COTTAGE

[‘You need not fear my giving you any but cottage fare’: Mary Russell Mitford, author of ‘Our Village’.] Autograph Letter Signed, to Rev. Hugh Pearson, arranging a visit by him and Lady Henley.

Author: 
Mary Russell Mitford (1787-1855), author and playwright, best known for her collection of sketches, ‘Our Village’ [Hugh Pearson (1817-1882), Vicar of Sonning and a Canon at Windsor]
Publication details: 
‘Tuesday’. [Envelope dated in another hand 21 October 1851.]
£120.00

An characteristic letter by the author of 'Our Village', written in the year of her move from Three Mile Cross, Berkshire, to nearby Swallowfield, itself eight miles from Pearson's home in Sonning. See the entries on Mitford and Pearson in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. On the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium which has been unfolded with the fore-edge of the second leaf attached to a nineteenth-century stub. In good condition, lightly aged.

[John Williamson of Tynron Cottage, Thornhill, Scotland.] Autograph Letter Signed to Edinburgh lawyer David Williamson, regarding his immediate voyage to St Kitts in the West Indies, ship called the "Nevis Planter', with six gallons of Scotch whisky.

Author: 
John Williamson (b.1750) of Tynron Cottage, Thornhill, Scotland [David Williamson (d.1837), Lord Balgray, of Lawers, Perthshire, Lord of Session; Scotch whisky; St Kitts and Nevis, West Indies]
Publication details: 
Tynron Cottage [Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland]. 4 January 1801.
£135.00

1p., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with red ink postmark and broken black wax seal, to 'David Williamson Esqr | Advocate | George's Square | Edinh'. There is no indication in the letter that the two men are kinsmen. 'My Dear Sir, | I am happy to inform you that the ship called the Nevis Planter sails from Liverpool for St. Kitts on the 12th. Inst - with your approbation, I propose sailing with her - | Mr.

Autograph Letter Signed from W. B. Dunlop to 'Mr. Hodge' [Chairman of Sotheby's Tom Hodge], discussing the acquisition for the Burns Cottage Museum of a copy of the Kilmarnock Edition of Robert Burns, with reference to prices fetched by other copies.

Author: 
W. B. Dunlop, cousin of William Hamilton Dunlop of Downside [Tom Hodge (1860-1939), Chairman of Sotheby's; Burns Cottage Museum, Alloway; George Seton Veitch of Paisley; Robert Burns]
Publication details: 
7 Carlton Street, Edinburgh. 23 July 1903.
£180.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Dunlop begins by informing Hodge that his cousin William Hamilton Dunlop of Downside, Ayrshire, 'has purchased as one of the Burns Monument Trustees the "Veitch" of Paisley copy of the Kilmarnock Burns for £1000'. He describes the book as 'the most perfect copy known uncut & with both blue paper covers much better than the Lamb copy.' Dunlop is 'glad it has been secured for the Burns Cottage Museum at Alloway & is not going across the fish pond [i.e.

Autograph Manuscript Signed ('M Berry') by the diarist Mary Berry, sister of Agnes Berry and friend of Horace Walpole, a flight of fancy headed 'Devonshire Cottage to its well-beloved Mistress [Hon. Mrs George Lamb], Greeting -'.

Author: 
Mary Berry (1763-1852), author, sister and companion of Agnes Berry (1764-1852), and friend of Horace Walpole [Hon. Mrs George Lamb [Caroline 'Caro George' Lamb']; Devonshire Cottage, Richmond]
Publication details: 
[Devonshire Cottage, Richmond.] 29 June and 1 July 1844.
£220.00

4pp., 12mo. 75 lines. On bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The entire document is in Mary Berry's autograph. The letter proper, of 57 lines, is signed 'Devonshire Cottage / a true Copy / M Berry', the joke, such as it is, being that Mary Berry has copied out a document written by Devonshire Cottage itself to its owner, the Hon. Mrs George Lamb (Caroline, or 'Caro George' Lamb, from whom the Berry sister's were leasing it).

