ROMANCE

Weyman was, as his entry in the Oxford DNB states, ?one of the most popular and skilled of the historical romance novelists of the cloak and dagger school?. Oscar Wilde recommended (in all seriousness) Weyman's novels as reading for convicts. 1p, 16mo. In fair condition, lightly creased and worn. Folded for postage. From the collection of Rosemary Barron, autograph collector. Reads: 'Dear Miss Barron / I am sorry that your letter has remained unanswered so long but I have been laid aside by illness.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse (often addressed, as in this letter, as ‘Dossé’) was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Large and ebullient signature in red felt-tip pen.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. She published around two hundred books under seven pseudonyms, and these are said to have sold a hundred million copies and been translated into twenty languages. The recipient Eileen Cond was an enthusiastic collector of autographs, and had the ability to draw a more than perfunctory response from her targets. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded for postage. Good bold signature: ‘Victoria Holt.’ Addressed to ‘Miss Cond, / Stream Cottage, / Sidbury, / Sidmouth, Devon.’ She has signed Cond’s bookplate and is sending it back.

Weyman was, as his entry in the Oxford DNB states, ‘one of the most popular and skilled of the historical romance novelists of the cloak and dagger school’. Oscar Wilde recommended his novels as reading for convicts. The present item is on an 11 x 9 cm piece of watermarked laid paper. In good condition. A neat attractive two-line inscription for an autograph collector, underlined and sloping upwards. Reads: ‘Stanley J. Weyman | Nov. 2. 1899’. See image.

2pp, 16mo. In fair condition, on aged paper with ruckling caused by glue from mount, traces of the paper from which adhere to blank reverses of both leaves. In a crabbed difficult hand, addressed to 'Mrs [Pugh?]', regarding his forthcoming book 'Sophia', a copy of which he will be sending the recipient, with reference to his wife, 'anxiety', and something 'characteristic'.

2pp, 16mo. In fair condition, on aged paper with ruckling caused by glue from mount, traces of the paper from which adhere to blank reverses of both leaves. In a crabbed difficult hand, addressed to 'Mrs [Pugh?]', regarding his forthcoming book 'Sophia', a copy of which he will be sending the recipient, with reference to his wife, 'anxiety', and something 'characteristic'.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded three times. After thanking Wynn for his letter he continues: 'It is a curious coincidence that in looking through a file of old correspondence yesterday I came across your letter of the 20th November 1915, which I read again with great pleasure'. Postscript: 'With good wishes to you & yours. J F.'

[8] + 200pp, 8vo. In light-brown wraps with title repeated on front cover. Worn, on aged paper, with the upper back few leaves dogeared, and spotting at foot of first few leaves. The present proof must in some regard differ from the published version, whose various listings on COPAC give it 200pp, rather than the 199pp here. Lewis's two-page 'Introductory' concludes with a vivid picture of the Inklings: 'The first two chapters had been read aloud by the author to Professor Tolkien and myself.

Four items, aged and somewhat creased. Scott-Elliot's book was privately printed by Douglas in 1897. Aaron Marshall Elliott was founder of the Modern Language Association and founding professor of Romance Languages at Johns Hopkins University. ONE: ALS from Aaron Marshall Hall to David Douglas, 2pp., 8vo, asking him if he could supply a copy of G.F.S. Elliott's "The Border Elliotts", giving publishing history and mentioning his work on American Elliotts which he hopes to publish.

An unusual survival, the letters of a composer, Harold Jervis-Read, to his lover illustrating the growth of a relationship (and an ability to express his feelings) against the backcloth (sometimes foreground) of his musical activities, and his marriage. Total of letters circa 350 (three hundred and fifty) Autograph Letters, 118 (one hundred and eighteen) apparently complete letters (many start and end abruptly), dated, 432 (four hundred and thirty two) pages, with some APCSs, mainly 12mo, 1-8pp. each, 55 of these letters dated 1933 and 30 dated 1934, 1926-1928 comprising one letter only.

12mo: 27 pp. Stapled. In original brown printed wraps. Good, on lightly-aged paper with rusted staples. Divided into five sections: 'Our Ancestry', 'Our Father', 'Our Mother', 'Montacute' and 'The Children'. A scarce item, the only copies on COPAC being at the British Library, Cardiff and St Andrews.