SOCIETY

Note in a secretarial hand Signed to Sir H[enry]. T[rueman]. Wood, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, together with compliments slip.

Author: 
Sir Benjamin Baker
Publication details: 
The letter, 11 June 1901; the compliments slip 17 June 1901; both on letterhead '2, Queen Square Place, | Queen Anne's Mansions, Westminster, S.W.'
£26.00

English civil engineer (1840-1907), who built the Forth Rail Bridge and worked on the Metropolitan and District Railways of the London Underground. Both items one page, octavo, on grey paper. Both in good condition, stamped and docketed. The note, signed 'B. Baker', reads 'I am sorry to say the Glasgow University Jubilee will prevent me and I have no doubt others from beingn at Marlborough House on the 14th.' The slip reads 'With Sir Benjamin Baker's Compliments.'

Four Autograph Letters Signed to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Sir Charles Stuart Bayley
Publication details: 
14 December 1917, on India Office embossed letterhead; 21 June 1927 and 15 July 1927, both on embossed letterhead '39, TREGUNTER ROAD. | S.W.10.'; 14 April 1928, on letterhead of 'THE FRESCO CLUB, | OLD FLUSHING INN, | RYE, SUSSEX.'
£56.00

Indian civil servant (1854-1935) whose posts included those of Under-Secretary to the Governments of Bengal and India. All four items signed 'Chas. S. Bayley'. All four items one page, 12mo. The last three, all on grey paper, very good; the first somewhat grubby and creased, and with two paperclip rust stains in one corner. LETTER ONE (addressed to 'Mr. Digby'): He is returning Menzie's letter (not present) and feels sure that 'the Indian Section Committee will be pleased to learn that the Council have agreed to appoint a joint committee to consider the question of the Birdwood medal.

Two Autograph Postcards Signed to Sir Henry Trueman Wood, [Secretary,] The Society of Arts.

Author: 
Sir Wyke Bayliss
Publication details: 
19 and 21 January 1893, '7 North Road | Clapham Park'.
£32.00

Artist and art historian (1835-1906), President of the Royal Society of British Artists. Both items very good, if somewhat grubby, and both stamped and docketed, and signed 'Wyke Bayliss'. Both postcards with postmark over printed stamp. POSTCARD ONE: 'I was dining last night with Dr Richardson and he said he should be glad if you could let him have some more cards of invitation for my lecture on the 25th. May I ask you (if you think proper) to send them a dozen, in addition to htose you have already sent.' POSTCARD TWO: 'I send by this post the MS of my paper, for the printer.

Typed Note Signed to Sir Harry Lindsay, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Thomas Sherrer Ross Boase
Publication details: 
28 November 1947; on letterhead of Magdalen College, Oxford.
£32.00

English mediaeval and art historian (1898-1974), Director of the Courtauld Institute of Art. One page, landscape octavo. Good, but with one corner creased and grubby, and with staple holes in another. 'I should be much honoured to be nominated as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and should much appreciate association with that body and all the work it does.' Signed 'T. S. R. Boase.'

Two Autograph Letters Signed and four Typed Letters Signed, two to W. Perry, three to the Secretary and one to the Vice President of the Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Honourable Josiah Wedgwood
Publication details: 
First three (all typed): 14 November, 16 and 18 December 1935, all on Wedgwood letterhead; fourth and fifth (both autograph), 13 and 18 February 1936, on letterhead 'STOKE GRANGE.STONE.STAFFS'; the sixth (typed), 1 May 1836, on Wedgwood letterhead.
£250.00

Managing Director of the famous pottery business ('saviour of the firm') and the fifth in the family to bear the name (1899-1968), Member of Parliament. All six items in good condition, though grubby, and with the first three bearing pin holes in one corner (not affecting text), the hole in the first letter being decidedly marked. All but one item docketed and stamped. Letters one, two, three and six are one page, quarto; letter four, two pages, 12mo; letter five, one page, 12mo; letter six, one page, quarto. All but the third item, which is signed 'Wedgwood', are signed 'Josiah Wedgwood'.

Typed Letter Signed to [Brian?] Mercer, [Secretary,?] Royal Society of Arts; together with a carbon of the Typed Letter to which it is a reply.

