NATURALIST

[Alfred Grandidier, explorer] Autograph Note, in third person ("Monsieur Alfred Grandidier présente [...]")

Author: 
Alfred Grandidier (1836–1921), French naturalist and explorer.
Publication details: 
[In another hand, "International Geographical Congress London 1895". 2 August 1895"]
£65.00

One page, 12mo, small closed tear on fold, ow good. "Monsieur Alfred Grandidier présente ses compliments au Secrétaire de Savage Club et accepte avec plaisir l'invitation qui lui a été faite pour demain samedi à 9h1.2 [9.30]."

[Charles St John, sportsman and naturalist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Charles St. John') to 'Miss Orret', regarding the rescheduling of an engagement.

Author: 
Charles St John [Charles George William St John] (1809-1856), sportsman and naturalist
Publication details: 
19 Rutland Street [Edinburgh, Scotland]. 'Tuesday' [no date].
£56.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with closed tear along gutter and traces of mount on black reverse of second leaf. He fears she will think him 'but faithless' when he asks that she does not wait for him that day, 'as if Lord B. comes in to Edinbh. as I expect him to I cannot depend on getting away from home as early as 2'. He suggests that they go to Arthur's Seat the following day, and in a postscript explains that his sons have delivered the present letter 'en passant to school', and that they will wait 'for a verbal answer' on their way home.

[Edmond de Sélys Longchamps, Belgian scientist and politician.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Edm. de Selys Longchamps'), in French, to 'Monsieur Stevens', regarding a collection of specimens he has offered him.

Author: 
Baron Michel Edmond de Sélys Longchamps (1813-1900), Belgian liberal politician and scientist, a great authority on dragonflies
Publication details: 
Liege. 26 March 1866.
£140.00

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He writes that he has received the collection of specimens safely, and that there are several that are new to him. He would like to make a selection, but pressure of work makes that impossible, so he is taking the lot at £8 18s 0d. He concludes by expressing pleasure at the news that 'Monsieur Dale' still enjoys good health.

Typed Letter Signed ('Oliver G. Pike') from the ornithologist Oliver Gregory Pike, offering his services as a lecturer.

Author: 
Oliver G. Pike [Oliver Gregory Pike] (1877-1963), FZS, FRPS, British ornithologist, wildlife photographer and documentary pioneer
Publication details: 
On his letterhead of 'The Birdland Lectures, The Bungalow, Leighton Buzzard.' May 1925.
£80.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, aged and lightly-creased. The letterhead includes fourteen endorsements from newspapers in the left-hand margin, with Pike described as 'Author of the Birdland Books. | 100,000 copies sold.' Although bearing a genuine signature, the letter may be a circular. Pike is enclosing 'a copy of my Lecture Prospectus for next season' (not present). He goes on to discuss his 'new Lecture entitled: - "BIRDLAND CAMEOS"', before concluding: 'If your Society should decide to engage me, I can promise them a thoroughly interesting evening.'

Autograph Note Signed J. Arthur Thomson to Melrose, commiserating with his correspondent.

Author: 
J. Arthur Thomson (1861–1933), Scottish naturalist
Publication details: 
[Printed heding of University has line through it] 15 Chanonry, Old Aberdeen, 12 December 1926.
£38.00

One page, 12mo, fold marks, staining, other wear and tear but text clear and complete. Before the year is out I wish to send you this friendly greeting. I an soorry that things seem to have gone against you, - always too fine an instrument for this hard world. You have never been very patient with 'sympathy', but I just wish to ['express' elided] say that I have towards you, as always, that feeling of comradeship which a warm grip of the hand would ['indicate' elided] better express. But I hope there are sunny days ahead yet and that we shall have another journey together some day.

Autograph Letter Signed ('F Barham Zincke') from the antiquary and radical Foster Barham Zincke to 'My dear Mr Flower' [Sir William Henry Flower], regarding the latter's five-month stay in Egypt.

