History

Autograph Signature ('G. Bentinck') as frank on envelope addressed to Lady Frederick Bentinck, postmarked and with remains of red wax seal.

Author: 
Lord (William) George Frederic Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck [known as Lord George Bentinck] (1802-1848), English politician and sportsman
Publication details: 
12 June 1832; London.
£28.00

Irregularly shaped piece of paper, consisting of the front and sides of an envelope. Roughly 14 x 18 cm. Good, but with long vertical closed tear to right of signature, neatly repaired on reverse with archival tape. Reads 'London June Twelve 1832. - | Lady Frederick Bentinck | Bedford Hotel | Brighton | [signed] G. Bentinck.' Red ink postmark, circular and topped with crown, reading 'FREE | 12 JU 12 | 1832 | +'. Remains of red wax seal at foot. Docketed 'Bentinck' along right-hand edge.

The Economic Case for Irish Independence

Author: 
Darrell Figgis
Publication details: 
Dublin and London, 1920.
£50.00

[viii].91pp., 8vo, beige printed wraps, worn, sl. sunned, marked, chipped corner at back, discreet repairs to spine and edges, contents good. Scarce.

To the President of the United States of America.

Author: 
Laurence O'Neill.
Publication details: 
No place but "Given at the Mansion House, Dublin, this 11th day of June, 1918".
£350.00

Printed pamphlet, 12pp., folio, , front page (title also) soiled, fold mark, mainly good, signature of J.R.N. Macphail on front page. In custom-made modern green folder. Subjects re. Nat Lib Ireland: Great Britain Army -- Recruiting, enlistment, etc. -- World War, 1914-1918 -- Ireland; Draft -- Ireland; World War, 1914-1918 -- Ireland; Ireland -- Politics and government -- 1918. WITH: (Printed) letter from L. O'Neill to His Excellency the American Ambassador, Mansion House, Dublin, 18 June 1918, one page, folio, sl. chipped, fold mark, mainly good, signature of Macphail also.

Autograph Letter Signed ('H. N. B.') to 'My Dear N. M.'

Author: 
H. N. Brailsford [Henry Noel Brailsford] (1873-1958), English radical journalist and author [Independent Labour Party; Sir Muirhead Bone; Archibald Hamilton Charteris]
Publication details: 
Friday'; date and place not stated [circa 1919?].
£56.00

12mo, 4 pp. Good. A long, interesting gossipy letter. He is a 'poor weak devil' whose 'confounded laziness' has prevented him from writing. He has 'been to Thomlinson', and all copies of 'No. 14' are sold out, 'so there's a feather in your cap, my man'. Mention of 'Charteris', 'Ball & Boyd Scott'. 'I'm damned if I know where my lecture notes are - I've just hunted all over my room. I think they must be in Newcastle, or is it not possible that I lent them to you?' Discusses his 'articles in the Record'.

Autograph Letter Signed to Gladstone.

Author: 
Edward Hull (1829-1917), Anglo-Irish geologist [John Hall Gladstone (1827-1902), English physical chemist]
Publication details: 
19 May 1902; on letterhead of the Victoria Institute, 8 Adelphi Terrace, London W.C.
£45.00

12mo, 3 pp. Very good on lightly aged paper. Asking whether Gladstone would consent to the placing of his name on the list of the Institute's Council, 'to fill one of the vacancies'. 'You would be of great service to us in so doing - and the calls on your time would not be numerous - about a dozen times a year'. Six lines in shorthand (by Gladstone?) on the reverse of the second leaf of the bifolium.

Autograph Letter Signed ('E Knatchbull') to the Mayor of Canterbury.

Author: 
Sir Edward Knatchbull (1781-1849) of Mersham Hatch, Kent, 9th Baronet, English ultra-Tory politician [the Mayor of Canterbury]
Publication details: 
17 September 1841; Mersham Hatch.
£66.00

4to, 3 pp. Very good, on aged paper. Small punch hole through top left-hand corner of both leaves of the bifolium (not affecting text, which is clear and entire). Knatchbull claims that it has been 'intimated' to him 'that the Removal of the Troops from Canterbury in consequence of the Election for the County, which is to take place on Monday next, will cause much Inconvenience, especially to the Trade of the City'. He does not think that the Secretary of State 'would like to interfere, unless in Concurrence with the desire & opinion of the Authorities of the City of Canterbury'.