Author: 
Cecil Day-Lewis
Publication details: 
22 July [1961]; on letterhead '6 CROOMS HILL | GREENWICH | S. E. 10'; carbon of Mercer's letter dated 21 July 1961.
£65.00

British Poet Laureate (1904-72). Day-Lewis's letter, 1 page, 8vo. On grey paper. Good, but lightly creased and with a few staple holes. Thanks Mercer for the 'kind invitation'. 'I am afraid I could not manage to prepare the paper you suggest for January 24, since I have to be busy till near the end of this year on a play.' Suggests deferment to February or March. Signed 'C. Day Lewis'. Docketed by '' on 24 July 1961, 'We can offer other times, I think, in March.' and with 'Mar 21 | 2.30' beneath this in pencil.

Three Autograph Letters Signed to [G. K. Menzies,] the Secretary, The Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke
Publication details: 
12 February 1918; 14 June [mistakenly given as July] 1918; 18 June 1918; all on letterhead '5 WESTERN TERRACE, | BRIGHTON.'
£56.00

Dilke, the 2nd Baronet (1843-1911), was a disgraced politician and author. All items 12mo and very good. All three docketed, bearing the Society's stamp, and signed 'C. Wentworth Dilke'. The first item is addressed to Menzies personally and the other two to 'The Secty.' ITEM ONE: one page. He has received the letter of 9 February and is 'pleased to send you a subscription though not much in town'. ITEM TWO: two pages. Would like to know 'whether ladies are admitted as guests and how often'.

Two Typed Letters Signed to [K. W. Luckhurst,] the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Sir Edward Charles Dodds
Publication details: 
24 October 1938; 30 December 1947; both on letterhead of the Courtauld Institute of Biochemistry, the Middlesex Hospital.
£45.00

English scientist (1899-1973), Professor of Biochemistry at the University of London, and President of the Royal College of Physicians, 1962. Both items one page, 4to, and both good, though creased and with a few small staple holes. First item addressed to 'The Secretary' and second to Luckhurst. Both signed 'E. C. Dodds'. ITEM ONE: He has signed the form and is 'very glad to have an opportunity of being considered for Fellowship by your Council'. Asks whether his subscription is required with the application. ITEM TWO: Requests that 'the necessary forms' be sent to 'Mr.

Typed Letter Signed to the Secretary of the Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Sir Hormusjee Cowasjee Dinshaw
Publication details: 
21 January 1924; on letterhead 'COWASJEE DINSHAW & BROS.', 'Steamer Point, | Aden'.
£25.00

Parsee shipping magnate (1857-1939). One page, quarto. Creased and discoloured, with a little spotting. Reads 'I am your Society's Life member since past many years | I shall feel obliged if you can procure me some recipe for making anti-fouling paint for use no steel steamers bottoms.' Signed ''. Docketed as answered over the Society's stamp.

On the earliest specimens of mezzotinto engraving. In a letter to Sir Henry Ellis, K.H., F.R.S., &c.

Author: 
Hugh W[elch]. Diamond, F.S.A.
Publication details: 
London: 1838 ['J. B. Nichols and son, 25, Parliament-street.'].
£125.00

PRESENTATION COPY of offprint 'FROM THE | ARCHAEOLOGIA, | VOL. XXVII. p. 405-409.' Four leaves, 8 pages, 4to. In good condition, although grubby and worn and with creasing to inner edge. Presentation inscription to top right-hand corner of title. Disbound: paginated in manuscript and with slight offsetting to verso of last leaf. No copy of this offprint in the British Library. The author Dr Hugh Welch Diamond (1809-86) was editor of the photographic journal, and a pioneer of psychiatric photography.

Typed Letter Signed to W[illiam]. de C[ourcy]. Prideaux.

Author: 
Ralph Griffin, Secretary, Society of Antiquaries of London
Publication details: 
10 June 1921; on the Society's letterhead.
£30.00

One page, 12mo. Grubby, discoloured, stained and with slight wear to head. Apparently a circular with word 'Dorset' inserted in manuscript. Enquires on behalf of the Council of the Society of Antiquaries 'whether it would be agreeable to you that your name be submitted to the Society for the office of Local Secretary of Dorset for the quadrennial period ending 23rd April 1925'. Signed 'Ralph Griffin'.

