DIPLOMATIC

[Prince George Sergeievitch Romanovsky, Imperial Russian Consul General at San Francisco, 1917-1923.] Autograph Letter Signed, in French, written on eve of Russian Revolution, recalling times in Tehran, Persia [at the Russian Legation?].

Author: 
Prince George Sergeievitch Romanovsky, Imperial Russian Consul General at San Francisco, 1917-1923 [Russian Legations in Tehran, Persia?]
Publication details: 
18 May 1917; on letterhead of the Russian Consulate, San Francisco, California [United States].
£250.00

2pp, 4to. 41 lines, including postscript, in green ink. On aged and brittle air mail paper, with chipping and discoloration at the head, resulting in some loss to printed letterhead, but with text clear and entire. Addressed to ‘Mon cher ami’ and with valediction from ‘Ton très dévoué ami’. The recipient is unidentified, but would appear to have been a former colleague at the Russian legation in Tehran, Persia. Signed ‘Geo. S. Romanovsky’. He begins by thanking him for his congratulations. The recipient is right: ‘les choses ont changé’.

[‘There never was a better father and never one more loved’: Lord Napier while British Ambassador to the Netherlands.] Autograph Letter Signed to 'the Honble. George Elliott', praising his father the Second Earl of Minto on his death..

Author: 
Lord Napier [Francis Napier (1819-1898), 10th Lord Napier of Merchistoun and 1st Baron Ettrick, acting Viceroy of India [Admiral Sir George Elliott (1784-1863), son of the Second Earl of Minto]
Publication details: 
8 August 1859. The Hague [Holland].
£60.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, with slight discoloration along central fold. Large bold signature ‘Napier’. Addressed to ‘The Honble. George Elliott’, with salutation to ‘My dear Elliott’. As he does not know where Elliott’s sister Lady Dunfermline is ‘residing at this moment’, he is placing in Elliott’s hands ‘for transmission’ a letter from the wife of the Turkish ambassador at the Hague. He expresses to Elliott’s family his sympathy at the loss of their father.

[Francis Wharton, American educationalist and professor of criminal law.] Autograph Letter Signed to John N. Purviance, Auditor General, Harrisburg,

Author: 
Francis Wharton (1820-1889) of Philadelphia, American legal writer, historian, educationalist and professor of criminal law [General John Nelson Purviance (1810-1885), Auditor General, Harrisburg]
Publication details: 
[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.] 11 July 1850.
£120.00

1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with fold lines and small hole made by breaking of the wafer. Addressed by Wharton on reverse to 'Hon. Jno. N. Purviance | Auditor Gen. | Harrisburg.' Endorsed: 'Francis Whatron, Esq. | Phila. | Ansd. 12 July 1850.' Wharton writes in a neat hand: 'Dear Sir | I enclose a note I have just received from Messrs Thomas and Rumsey - which please return. | Truly yrs | Francis Wharton'. Postscript reads: 'Let us know from you at your early convenience, as we are unable to advance a step till we know your views'.

['M. de Wagner' [Jean-Emile de Wagner?], London Chargé d'Affaires of Kingdom of Württemberg.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Wagner'), in English, to Sir John Coxe Hippisley, announcing his transfer to Berlin, and reporting on court news of King William I

Author: 
'M. de Wagner' [Jean-Emile de Wagner?], London Chargé d'Affaires of the Kingdom of Württemberg [Wurtemberg] [Sir John Coxe Hippisley (c.1747-1825), diplomat and politician; William I (1781-1864)]
Publication details: 
Berlin; 4 September 1820.
£180.00

The letter announces the transfer to Berlin of 'Monsieur de Wagner', London Chargé d'Affaires of the the Kingdom of Württemberg, resident at 42 Alpha Place, Regent's Park. The recipient Sir John Coxe Hippisley, whom George III had described as a 'busy man' and 'grand intriguer', had retired from public life two years previously, but was clearly still involved in diplomatic affairs. 2pp, 4to. Bifolium. Forty-one lines of neatly-written text, addressed to 'Sir J C Hippisley Bart. | Lower Grosvenor Street.' On aged and worn paper, with short closed tears at edges of folds.

[ Sir Walter Townley, diplomat. ] Two Typed Letters Signed (both 'Walter Townley') and Autograph Letter in third person, to G. K. Menzies, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, two regarding a lecture by him, with two letters by his private secretary.

