SCIENTIFIC

Both items in good condition, with light signs of age, and both tipped in to a paper folder, on the front of which is written the entry from the1833 bookseller's catalogue from which they were purchased: 'La Lande Member of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, a very interesting Letter to some Magistrate soliciting relief for the purpose of his labouring usefully, having expended much money on his pursuits, without reserving any indemnity. It exhibits his delicacy in soliciting this assistance, and expresses a hope that his asseverations will obtain credit.

1p., 4to. On aged paper, with some discoloration and chipping to extremities. He has been hindered by an 'unexpected interruption' from sending, via 'Richd. Scrivener', 'Stewarts Quadrature of Curves', but Scrivener will bring it 'the next time he goes to London'. The middle paragraph concerns 'Langhorne's sermons', which he asks to be sent 'by Coach'. He ends by asking the recipient - if he has received 'the silver medal for me from Mr. Glendinning, in Hatton Garden', to 'wrap it up, & put it into one of the Books'.

1p., 4to. In very good condition, on lightly aged paper. Tipped into a paper wallet, on the front of which is written in a contemporary hand the entry from the1833 bookseller's catalogue from which it was purchased, indicating that the item was considered uncommon even at that time: 'Cassini, the Astronomer, relative to a Memoir of the Sieur du Tremblay. | A choice specimen of a scarce Autograph. | No 176 Thorpe's Catalogue 1833'. Cassini's copy letter, with nine lines of text, is written over the unsigned letter to which it is the reply..

3pp., 4to. Addressed, with black wax seal, on reverse of second leaf to 'The Earl of Buchan at Kerkhill | by Edinburgh'. In fair condition, lightly aged. He is 'hardly relieved' from 'a very distressing ophthalmy withh great head-ackes [sic]', but thanks the Earl for 'sending the pamphlet of Dr. Homes on the Croup, for my friend Monsr. Le Roy, one of ye. Members of ye. Royal Acady. at Paris'. He is sending him the Philosophical Transactions, 'as regularly as they come out, by the indicated way of Mr. Donalson'. The 'Medal of ye late Captn. Cook [...] has not yet been distributed to ye.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with central spike hole. Addressed on reverse 'For Mr: Wilks, printer, in Chancery Lane'. Having received a letter from 'Dr: Mackay' he gives instructions regarding copies of the fifth volume of the book, 'which he proposes to be sent to Newcastle and Inverness, and other places in Scotland'. If Wilks has not received copies from the bindery, he should 'take the said six copies back from Mr: Maseres's chambers'. He also asks for a copy to be sent to Dr Aikin.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear to extremities. A twenty-three line letter discussing Council business, with the last paragraph reading: 'I have to thank you on behalf of the Council for the notes which you so kindly sent in for use at the last meeting. Mr. Hornell will do a certain amount of ethnological work, but in view of your opinion and that of others on the Council as to the difficulties involved, it is not proposed to appoint anyone else for this branch.' On the reverse of the letter are pencil notes by Seligman, made while reviewing a book.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On aged paper, with minor damp staining. If the recipient has 'come home' he invites him to dine. 'We have already such a preponderance of the female sex, from ladies staying here, that I am sorry we cannot ask any more.' If his son is 'still at Sandridge instead of you we shall be glad to have him as your locum tenertem here also'. He is directing the letter 'accordingly', 'but out of the multitude of your name in Crockford [the clerical directory] I dare not make a shot at his Christian name'.

English electronic engineer (1849-1945), inventor of thermionic valve. Widely considered to be 'the founder of electronics'. All three items good though grubby and on slightly discoloured paper. Item three dog-eared and grubby in top left-hand corner. All signed 'J. A. Fleming' and bearing the Society's stamp. ITEM ONE (two pages, quarto, 15 November 1915, University College, Gower St, to Wood, docketed): On the subject of a paper he proposes to give to the Society entitled 'The Organisation of Scientific Research'.

