randolph Churchill took up a subscription for him) - are in good condition, on lightly aged paper. A total of 12pp, 12mo. Closely written in a well-nigh illegible hand. All six letters are addressed to ‘My dear Sir’ and signed ‘T H S Escott’. Considering the execrable nature of the handwriting, it is ironic that the main topic would appear to be the supplying by Escott of autographs for the recipient’s collection.

Written during the 1984-5 Old Vic production of Arthur Schnitzler’s ‘The Lonely Road’, in which Eggar starred opposite Anthony Hopkin, with a young Colin Firth. 2pp, 12mo. Good bold signature: ‘Sincerely / Samantha Eggar’. Addressed to 'Mr Sephton'. In good condition, lightly aged, folded for postage. She thanks him for his ‘inquiry as to whether I would be able to talk to you about “Whos Who of Hollywood Britons’, and gives the only date that is convenient. ‘The show comes down at 5.15 approx, maybe a call to the theatre to check would be wise’. From the papers of Kenneth Sephton.

Leighton’s entry in the Oxford DNB explains that ‘In 1954 she began a long run (nearly four years in London and New York) as Anne Shankland and Sybil Railton-Bell in the double bill of Terence Rattigan's Separate Tables, co-starring with Eric Portman and winning a Tony award as best actress.’ 2pp, 4to. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr Sephton’, with good bold signature, ‘Margaret Leighton.’ In good condition, lightly aged, folded for postage.

According to Delane’s entry in the Oxford DNB, he settled ‘from about 1847 at 16 Serjeants' Inn, Temple’. The addressee appears to be ‘W. Forsyth Esq’, and is named in the letter as a brother of the Conservative politician William Forsyth (1812-1899), who took silk in 1857, and hence also of the diplomat Sir Thomas Douglas Forsyth (1827-1886), both of whom have ODNB entries. 2pp, 12mo, with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged, and folded twice for postage, in the neat remains of a windowpane mount.

An uncommon signature. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On one side of 18 x 10 cm piece of paper. Discoloured and worn, with spike hole. Good firm signature, full of character. Reads: ?174 Edgware Road / Maida Hill / 27 April 1832 / Please deliver to Mr Green or [aide? drdee?order?] my picture not received for the Exhibition / Henry Jutsum / To / Mr. Vaughan / Royal Academy?. See Image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightl aged. Folded once for postage. The recipient is not named, but the letter has at its head the date stamp of the Royal Society of Arts, London, and is docketed by Wood. Signed ?H. Brereton Baker?. He agrees to give ?the three Cantor lectures as you suggest, provided they can begin after the 3rd. week in February?. He gives the subject as ?Catalysis in its scientific and industrial aspects?. A pencil note at the foot gives dates for the lectures as ?Mch 16, 23, 30?.

Watford?s obituaries noted her sensitive acting style, and ranked alongside Peggy Ashcroft. On both sides of a 14.5 x 10 cm card, with no printing but for the name ?GWEN WATFORD? in red at the head of recto. Addressed to ?Dear Mr Sephton? and with good firm signature ?Gwen Watford?. In good condition lightly aged. Twelves lines of neatly written text. She has ?just finished another mid-week matinee?, and is writing thank him for his ?most encouraging letter?, which she will ?treasure?.

In his entry on Laye in the Oxford DNB, Sheridan Morley describes her as a ?bright, particular star?. 1p, 12mo, on grey-blue paper with monogram of her initials printed at top left. The letter concerns the 1969-70 Palace Theatre production of ?Phil the Fluter?, in which she played Mrs Fitzmaurice. Addressed to ?Dear Kenneth? and with good firm signature ?Evelyn Laye?. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. She thanks him for the letter and ?the lovely Shamrock?, which she has planted ?in a little pot, as it was so very thoughtful of you to sentd it to me for Good Luck?.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The letter is addressed from the house of Frederick Goodall (also see ODNB), which at other times was occupied by Laurence Alma Tadema and James Murray. 2pp, 12mo. On the first leaf of a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to ?My dear Mrs. Calkin? and signed ?Frank Holl?. Twenty-six lines of text in a hurried hand. He thanks her for her ?kind trouble - & for the rifle which my model called for and brought with him this morning?. He is sorry that her son George has been injured.

A close, controlled hand, on a slip of paper 10 x 1 cm. See Image. In good condition, lightly aged with a little light red spotting. Reads: ?Believe me / faithfully yours / Brunnow?.

In his entry on Laye in the Oxford DNB, Sheridan Morley describes her as a ?bright, particular star?. 1p, 16mo.Good firm signature. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. On the otherwise-blank reverse is Laye's monogram, with her initials. Reads: 'My dear Kenneth. / Thank you for your very sweet letter[.] I am so delighted you liked the broadcast[.] It brought back many happy memories to me & when I sat & listened to it all alone I must say I longed for the past. / Bless you. / Evelyn Laye.' From the papers of Kenneth Sephton.

On one side of 15 x 10 cm grey-blue card, with facsimile of her signature at the head. Addressed to ?Dear Kenneth?, and with bold stylish signature at bottom right. The subject of the letter is the Piccadilly Theatre production of ?Gypsy?, which had opened a few days before on 29 May 1973. She thanks him for his ?kind letter?, adding ?Thank god you were right about the show and it has turned into more of a success than I could have ever hoped for.? She is sorry he couldn?t attend the first night, as ?it was a good show and I know you would have enjoyed it?.