Author: 
Sir Walter Townley [ Sir Walter Beaupré Townley ] (1863-1945), diplomat, British Ambassador to the Netherlands at end of First World War [ Royal Society of Arts, London ]
Publication details: 
Autograph Letter on letterhead of 32 Eaton Square, London; undated (stamped date 1 March 1920); two other items from The British Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands East Indies (Inc.), 38 Dover Street, London. 20 and 30 September 1921.
£40.00

Five items in good condition, lightly aged. All items with the Society's stamp. ONE: TLS. 20 September 1921. 1p., 4to. Agreeing to the Society's request for 'an authoritative paper on the subject of trade with the Netherlands East Indies', and asking for the proposed date ('approximately'), as he will be 'in Holland in the latter part of October, when I shall be in a position to get all the latest and most reliable information obtainable upon this interesting and very important subject'. TWO: TLS. 30 September 1921. 1p., 4to.

[ Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor. ] Typed Letter Signed, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, to Mrs. B. Le Cras, defending Sir Eyre Crowe against the charge of being too soft on the Germans.

Author: 
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor (1879-1952), American-born English politician and newspaper proprietor [ Sir Eyre Crowe (1864-1925), diplomat ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Ministry of Food, Palace Chambers, Westminster, London, S.W.1. 23 January 1919.
£65.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. His reply to her letter has been delayed by his 'absence in Paris on official business'. He is 'satisfied that the attacks upon Sir Eyre Crowe are based upon entire ignorance of the facts'. Crowe 'has always held strongly anti-German views and expressed himself officially in this sense as long ago as 1908'. Astor understands 'that the Kaiser personally requested his removal from the Foreign Office for this reason on more than one occasion'.

[ Baron August von Cetto, Bavarian diplomat. ] Autograph Signature ('Cetto').

Author: 
Baron August von Cetto [ August Freiherr von Cetto ] Bavarian diplomat
Publication details: 
Place and date not stated.
£20.00

On 1.5 x 5 cm strip of paper. In fair condition, lightly aged. Cut from letter.

[ Lord Odo Russell. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('ODO Russell') to Rev. Frederic Cox, regarding arrangements to meet to 'talk over matters in connexion with my marriage on the 5th. of May'.

Author: 
Lord Odo Russell [ Odo William Leopold Russell, 1st Baron Ampthill ] (1829-1884), British diplomat, first British Ambassador to the German Empire [ Rev. Frederick Cox (1821-1906), Dean of Hobart ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 2 Audley Square, May Fair, W. [ London ] 'Wednesday' [ 1868 ].
£35.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and worn, with glue stains and slight damage to second leaf from mounting. At the time of writing Cox was curate at Wantage. Russell begins the letter by stating that he will be visiting his mother and will not 'return to Watford before Friday night. - On Saturday morning I hope I may have the good fortune of finding you at home to talk over matters in connexion with my marriage on the 5th. of May.' (to Lady Emily Villiers, daughter of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon). He thanks him for taking his room at the Clarendon Hotel, before concluding.

[ Gerrit, Count Schimmelpenninck. ] Autograph Signature ('Count Schimmelpenninck') as frank, addressed to 'Baron Willoughby de Eresby | Lord Chamberlain of England'.

Author: 
Gerrit, Count Schimmelpenninck (1794-1863), Dutch statesman [ Peter Robert Drummond-Burrell, 2nd Baron Gwydyr, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby (1782-1865), Lord Great Chamberlain of England ]
Publication details: 
Without place or date. [ London, between 1846 and 1852. ]
£45.00

The signature is part of a frank, and is on an 8 x 13 cm piece of grey paper cut from the front of an envelope. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'To/ | His Lordship | Baron Willoughby de Eresby | Lord Chamberlain of England | &c &c | 142 Piccadilly | Count Schimmelpenninck'. Schimmelpenninck was Dutch envoy in London between 1846 and 1852.

[Charles Conway Thornton, Second Secretary at the British Embassy, Berlin.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Conway Thornton') to Lady Florence Head, providing a detailed 'list of times & places' for a reception in the Stadtschloss, Berlin.

Author: 
Charles Conway Thornton (1851-1902), successively Second Secretary at the British Embassy, Berlin, and Consul-General at Budapest [Lady Florence Head, wife of Sir Robert Garnett Head (1845-1907)]
Publication details: 
Berlin [on British Government embossed letterhead]. 19 January 1893.
£45.00

5pp., 12mo. The letter proper is three pages long, on a bifolium, and is accompanied by a two-page 'list of times & places' on a separate leaf. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. With 18 x 23 cm letterhead, on the cover of which Thornton has written 'To | Sir Robert Head. Bart. | III | Zimmer Strasse 97 | Hier.', with his signature 'C. Thornton' in the bottom left-hand corner.