6 + [1] pp., folio. On two bifoliums stitched together with black thread. Laid out in the customary legal style, with embossed tax stamp. Unsigned. The agreement is 'Between The Reverend Henry Highton of the Cedars, Putney, in the County of Surrey, Clerk, (hereinafter referred to as 'the Patentee') of the one part and William Henry Allcard of New Burlington Street in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, and George Frederick Smith of Golden Square in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, of the other part'.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. On two leaves stapled together. The letterhead, printed in red, is a cartoon portrait of the artist with palette and brush, pointing to the address on a blackboard. A long chatty letter, listing the titles and prices of an order Malcolm has made, describing his activities at a time when he is 'pushed like mad', arranging an 'interview for ERG', discribing the contents of the four albums of his stamp collecting ('I wouldn't call myself a philatelist . . . .

16pp., 4to. Unbound and unstitched pamphlet. On aged and worn paper. The first page has the Wesley stamp, and is headed 'Specimen Of First Seven Plates' It also carries nine lines describing the 'object of the author'. The seven plates are accompanied by captions, and there is also an explanation regarding them.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He explains his 'great and chief excuse' for breaking his promise to call on her that morning. 'The fact is I have to give an address on Monday evening as President of the Society of Chemical Industry'.

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged grey paper, laid down on paper mount, and slighty discoloured by glue used. He apologises for being unable to provide him with the desired order, 'but on any particular day you may require one I shall be glad to assist you as far as I can'. He suggests that they speak 'after lecture'. In a contemporary hand, written at foot of mount: 'Professor Robert Bentley F.L.S. (Professor of Botany) Author | born 1821.'

31 + [1]pp., 12mo. Disbound. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. No copy of the present item traced, either on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat, or in the Bibliothèque Nationale, but WorldCat does record one copy of ''La Vérité sur le remède d'Abyssinie poudre antiasthmatique' by Hugues Clery (Marseilles, 1874).

Pp, [1]-81[82], folio, unbound as issued, stitched, p.[82] being a sort of title, minor wear and tear to outer leaves, mainly good condition. P.[1] signed by the Chairman of the Select Committee, E.A. Sanford, M.P., writing boldly to p.[82] "My Papers & Mem's as Chairman of the Civil List Pension Committee", and adding a few words of information to the margin of p.52.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for his reply to his 'plea for assistance in connexion with the possible publication by a foreign press of my history of Plague'. He had 'no intention' in writing 'of soliciting any financial aid from the Society, because any such solicitation would have been an impertinence on my part.' He would need £20,000 to have the book 'privately printed by one of the smaller English presses, such as Messrs.

80pp., 8vo. Stitched and unbound. All but the first few leaves unopened. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with traces of the original blue wraps adhering at spine. In manuscript at head of title-page: 'hommage de l'auteur'. At the time of his death de la Rive's work was deemed by one obituarist ' indispensable for the scientific student of electricity', and the phrase was repeated in the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Scarce: no copy in the Bibliothèque Nationale, and of the seven copies on OCLC WorldCat, five in Swiss libraries.

22pp., 8vo. Stitched and in brown printed wraps. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, in chipped and damaged wraps with shelfmark. Unopened. In manuscript at head of front wrap: 'de la part des auteurs'. Scarce: no copy in the Bibliothèque Nationale, and only three copies on OCLC WorldCat.

35pp., 8vo. Stitched and unbound. All but the first few leaves unopened. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with traces of the original blue wraps adhering at spine. At the time of his death de la Rive's work was deemed by one obituarist ' indispensable for the scientific student of electricity', and the phrase was repeated in the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Scarce: no copy in the Bibliothèque Nationale, and of the nine copies on OCLC WorldCat, eight in Swiss libraries.

On 4.5 x 9.5 cm rectangle of paper, cut from letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, and laid down on part of leaf from album. Reads: 'Yours vy trly | Henry Thompson'.

