REGENCY

The company opened canals from Newport to Pontypool and to Crumlin in 1796. It was taken over by the Great Western Railway in 1875, and a passenger service from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff still runs. Three items with covering paper on which Sir J. E. Harington has written in ink: 'Sir J E Harington | Monmouthshire Ry & Canal Papers', with the following added in pencil: 'May 21 1849. | Asking my consent to take new shares - | No.' All items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from Grevile to Harington. Bristol; 13 June 1849. 2pp., 4to.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with two postmarks (one of Pimlico), to 'R. Ackermann Esqre | 101. Strand -'. On aged and worn paper, with one short closed tear. A good letter, full of content revealing of Ackermann's business and the art trade in general. The first paragraph reads: 'I am extremely sorry the last Fashions have not met your approbation. The inflamed state of my eye rendered it impossible for me to engrave them myself, and I calculated on the known talent of Mr. Chsman [i.e. Thomas Cheesman (1760-1834)] to be my substitute.

6 + [1]pp., 8vo. In fair condition, aged and worn, with slight damp staining at head. The report, by 'G. R. Dawson, Chairman', is on pp.1-5; p.6 carries resolutions 'Extracted from the Minutes, | James Marshall, Secretary.' Much of the report is taken up with 'a Qui tam Action [...] brought by the Bank of Ireland against the Provincial Bank [...] the object of the Bank of Ireland in that Action, was to question the right of the Provincial Bank to exchange its Notes in Dublin; a right which, from the commencement of business until that time, it had exercised without challenge'.

Each of the two plans is on a 46 x 60 cm piece of wove paper. Both have the name of the details of the planmaker at bottom right: 'Joseph Hobbs | 30 Margaret Street'. Two finished and professional floor plans of a grand Town House. Both items are aged, worn and creased, with closed tears, but would respond well to archival repair. ONE: 'Sir John Harington Bart | Plan of House Berkley [sic] Square | In its present state | June 1815'. In black and white, with grey shading. Five plans in a line: 'Basement', 'Parlor Floor', 'Drawing Room', 'Two Pair Floor' and 'Attic Floor'.

Crisply printed, with the long s, on one side of a piece of 37.5 x 25 cm. thick laid paper. In fair condition, aged and worn, having been used to wrap up items, and with the following in manuscript on reverse: 'No. 1. | Vouchers | recd. of Mr. Gabell'. The text begins: 'Notice is hereby given, that by the Acts of 48 Geo. III. Cap. 55. and 52 Geo. III. Cap. 93.

3pp., large 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Headed 'Original'. Docketed on reverse of second leaf: 'May 1835 | £75. 7. 5. | Richardson a/c for Sir James Harington decd | paid | paid additional balance - £1. 16 -'. The ninth baronet died in 1835, the tenth baronet assuming the title at the age of fourteen. The present document was evidently produced to clear the old account. It contains numerous items, dated between 10 January 1834 and 8 December 1835.

36pp., 12mo. In worn calf-bound account book. In good internal condition, on aged paper; detached from the worn leather binding, and with the front free endpaper (bearing the title) loose. Label pasted to front cover reads: 'Accounts | G. B. R. | Charlton | Woolwich | Leicestershire | 1797 to 1804'. The volume is the work of Wilson (who acquired the estates in 1798 on the death of his father) or of his land agent. Paginated by the writer to 64, and with the accounts for 'Land Tax paid and allowed' on pp.1-7, for 'Cash paid & allowed for' on pp.11-23, and 'Cash paid & allowed for.

2pp., 4to. On aged and worn paper. An interesting letter, casting light on Roscoe's collecting activities. He begins by settling the account for 'the lists of the last Prints', before remarking: 'I observe there are only 3 circles by Domenichino - the set consists of 4, all of which you have, besides the odd print by Bartolozzi, but you have probably packed them up & cannot get at the print wanting. I have sent you the 3 prints back & deducted 16/6d.

