PRINTERS

From the Sylvia and Robert Lynd papers. Scarce: no copy on JISC, but in NLI. 16pp, 12mo. Stitched. No wraps. The outer covers spotted, and the back cover grubby, otherwise in good condition, lightly aged. One vertical fold. The author’s position, supported with statistical analysis, is that ‘The present position is indefensible as it stands; and it is becoming worse.

Two nice ephemeral items. Both now quite scarce: the first (four copies on COPAC) more than the second. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Disbound and stabbed as issued. ONE: ‘No. 592. / The Blind Schoolmistress of Devonshire. / A True and Interesting Story.’ 8pp, 12mo. Slug at foot of p.8 (beneath the RTS’s dove-and-olive-branch device): ‘London: Printed by W. Clowes, Stamford-street, for The Religious Tract Society; and sold at their Depository, 56, Paternoster-row; also by J. and C.

An interesting item, providing a sidelight into the process of Victorian scholarly editing and publication. Fitchew’s letter is 2pp, 4to, on the outer pages of a bifolium; the inner pages being filled with notes (citations?) in a minuscule hand, possibly the recipient’s. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, and folded for postage. Addressed to ‘H. W. Wilson’ and signed ‘E. H. Fitchew’. The letter begins: ‘Dear Mr. Wilson / I think it is possible we may want a little more letterpress, but probably not much. Up to end of pt. 7 we have used 82 slips.

Engraved advertisement printed in dark blue, light blue and pink on both sides of 20 x 14 cm piece of unwatermarked wove paper. An amusing fake bank note or bond, designed to showcase the firm’s competency. The paper stock and layout are entirely consistent with the firm’s work. On one side, instead of a picture of a monarch or president, is the face of a rather imperious young woman (one of the directors’ wives?), together with a design featuring the fasces and motto ‘VIS UNITA FORTIOR’.

Three scarce items: no other copy traced. The three pamphlets are uniform in design, each consisting of 4pp, 12mo, stapled into card wraps with title and date beneath the Borough crest. Presumably produced for distribution at the annual town fair. The text of each poem covers all four pages. The first two are in good condition, lightly aged; the last is in fair condition, slightly ruckled and spotted. ONE: ‘Ye Olde Dorset Fayre’. At the Royal Palm Court, Weymouth, 22 and 23 August 1923. Poem ‘By Two Darset Maids’ beginning: ‘Come in, me vriends, and look around, / We got all zarts to zell:’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On recto of the first leaf of a bifolium, the verso of the second leaf of which carries the address to ‘Messrs Vizetely [sic] Branston & Co / 135 Fleet St’. The firm, who traded between 1827 and 1837, were not only ‘engravers and oriental printers’, but publishers too: the item referred to in this letter, ‘The Young Lady’s Book’, had two editions published in 1829 and a third in 1832, and Jackson presumably contributed work. In fair condition, discoloured and worn.

A nice piece of First World War ephemera, from the period of transition from volunteering to conscription. Newnes was a leading British publisher of the period, and the present item may have been inserted in one of its periodicals, which included ‘The Strand Magazine’, ‘Women’s Own’ and ‘John O’London’s Weekly’. It is printed on a leaf of good quality cream 4to wove paper, and was intended for completion. In fair condition, lightly aged, with light wear and creasing to extremities.

See Moxon's entry in the Oxford DNB, which describes his association with William Wordsworth as 'arguably his most important publishing relationship'. The present poem was published as 'The Two Streams' in the 'Literary Souvenir' of Alaric Watts in 1830, a year before Moxon published his first volume of Wordsworth's verse. The present item is 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, and laid down on a leaf removed from an album. Folded three times. Entirely in Moxon's autograph, titled 'Sonnet', and signed at the end 'Edward Moxon | London Jan. 5th | 1847'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with tissue labels from mount adhering to the blank reverse. Tinsley Brothers of 8 Catherine Street, Strand, were Ainsworth's publishers during this period. The letter begins: 'Dear Mr. Tinsley, | You are quite incorrigible.' Ainsworth complains that Tinsley has sent him a letter, 'delayed since Novr. 11th. last', and that he has 'been obliged to write a long letter of explanation and apology'. He hopes that 'the lady – for the writer is a lady – will be satisfied'.

