Autograph Letters

Three pages, 8vo, some damage, but text clear and complete, tear at fold of bifolium despite attempt to repair with sellotape., He has been asked by a friend to get an answer about the diseases of camels, quoting his enquiry in which one, Photoshootui (if I read the word right), is described, and referring to ancient sources and Native opinion. His correspondent is engaged in a popular treatise, or history, of vaccination. Hallam hopes for references to Western books that might give information.

One page, 8vo, some marking but text clear and complete. "Iam glad that your messenger caught me here, & that the picture could at once be returned. There is nothing to bid fo. It is a wothless painting, clumsily touched upon to make high lights &c. & is in miserable condition might be any child of the period".

16mo, 1 p. In small purple envelope with mourning border. Twelve lines. Text complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Execrable handwriting. A letter of thanks. Written after Boyd became Dean in 1867.

On a square of paper, circa 10 x 11.5 cm. Aged and lightly-creased. Evidently a reply to a request for an autograph. Bold signature, with the whole reading 'Your's faithfully | Clarendon'. Docketed with a few biographical details on reverse.

One page, thirteen lines, 8vo, small closed tears, text clear and complete. "As I cannot continue my lectures on [? see scan], for some time to come I return a proportion of the balance of money collected in various towns. I have not taken one penny for my labours, but I propose to retain about one third of the balance [underlined] as there were innumerable etceteras about a work like mine. If any of the subscribers object to this, please let me know. - I enclose a cheque for £5." Best has listed 6 recipients of shares of this £5 on the verso of a conjoint leaf ,and with a small sum.

12mo, 1 p. Fair, on aged paper folded twice. He has 'no idea where the Graphotype Company "hail from" & cannot find out', despite making enquiries.

Letter One: 12mo, 2 pp. Good on lightly-aged paper. The 'delightful drawing' she left for him is a 'wonderful surprise'. He has been 'trying some life drawing direct with the brush' and is surprised that she was able 'to put it down like that!' Letter Two: 4to, 2 pp. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. He apologizes for the delay in answering her letter and thanking her for sending one on by 'Bloggins'. He is 'an abominable letter writer though that does not mean a change of feelings to one's old friends'. He has received a letter f'rom C. B. himself about the Academy'.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Letter One (27 April 1865): 12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Seventeen lines. He is sorry not to have been able to accept Flower's hospitality: 'Let us hope to meet about Whitsuntide for the pilgrimage to Firle'. He is eager for information for his 'Sussex Worthies'. 'My eldest dau[ghte]r's marriage & the starting of my eldest son on his professional career cost money, & every 30s. [subscription) will help.' Letter Two (9 November 1865): 12mo, 1 p. 13 lines. He has received the 30s.

4to, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper. He has been 'asked by the firm in Braunschweig' to give his opinion on two questions relating to 'Concave Sharps'. He puts the questions to Richter, adding that the Sharps are 'a special patent of Grotrian Steinweg', adding that Richter will 'see from the enclosed leaflet [not present] the reception they found in the musical circles in Berlin'. He asks Richter for his own opinion.

One page, 8vo, fold marks, good condition. No doubt our London House has told you that they are ordering a copy of SHAKESPEARE AND THE ACTORS for you.~35~SHAKESPEARE OUP OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS THEATRE AUTOGRAPH~ ~0~BT MSS 1~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 9764~16/09/2010~False~John Sparrow, Warden of All Souls, Bookman~Autograph Postcard SignedJ. to John Carter, c/o Sotheby's, Bookman.~Venezia, 24 Oct. 1971.~Good condition.

Total 4pp., 8vo, text readable but sometimes faint,good condition. (Nov. 1947) He's been too ill to write but has marked the books he wants. Any sort of copy not even firsts[.] They are only for work. [This from the most fastidious of collectors (Muir, Minding My Own Business, p.101)]. He'll go through the list again just in case. Those Press cuttings & photos were most useful. (Dec. 1947) He thanks him for another Hobbes, revealing his greatest want, The Vineyard. Fletcher is to stop looking for the life of 1911 since Jennings' publishers have sent a copy.

