MARIA

2pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. 'It has just struck me that I ought to have let you know that Mr. Hodge went from the bargain he had himself proposed'. She thinks that 'Mr Darton feared to make any purchase, in these bad times - I have some hopes of selling the Copyrights

and I will let you know directly I find I can do so.' Darton's had published Smythies's books 'The Breach of Promise' and 'The Marrying Man'.

9pp., 12mo. In makeshift unbound pamphlet, made up of six bifoliums pinned together. In good condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper. While short, the account is vivid, its first-person account of a whirlwind Regency romance evoking the inevitable comparison with Jane Austen. Written with the long s, the journal begins: 'On Monday July 31st.

3pp., 4to. On bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with half of a black wax seal, 'For | Mrs. Richards | Bampton.' This copy was made within a month of the composition of the poem, for the wife of a fellow Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. The recto of the second leaf carries the following note by Mant: 'with Mr. Mant's best compliments to Mrs. Richards. | Oriel Coll. June 15th.

1p., 4to. Good, on aged paper. The letter (possibly addressed to the book's publisher) reads 'My dear Sir, | It would give me great pleasure to write for the "Liberty Bell," but I dare not at this moment say I could prepare anything in the time you mention. | Yours truly | [signed] S. Judd.'

Page detached from album, stained but writing clear and complete. The plain signature of Jean Vallier, French Bass, is followed by the title Ave Maria followed by two or so bars from the song, with words (A-ve Ma-ri-a gra-ti-a ple-na), itself followed by Best wishes from | Percy B. Kahn Stoke Jan 21st 1921. Note: His most noted composition was the song Ave Maria with accompaniment by piano, and violin obbligato.

Striking vellum document, 60 x 75 cm. Docketed on reverse. 32 lines of text, ruled with red lines, with ornate engraved decorative border along three sides, headed in large letters 'Victoria by the Grace of God', and depicting the young Queen, the royal crest, a crown held by a cherub, blind justice, and other images. Tax stamp in margin and frayed ribbon at foot. On 9 September [V Geo.

4to, 3pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with slight loss to second leaf caused by opening of red wax seal (part of which still adheres), and minor nicking to edges. Begins: 'The task you set me was a task indeed [...] my first attempt at translation'. He comments on some of the difficulties involved ('The Cara so often repeated in the original is beautiful in repetition while it's angliciz'd Dear is so degraded by vulgar use').

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with minor evidence of the letter having been laid down on the blank reverse of the second leaf. Thirty names, with sums subscribed. The list is headed 'The Lord Mayor (Salomons) 5. - [five pounds]'. (David Salomons was Lord Mayor of London in 1855.] Several of the names are ticked in pencil, with another noted as 'Not paid' and another as 'Dead'. Among the subscribers is the poet Martin Farquhar Tupper (one pound). Jenny Lind had raised money for the "[Florence] Nightingale Fund".

The magazine consists of 48 pages, octavo, in original yellow printed wraps. Dogeared, and on aged paper, and with the grubby wraps quite heavily worn. 12mo publicity handbill loosely inserted. Rilke's contribution, dated 'Soglio, am Tage Mariae Himmelfahrt 1919', is on pp 14-20.

4to, 12 pp. Disbound and stitched. Very good. The poem covers pp. 3-11, with five 'Notas' on p. 12. Scarce (in the Anglo-Saxon world at least): COPAC only lists a copy at the British Library. Includes a passage on Nelson and 'el feroz Britano'. No copy found in Sanish Union Catalogue etc. (accessed through German Union Catalogue).

The sepia photograph, 11 x 4 cm, is a full-length shot of a radiant Jeritza, posing stylishly in Grecian décolleté dress and sandals. It is neatly mounted in the top left-hand corner of a leaf of cream paper (24 x 20 cm) removed from an album. The whole attractive and in good condition. In a large, bold hand Jeritza has written, diagonally across the paper and upwards towards the photograph, 'With best wishes | [signed] Maria Jeritza | 1923.'

The sepia photograph, 10 x 7 cm, is a head and shoulders shot of Aslan staring at the viewer in the character of Hamlet holding Yorick's skull. It is neatly mounted on a leaf of cream paper (24 x 20 cm) removed from an album. The whole attractive and in good condition. In a firm, bold hand Aslan has written, across the page beneath the photograph: '"Zu was für schnöden Bestimmungen | wir doch kommen, Horatio"! - | (Hamlet) | Ein Erinnerung | [signed] Raoul M. Aslan: | Wien, Oktober 1923. -'

Octavo: 53 pp. Stitched and unbound. Complete in itself, in alphabetical order, but lotted 554 to 846. Good, though grubby, and with the outer leaves somewhat creased. Includes letters and documents by Burns, Charles I and II, Maria Edgeworth, Frederick the Great, Garrick, Lady Hamilton, Handel, Dr Johnson, Southey, Wordsworth. The high spot is a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Earl of Buchan, described over one page.

Two pages, quarto. On aged paper, with several closed tears and loss at foot and remains of stub in margin, but with text clear and entire.

Stapled and unbound. Octavo: four leaves (eight unpaginated pages). On aged and lightly spotted paper. Vignette on title page. Includes list of plates and 'Specimen Entry' of pages 51-3. Verso of last leaf headed 'from CONSTABLE'S BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST', comprising 'THE CARTER-POLLARD DISCLOSURES', 'BIBLIOGRAPHIA SERIES' and 'DORMY HOUSE CATALOGUES'.

English novelist (1775-1861). One page, 12mo. A frail item in poor condition: on discoloured, frayed paper, with several closed tears and some loss to edges. A formal letter in the third person. 'Lady Charlotte Bury presents Her Comp[limen]ts. to Mr: Colnaghi and would be obliged to Him if He could make it convenient to call upon Her any time this Day, as she wishes to speak to Him respecting Some Drawings which she intends to publish'.

Docketed in pencil at foot of page 'Authoress of book on Poor Laws &c'. One page, quarto. Creased, discoloured and stained, with the rear repaired with tape. Interesting letter, referring to the publication of an essay. She is gratified by her correspondent's approbation of her 'attempt' and accepts his offer. Had the essay been published she would have asked for proof-sheets. 'I believe I have made a mis-quotation about the 8th or 9th page, & have written "Whosoever hath not &c" instead of "If any man have not".

Irish-born author (1800-81; nee Fielding), wife of Samuel Carter Hall. On slip of paper roughly 14 centimeters by 2 centimeters. In good condition, although paper discoloured and with traces of glue from previous mounting on reverse. Apparently the foot of a page of printed accounts, with 'Brewster & West, Printers, Hand Court, Dowgate.' in bottom left-hand corner. 'To be returned to Mrs. S C Hall on or before the 1st. of June' written over the printed part, but the signature 'Anna Maria Hall' written across clear paper.