1p., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on aged and worn laid paper, 1.5" closed tear. A printed form which has not been completed in manuscript. At top right: 'No. 40.', and the royal coat of arms at head. A rare and interesting piece of pacifist and Quaker ephemera, and a testament to nonviolent resistance.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The letter begins: 'It would afford me very great pleasure to help you in the matter of "The Scientific Roll" This is not a Literary or Scientific locality! and we have given up our Booksellers' Shop'. If Ramsay will send 'a copy of the numbers printed', he will 'give a notice in the "Hertfordshire Mercury" and perhaps that will make it known and induce people to take it.' The Austin family continued to run the Hertfordshire Mercury until the 1980s.

[7] + 69pp., 4to. In grey printed paper wraps, with brown faux-leather spine. Aged and worn. In six parts: 'Preliminary'; 'Governing Body'; 'Endowments'; 'Application of Endowments'; 'Regulations relating to Schools'; and 'Final', with pp.47-69 carrying twelve 'Schedules', ranging from 'I. - Metropolitan Parishes, Districts and Precincts affected by the abrogation of Trusts for the admission of Children therefrom' to 'XII.- Endowments for Special Prizes'. No other copy traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

8pp., 12mo. Stitched into grey printed wraps. Aged and worn. On reverse of title: 'This booklet is produced in accordance with Paper Control regulations and is therefore limited in size and scope | It is publication number one of the Imprint Society and was first issued in August 1944'. The pamphlet begins: 'The idea that led to the Imprint Society being formed was conceived when two compositors, working in Johannesburg in 1939, realized that most of the printed matter produced in South Africa was ugly and uninspired, and that nothing was being done to remedy this.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper, with a couple of short closed tears along fold lines at foot. He is 'interested in the Polish periodical', and hopes to notice it in the magazine, and asks for information regarding six numbered points. 'If to the above could be added a translation of "A Scottish House" I think I could make an interesting article on the work.' He offers to 'give the use of any of our cuts with much pleasure'.

40pp., 12mo. Disbound and without wraps. On aged and lightly damp-stained paper. The report begins (p.5): 'The Object of the Liverpool Anti-Monopoly Association, as expressed in its constitution, is "The annihilation of all Monopolies in Trade and Commerce, and especially the total and immediate Repeal of the Bread and Provision Taxes.' Pp.36-37 carry, in small print, the 'List of Members for 1842'; the 'Council for 1843', with 'THOMAS THORNELY, Esq., M.P.' as president, is on p.3.

48pp., 12mo. Disbound with free endpapers.In fair condition, with light signs of age and wear. Nicely printed, with all edges gilt. Dedication 'To the Friends and Admirers of William Roscoe, assembled to commemorate theh Centenary of his Birth, this Edition of the Memoir, by Dr.

16pp., 8vo. Printed in black and red. In card wraps, with title on front cover also in black and red stylised lettering on front, and an advertisement on the inside back cover ('This is the first of a series of three informative pieces of literature which are to be issued and presented by the printers of the country to users of printing. [...]'). Saddle-stitched with brown thread. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn.

Both sets of proofs unstitched and unopened (and both opening out into a folio sheet), and both with title-pages printed in red and black. Both in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, and both stamped on first page 'PLEASE PASS FOR PRESS | MARGINS' in blue, with purple oval dated printers' stamp. FIRST SET: 16pp., 8vo, paginated to xvi. Title: 'THE WORKS OF MR. FRANCIS | RABELAIS | [...] | Illustrated by W. HEATH ROBINSON | The Second Part'. Publishers' details at foot on pasted label at foot of title-page: 'MCMLIV | THE NAVARRE SOCIETY LONDON'.

24pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly-aged, no wraps, disbound. Copies in copyroight libraries. None on market currently.

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.

ONE: 24pp., 12mo. In brown printed wraps. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slightly rusted staples and chipping to covers. Labels, stamp and shelfmark of the Education Department Library, London. No copy found on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat. TWO: 26pp., 8vo. In light-blue printed wraps. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper, with rusted staples. With label and shelfmark (of the Board of Education Reference Library, London). No copy on OCLC WorldCat, and the only copy on COPAC at Oxford University.