12mo, 15 pp. In modern brown paper wraps (easily removed). Clear and complete. In fair condition, on aged paper. Wraps stamped 'J467'. This item has a complicated publishing history (not made easier by the large number of microfilm reproductions listed on COPAC). This copy has 'Price Two Pence.' at the foot of the title, which - with a triangular geometric vignette made up of ten flowers - is enclosed in a frame. The reverse of the last leaf is blank and there is no cancel.

Dimensions of paper 23 x 17 cm; dimensions of image c.16 x 10.5 cm. In fair condition on lightly-aged paper. Captioned at foot 'Nathaniel Hawthorne'. Head and shoulders illustration, with Hawthorne looking at the viewer with his head slightly towards his right shoulder. Placed in modern 34 x 26.5 cm cream card frame with gold and light-green border. Professionally executed in a traditional style. The artist's monogram, centred beneath the illustration, consists of a stalk topped by simple flower design, and with the date '26' at the foot.

9 x 14 cm. Backed on piece of card, and hence with the details of the addressees obscured. Fair, on aged paper with central vertical crease. Sending 'Compliments au père et à la mère. Bon veux pour le nouveau né!' Written while waiting for trial, following Déroulède's re-arrest for treason. He was found guilty and banished for ten years. His funeral procession in Paris attracted a larger crowd than any since Victor Hugo.

One page, 12mo (ish), poor condition, some reinforcement of edges, text by an eccentric typewriter faint but readable, minor corrections by Mannin's pen. I didn't know VENETIAN BLINDS was out of print. I will ask Jarrolds about this. Most of my books were blitzed in 1940 and the typed [Typescripts?] competely destrpoyed. I am getting them reprinted gradually, but had evidently overlooked V.B. | I too think RED ROSE is a good picture of poor old Emma - in fact I know[underlined] it is. But in my own view my last novel THE DARK FOREST is my best book, and I don't think I shall do better.

A total of twelve 12mo pages and two 4to pages. All texts clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The first letter addressed to 'Mrs Norbury', and the others to 'Grace'. After a first letter of 1948, in which he complains that he is 'becoming more & more a home dweller', the correspondence continues in 1951, with Keith thanking Mrs Norbury for a gift of sugar ('Its arrival made my housekeeper Miss Holman quite elated'), and sending Lionel Norbury encouragement on his Hunterian Oration ('My heart goes out to the Orator & to his Better Half').

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium, with the reverse of the second leaf carrying the address ('J. Sykes Esqr: | 22 Arundel Street | Strand', with two postmarks and docketing by Sykes. Nineteen lines. Text clear and complete. On aged paper, with wear to second leaf. Sykes 'will not be surprized to hear' that on the previous day 'Poor Georgina [...] paid the Great Debt'. Colpoys has arranged for her funeral to be 'conducted - in a Decent Private manner', and for her to be buried 'in the Parish of Kensington where she Died - Mr.

8vo, 1 p. Typed and signed in light-blue, beneath green letterhead, and with 'CARL VAN VECHTEN' 'watermark' at centre of page. Text clear and complete. On lightly aged paper, worn and dogeared at extremities. He thanks her for the copy of 'the Academic Observer (Gertrude Stein number) which intererested me so much that I am writing to ask if I may have another copy for a friend of mine, Please.' Autograph note explains that the 'friend' is one 'who also collects Steiniana'. Docketed in pencil on reverse: 'Miss Mallory | Keep this until I call - someday I will. | [signed] M. Lucha'.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf. Fair, on aged paper. He does not think he received 'Part II of Collectanea Topog. & Geneal.' 'As I believe that receipts are taken on delivery of that Work be so good as to send me any memorandum of the fact - if you do not possess it perhaps the Part may not have been left at my House'. Docketed, with details of the receipt, at head of first page.

12mo, 1 p. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of mount on blank reverse. He only has 'time for a single line before Post'. He is adopting the recipient's 'suggestion of putting my name among the Vicars | "47. John Raine. Presented November 1834', and is sending copy. The note concerns an entry on Raine in the following: 'Reports and Papers Read at the Meetings of the Architectural Societies of the Counties of Lincoln and Nottingham, County of York, Archdeaconries of Northampton and Oakham, County of Bedford, Diocese of Worcester, and County of Leicester', Vol. 15 (1879).