Annals, Anecdotes, Traits and Traditions of the Irish Parliaments 1172 to 1800

Author: 
J. Roderick O'Flanagan
Publication details: 
New Edition, Dublin, 1895.
£50.00

Pp.xx.208, 8vo, with publisher's catalogue, original wraps, damaged but book rebound into attractive green boards with printed label on front. COPAC lists copies at BL, CUL, NLS, Oxford, Trinity.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Robert Cust') to Horace Bleackley (1868-1931).

Author: 
Robert Cust [Robert Henry Hobart Cust] (1861-1940), English art critic, an authority on the renaissance [Horace Bleackley; John Wilkes]
Publication details: 
12 October [no year]; on letterhead of Vernon House, Lyndhouse Road, Hampstead.
£28.00

12mo, 4 pp. Good, on lightly aged paper, but with a thin strip along the outer edge of the second leaf of the bifolium with glue staining from previous mounting, and a 3.5 x 0.5 piece missing at head causing damage to one word ('hers'). Otherwise text clear and entire. Cust's aunt has informed him 'that she has at present in her possession in London all the papers belonging to Sir John Cust that remain'. She does not however think that they contain much about Wilkes.

Circular letter, printed in facsimile of Wellington's handwriting; dated, addressed, and with the gaps filled in in Wellington's hand to Robert Aberdein.

Author: 
Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), 1st Duke of Wellington, Anglo-Irish soldier and politician, the vanquisher of Napoleon Bonaparte [Robert Henry Aberdein (died 1860), Coroner for East Devon]
Publication details: 
31 July 1851; London.
£80.00

12mo, 3 pp. Good. Folded twice and with the blank verso of the second leaf of the bifolium a little grubby. A formal letter in the third person, declining to present a petition to the House of Lords, on the grounds that 'The Duke has no relation whatever with [Honiton]'. The date, and the words 'Mr Aberdein', 'Honiton', ', which he retains' and 'Robert Aberdein Esq' are in Wellington's hand.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Sligo') to Brabazon.

Author: 
Howe Peter Browne, 2nd Marquis of Sligo (1788-1845) [Sir William Brabazon (d.1840), 2nd Bart]
Publication details: 
July 16 1833; Mansfield Street.
£50.00

12mo, 4 pp. Good, on lightly aged paper. Docketed in a contemporary hand (Brabazon's), beside Sligo's signature, 'second letter'. Sligo writes that the 'affair' to which Brabazon's letter alludes 'was purely of an official & Parliamentary nature', and that he 'must beg leave to decline receiving any communications respecting it', excepting in his 'place in the H of Lords'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('J. J. Bourassé'), in French, to an unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Abbé Jean-Jacques Bourassé (1813-1872), French archaeologist and author
Publication details: 
6 June 1853; Tours.
£56.00

8vo, 1 p. On lightly creased and grubby paper. Declining to become a corresponding member of the 'Institut historique', as 'les ressources me manquent pour payer les diplomes et les annuités nombreuses qu'imposent les honneurs, quelque flatters qu'ils soient, qu'ont bien voulu me proposer diverses societes savantes'. He has been president of the Archaeological Society of Touraine for some time, and he takes pleasure in reading the publications of the 'Institut historique', received by the Society.

Arms and the Irishman.

Author: 
J.B. Arbuthnot,under pseud. "Sassenach"
Publication details: 
London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1952.
£100.00

128pp., 8vo. Foxing, covers marked, pictorial dj damaged (protected with plastic, sound. INSCRIBED by the author who published the book pseudonymously as "Sassenach": "With best wishes from the Author / JB Arbuthnot / Dec 8th 1932".

Three Typed Letters Signed (all 'J T. Walker'), and one Autograph Note, to Sir Henry Trueman Wood, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts. Together with 19 newspaper cuttings relating to unions and strikes in Australia.

Author: 
James Thomas Walker (1841-1923), Australian banker, born in Scotland [unions and strikes in Australia; William Morris Hughes (1862-1952), Prime Minister of Australia; Wharf Labourers Union]
Publication details: 
Two letters of 16 March 1916 and one of 24 March 1916; all three on letterhead of Yaralla Chambers, 109 Pitt Street, Sydney; autograph note of 21 March 1916, from Sydney, New South Wales.
£180.00

The letters and note are good, on lightly aged paper; the third letter with closed tear at foot of both leaves, affecting Walker's signature. Two of the three letters are docketed and bear the Society's stamp. The cuttings good on aged high-acidity paper. Letter One (4to, 1 p): He cannot afford the Society's subscription, due to 'the immensely increased taxation by the Federal Government, and by the State Governments in N.S. Wales and Queensland (not to mention donations to various War Funds)'.