[4] + 47pp., 8vo. In printed wraps. Internally in fair condition, on aged paper, with slight staining to the corners; in worn and chipped wraps. A handsome production, as one might expect from one of the nine founders of the Grolier Club, with a two-page introduction followed by a full-page reproduction of the Ascensius printer's device, and 47 examples of pages set in various point sizes of Cushing, Ancient Roman, Jenson, Satanick, Louis XV, and Century Roman. No copy on COPAC, six American and one French on WorldCat.

[1] + 14pp., 8vo, with the text paginated 349-359. Disbound. Good, on aged paper. At the head of the title, in a contemporary hand: 'Relief of poor prisoners'. The title carries the royal crest, and reads in full: 'Anno Regni Gulielmi II. Regis Angliae, Scotiae, Franciae & Hiberniae, Septimo & Octavo. | At the Parliament begun at Westminster the Two and twentieth Day of November, Anno Dom. 1695.

All four stories 16mo, and each with a frontispiece included in the pagination. ONE. 'Tommy and Mary. A Book for the Very Little Ones.' 17pp. TWO. 'The Rector's Brook: A Story for Little People.' 32pp. THREE. 'Dobbin; or, The Discontented Donkey.' 30 + [1]pp. FOUR. 'The Little Missionary. A Tract for Children.' 11pp. Stitched into printed wraps, with the front cover coloured blue and the rear pink. Aged and worn, but complete and tight. Handwritten in a contemporary hand on the reverse of two frontispieces: 'Kilndown Lending Library'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and ruckled. Doré's huge painting 'The Triumph of Christianity over Paganism' was first exhibited in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in 1867.

3pp., 4to. 60 lines of text. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Valentine Mott M.D. | 25 Park Place | New-York'; with three postmarks, one from Havre and another 'Forwarded by Lewis Rogers & Co.' (Mott was in Europe at the time of writing.) An tantalising letter, regarding an intriguing affair about which nothing else appears discoverable. Eldridge is sending 'a hand bill, 5000 of which have been circulated thro Paris and the towns in its vicinity'.

36pp., 18mo. With frontispiece (preceding half-title) of 'I. CRANE / BROMSGROVE', showing a crane and a carriage lamp, within a circular border reading 'To make the Watch go faster turn the Regulator to the right & Slower the Contrary'. Side stitched in original pink printed wraps. In fair condition, in worn and lightly-stained wraps. Nicely printed on wove paper with 'LLOYD 1795' watermark. Poem titled 'Introduction' on p.5, followed by the title poem on pp.7-36. No copy of this attractive edtion on either COPAC or WorldCat, nor of any other printed by Grafton & Reddell.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The paper appears to have an 1890s watermark, and the correspondence may relate to the publication of Huggins's 'Atlas of representative Stellar Spectra', printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney for William Wesley & Son in 1899. Apparently impressed by the speed of Viney's response to his last letter, Huggins begins 'Your lightning is treble-greased.' He is returning the corrected proof, and sent 'a new copy with your name written on, by this morning's post as yr.

Landscape card, 7.5 x 11.5 cm. Designed to show off the firm's capabilities, and printed on one side in purple, green, light brown and gold, with fancy lettering within florally-decorated body and border, around a small central illustration of three men working a press. Printers' details in small letters at foot, reading 'F. Bentley & Co. Lth' and 'Shoe Lane, London.' The almanac on the reverse is a more restrained affair, stylishly printed in purple and gold. Fair: lightly-aged, with small closed hole to one corner, and slight wear at foot of almanac.

One page, thirteen lines, 8vo, small closed tears, text clear and complete. "As I cannot continue my lectures on [? see scan], for some time to come I return a proportion of the balance of money collected in various towns. I have not taken one penny for my labours, but I propose to retain about one third of the balance [underlined] as there were innumerable etceteras about a work like mine. If any of the subscribers object to this, please let me know. - I enclose a cheque for £5." Best has listed 6 recipients of shares of this £5 on the verso of a conjoint leaf ,and with a small sum.