Autograph Letter Signed to unnamed male correspondent (Edward Frederick Lecks, Secretary, the Royal Asylum of St Ann's Society).

Author: 
Sir Lancelot Shadwell
Publication details: 
27 March 1837; no place.
£34.00

Last Vice-Chancellor of England (1779-1850). Two pages, 12mo. Good, but lightly spotted, and with the lower third ruckled by attachment of verso to piece of brown paper. He says he will have great pleasure in 'being a Steward at the Anniversary Festival of the Saint Ann's Society Schools'. He would have answered the note before, 'but it came at a time when I was much occupied & I put it by with the accompanying Papers till the Vacation arrived'. Signed 'Lancelot Shadwell'.

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr. W. Blanchard'.

Author: 
William Devayne [the Committee of the General United Society for supplying His Majesty's Sea and Land Forces with Extra Cloathing]
Publication details: 
Dover Street | the 8th. Feb[ruar]y. 1794.'
£85.00

One page, 4to. Very good, though on discoloured paper, and with traces of grey-paper mount adhering to blank reverse and minor damage at foot affecting one word. Reads 'I am favored with your Letter of the 1st. instant, enclosing One Guinea subscribed by Rudston Calverley Rudston Esqr.

Autograph Letter in the third person to E[dward]. F[rederick]. Lecks, Secretary[, the Royal Asylum of St Ann's Society].

Author: 
Lieutenant General Sir George Cathcart
Publication details: 
Hulton Park Dec[embe]r 12. | <?>'.
£33.00

British military officer (1794-1854). One page, 12mo. In good condition, but with traces of brown-paper mount adhering to the blank reverse. Formal letter in the third person. 'Lt Genl Lord Cathcart is continually receiving so many applications of a similar nature, that he is although with regret obliged to decline to comply with any of them.

Autograph Letter Signed to Edward Frederick Lecks[, Secretary, St Ann's Society].

Author: 
Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman
Publication details: 
Guildhall Feb 24 | 1838'.
£25.00

Judge (1779-1854) and Lord Chief Justice of England. 'I must not defend one neglect by another; but I fear that other applications of the same kind as that from yourself respecting the St Ann's Schools remain also unanswered. My well known engagements will form some apology but I regret to add that I have found it absolutely necessary to decline acting as a steward at any public dinner'. Signed 'Denman'.

Autograph Signatures on fragment of letter.

Author: 
William Behnes and Sir William Charles Ross
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£25.00

Behnes (died 1864) was a sculptor of high renown. Ross (1794-1860) was a miniature painter whose work includes portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Paper dimensions roughly 4 1/2 inches by 2 inches. In good condition. Reads 'William Behnes | W. C. Ross'. On verso 'my Apartments, should <...> | to the utmost of my hop <...> | be inadequate to extricat <...>'.

Autograph Letter Signed to William Upcott.

Author: 
Francis C. Laird [ William Upcott ]
Publication details: 
No date, but postmarked from Fleet St, 14 July 1821.
£125.00

Laird (presumably the 'Francis Laird of Peterborough Court Fleet Street' whose will was proved in May 1825) was the author of 'A topographical and historical description of the County of Rutland' (1815) and 'A topographical and historical description of the County of Worcester' (1818). Upcott (1779-1845) was a noted aniquary and collector of autographs. One page, quarto. In poor condition, grubby and creased, with fraying to extremities and traces of mount and some loss to one edge (affecting one word of text). Repaired loss of triangular fragment from breaking open wafer.

Autograph Note Signed to R. S. McMinn.

Author: 
Edward Verrall Lucas
Publication details: 
41 Sloane St; no date, but postmarked 21 Sept 1920.
£25.00

English essayist and biographer (1868-1938). Plain postcard, dimensions roughly 4 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Grubby and smudged, with central vertical crease. Deleted printed letterhead '176, VICTORIA STREET, | (CORNER OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD.) | S.W.1.' Reads '41 Sloane St | Many thanks | E. V. Lucas'. Addressed by Lucas to 'R. S. McMinn Esq | 35 Birdhurst Rd | S. Croydon'.