Autograph Letter Signed by Talbot ('C <?> Talbot') to Hawtrey on Gladstone's behalf.

Author: 
C. Talbot, senior clerk [William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), Liberal Prime Minister; Edward Craven Hawtrey (1789-1862), Provost of Eton College]
Publication details: 
30 May 1854; Great George Street [Westminster].
£38.00

12mo, 2 pp, 20 lines. Bifolium with mourning border. Text clear and entire, on lightly aged paper with a few stains. He is enclosing 'Mr. Gladstone's answer on the subject of the inscriptions [not present]' which he asks to be returned to him. 'I had no opportunity of submitting it to him till Sunday last, and as you see I lose no time in passing on his answer to you [...] I drew his attention specially to the question of the two languages as you desired me to do'. Asks to be remembered to 'Miss Hawtrey'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Ch Giraud de l'institut'), in French, to an unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Charles Giraud [Charles-Joseph-Barthélémy Giraud] (1802-1881), French jurist and historian
Publication details: 
29 February [no year]; no place.
£35.00

12mo, 1 p, 12 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper. Drawing the recipient's attention to 'une demande qui a été adressée a M. le Prefet de la Seine, par M. Burnet [an inhabitant of Neuilly], homme infiniment estimable qui sollicite un emploi dans l'administration des pompes funèbres'. Giraud knows Burnet very well, 'et je lui porte un interet particulier'.

Historic Certainties respecting the Early History of America, developed in a Critical Examination of the Book of the Chronicles of the Land of Ecnarf.

Author: 
Rev. Aristarchus Newlight', pseud. [Richard Whately, Archbishop of Dublin re. COPAC; Beinecke says William Fitzgerald]
Publication details: 
London: John W. Parker, West Strand. 1851. [Savill and Edwards, Printers, Chandos Street, Covent Garden.]
£125.00

8vo: [viii] + 62 + [ii] pp. Good, though a little dogeared and discoloured, with slight wear at foot of final leaf. Half-title (with quotation from Strauss's 'Leben Jesu' on reverse) and (discoloured) final leaf of publisher's advertisements. Disbound. The author is described on the title-page as ''Rev. Aristarchus Newlight, Phil. Dr. of the University of Giessen; Corresponding Member of the Theophilanthropic and Pantisocratical Societies of Leipsig; Late Professor of All Religions in several distinguished Academies at home and abroad, etc. etc.

Autograph Signature on fragment of letter.

Author: 
John Bruce Richard O'Neill (1780-1855), 3rd Viscount O'Neill, Irish General and politician, Constable of Dublin Castle
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£32.00

On piece of paper roughly one and a half inches by three wide. Small tear in top left-hand corner not affecting signature. Reads 'Your Obed Hue Servt | [signature] O'Neill | Lieut General'. On reverse '<...> he had his discharge to <...> | <...> allowed something he had <...>'.

DRAFT Autograph letter, third person ("The Att[orney]. Gen[eral]. for Ireland")

Author: 
[ Hugh Law ]
Publication details: 
[House of Commons stamp], [June 1881?]
£105.00

See DNB. Two pages, 8vo, sl. stained and with remains of glue for laying down, text clear and complete as follows: "The Att. Gen. of Ireland desires to correct a passage in his answer to Mr J. McCarthys question No. 8[.] Omit 'some time after the Eviction Lord Annaly directed the dwelling h[ou]s[e] to be pulled down & the roof was after[war]ds burned off'- and insert instead - 'Lord Annalys agent states t[ha]t he hasno knowledge of Mrs [M Dermots?] home being [?] burned - and does not believe it was'- Note: The date "June 1881" has been aded in another hand and in pencil.

Autograph Letter Signed to <Brodie?>.

Author: 
Hugh Law
Publication details: 
Monday 15 Feb.' (no year); on embossed letterhead of the Union Club, Trafalgar Square.
£25.00

Lord Chancellor of Ireland (1818-83). Two pages, 12mo. Creased and grubby, and with two small holes in embossment. He cannot avail himself of his correspondent's kind invitation for dinner the following day as he has 'an engagement I may not postpone or disregard'. He should have been happy to meet Mr and Mrs <?>, 'as well as to spend a pleasant evening with you'. Signed 'H. Law'.