4to bifolium (on two 19.5 x 22.5 cm leaves). The 'Ground plan' is neatly drawn on the reverse of the first leaf, and the two-page key is on both sides of the second leaf, lettered A to Z, and headed 'A. B. C. D. E. F. G. The Church & parts thereto belonging'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Entries among the keys include 'I. Places groined over with stone one of which is supposed to have been the infirmary', 'K. Arches under which the River Skell runs' and 'S. Cloisters groined with stone the pillars whereof were painted - Over these was the Dormitory.

Robert Harding Evans has been described as 'the greatest of all auctioneers of literary property'. In a career spanning three decades he oversaw the dispersal of many of the finest libraries ever assembled, from the great Roxburghe sale of 1812 to that of the Duke of Sussex in 1845, as well as those of the books of Lord Byron and the manuscripts and copyrights of Sir Walter Scott. In an undated letter to Bodley's Librarian (copy in Item Four below) Marcham states that he is 'working on Evans the auctioneer and the list will be published.

Four items, in fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with slight creasing. ONE: Printed form, partially completed in manuscript. On one side of 31.5 x 19.5 cm piece of laid paper with Britannia watermark. Headed: 'PRIVATE SIGNALS for His Majesty's Brigs, Cutters, Luggers, &c. employed in Cruizing on the Coasts of the United Kingdom, Commanded by Lieutenants, viz.' Above the heading, in manuscript: 'Proof | See letter 1st. October 1812.

2pp., folio. A 41.5 x 33 cm. piece of wove paper folded three times to make a 20.5 x 8cm. packet. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Headed: 'At Campbeltown the Twenty first day of April Eighteen Hundred & Twenty three years'. Reads: 'The Magistrates of the Burgh of Campbeltown having this day Nominated and Appointed, the persons hereto subscribing, Special Constables in the Burgh of Campbeltown, They are hereby Constituted and Ordained Constables within the said Burgh accordingly, And in terms of Law have taken, and hereby take, and subscribe the following Oath Vizt.

The background to this document is ably explained in an article in the Spectator, 27 December 1834, 'The Spy System: Richmond versus Marshall and Miles', which begins: 'The Court of Exchequer was occupied the whole of Saturday and Monday last with the trial of an action of libel, brought by Alexander Baillie Richmond, the individual for many years known in Scotland by the title of "Richmond the Spy," against Messrs. Simpkin and Marshall, the London publishers of Tait's Edinburgh Magazine.

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with slight damage to corners from removal from mount. 20 lines of text. Regarding 'a Dr[af]t. on Snow & Co for twenty five pounds', he would 'willingly have put down the little trouble I had to the account of our mutual friendship in which I stand considerably your debtor but as you will have it otherwise I beg you will accept my sincere thanks for the inclosure, assuring you I consider it far beyond what I ought to have had'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, laid down on part of a leaf from an album. Headed in a contemporary hand 'Read', with the date '1815'. The note reads: 'Dear Sir | I beg to return you my warm thanks for your very kind & obliging letter which has made me very happy & conferd [sic] on me a great favor | I Have Dear Sir | the honour to | be with great | thanks your | faithful humble srvt | Henry Grattan'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He is 'greatly obliged [...] for the purpose' with which he has been 'favour'd [...] with intimation', but it 'never was in my thoughts to be an Annual Subscriber to the Pension Fund'. He will pay any expense 'the Conductors of the Institution have incurred in expectation of his being a subscriber.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The reverse of the second leaf, with seal in black wax, is addressed to 'Capt Crossley | &c &c &c | O L M', and the foot of the letter to 'John Crossley Esqre | Capt: Oldham L: M:' (Crossley, the commanding officer of the Oldham Regiment of Local Militia, built up a notable collection of military memorabilia, which was dispersed after his death.) The letter begins: 'With this you will receive the interesting little "Bijou" - Bonaparte's Star of the Legion of Honour for which I beg a place in your curious Collection.

1p., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged with strip from stub adhering to one edge. Addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To | John Crossley Esqr. | Rochdale.' Crossley, the commanding officer of the Oldham Regiment of Local Militia, built up a notable collection of military memorabilia, which was dispersed after his death.

1p., 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient has made up an account on the reverse of the second leaf, which is addressed 'To | Archd. Smith Esqr. | of Jordanhill.' The note reads: 'Dr Chalmers if the weather be favourable proposes to breakfast at Jordanhill on Saturday. He begs leave to offer his respectful Compts to Mr and Mrs Smith.'