All three items in good condition, with light signs of age, and minor traces of previous mounting. The two letters are both 2pp., 12mo, on bifoliums. ONE: Letter to Rücker of 12 May 1898. He explains that if he is 'not at the Society ready to give the <5 minutes?> Paper at 4.30' it is because he is 'engaged in getting new results [...] In any case I will appear if all goes well.' TWO: Letter to Lady Rücker of 30 May 1907. His wife has had an attack of bronchitis and 'is in the hands of Nurses and Doctor.

1p., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, aged and worn, with stamp, label and shelfmark of the Board of Education Library. Signed in type at foot by 'T. GREGORY FOSTER, Ph.D., | Principal.' Laid out in the usual variety of types and point sizes. The poster gives details of the lectures and cost.

ONE: Invoice headed 'To Account delivered 1839.40'. 1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Addressed to 'Rutherford Alcock Esqre. | (for W Williamson)' and listing four titles including 'Wilsons Anatomy' (12s 6d) and 'Alison's Physiology' (12s), totalling £10 15s 0d. Beneath the four entries the bookseller has writen 'Settled | J. Churchill | 24th. April 1841', and beneath this Williamson has added 'The above is quite correct | J Williamson | 9July 4th 1842'. TWO: Receipt on one side of 8 x 18.5 cm slip of paper, with embossed 6d stamp. Reads: 'London 24th April 1841.

80pp., 8vo. Stapled and unbound. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. On front cover: 'Each Book in this Catalogue is written by an Expert and is written so you can understand it'. Many items illustrated with representations of the binding. Index of subjects on p.2, ranging from 'Abrasives and Abrasive Wheels' to 'Wiring Diagrams', and including section on 'Automobile Books', pp.5-14 (Charts, Ignition Systems, Lighting, Questions and Answers, Repairing, Starting Systems, Trouble Charts, Welding), 'Gasoline Engines', pp.15-18, and 'Aviation', pp.19-22.

8pp., 12mo. Stapled and unbound. In good condition, on aged high-acidity paper, with slight wear to extremities. Blind stamps and shelfmark of the Hartford Theological Seminary. The text begins: 'The House having under consideration the bill (S. 5876) to establish postal savings depositories for depositing savings at interest with the security of the Government for the repayment thereof, and for other purposes - | Mr SULZER said: [...]'.

All three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Letter One: School of Rural Economy, Oxford. 18 August 1930. 2pp., 4to. She sympathises with 'the difficulties of archaeological research at Southend [...] for I know only too well how the people who hold the ultimate strings can "do one down" when their interests don't happen to coincide with one's own'. She recalls that in 1913 she 'put in a lot of time on some fossils for the B.M. - they turned out to be pieces of fossilised timber; & because the Keeper of the Palaeobotanical Dept.

1p., 12mo. Air mail letter on blue paper, addressed to Arthur Bourne, Academic Press Inc. (London) Ltd, 24-28 Oval Road, London, NW1 7DX, England. In good condition, lightly aged and creased. Clarke begins by thanking Bourne for his letter, and informing him that he has 'sent a card of thank [sic] to Dr. Allan Cottey'. 'I am now happily retired with the completion of my last and best novel "The Fountains of Paradise" (Playboy January and February - HBJ; Gollancz, January). I expect to be back in England in August to attend the World S. F.

4pp., foolscap 8vo. With four photographic illustrations and a diagram. Bifolium on art paper. Printed in black, with cover illustration in half-tone over light-green background. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Sections titled 'A new revolution in electronics', 'The construction', 'The "bread-board" circuit', 'The production process', 'Types of IC' and 'Even smaller still!' From the Pat Hawker archive.

On 3.5 x 11 cm piece of laid paper. In good condition, on lightly-aged and spotted paper. An elegant signature, firmly written with no surrounding text.

20pp. (11+2+3+1+2+1), foolscap 8vo, with a further four pages of figures. Stapled, with front cover printed in black, red and blue, carrying stylised design of satellite design. Cover stamped with date 4 June 1968. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Scarce: no copies on OCLC WorldCat or COPAC. From the Pat Hawker archive.