BOOKMEN

[John Calder, London avant-garde publisher.] Three Autograph Cards Signed and a Typed Letter Signed to Philip Dosse, publisher of ‘Books and Bookmen’, regarding reviews he is writing because of ‘financial troubles tempting enough to do a Stonehouse'.

Author: 
John Calder [John Mackenzie Calder] (1927-2018), London avant-garde publisher of Scottish-Canadian descent [Calder and Boyars; Better Books; Philip Dosse (1925-1980), publisher ‘Books and Bookmen’]
Publication details: 
TLS: 17 July 1974; on letterhead of Calder and Boyars Ltd, 18 Brewer Street, London. All three ACS on his letterhead, 6 Dalmeny House, 9 Thurloe Place, London SW7; one dated 15 January 1975 the others undated.
£180.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. The typed letter is in fair condition, aged and worn; the three cards are in very good condition. The signature on the four items is little more than a squiggle. Of the three cards, only Item Four below is addressed.

[Dillibe Onyeama, Nigerian author of a controversial account of the racism he experienced at Eton College in England.] Two Typed Letters Signed to Philip Dosse, publisher of ?Books and Bookmen?, one regarding the trials of a freelance reviewer.

Author: 
Dillibe Onyeama (1951-2022), Nigerian author of a controversial account of his experience of racism as the first African educated at Eton College in England [Philip Dosse (1925-1980), publisher]
Publication details: 
ONE: 15 May 1974; 47a Leigham Court Road, Streatham Hill, London SW16. TWO: no date; c/o 21 Inglethorpe Street, Fulham, London SW6. Also an ANS to 'Mrs Poppmacher' (Dosse's secretary?): 21 February 1973; 169 Breakspears Road, Brockley, London SE4.
£150.00

Onyeama was the second black boy to go to Eton, and the first to complete his education there. See his obituary in the Guardian, 11 February 2022. His hugely-controversial 1972 book ?Nigger at Eton?, which resulted in him being banned from the school, was reprinted by Penguin Books in 2020 under the title ?Black Boy at Eton?. Philip Dosse, the recipient of the first two letters, was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players.

[Claud Cockburn, well-connected communist journalist.] Two Typed Letters Signed and one Autograph Letter Signed to Philip Dosse, publisher of ?Books and Bookmen?, one giving plans for reviewing Jessica Mitford's 'damn good book' 'Fine Old Conflict'.

Author: 
Claud Cockburn [Francis Claud Cockburn] (1904-1981), well-connected communist journalist, founder and editor of ?The Week? [Philip Dosse (1926-1980), publisher ?Books and Bookmen?; Jessica Mitford]
Publication details: 
Years not stated (but one from 1977); all three items on his letterhead, Brook Lodge, Youghal, Co. Cork, Ireland.
£180.00

An interesting correspondence, with one editor showing his experience in discussing the reviews he is writing for another. See Cockburn's entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ?Death of a Bookman? by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ?Books and Bookmen? at the time of Dosse?s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. The three items are ruckled and stained from water damage, with smudging of the signature (?Claud Cockburn?

[Bernard Levin, writer and broadcaster.] Two Typed Letters Signed and one Typed Note Signed to Philip Dosse, in one declining to review (for ?Books and Bookmen?), in another expressing agreement with Dosse?s position.

Author: 
Bernard Levin [Henry Bernard Levin] (1928-2004), writer and broadcaster [Philip Dosse (1925-1980), publisher ?Books and Bookmen?]
Publication details: 
6 February and 18 September 1974, and 21 April 1977. All three on letterhead of The Times, New Printing House Square, London WC1.
£56.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ?Death of a Bookman? by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ?Books and Bookmen? at the time of Dosse?s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. The three items are in good condition, lightly aged and worn, and folded for postage. All three signed loosely ?Bernard Levin?. ONE: TLS, 6 February 1974. 1p, foolscap 8vo.

[Foyles Literary Luncheon for Sir Angus Wilson, 1980.] Autograph Letter Signed from ‘Dolly’ [Mrs A. G. Dowdeswell] to ‘Philip’ [Philip Dosse of ‘Books and Bookmen’], with reference to Wilson, Melvyn Bragg, Simon Young of John Murray, Ian Jack.