[Lord Palmerston.] Secretarial Letter Signed ('Palmerston'), informing the Turkish chargé d'affairs Edib Effendi that he has taken over as Foreign Secretary from the Earl of Aberdeen, and giving a time for a meeting to discuss 'any business'.

Author: 
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston [Lord Palmerston] (1784-1865), Liberal Prime Minister [Edib Effendi, Turkish chargé d'affairs]
Publication details: 
Foreign Office [Whitehall]. 6 July 1846.
£150.00

2pp., foolscap. In fair condition, on aged paper. The letter, no doubt sent to all the diplomatic missions, begins: 'I have the honour to acquaint you that The Queen has been pleased to accept of the Earl of Aberdeen's resignation of the Office of Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and to confide to me the Seals of that Department.' He names a day and time when he wil be 'happy to receive' him, 'in order to confide with you on any business upon which you may have received Instructions from your Court'.

[William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Maynard') to Sir Richard Bulstrode, expressing puzzlement that his grandson should have visited Brussels without calling upon him, and asking him to show the boy favour.

Author: 
William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard (c.1623-1689) [Sir Richard Bulstrode (1617-1711), British ambassador at Brussels]
Publication details: 
'Windzor' [i.e. the Royal Court at Windsor]. 25 June 1686.
£180.00

2pp., 12mo. 49 lines of text. Bifolium. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf (which also carries his seal): 'For Sr Richard Bulstrode | Envoy from his Matie of greate Brittaine Att ye Court | Att Bruxells | these'.

[George Bilainkin, English journalist.] Typescripts of three articles, two in the form of diary entries (one on an Egyptian Embassy reception and the other on an international conference on crime); the third a dialogue between monks and journalists.

Author: 
George Bilainkin (1903-1981), English journalist and expert on foreign affairs [Ernest Bevin; Lev Nikolaevich Smirnov; Admiral Sir Dudley Pound; Egyptian Embassy; Laurence Cadbury; Tom Bairstow]
Publication details: 
Two dated entries: 23 July and 18 August 1960. The third entry ('Monastery') undated.
£125.00

The three items derive from the Bilainkin papers. Each is separately paginated and stapled, with the text on one side only of the leaves. All three in good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with rusty staples. Item One: Titled 'ADD 1960 DIARY. Saturday, July 23.' 7pp., foolscap 8vo. With carbon copy of the same.

[William A'Court or à Court, 1st Baron Heytesbury.] Autograph Letter Signed from Naples to Charles R. Broughton of the Foreign Office

Author: 
William à Court [A'Court] (1779-1860), 1st Baron Heytesbury, Envoy Extraordinary to Barbary States, Naples, Spain; Ambassador to Russia, Portugal; Lord Lieutenant of Ireland [Charles R. Broughton]
Publication details: 
Naples. 22 June 1815.
£220.00

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Charles R. Broughton Esqre | Foreign Office | London', and docketed by recipient on the same page 'Naples 22 June 1815 | Wm. Court | 12 July | A'. à Court has written 'Duplicate' in the top left-hand corner of the first page (he would have sent several copies of the letter in case one miscarried, but the fact that this is the one that was received by Broughton is evidenced by the docketing). In fair condition, on aged paper, with usual broken wafer.

Long telegram to the British Legation in Reykjavik [from the Home Office in Whitehall] instructing them on position to take with the press depending on the result of the impending 'GERMAN AIROFFENSIVE CONTRABRITAIN' [i.e. the Blitz].

Author: 
[The British Legation, Reykjavik, Iceland; Icelandic; The Blitz, 1940; Rev. Dr John Charles Fulton Hood (1884-1964), editor of 'The Midnight Sun' newspaper]
Publication details: 
On 'Landssimi Islands' telegram form. From London to 'PRODROME REYKJAVIK' on 19 August 1940.
£320.00

From the papers of Rev. J. C. Fulton Hood who, having been Chief Chaplain British Forces in Norway in 1940, worked in Iceland between 1940 and 1941. A pencil note on the telegram (see below) refers to 'The Midnight Sun', the troops’ newspaper in Norway and Iceland which Hood founded and edited. He was made a Knight of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon in 1949. The telegram is in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, and bears an oval blue 'LANDSSIMINN' stamp. It is headed 'PRESSE PRODROME REYKJAVIK' ('Prodrome, Reykjavik' being the British Icelandic Legation's telegraph address).

Autograph Letter Signed from Sir Gerald Campbell ('Gerald Campbell') to Ernest Gye of the Foreign Office, on his posting to Tangier.