Autograph Letter Signed to [John] Lanyon.

Author: 
William Ewart
Publication details: 
23 January 1888; on letterhead '9, Bedford Street, | Belfast.'
£20.00

Mayor of Belfast, 1859-60, and founder of what was at one time the world's largest privately owned linen manufacturer (William Ewart & Son Ltd). Lanyon (1839-1900) was a surveyor, architect and engineer, partner in Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon. One page, 12mo. In good condition, with small closed tear at head not affecting text, and remains of mount adhering to blank verso. Reads 'Dear Mr Lanyon | It will give me pleasure to support the boy Arthur Knox in whom you are interested at the first Election for the St Anne's Society | But about the Form that I must sign.

Typed Letter Signed ('O Locker Lampson') to unnamed female correspondent.

Author: 
Commander Oliver Locker-Lampson (1880-1954), Conservative MP for North Huntingdonshire (1910-22) and Handsworth (1922-45) [Hands Off Britain "Clear out the Reds" Campaign; communism; anti-communist]
Publication details: 
Undated; on letterhead of the 'Hands Off Britain "Clear out the Reds" Campaign', St. Stephen's House, Westminster.
£56.00

4to, 1 p, 9 lines. On behalf of his 'Committee' acknowledging his correspondent's 'kind letter with its generous contribution to the funds of our Campaign', adding 'a message of individual thanks from myself to you for your mostt encouraging support'. 'Our Campaign is prospering, and we hope soon to complete our success by the early expulsion of the Reds.' His correspondent's 'welcome help' is of 'great value'.

Printed communication, signed 'd'Hozier', to Monsieur Boucher.

Author: 
Ambroise-Louis-Marie d'Hozier (1764-1841), genealogist, 'Vérificateur des Armoiries de France'.
Publication details: 
10 June 1823; Paris.
£35.00

4to, 1 p, 12 lines. Text clear and entire, on creased paper. Printed in copperplate. Requesting subscription money due for his 'Indicateur Nobiliaire'. Good firm signature.

Letter, in a secretarial hand, in French, with what is said to be the illegible signature of Lacretelle [to Lenormand?].

Author: 
Charles Lacretelle le jeune [Jean Charles Dominique de Lacretelle] (1766-1855), historian [Léonce Lenormand, editor of the 'Journal de Saône-et-Loire']
Publication details: 
1 September 1853; place not stated.
£56.00

12mo, 2 pp, 32 lines. Good. Docketed in a nineteenth-century hand in pencil in top left-hand corner 'Lacretelle (Charles) à Lenormand, réd. du J. de Saone & Loire à Mâcon' and in another hand 'Acad. Fr'. Asks to be verbally informed of the news of 'Mr. Ochier, à supposer qu'il vous eut enfin révélé le motif de son long silence au milieu des prodiges qui s'opérent aujourd'hui pour les moyens de communication entre les deux hémisphères, je n'aurais jamais pensé que celle de Mâcon et de Cluny, présentassent de telles difficultés'.

[Railway Reading.] Workmen's Earnings, Strikes, and Savings. By Samuel Smiles, author of 'Life of George Stephenson,' 'Self Help,' etc. Reprinted from the 'Quarterly Review.'

Author: 
Samuel Smiles [Victorian trades unions; strikes; industrial action]
Publication details: 
London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. 1861. Printed by W. Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street, and Charing Cross.
£120.00

12mo, 168 pp. In original red printed wraps, yellow endpapers. Attractive bookseller's ticket of 'Hunt Books 1919 Southborough Kent England' on front pastedown. Internally sound, with a little light staining and some unobtrusive marking in margins. Wraps chipped and worn at corners and spine, with small ink stain on back. Front wrap headed 'RAILWAY READING.' Small neat ownership stamp of J. D. Bowen at head of title.

Letter in a secretarial hand, Signed by Méline ('J. Méline') as 'Président du Conseil' and 'Ministre de l'Agriculture', to 'Monsieur le Général Tournier | Secrétaire Général de la Présidence de la République'.