Signed uncashed bank cheque payable to J. H. Thorpe.

Author: 
Edward Verrall Lucas
Publication details: 
Barclays Bank Limited | 366, STRAND, W.C.2.'; 12 July 1927.
£30.00

English essayist and biographer (1868-1938). Attractive printed cheque in black and blue ink on light blue paper: dimensions roughly 7 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. The cheque is for sixpence, and a pencil note (presumably by Thorpe) on the reverse explains how it results from a lost wager: 'Bet | Whether Geo A Birmingham wrote a Gen[era]l knowledge book. | He did.'

The fairies of "A midsummer night's dream:" a lecture, delivered before the "Loughborough Literary and Philosophical Society," November 9th, 1858.

Author: 
Edmund Packe
Publication details: 
Printed for private circulation."; [1858].
£50.00

28 pages, 8vo. 14 leaves, the last a blank. Paginated [1-3] 4-26 [1-2]. Unbound and stitched as issued. In very good condition though grubby and with one dogeared corner. Brief mention (p.7) of John Payne Collier's discovery of 'The life of Robin Goodfellow' in the library of the Earl of Ellesmere, and of 'Mr. Halliwell'. No copy in the British Library.

Illustrated ticket to 'Smoking Evening', addressed in manuscript to 'Mr. W. Dalziel' (the engraver William Dalziel, 1805-1873?).

Author: 
Society of British Artists.
Publication details: 
Suffolk St. | Pall Mall | East | Decr. 9th. | 8 o'clock' [no year, but pre-1887].
£45.00

Dimensions roughly 5 1/2 inches by 4 inches. Must predate 1887, when the prefix 'Royal' was added. Amusing modern-looking cartoon-style illustration by 'F C' of furious pipe-smoking pianist jumping up to hammer the keys, with his hair forming into the 'S' of 'Society', with moustachioed cigar-smoking tweedy individual in front of piano being hit in face by whisky tumbler.

On the observations made with a rigid specteoscope, by Captain Mayne and Mr. Connor, on a voyage to the Straits of Magellan.

Author: 
J. P. Gassiot, F.R.S.
Publication details: 
London: presentation copy to John Tyndall of the Royal Institution of offprint from the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society', No. 94, 1867.
£45.00

8 leaves, 8vo, paginated [5-6] 7-19 [1]. Stitched: in contemporary brown plain wraps. In good condition, though folded in half lengthwise and with wraps rather grubby. Inscription reads 'Dr Tyndall FRS &c &c | from J P G'.

Printed circular relating to Dugdale's visitation of Yorkshire in 1666.

Author: 
Sir George John Armytage, 6th Baronet Armytage [Yorkshire]
Publication details: 
CLIFTON, BRIGHOUSE, | YORKSHIRE. | -------- 1872.' 'Septer 26th' inserted in manuscript.
£45.00

Antiquary (1842-1918). 2 pages. Paper dimensions: roughly 8 inches by 5 inches. Folded, creased and somewhat grubby. He is planning to print an index of all the names in Dugdale, 'for the purpose of devoting the proceeds to a fund for building a school in this village, in which fund we are £250 short of builders' expenses'. Gives details of prices and enquires whether he 'may put your name on my list'. Apologises for sending a printed circular: 'I have so many to send, and so much to do in compiling the Index, I should not be able to write to every one whom I think it may interest'.

Autograph Letter Signed to A. D. Snow, Lawnhurst, St Botolph's Road, Worthing.

Author: 
Rev. John Sharp [BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY]
Publication details: 
15 November 1897; on the Society's letterhead.
£50.00

According to the letterhead Sharp was one of the Society's two Secretaries. 2 pages, 16mo. Creased, worn and discoloured, and with minor repair to head of first page, but in good condition overall. Closely written, this letter provides an interesting sidelight into the state of the Society at this time. He apologises for not responding to the 'enquiry about the circulation of the Revised Version' sooner. 'We are very short-handed at present at the Bible House. Since April death has taken from us the Rev. G. Wilson & Mr Chas. Finch, and the Rev. J. Austen-Binns has retired.