[Victorian printed Shakespeare ephemera] Illustrated 'Description' of Shakespeare's Birthplace, together with tickets of admission to it, and to Ann Hathaway's Cottage, and a letterhead of the Shakespeare Memorial, carrying notes of books.

Author: 
Richard Savage, Secretary and Librarian to the Trustees, Shakespeare Memorial, Stratford-upon-Avon [Ann Hathaway's Cottage; William Shakespeare]
London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, Cambridge University A
Publication details: 
The first three items dated 1895-6. All items dated in hand 25 October 1895. ['Description' by Edward Fox, Printer, 1, High Street, Stratford-upon-Avon.]
£150.00
London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, Cambridge University A

A nice collection of Victorian Shakespeare ephemera. All four items with text clear and complete, on lightly-aged and worn paper. The 'Description' is printed in red, on both sides of a piece of paper 13.5 x 18 cm, with both vertical edges perforated. 'This may be retained as a Souvenir' along one edge. Dated at end 'RICHARD SAVAGE, Secretary and Librarian to the Trustees. | 1896-6.' Along head of first page: 'The Committee request that no Gratuities be offered to the Attendants.' Numbered 22989 in black.

Kirby, Essex. Catalogue of Live and Dead Farming Stock and Household Furniture, to be sold by auction. By Mr. E. Blyth, on Tuesday, September 19, 1843, At Eleven o'clock, By Order of the Proprietor, Mr. Wm. Wilson, who is retiring from Business.

Author: 
Edward Blyth, auctioneer, of Rose Cottage, Thorpe-le-Soken [Colchester, Essex; povincial printing; agriculture; auction catalogues]
Publication details: 
1843. Colchester: Printed by G. Dennis, 40, High Street.
£95.00

12mo: 8 pp (a 43 x 27 cm leaf, printed on both sides and folded twice to make four unopened leaves). Pamphlet. Text clear and complete on lightly-aged and spotted paper. 'Conditions of Sale' on reverse of title. 170 lots, with lots 48 to 68 priced and named by the auctioneer, who gives the total as £4 9s 6d, with 'Commission & Exps.' of £0 8s 6d. Interesting manuscript note at head of title: 'Lot 65 not sold - is the Drawers & Dresser in the Storeroom in the Parlour which were not a part of the Tenants Fittings and belong to the Landlord - and were not taken by Mr.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Laurence W. Meynell') to 'Miss Card'.

Author: 
Laurence Meynell [Laurence Walter Meynell] (1899-1989), English children's writer
Publication details: 
19 April 1937; on letterhead of Lime Tree Cottage, Great Kingshill, Buckinghamshire.
£35.00

12mo, 2 pp. Creased, and with an unobtrusive 1 cm closed tear. He thanks her for her 'charming letter of appreciation'. He is delighted that she 'so enjoyed' 'The Door' ['The Door in the Wall' (1937)]: 'a similar story (or rather one dealing with Phillip Markham & Baikie) will be appearing in the autumn probably in early October'. 'It always cheers an author up to know that he has pleased his readers - & if they do him the good turn of recommending his book to their friends he is vastly obliged!'

Typed Letter Signed to 'Bayly Scott Esq.'

Author: 
William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow
Publication details: 
7 August 1905; on crested letterhead: '7, RICHMOND TERRACE, | WHITEHALL, | S.W.'
£75.00

Governor of New Zealand (1853-1911). Two pages, 4to. Grubby, foxed and discoloured, and with traces of archival tape adhering to second leaf. 'I am entirely at one with you in thinking that there is no reason in cottage building why one should sacrifice appearance and picturesqueness to mere cheapness. I went very carefully over your cottage, and [...] I thought it the most practical of all those that were exhibited, and it was for that reason that I wrote for what I thought was a treatise upon the subject.

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