Autograph Letters

2pp., 8vo. 39 lines of text. On aged and lightly-stained paper, with one chipped edge. Unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Addressed 'Gentlemen', the letter begins 'Pardon me for recommending to your notice a MS volume intitled "An Introduction to the literary history of the fourteenth & fifteenth centuries", which will this day be forwarded to you by the Deal & Canterbury Coach. In taking such a liberty I have no excuse to offer but wha is supplied by your high reputation & extensive concern in every department of literature'.

One page, 12mo, fold marks, mainly good. "Thanks you for your letter. If you care to send your poems to me I'd love to read them and give you my opinion - for what it's worth. I'm afraid soldiering has dulled my perceptions rather a lot & I don't know how my critical faculties qould operate on their present condition. Still, si vous voulez! | I'm gald you're getting the broadsheets, which are in need of subscribers - I hope you like them: tell me which you dislike, & why, please. | Who is Mr. Roberts?

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight loss of text to both from the cutting away of Gordon's seal. Both addressed to 'My dearest Jessey' and posted to her as 'Mrs. Creed', care of General Corner, 4 Berkeley Street, Portman Square, London. Letter One (1828): 5pp., 4to. On a bifolium and a single leaf. With Madras postmark and three others. He begins by explaining his handling of money 'from the Estate of our poor late Uncle [...] sufficient in the beginning of the Year for the Purchase of my Majority in the 13th Dragoons in the Event of a Vacancy'.

A marvellous collection of material relating to Britain's first prima ballerina, gathering together 31 letters and cards from Markova, letters from members of her circle, and a mass of scarce printed ephemera, including photographs, signed programmes, tickets and newspaper cuttings. The numerous photographic images of the dancer (all black and white) are especially valuable, as very little film footage of Markova dancing survives.

4pp., 12mo. 26 lines. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressing an unnamed male correspondent, he begins by declining his correspondent's 'kind invitation' to his visit his house, 'on the ground that has already compelled me to refuse similar hospitality on that occasion from Mr. Wright and others'.

See his obituary in The Times, 5 May 1930. 90 ALsS and one ACS to RL and SL. Totalling 192pp., 4to; 17pp., 8vo; 223pp., 12mo. Two signed 'Seumas', the others signed 'James W. Good' or 'J. W. G.' Mainly from 24 Herbert Place, Dublin, but also from 35 Waterloo Rd, Dublin, and other addresses, and on letterheads of The Freeman's Journal; The Northern Whig Office, Belfast; The Republic, Belfast;Uladh. The letters to the separate recipients as follows. To RL: 44 ALsS; 30 between 1908 and 1928; the other 14 undated. Totalling 63pp., 4to; 17pp., 8vo; 121pp., 12mo.

Two pages, 12mo, remnants from being tipped on to album page, , staining, text clear and complete. "I feel myself compelled, circumstanced as I ma - to decline all invitation. Were it otherwise I should with great pleasure avail myself of yours - | My friends are answering for themselves - & I am very sorry it will be in the negative - but as they have declined similar invitations from the persons who have paid them the same kind attention, they cannot with propriety make exceptions..."

6pp., 4to, good condition, IN IRISH, translation as follows: "(On top) Write to me soon! ||Deirdre, my dear friend – I was delighted to receive your letter. Thank you very much. Forgive me for not writing much earlier: we are all greatly upset here over the deaths of Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins – isn’t it terrible news! I cannot believe it is true – I don’t know what the country will do without them. It disgusts me to think of Michael Collinsand the way they killed him like a dog; a curse on them, may they choke, the dirty villains!

Two pages, 4to, corrections and additions in his hand, fold marks, staining, some heavy, but text clear and complete. "I am not a good subject for a humorous article, because I am supposed to be a humorist myself. Now you may confidently make it a rule never to touch subjects that are already considered funny. You will find it easy to write an amusing imaginary interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury; but I defy you to make anyone laugh at an interview with Mark Twain. Mark made his reputation as a humorist with a description of a visit to the Holy Land.

Each of the three items 1p., 4to. All three in fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. In the first of her letters West writes that the Hogarth Press 'do not feel sufficiently interested' in Papini 'to make an offer for' his Dante Vivo; in the second she informs Pinkers that 'We have read the SAVAGE CENTURY by Charles Norman but regret that we do not see our way to publish them.

