WILLIAM

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the Piffard papers. Signed ‘W Sharpey’ on ticket engraved in copperplate on one side of 15 x 10.5 cm card. In fair condition, a little worn and somewhat discoloured with age, and with short vertical crease to the left of the signature. Blind-stamped with ‘Treasury Seal’. The signature is at bottom right, with number of ticket (59) and the initials of the secretary ‘’ at bottom left. Attractively laid out, with text reading ‘University College, London. / Anatomy and Physiology. / William Sharpey, MD. / Professor. / Admit Mr.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin band of discoloration beneath the last line. Addressed to ‘J M Swan Esq R.A’. Reads: ‘My dear Mr Swan / Will you dine with me on Thursday June 1st. to meet Mr Leslie and some few artists? / I should be glad if you will. / Yours faithfully / Wm. Agnew’.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased cartridge paper. Folded three times. The letterhead is quite an impressive affair, with an engraving of ‘Unity House’ and lettering in a variety of styles. The letter is addressed to ‘W. D. Ross, Esq., / Oriel College, / Oxford.’ The ink on the ribbon appears to have been running out, as the latter part of the note is faded.

Williamson is notable for his work on the formation of ether, and for furthering Anglo-Japanese relations by welcoming the 'Choshu Five' and later members of the Satsuma han into his home. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the Piffard papers. Signed ‘Alexr W. Williamson’ on ticket engraved in copperplate on one side of 15.5 x 10.5 cm card. In fair condition, a little worn and somewhat discoloured with age. Central horizontal fold. Blind-stamped with ‘Treasury Seal’. The signature is at bottom right, with number of ticket (40) and the initials of the secretary ‘’ at bottom left.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, with that of his namesake. (It is the the present Sir William Cubitt who owned ‘the famous Gray's Inn Road works ’.) 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged with two pin holes at one corner, and traces of mounts. Folded twice for postage. Addressed to ‘Dear Sir’ and signed ‘William Cubitt’. Begins: ‘In working out the details of the roof, we find certain modification of the construction desirable which with your permission, the bearer Mr.

An interesting glimpse into the late-Victorian world of English art. Corbet and Swan were close friends - one of Corbet’s paintings remained in Swan’s family until the 1990s. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. The three letters are addressed to ‘Dear Swan’ and signed ‘M. R. Corbet’. All three on grey paper, lightly aged and worn, with creasing to Letter One.

2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight spotting and single punch hole centred above letterhead. Folded twice. The letter is addressed to 'My dear Vice-Chancellor' without further elaboration, but the item comes from the Ross papers. Temple explains that it has been ?difficult to foresee how this summer could be arranged: the planning of domestic life in two houses under present conditions of staffing is very complicated!? His wife will not be joining him in the visit, as she ?feels obliged to spend that week-end at Canterbury?.

See the entries on Thornycroft and Allingham in the Oxford DNB. The letterhead is also of interest: 'One-Oak' is a notable example of the work of the Arts and Crafts architect A. H. Mackmurdo. 1p, 12mo. On grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with traces of mount adhering to blank reverse. Folded twice. Initial ?H? of signature slightly smidged. Reads: ?Dear Mrs Allingham / I have only [?] got your note. / I enclose two cards for RA. Hoping to see you there / Yours very sincerely / Hamo Thornycroft?. See Image.

Captain Hill was the son of Vice-Admiral Henry Hill (1775–1849). In 1845 Captain Hill married Amelia Jane Boyce (1821–1895), granddaughter of the Duke of Marlborough, with whom he had ten children. Hill’s letter is written on the back of the pedigree, and addressed to ‘The Revd / The Warden / New College / Oxford’. It reads: ‘Mr. Warden, / I have the honour of transmitting herewith for your information the Copy of a Pedigree which I have received from the Heralds Office shewing the consanguinity of my Family to William of Wickham the Founder of New College Oxford and of the College of St.

See the entries on Newman and Allingham in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 16mo. A neatly and closely written letter of twenty-three lines. Addressed ‘To W Allingham Esq’ and signed ‘Francis W Newman’. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with unobtrusive circular mark from mount at top left-hand corner of first page. Folded for postage. At the time of writing Allingham was sub-editor of Fraser’s Magazine under the historian James Anthony Froude (1818-1894), whose wife Henrietta had just died. Allingham would take over the editorship in the following month of June, holding it until 1879.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice for postage. Addressed to 'The Provost of Oriel' and with sprawling signature 'Yours vy trly / Cosmo Cantuar:'. Reads: 'Dear Provost, / I have received your letter of November 20th about Mr. Randall Cooper. I am sorry to say that your letter came too late for the appointment of the first batch of Assistant Cataloguers. They have now been appointed but I am informed that there may be further appointments in the Spring.