3 Autograph Letters Signed to William Matthews.

Author: 
Bernard Boedder, S.J.
Publication details: 
20 May 1896; 28 March 1897; 18 January 1900; all with blind-stamped letterhead 'ST MARY'S HALL, | STONYHURST, | BLACKBURN'; with 1 envelope addressed in Boedder's hand.
£200.00

Catholic theologian, author of 'Natural Theology' (1891). All three letters are on 16mo bifoliates. The first two are 3 pages, and the last is 2 pages. All in good condition, but all with some discolouration and closed tears, and with pin marks in one corner. All three letters concern James Martineau's 'Study of Religion' (1888). In the first letter he praises 'Dr. Martineau's great work', from which he has taken notes. 'I admire the loftiness of his mind and the elegance of his style.' He apologises for the fact that there is no reference to him in his book.

Autograph Letter Signed to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Frederic Harrison
Publication details: 
29 September 1891; on letterhead 'London County Council. | Spring Gardens, S.W.' with the Council's 1889 oval crest.
£35.00

Author and positivist (1831-1923). 1 page, 16mo. In poor condition: grubby, creased and worn. Having returned to London 'after an absence of many months' he has found at the Athenaeum Club his correspondent's two letters. He is sorry for the delay: 'The Club has been closed for repairs & the letters were mislaid. It is quite out of my power to visit Bristol durinng the ensuing session.'

Typed Letter with cyclostyle signature to A. D. Snow of St Leonards-on-Sea.

Author: 
George Cadbury
Publication details: 
19 December 1911; letterhead 'BOURNVILLE. | BIRMINGHAM.'
£45.00

Quaker confectioner, social reformer and philanthropist (1839-1922). 1 page, 8vo. A little grubby and creased but in good condition overall, with the blank reverse attached to remains of another piece of paper. He thanks his correspondent for his letter and states that 'The Friends' Meeting House at Stirchley has been used for very many years by the Friendly Societies instead of the liquor shop. I believe that one society of 700 members [manuscript addition: 'the largest branch in the Midlands'] and another of 400 members have payments made in one of the rooms connected with it.

Autograph Letter Signed by O'Conor to Mrs [J. M.] Patterson, Secretary to The Royal Society of Literature, regarding a reading of John Masefield's poems.

Author: 
Joseph O'Conor [John Masefield, Royals Society of Literature]
Publication details: 
No date (but post 1963?); 18 Melville Road, Barnes, S.W.13.
£65.00

Irish actor (1916-2001). 2 pages, 8vo. In good condition though creased along one edge. Accompanying this item are a typescript (1 page, 8vo, in good condition, annotated in ink) headed 'MASEFIELD READINGS', listing 13 items alternatively allocated to 'O'Conor' and 'Day Lewis', and two typewritten slips of paper listing some of the officers of the Royal Society of Literature, one of which has corrected details of the Don Carlos Coloma Memorial Lecture on the reverse. In the letter O'Conor complains that [Masefield's Collected Poems 'seem riddled with misprints'.

Disclaimers at the heralds' visitations. A list of persons who were disclaimed as gentlemen of coat-armour by the heralds at the visitations of the various counties of England; with an introduction.

Author: 
John Paul Rylands, F.S.A.
Publication details: 
Guildford: Printed by Billing and Sons. 1888.
£125.00

8vo. Pages: xi + 87. One of only a hundred copies, according to the British Library catalogue. In original red cloth binding with short title in gilt on front board (somewhat grubby and stained with stained manuscript title on spine). Tight copy but with front hinge cracked. Bookplate of Howard H. Cotterell of Walsall, and with his ownership inscription on title-page, which is neatly blindstamped with his address in top right-hand corner.

Autograph Letter Signed to A. E. Lidgett.

Author: 
Harry {Henry] Snell, Baron Snell
Publication details: 
9 September 1942; on letterhead of the Athenaeum, Pall Mall, S.W.1.
£30.00

British Labour politician (1865-1944), leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords, 1935-40. 1 page, 16mo. In good condition, although creased and a little worn at head. 'I am sorry that you found it difficult to reach me. I leave here fairly early on the days that the House is in session & I must be there practically all the time.

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