Author: 
Félix Jules Méline [Felix Jules Meline] (1838-1925), French Prime Minister, 1896-1898 [Tournier]
Publication details: 
13 February 1897; Paris, on letterhead of 'République Française | Présidence du Conseil | Cabinet du Président'.
£120.00

8vo, 1 p, 13 lines. Very good on lightly aged and creased paper. Docketed in red pencil in another hand. Lists the names of three couples, 'appartenant au cercle de mes relations', who would dearly like to receive 'invitations pour les fétes données au Palais de l'Elysee'. Méline would be 'vivement heureux' if Tournier could give 'satisfaction' to this desire. A good firm signature on a document written during Méline's term as French President.

One Autograph Letter and one Autograph Note both Signed "P. Hoare.Signed

Author: 
Prince Hoare, artist and playwright.
Publication details: 
Buckingham Street, 11 Oct. 1812 and Beckenham, 26 Aug. 1810.
£120.00

Total 3pp., 4to, creasesedges dulled, odd spot, mainly good condition. (1810) He humorously asks for an enclosed letter (not present) be forwarded to a Mrs Nooth (named on address panel). (1812) He gives a gracious and witty apology, outlining the circumstances. According to an information sheetprfepared by the firm of H.P. Kraus these items are from the Library of Sir Thomas Phillipps. Two items,

Four lines in autograph on his calling card as 'Depute, Sous-Secretaire d'Etat à la Justice'.

Author: 
Félix Jules Méline [Felix Jules Meline] (1838-1925), French Prime Minister, 1896-1898
Publication details: 
Undated.
£56.00

Card dimensions 6 x 10.5 cm. Good: lightly aged and with crease to top left-hand corner. Printed text reads 'Jules Méline, Deputé, Sous-Secrétaire d'Etat a la Justice. 84, Boulevard St. Garmain'. The autograph note, in French, is addressed to 'Mon cher ami', whom he addresses as 'tu'. He apologises for having neglected his correspondent's letter among his correspondence. 'Viens me voir à la chancellerie un matin; tu es sûre de me trouver mardi.' Thanks him for his 'bonnes félicitations'.

Document, in French, in a secretarial hand, signed by Méline ('J. Méline'), as Minister of Agriculture, to 'Monsieur Bailly, A.N. Président de la Société des Artistes Français | au Palais des Champs Elysées (porte 4).'

Author: 
Félix Jules Méline [Felix Jules Meline] (1838-1925), French Prime Minister, 1896-1898 [Antoine-Nicolas Louis Bailly (1810-1892), French architect]
Publication details: 
26 April 1884; Paris, on letterhead of the Ministry of Agriculture.
£75.00

8vo, 1 p. On aged paper, with wear and closed tears to extremities. Good, clear signature. Thanking Bailly for the 'cartes' and the 'lettres d'invitation' to the 'Salon de 1884'.

Two Autograph Letters Signed ('M Asquith' and 'Margot Asquith'), both to the Editor of the London Daily Graphic Harold Edward Lawton.

Author: 
Margot Asquith [Emma Alice Margaret Asquith] (1864-1945), Countess of Oxford and Asquith
Publication details: 
3 and 8 December 1920; the first on letterhead of 44 Bedford Square, London W.C.1, and the second on letterhead of The Wharf, Sutton Courtney, Berkshire.
£100.00

Both items written in pencil and good, on lightly aged paper, with their stamped and postmarked envelopes addressed by Asquith. Both envelopes with traces of brown paper mount adhering to reverse, and both docketed by the Graphic's editor 'To me Harold Lawton'. Letter One (12mo, 4 pp, headed 'Private'): Amusingly outraged letter regarding a visit by 'two gentlemen' of whom Asquith 'had no sort of knowledge'. Graphic journalists, they assured Asquith 'that nothing wd. be written about me without my seeing it first [last five words underlined in red]'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('C. de Freycinet') to an unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet (1828-1923), 43rd Prime Minister of France, 1879-1880
Publication details: 
7 July 1860; Bordeaux.
£85.00

12mo, 1 p, 20 lines. On grey paper, good, with a line of light offsetting from another document on the blank reverse. He wanted to read the work he has been sent before writing to acknowledge its receipt. 'Je suis trop peu de chose pour qu'un compliment de moi vous soit sensible'. He awaits the reprint with impatience, and regrets not having received a copy sooner. As for the introduction, he does not see how it could be changed. 'Ce que vous y dites sera toujours vrai et est aussi nouveau qu'il y a 19 ans'. The form is what one would expect 'd'un littérateur'.

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