Author: 
Rev. Foster Barham Zincke (1817-1893), English antiquary and radical pamphleteer, educated at Wadham College, Oxford [Sir William Henry Flower (1831-1899), Director of the Natural History Museum]
Publication details: 
Wherstead Vicarage, Ipswich. 28 May <1874?>.
£220.00

4pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of stub adhering to margin. He has received Flower's 'catalogue'. 'I was sure you wd. be delighted with Egypt. It has so much to tell us about man & nature. The early stages of mans progress, & the variety of nature.' Zincke would like 'time to look into things & to think about them': he was in Egypt 'only as many weeks as you were months'.

Autograph Signature ('J Arthur Thomson').

Author: 
J. Arthur Thomson [Sir John Arthur Thomson] (1861-1933), Scottish naturalist and author whose writings sought to reconcile science and religion
Publication details: 
Place and date not stated.
£18.00

On slip of paper, roughly 2.5 x 10 cm, cut from a letter for an autograph hunter. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Reads 'Yours sincerely | J Arthur Thomson'.

List of the Annual Volumes of the Ray Society. From their Commencement, in 1844, to December, 1901.

Author: 
The Ray Society [John Ray; natural history]
Publication details: 
[1901?] Printed by Adlard and Son, Bartholomew Close, E.C.; 20, Hanover Square, W. and Dorking.
£28.00

8vo: 16 pp. Stapled pamphlet. Nothing other than the title printed on the first leaf. Text paginated [19] to 31, with publisher's slug on reverse of last leaf. On aged and creased paper, with 6 cm closed tear at central crease of outer bifolium. No copies of this title on COPAC or WorldCat.

Autograph Letter Signed to the naturalist Rev. Francis Orpen Morris (1810-1893).

Author: 
James Blackwood, Scottish publisher
Publication details: 
17 October 1857, on his business letterhead, 8 Lovell's Court, Paternoster Row.
£56.00

8vo: 2 pp. The 'idea is worth Consideration', but Blackwood 'can hardly see how any large sale cann be depended upon, so as to repay the expense of printing advertising &c.' Asks that Morris send him 'one sermon, to indicate style, length & to estimate cost'. Asks what size of paper should be used. Notices that Morris's works are 'principally on natural history'. Likes the idea of 'the <?> natural history', and 'will take an early opportunity of looking at it'. This notable London publisher is a surprising omission from BBTI.

Letter, in a secretarial hand, signed by Cuvier ('Bn G Cuvier'), to 'Mr. Raynal, Proviseur du college Royal de Nismes'. With engraved portrait of Cuvier by T. Richomme, from a drawing by 'Mme Lizinka de Mirbel'.

Author: 
Baron Georges Cuvier [Baron Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier] (1769-1832), French naturalist [Theodore Richomme; Aimée Zoe Lizinka de Mirbel]
Publication details: 
Letter of 2 April 1822; on letterhead of the Conseil royal de l'Instruction publique. Engraving undated (circa 1840?).
£225.00

Letter: Folio (30.5 x 20 cm), 1 p. Bifolium, with text on recto of first leaf and address (with several postmarks) on reverse of second. Five lines. Text clear and complete, with good clear signature. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper, with 1.5 cm closed tear in top left-hand corner (not affecting text). The 'Objet de la lettre' is given as 'Envoi d'un Brevet de Pension'. The pension will be paid 'par la Caisse d'Amortissement'. Engraving: Original, on paper 24 x 15.5 cm. Captioned 'G. CUVIER.' A good clear impression on grubby, spotted and lightly-creased paper.

Two Autograph Letters Signed ('Edwd. Jesse' and 'Edward Jesse') to [Edward] Walford.

Author: 
Edward Jesse (1780-1868), English naturalist and author [Edward Walford (1823-1897)]
Publication details: 
13 October 1863, 16 Belgrave Place; 30 July 1867, Brighton.
£85.00

Letter One (12mo, 2 pp; good, with glue from previous mounting to reverse of blank second leaf of bifolium): Jesse hears 'that there has been a violent attack made on my lectures to the Brighton Fishermen in "the Field" of last Saturday'. He 'published these lectures in the hopes that they might be useful to many people'. He 'gave the Copyright to Mr. Booth the publisher & never recovered one farthing profit for them'. 'They were written for an ignorant club of men without any pretension'.