See the entries for Lang and Ross in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo, on light-grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Begins 'Dear Vice Chancellor. / Some time ago I proposed Sir David Cecil for election to the Athenaeum. His name has produced a remarkable number of supporters, but no one has been put down as seconder to my proposal.' He asks Ross to second Cecil's nomination, before writing a sentence which is hard to decipher. He concludes by suggesting that he inform the club secretary accordingly, if Ross is willing.

See Thiselton-Dyer’s entry in the Oxford DNB. Printed on one side of a 10 x 13 cm piece of paper, and made out in manuscript to ‘Sir William Thistleton [sic] Dyer (and Lady)’. Text size in good condition, lightly aged, with the blank reverse of the card with slight damage from mounting. The recipient has written in a close hand in red ink at top left: ‘accepted. / 18. 7. 02.’ The text reads: ‘The Chelsea Physic Garden.

Peisse had already published his translation of ‘Fragments de Philosophie de M. William Hamilton’ (Paris, 1840), and had followed this with one from Dugald Stewart (1842-5). 2pp, 12mo. Forty-one lines of closely-written text. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with chipping and closed tears to edges. Folded once. Signed ‘L. Peisse / Louis Peisse, conservateur de l’ecole impériale des Beaux-arts. 2. Rue Boursault.’ The British recipient (one of Hamilton’s executors?) is not named (in a postscript Peisse apologises for being unable to decipher his details, or those of his co-editors).

The writer is presumably a member of the prominent aristocratic family, but none of the parties has been positively identified. 1p, landscape 12mo. On laid paper. Letter signed ‘T Cecil’ and receipt signed ‘T. Cecil’. The The document reads: ‘Sr / I have just receivd yours, but sd. be obligd to you, if you cd not Send me forty Pounds, you wd. Twenty: as I am to go out of Town to morrow & have not money to Carry me, I have wrote a Receipt, & hope as it so [sic] pressing a thing, you’ll Comply, which will very much obilge Yrs. T Cecil / London April 7th: 1745 / Receivd Of Willm Adair Esqr.

See the entries for Cox and Tuckwell in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. On bifolium blind-stamped with the device of the Conservative Club. Addressed to ‘Rev P [sic] Tuckwell / College School / Taunton’, and signed ‘Edwd Wm Cox’. In good condition, on aged paper. Folded twice for postage. He begins: ‘Dr Sir / It gives me very great pleasure to aid the fund of the College School. After its long hybernation 43 years ago, I was the first pupil received on its revival. & within its walls I obtained the larger portion of my education, following the then master, (Rev H Forster) to Oxford.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On first leaf of a bifolium, with the second leaf carrying a broken seal in red wax, and the address in Sharpe’s autograph, ‘William Frazer Esqre / 12 Duke St.’ In good condition, lightly aged, with glue to one edge of second leaf from mount. Folded several times. Signed ‘Chas. Kirkpatrick Sharpe’. He asks him to accept his ‘sincere thanks for the great favour you have conferred on me, respecting the old [stone?]’. He asks him to mention his ‘obligation to Mr Mackenzie’s Trustees, on the same account’.

See the entries on the two Dukes in the Oxford DNB, as well as that of Sir Francis Child the elder. Both Dukes are significant; the first was a leading Tory politician and one of the ‘immortal seven’ who invited William of Orange to England, and the second was a naval adviser to Peter the Great of Russia. The present item is signed ‘Carmarthan P:’, which would seem to suggest it is the signature of the 2nd Duke, Peregrine Osborne, but the Oxford DNB states that he became Marquis of Carmarthen a few months after the present item, on his father being made Duke of Leeds on 4 May 1694.

1p, foolscap 8vo. On piece of wove paper with Britannia watermark. Lightly aged and in fair condition, but with some creasing and nicking at the head. Folded three times into a packet. A printed document, completed in manuscript.