4to, 1 p. In bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf with circular 'RUSHYFORD' postmark in black ink. On aged and creased paper, with traces of mount adhering on second leaf. Giving details of the 'allowance to the Trade', which he admits is 'small', for volumes in large and small paper. 'Only 500 Copies being printed it is not worth my while to push the sale by a large allowance'.

On piece of laid paper, 5.5 x 8 cm. Clear signature on lightly-aged and spotted paper. From the collection of James C. Webster, Secretary, Athenaeum Club, London, who has written, above the signature, 'Royal Society of L<...>', and beneath it, 'Sir Philip Francis | author of "Junius"'.

Folio, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Removed from an album, and with docketing on second leaf slightly obsucred by thin strip of paper in margin. Written while Huskisson was Secretary to the Treasury, and requiring Sweetland to provide to the Lords Commissioners 'an account of the Revenues of Gibraltar for the last three Years distinguishing the amount under each head of Revenue and also a Statement fo all Payments charged upon the said Revenue'. Despite his achievements, Huskisson is now best-remembered as the first railway fatality.

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. 28 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a trace of the mount adhering to the reverse of the second leaf, which is docketed by the recipient. The letter concerns her 'favourite old Clock', about which she expresses anxiety: 'the Man you now send to wind up the Clock is, I dare say, very clever in his Business, but as he almost constantly leaves it with somethig not right in Motion, striking &c I must therefore think that he is not accustomed to direct all the movements of such a Clock'.

4to, 1 p. Eleven lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for having 'appriz'd' him 'of the proposed enclosure of Tooting Common, to which I am equally hostile with the Rector, & the other principal Gentlemen who have express'd their determination to oppose the Measure'. Lady Coventry joins him in sending 'kind remembrances' to Mrs Harrison and her family. The franked envelope is a sheet of folded paper, bearing Coventry's red wax armorial seal in good condition, and postmark. It is addressed 'Pershore Octr. Seventeen | 1817 | Thomas Harrison Esqr.

12mo, 2 pp, the autograph being on one side and Rickman's on the other. Fair, on aged paper, with traces of previous mounting on one side. Large bold signature 'J: Wolcot' with biographical note on one side, and the note, signed 'Clio Rickman', on the other: Written by the celebrated Peter Pindar, when entirely blind, on my calling on him the 3d of July 1809 my boy with me'.

12mo, 1 p. Six lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Suggests a couple of alternative days on which he 'will be at liberty to give Sir W. J. Newton a sitting'.

4to, 1 p. 14 lines. Text clear, apart from damage to two words caused by the breaking open of the wafer. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of previous mount adhering to the reverse. Her recipient has corrected 'a personal defect' in one of Trimmer's books, calling for a 'trifling' alteration. She will make the alteration when a new edition is called for. 'I am happy to find any of my Books are now in the excellent institution in which you perform so important an office'.

4to, 1 p. 19 lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and lightly creased paper, with strip of sunning to left-hand margin. Neat signature: 'Nicolas Bentley'. The film and television rights to the book were all 'bought some years ago by Herbert Wilcox, who, as I understand it, still owns them'. Bentley has reports the opinion of 'Messrs A. P. Watt, my late father's agent', on the question of the radio rights. 'I control the stage rights', Bentley states, giving the conditions on which he would agree to a stage adaptation.

12mo, 2 pp. 19 lines of text. Clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Begins 'Just a line to tell you we miss you like mad & hope you are well & happy. Praises a 'dinner at Mary's'. They hope to call on Colleano when passing through London on 'Sunday Nite'. Ends 'Well honey, keep us in mind & we will see you soon - Our very best to Bonar Jr. [Colleano's son the film actor Bonar Colleano]' Postscript 'Billy sends his best'. Coogan was married to Ann McCormack, his third wife, from 1946 to 1951. From the Colleano Family archive.