Two Autograph Letters Signed to [F. J.] Epps[, F.G.S.]

Author: 
Sir Philip Manson-Bahr
Publication details: 
The first, 24 May 1951, on letterhead 'THE OLD COTTAGE, | POOTINGS, | NR. EDENBRIDGE, | KENT.'; the second, 3 January 1952, on letterhead '149, HARLEY STREET, W.1. | (MARYLEBONE ROAD END)'.
£80.00

English physician specialising in tropical medicine (1881-1966). Both 1 page, 16mo. Both dusty but in good condition. The first on blue paper the second on light green. In the first letter he says he is 'glad to be able to report that my paper has been written & is now being typed out. It has taken me many hours to do so in order to make it interesting & attractive to the non-medical reader. Whether I have succeeded in doing so I must leave to you to decide.' He says the paper 'should be in your hands by Monday next.

Typed Letter Signed and Typed Note Signed to F. J. Epps, Convenor, South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies, 78 Dunwich Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, England.

Author: 
[NATIONAL PARK SERVICE] Ned J. Burns
Publication details: 
1 November 1943 and 28 November 1944; both on letterhead 'UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR | NATIONAL PARK SERVICE | Chicago, 54, Ill.'
£35.00

The letter of 2 pages, 4to. Discoloured, dusty and frayed. Dr Carl P. Russell has asked him to reply to Epps's letter regarding 'the preservation of outdoor Geological Sections'. Discusses this matter over two paragraphs. Says he is sending a copy of his 'Field Manual for Museums' and refers Epps to two illustrations. 'I am personally as well as professionally interested in all problems related to the preservation of natural and historical objects and will be pleased to learn of any methods you have found to be satisfactory.' The note of 1 page, 16mo.

Autograph Letter Signed to Mr [?] Grinling.

Author: 
William Percival Westell
Publication details: 
22 September 1915, on letterhead Verulam, The Icknield Way, Letchworth.
£45.00

Fellow of the Linnaean Society, Naturalist and first curator of the Letchworth Museum. 2 pages, 8vo, in good condition, but with slight damp damage to one margin not affecting text. Closely written. 'I thought you would like to know that our Naturalist's 'Society' & Museum here are progressing & I believe we are doing a good educational & scientific work, even in war time. | We now have a membership of 220'. Goes into detail about grades of membership. 'We should welcome you personally & should also like someone associated with the G[reat]. N[orthern]. R[ailway].

Typed Letter Signed to F. J. Epps, Convenor, South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies, 78 Dunwich Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, England.

Author: 
Carl P. Russell
Publication details: 
18 August 1943; on letterhead United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
£150.00

Chief Naturalist of the National Park Service and Superintendent of Yosemite National Park. One page, 8vo, slightly stained but in good overall condition. Russell is replying to Epps's request for information about the National Park System, 'particularly those areas which are classed as "nature preserves"'. He says that he is sending a number of publications under separate cover, and that with this letter he encloses copies of the 'Antiquities Act' of Congress, 1906 and 'Dr. Kendeigh's article' (neither of which are present).

Autograph Signature on fragment of Typed Letter to unnamed correspondent.

Author: 
Edward Hindle
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£10.00

Naturalist, Fellow of the Royal Society and Scientific Director, the Zoological Society. The fragment is approximately two inches by five, good condition. It reads 'Yours sincerely, | Edw Hindle | (Edward Hindle) | Scientific Director.'

Autograph Signature on fragment of Typed Letter to unnamed correspondent.

Author: 
Edward Hindle
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£10.00

Naturalist, Fellow of the Royal Society and Scientific Director, the Zoological Society. The fragment is approximately two and a half inches by five: paper slightly discoloured. It is mounted on a piece of paper and reads 'With kind regards, | Yours sincerely, | Edw Hindle | (Edward Hindle) | Scientific Director.'

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