Providing an interesting view of the administrative aspect of the Georgian navy. Closely and neatly written on 2pp, foolscap 8vo, on first leaf of a bifolium. 64 lines of text. The letter is signed ‘R Truscott’, but the docketing identifies the writer as ‘Richd. Truscott’. Adressed on reverse of second leaf, with red wax seal and two Plymouth postmarks, to ‘James Sykes Esqr. / Navy Agent / Arundel Street / London’. Around this address are the docketing and some calculations. The seal has a good impression of the crest of ‘RT’, with motto ‘PEACE AND PLENTY’.

This item is from the autograph album of the author George Meredith's daughter Marie Eveleen (Mariette; 1871-1933), wife of Henry Parkman Sturgis (1847-1929), American-born banker and Liberal politician. It does not however appear to be addressed to Meredith, but rather to the author William Sharp (‘Fiona Macleod’). See the several references to Bourget in the first volume of W. F. Halloran’s edition of Sharp’s letters. 1p, 16mo. Laid down on part of gilt-edged leaf from Mrs Sturgis’s album. In good condition, folded once for postage.

See his entries in the Oxford DNB and History of Parliament. The present item is on one side of a 21 x 8.5 cm piece of wove paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with one fold. Minor traces of two red wafers from previous mounting on blank reverse. Written out by Harding in his attractive hand (he was a stylish fellow: his obituary in the Annual Register stated that ‘no one had a finer choice of words and few a more graceful delivery’), the note reads: ‘Received May 4th.

Two letters providing an insight into the relationship between artist and patron in nineteenth-century England. See the the Duke?s entry, and Eastlake?s, in the Oxford DNB, as well as James Lees-Milne?s biography ?The Bachelor Duke? (1991).

See his entry, and that of his mother, in the Oxford DNB, as well as James Lees-Milne?s biography ?The Bachelor Duke? (1991). 2pp, 12mo. With thin mourning border, and his monogram at top left of recto. In fair condition, lightly aged, with slight discoloration to extremities on recto. Folded for postage.

An important provincial publication, predating The Times by half a century. See the Oxford DNB entry of the later proprietor Robert Goadby, and the article by Roger Guttridge, ?Dorset?s first newspaper?, in ?Dorset Life?, August 2019. 4pp, folio. On two leaves, which originally formed a bifolium, but have now become detached from one another. Aged and worn, with chipping to extremities and along central horizontal and vertical folds, resulting in occasional loss of text.

See his entry, and that of the recipient, in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, foolscap 8vo. Laid-paper bifolium with ?I TAYLOR? Britannia watermark. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into a packet. Reverse of second leaf docketed: ?12 March / Copy / to Philip Stephens Esqr / Duplicate - left at Santa Cruz / Triplicate. sent by the shop from Port Praya Bay 24th. March 89.? See the ODNB: ?When his brother Earl Cornwallis was appointed governor-general of Bengal, Cornwallis was sent out as commodore and commander-in-chief in the East Indies in October 1788?.

See his entry, and that of his brother, in the Oxford DNB. 11 x 6 cm rectangle of paper, cut from the end of a letter, laid down on 13.5 x 7 cm piece of thicker paper. Reads: ‘[...] will see to them for you. / Kind regards to all / Thine / W. Brodie’.

See his entry in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. A year before these letters Hodgkinson had become an assistant keeper in the Department of Architecture and Sculpture at the Victoria and Albert, where his first task had been to organize the display of the Hildburgh collection of English medieval alabasters. Also in 1946 Robertson had begun his long career at Edinburgh University, having worked through the war at Bletchley Park, before joining the unit assigned to track down works of art looted by the Nazis.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice for postage. The letter reads (with autograph parts in square brackets): ‘[Dear Mr. Hedley,’] / Thank you. / Mary and I are of course thrilled - first and foremost for Glyndebourne’s sake. / [It was charming of you to write. / Yours sincerely, / George Christie / P.S. I’m afraid I dont ever send autographed photographs. Sorry to disappoint you.] / [P]PS Please forgive typescript.’

According to Delane’s entry in the Oxford DNB, he settled ‘from about 1847 at 16 Serjeants' Inn, Temple’. The addressee appears to be ‘W. Forsyth Esq’, and is named in the letter as a brother of the Conservative politician William Forsyth (1812-1899), who took silk in 1857, and hence also of the diplomat Sir Thomas Douglas Forsyth (1827-1886), both of whom have ODNB entries. 2pp, 12mo, with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged, and folded twice for postage, in the neat remains of a windowpane mount.