Totalling 8pp., 4to, and 5pp., 12mo. The nine items in fair condition, on light-aged paper with slight rust marking from paperclips. Two date from 1912 (7 June and 7 November 1912) and the other seven from 1913 (8 July, 10 July, 30 September, 1 October, 4 October, 22 October, 5 December). The fifth and seventh letters are signed by the secretary, and the other seven by Watts-Dunton himself (three 'Theodore Watts-Dunton' and four 'T. Watts-Dunton').

Both 1p., 4to. Both fair, on aged paper. The first typed in red and the second in black; both signed in green. The first letter is written to enclose 'the initialed half of the agreement with Mr De Vere Stacpoole giving me leave to make a film version of the story of Fanny Lambert'. He ends by expressing the hope that 'Mr Healy book [sic] will be taken by Methuens'. At the start of the second letter he announces that he is 'enclosing with this letter the agreement with Mr Stacpoole which I hope is now in order'.

Letters totalling 12pp., 4to; 23pp., 12mo; 30pp., 16mo, with the additional 8 cards (one carrying a photo of a bearded Niven, seated in a garden in hat and suit). The collection is in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with almost all of the items stamped with the date of receipt. 58 of the 60 items signed 'Frederick Niven', with one unsigned card, and another card signed 'F. N.' The last card (7 March 1914) is addressed to Pinker's son E. S. Pinker, the other 59 items to J. B. Pinker personally.

Sent by Niven to his literary agent J. B. Pinker, whose date stamp is on the first of Secker's letters. All four items in fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Secker's first letter: 1p., 4to. He begins by praising 'Denny's display' [a window display of Niven's work in Denny's bookshop in the Strand]: 'I am wondering whether you managed to get the photograph into any of the papers. Shall I send it to the Bookman?' He continues: 'The sales [of Niven's novel The Porcelain Lady] up to date amount to 434 in England.

One page, 20 x 14cm, good condition, saying: "To Mr. [Gardberg?] as remembrance of our many sufferings and [my?] voicing the masters - with my best wishes - Arthur Rubinstein."

One page, 18 x 15cm, small piece missing making day of date obscured, chipped, portion torn off below signature, other edges trimmed with no loss of text, text clear and complete as follows: "I am desired by a friend of mine to intreat your favour for John Weely of Captain Gilmoyden's Company in thge Train of Artillery for a Fee, which I am told is the usuall Reward from the Board of Ordnance to Men that have served well, and I am told that Collonell Hopkey has certified the Board of Ordnance in this Man's behalf, if soe I hope you will not take it amisse if I intreat your favour for him,

Two pages, 4to, corrections and additions in his hand, fold marks, staining, some heavy, but text clear and complete. I am not a good subject for a humorous article, because I am supposed to be a humorist myself. Now you may confidently make it a rule never to touch subjects that are alreadyconsidered funny. You will find it easy to write an amusing imaginary interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury; but I defy you to make anyone laugh at an interview with Mark Twain. Mark made his reputation as a humorist with a description of a visit to the Holy Land.

Ralph Steadman's position as one of the finest of all British caricaturists and cartoonists is assured. While he is best known for his collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson, Steadman's savage satirical studies in Private Eye and his humorous cartoons in Punch are equally memorable.

Two pages, 8vo, edges sunned mainly good condition. She says, "My fee for reading is highg, 50 guineas for an evening. 40 guineas if [?] for 3 or more evenings. | I don't really care about if it interferes with other work & I have not yet settled my autumn plans".

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged laid paper. Bower begins by stating that he is sending 'a Copy of a Letter which I have received from Dr Carm Smyth [James Carmichael Smyth (1742-1821) of the Middlesex Hospital]'. Smyth's son (the future Sir James Carmichael-Smyth) is 'a very fine handsome young man Lieut in the Engineers come out a Passanger [sic] in the same ship with us'. Bower and Smyth 'wisely went into the Boat which was lashed to the Stern Gallery to fish sharks which were following the ship - the Boat suddenly canted round in the slings, upon which poor Smyth went plump into the sea'.