1p., 8vo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, brittle and chipped at edges. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Fr. Thomas Maxon Esqr. | 6 Little Friday-Street'. 24 lines of text. The letter begins: 'This is Dr. Parr's birthday, & Dr. John Johnstone was to have a grand commemoration of it, to which he invited me. Mrs. Barker is on the whole better, but I cannot say that any great progress has been made towards a recovery, & probably much time will elapse first.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed, with postmarks, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Nicholas Carlisle Esqr. | Society of Antiquaries Apartments | Somerset Place.' In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. He has received 'a Letter from Mr. Daniel Lysons 'respecting "some fragments of brass belonging to a sacrificial Vessel found near Chichester," which were entrusted by Mr. Dallaway to the care of Mr. S.

3pp., 4to. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr Offor | NB Please to pay the Twopenny Postage of the Letter to 169 Fleet St & charge it in my account.' Docketted 'Mr Keyworth. | Sleaford'.

1p., 8vo. 23 lines of text. In fair condition, slightly aged and worn, with some repair with archival tape. Offering an interesting insight into everyday ecclesiastical management in Regency England. The letter begins: 'I cannot find, what I once sent to you as having been well educated, a printed paper. The purport of it was to shew the extreme Impropriety of laying a stress on the word "Us", in the sentence "Lord have mercy upon Us".

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with slight damage on removal from mount and traces of tape adhering. He has been referred to 'the Oldest Table of Fees' by 'Mr. Lane', and quotes information from the table given by Lane. He asks the recipient to 'search the Proper Office; send me a Copy of such Certificate; & of Any Proceedings had in consequence of it'.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper, with slight damage to a few words along one edge due to removal from album. On his return to Eastbourne he has 'found a note announcing the Commission under the Great Seal for appointing Commissioners to inquire into the best mode of preventing the forgery of Bank Notes', and requiring his attendance the following day.

Robinson is the author of Ollier's entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, in which he discusses the 'fifty titles' that Ollier and his brother James published between 1817 and 1823, and the others dating from his second stint as publisher between 1846 and 1849. The list is 10pp., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Subtitle: '(*Indicates that U. of Delaware Library has in original, microform, or photo rpt.)' Robinson has given the date and his details in autograph at the head, and has starred items in 'urgently need' in red ink.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with seal of a harp in green wax, 'To | - Webster Esqre. | Theatre Royal Haymarket'. Writing two days before her father's death, she explains that she commissioned a friend to offer a guinea for his 'Interlude of "Pay for Peeping"', but finds that 'in return you expect one pound eleven for it'. She points out that she was 'the original (at the Strand Theatre) in the piece', and that she is offering the same terms accepted from her by 'Mr Selby for his "Day in Paris"'.

On both sides of 7 x 11 cm. piece of paper, cut from a letter. On one side is the address: 'Monsr. Ventouillac | to the care of Master Morgan | From Miss Porter -'. And on the other a fragment of the letter: '<...> that the same volume will be so presented to him, by the Revd Mr. Pole and Mr. Ventouillac. Miss P - hopes Mr. V - <...> success in his <...>'.

A strict disciplinarian, the Duke was appointed Governor of Gibraltar in March 1802 and, as this letter describes, immediately set about dealing with what he considered the various abuses of the Garrison. His harsh discipline would precipitate a mutiny by soldiers in his own and the 25th Regiment on Christmas Eve 1802. The Duke of York, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, would recall him in May 1803 after receiving reports of the mutiny, but despite this direct order he would refuse to return to England until his successor arrived.

1p., 12mo. On aged and worn grey paper, with a corner torn away, affecting a couple of lines of text. Franked on reverse: 'Ashford July eleven 1829 | The Right Honble | The Lord Mayor | &c &c &c | Mansion House | London | E Knatchbull'. Knatchbull's small seal, depicting a dog, is present entire in black wax. He writes that he would have had 'much pleasure' in meeting him at Rochester, but that his 'House will be full of Company on the 24th'.