Author: 
[Foyles Literary Luncheon for Sir Angus Wilson, 1980] ‘Dolly’ [Mrs A. G. Dowdeswell, Secretary, The Johnson Society of London] [Philip Dosse (1925-1980), publisher ‘Books and Bookmen’; Melvyn Bragg,
Publication details: 
27 August 1980; on letterhead of 26 High Street, Biddenden, Kent.
£75.00

See the entries for Angus Wilson and Christina Foyle in the Oxford DNB. ‘Dolly’ is clearly the ‘Mrs. A. G. Dowdeswell’ who was secretary of the Johnson Society of London in the 70s and 80s (arranging luncheons) and named as a member of the Johnson Society at least as late as 1992. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018.

[ Printed booklet. ] The Idea of a British Book Trade Association. An Address given to The Society of Bookmen by Basil Blackwell.

Author: 
Basil Blackwell [ Sir Basil Blackwell (1889-1984), Oxford bookseller and publisher ] [ The Society of Bookmen, London ]
Publication details: 
The Society of Bookmen, 3 Henrietta Street, London, W.C.2. June 1937. [ Unwin Brothers Limited, London and Woking, Printers. ]
£35.00

12pp., 8vo. Stapled into light-brown printed wraps, with title in dark-brown on white label on front wrap. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Blackwell's address is on pp.3-10; p.11 carries a 'List of Members 30th June 1937', in two columns, including R. Cobden-Sanderson, Geoffrey Faber, Rupert Hart-Davis, Harold Macmillan, Stanley Unwin and Sir Hugh Walpole. The final page carries details of the Society's officers, committee, secretary and offices. Blackwell begins his address: 'I have nothing new or strange to propose to-night.

[Cecil Harmsworth King, newspaper proprietor.] 103 Autograph Letters Signed and 22 Autograph Cards Signed to Philip Dossé, editor of 'Books and Bookmen', regarding his reviewing and other subjects. With a batch of letters from King's wife Ruth King.

Author: 
Cecil King [Cecil Harmsworth King] (1901-1987), chairman of Daily Mirror Newspapers and International Publishing Corporation; Dame Ruth Railton (1915–2001) [Philip Dossé, editor of Books and Bookmen]
Publication details: 
All but one of the 115 letters either from The Pavilion, Hampton Court, East Molesey, Surrey, or The Pavilion, Greenfield Park, Dublin. A few of the letters dated from between 1971 and 1979; the others from the same period.
£1,500.00

King's letters total 135pp., 12mo; 10pp., 4to. The earlier letters (mainly from East Molesey) all addressed to 'Mr Dossé'; 37 of the later letters (all from Dublin) addressed to 'Dear Philip'. The collection also contains the holograph of King's review of Graham Cleverley's 1976 book 'The Fleet Street Disaster' (6pp, foolscap 8vo), and 11 Autograph Letters Signed and three Autograph Cards Signed to Dossé from King's wife Ruth (neé Railton), dating from between 1971 and 1979. These are written in a chatty style, the letters totalling 25pp., 12mo; 2pp., 4to.

[ Christina Foyle of Foyle's Bookshop, London. ] 57 Typed Letters Signed and 20 Autograph Letters Signed to Philip Dosse of 'Books and Bookmen', with letters from her husband Ronald Batty. With other material including correspondence received by her.

Author: 
Christina Foyle (1911-1999), proprietor of London bookshop, Foyle's of Charing Cross Road; her husband Ronald Batty (d.1994) [ Philip Dosse (d.1980) of Hansom Books, publisher of 'Books and Bookmen' ]
Publication details: 
The letters of Foyle and Batty on two letterheads: 'From the Director's Office | W. & G. Foyle Ltd. | Booksellers | 119-125, Charing Cross Road, | London, W.C.2.' and Beeleigh Abbey, Maldon, Essex. Between 1968 and 1980.
£500.00

The collection is in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Of Foyle's 77 letters, 63 are signed 'Christina Foyle' and 14 'Christina'. Almost all 1p., 4to. Foyle's character shines through, an extraordinary mixture of steely determination, frankness and snobbish hauteur (for a good assessment, see her obituary in The Independent, 10 June 1999). Topics include: literary luncheons for Diana Mosley, Dirk Bogarde ('He is so very appealing. My friend Vivian Ellis thinks he is greater than Shakespeare.

[Sir Arthur Bryant.] Typed Note Signed ('Arthur Bryant') to Philip Dossé, editor of Books and Bookmen, regarding a review of 'two Seymour books'.

Author: 
Sir Arthur Bryant [Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant] (1899-1985), English historian and biographer of Samuel Pepys [Philip Dossé (d.1980), editor of Books and Bookmen]
Publication details: 
On his letterhead, Myles Place, The Close, Salisbury. 26 April 1976.
£35.00

1p., foolscap 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for his letter. 'The two Seymour books have no arrived and I will let you have the review as soon as I can get round to it.'

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