Items Two to Four are in good condition, on aged paper; with Item One worn and creased, repaired with strips of white paper. Items Three and Four are attached to one another by a stub, and all four items show evidence of having been removed from a letterbook. Items One and Four are statements describing Lady Nairne's financial affairs, with Items Two and Three letters to Spring Rice and the Civil List committee on the matter, the first anonymous and the second by Lady Nairne's solicitor John Mackenzie Lindsay, Writer to the Signet.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Fair, on aged and chipped paper. As 'Mails for India leave at the end of the week', he considers the letter to be more convenient for her to forward. What attracted his attention to 'Mrs. Dighton's advertisement was the mention of African Stamps which she wished to obtain in exchange for those of Travancore'. He describes his own interests: 'I am especially strong in African Stamps having much correspondence from the West Coast'. He lists sets he would be willing to send to Mrs Dighton 'in exchange for 3 or 4 full sets of Navancore'.

2pp., 12mo. 44 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Signed 'Your l[oving]. mummy | E. A. G.' In aged mourning envelope addressed in manuscript to 'À Monsieur Ernest F. Gye | Hotel d'Angleterre | Caen | Normandie | France', redirected to him at the 'consulat angleterre | Le Havre'. Addressed to 'My dearest Ernie'. She does not know 'when the Canadians came from Normandie' but is sure he will 'find out all that' and tell her when they meet at home.

2pp., 12mo. 22 lines. Watermark: 'J GREEN | 1820'. Bifolium, with the reverse of the second leaf addressed by Terry to 'T Winstanley Esq'. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper, with closed tear to top half of fold. The letter begins: 'For God's sake - for the sake of auld lang syne - dine with me to-morrow.' He asks Winstanley to overlook his 'long silence & apparent neglect', it having been 'busy world [sic]' with them both since they last communicated. He assures him that he is 'the same as ever in affection & respect'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With original envelope, with red circular postmark and oval purple stamp of the 'PRIVY PURSE | BUCKINGHAM PALACE', addressed in manuscript to 'Miss Clara Gye. | 5 Westbourne Gardens. | Folkestone.

1p., 12mo. On aged and lightly-spotted paper. Reads: 'My dear Sir, | Mrs. Hope's house will do & I shall be obliged to you to engage it for me, from the Saturday before the show for a week & the stables at Mr. Wrights also. | Yours most truly, | [signed] Spencer'. Mrs Hope is probably the Hon. Louisa Hope (d.1851), wife or widow of the connoisseur Thomas Hope (1769-1831), and one of the wealthiest women of England. If this is the case the letter was written before her second marriage in 1832 to her cousin Viscount Beresford.

Both items good, on lightly-aged paper. Rosa Hood's sister Adelaide Fanny was the wife of Herbert F. Gye, and letter and reply are written informally. Hood's letter: 3pp., 12mo. She received Mrs Gye's letter that morning, 'and the Queen has read it' and is 'quite pleased with your reply'.

23pp., landscape folio; on twelve leaves pinned together. Fair on lightly-aged and dogeared paper. The document is clearly official, perhaps relating to the Poor Law or Reform Bill. With numerous emendations in different hands. Each page is a printed form, divided into five columns: 'Number on Plan.', 'Description of Property', 'Owner', 'Lessee' and 'Occupier'. (The plan referred to in the first column is not present.) Properties range from 'Field (Glebe Land)' to 'Railway'; and from 'House. Barns. Stables yard & Garden' to 'Canal & towing path'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. 56 lines. Good, on aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mrs. Curling'. Casamajor is taking 'the earliest opportunity' to inform Mrs Curling 'by the last Packet', that he has 'received an Acc[oun]t. from my agent in Antigua, that the Court of Chancery in that Island had disallowed all Charges of Interest on the Arrears of the Annuities on the late Mathew Christians Estates amounting to £2567.2.5 also the Trustees Commission of £50 a year for 16 years, to this our Counsel'.

1p., 12mo. On aged paper, with traces of grey paper mount adhering to the reverse. He thanks the unnamed male recipient for the 'very kind favor of the 23rd. Instant': 'my Parliamentary duties & business engagements demand so much of my time that I am obliged to decline, with but very rare exceptions indeed, all invitations of the character named'. He asks the recipient 'to have me excused complying with your wishes'.