Author: 
Sir Gerald Campbell (1879-1964), British diplomat, Consul General to the United States, 1931-1938, and High Commissioner to Canada, 1938-1941 [Ernest Frederick Gye (1879-1955), diplomat]
Publication details: 
'New York', on H.M. Government letterhead; 11 January 1933.
£56.00

2 pp, 12mo. 18 lines. Text clear and complete. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Ernest'. The news that Gye has been posted to Damascus is 'exciting', although 'it will be funny & deserted - like to come home & not find you at the seat of custom'. Gye had spoken of going abroad, so he was not surprised, '& Lady Armstrong said recently that you were about to seek another field'. Regarding Gye's painting, he 'will have lots of interesting things to limn (that's a good word)'.

[Printed pamphlet.] Observations on the Use and Abuse of Red Tape for the Juniors in the Eastern, Western, and American Departments. [Inscribed by the author Sir Thomas Henry Sanderson, and with two marginal notes by Sir V. Wellesley.]

Author: 
'T. H. S.' [Sir Thomas Henry Sanderson (1841-1923) of the Foreign Office] [Sir Victor Wellesley (1876-1954), diplomat]
Observations on the Use and Abuse of Red Tape for the Juniors
Publication details: 
Dated 'October 1891.'
£120.00
Observations on the Use and Abuse of Red Tape for the Juniors

8vo, 14 pp (followed by blank leaf). Unbound and stitched. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Drophead title. With 'PRIVATE' in print in the top left-hand corner of the first page, and '[285]' in the bottom left-hand corner. Dated in type at end 'T. H. S. | October 1891.' Sanderson's inscription, at the head of the first page, reads 'From the Author | [signed] S | Sept. 1918'. From the collection of Sir Victor Wellesley, and with two marginal notes by him.

Form, signed by Lord Curzon ('Curzon of Kedleston'), appointing Commander E. B. C. Dicken as 'Naval Attaché to His Majesty's Embassies at Paris, Madrid and Brussels and to his Majesty's Legation at Lisbon'.

Author: 
Lord Curzon [George Nathaniel Curzon (1859-1925), 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston] [Rear-Admiral Edward Bernard Cornish Dicken]
Lord Curzon
Publication details: 
28 August 1922; Foreign Office, London.
£65.00
Lord Curzon

Folio, 3 pp. Fair, on lightly-creased and aged paper. The lengthy form is printed, and completed with typewritten additions and its own 'Registry No.'

Manuscript Memorandum, in English, docketed 'General Bernard's information respecting ettiquette [sic] of the french Court'.

Author: 
Baron Simon Bernard (1779-1839), French general of engineers, who did much military work for the United States government
Publication details: 
Date and place not stated.
£56.00

Written in a neat, close hand (not Bernard's) on one page (the recto of the first leaf of a 12mo bifolium). Twenty-one lines. Text clear and complete. On aged, grubby and lightly-creased paper.

One Autograph Letter Signed ('E. H.' twice) with the first four pages of another (lacking signature), both to 'My dear Gop'.

Author: 
Esme William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Penrith (1863-1939), British diplomat [Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon; Pixton Park, Dulverton]
Publication details: 
Complete Letter: 12 September 1908; on letterhead of The Tides, Bar Harbor, Maine. Incomplete Letter: 4 November 1908; on letterhead of Pixton Park, Dulverton.
£56.00

Both items in good condition, on aged paper. Complete Letter (12 September 1908): 12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium with mourning border. He thanks Gop [Goss?] for the 'letter of great length extended exclamation marks but otherwise agreeable & genial'. Howard 'can understand that vowing to keep silence the next best thing is to write to someone'. Gop's 'instinct is sound': Howard has 'abandoned Presque Isle which is a 12 hrs journey from here'. Gives a date for his return to Manchester.

Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'James Knowles') to 'Lord Stratford de Redcliffe'.

Author: 
Sir James Knowles [Sir James Thomas Knowles] (1831-1908), architect and editor of 'The Nineteenth Century' [Stratford Canning, Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe (1786-1880), British diplomat]
Publication details: 
Letter One: 22 September 1877, Milton Villa, West Hill, St Leonards on Sea. Letter Two: 16 October 1877, on letterhead of the Reform Club, London.
£80.00

Both letters good, on lightly aged paper. Both items concern Canning's article on 'International Relations' in the October 1877 issue of 'The Nineteenth Century'. Letter One (12mo, 4 pages, bifolium with mourning border). Knowles hopes Canning has received the proof of the article from the publishers Spottiswoodes. A judicious bit of sycophancy follows.

Autograph Letter Signed ('H Fagel') to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Baron Hendrik Fagel [Henry Fagel] (1765-1838), Dutch Ambassador to London [Holland; the Netherlands]
Publication details: 
Whitehallplace Febry. 16th. 1824'.
£75.00

4to, 2 pp. Text clear and entire. On aged paper with a few closed tears to extremities and a thin strip of discoloration along one margin on reverse. 'The Royal Netherland Navy have made use of Coaltar for preserving certain parts of vessels of war from decay', but 'the Medical Department in the Netherlands' have confirmed that the use of Coaltar for that purpose has a prejudicial effect on the health of the Ships crews'. Asks to be informed 'of the results of any enquiries instituted on this Subject by order of the British Admiralty'. Docketed 'Netherland's under Secretary'.

Autograph Signature ('H. Bismark') on fragment of letter in English.

Author: 
Prince Herbert von Bismarck [Nicolaus Heinrich Ferdinand Herbert von Bismarck] (1849-1904), Prussian diplomat and soldier, son of Otto von Bismark
Publication details: 
Date and place not stated.
£35.00

On piece of paper roughly 6.5 x 13 cm. Good, on creased and lightly aged paper. Reads '<...> | yours very sincerely | H. Bismark'. On reverse '<...> looking forward immensely to my visit to you. I have just been asked to lunch with a very old lady <...>'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Rennell Rodd | priv: sec:') to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
James Rennell Rodd (1858-1941), 1st Baron Rennell, English diplomat and classical scholar
Publication details: 
13 September 1888; on official letterhead from the British Embassy, Berlin.
£35.00

12mo, 2 pp, 10 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, with scrap of brown paper mount adhering in top right-hand corner on the reverse (not affecting text). Concerns a volume which 'has been duly forwarded to Count Seckendorff, Comptroller of the Household of Her Majesty the Emperess Frederick'. The Ambassador Sir Edward Malet has asked Rodd to express to the correspondent 'his personal thanks for the second copy you were good enough to forward to him'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Rennell Rodd') to Harold Crawford (b.1888), son of Harold Marion-Crawford (d.1909).

Author: 
James Rennell Rodd, 1st Baron Rennell (1858-1941), British diplomat and classical scholar
Publication details: 
20 February [1902], on embossed letterhead of the British Embassy, Rome.
£38.00

12mo: 2 pp. Eleven lines of text. Very good. Having just received it from London, Rodd is sending Crawford the book he could not get in Rome which he wanted to send him as a birthday present. 'It is written by a great friend of mine who knows better than any one the history of the first voyages to America and the discovery of the Great Southern Sea. I think you will like it.' In an envelope, on aged paper, with postmarks and Italian postage stamp. Addressed to 'Harold Crawford, Villa Crawford, St Agnello di Sorrento'.

Printed Circular ('To Her Majestys Consul') Signed 'Aberdeen'.

Author: 
George Hamilton Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860), Scottish Tory politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1852-55
Publication details: 
Foreign Office, [London]; 30 April 1846.
£60.00

One page, large octavo. Aged and with light staining. Docketed on second leaf of bifolium: 'Requesting Consuls not to receive Copies of books as presents to Her Majesty'.

Letter Signed (poss.. copy) to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
William Blathwayt
Publication details: 
Hague the 8th. Novr. 1701.'
£250.00

English politician (1649?-1717); Secretary to Sir William Temple at the Hague, 1668; on diplomatic missions to Rome, Stockholm and Copenhagen; Secretary of State to William III; Member of Parliament. One page. Dimensions of paper roughly seven inches by eleven. Poor: paper discoloured and with some loss to edges (affecting three words of text) and a closed tear. Recently repaired with archival tape and at an earlier period backed with paper. Verso attached to smaller leaf of blank paper. Fourteen lines of text.

Autograph Letter Signed to an unnamed correspondent (a contributor to a periodical).

Author: 
William Beattie.
Publication details: 
13 Upper Berkeley St, Portman Square, Wednesday 7pm [no date].
£85.00

Writer and M.D. (DNB) Two pages, 12mo, good condition. "I return the proofs herwith. It is much improved by the Editorial Notes and will [?] in this moment in the M. & N. Gaz [ Naval & Military Gazette?] It was very kind of you to admit it so promptly - & I feel assured it will be much read in Paris. A note from the author (Paris 17th) says - "Several officers here in the main agreed with me (in conversation) & others have sincerely thanked me for opening their eyes.

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