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English electronic engineer (1849-1945), inventor of thermionic valve. Widely considered to be 'the founder of electronics'. All three items good though grubby and on slightly discoloured paper. Item three dog-eared and grubby in top left-hand corner. All signed 'J. A. Fleming' and bearing the Society's stamp. ITEM ONE (two pages, quarto, 15 November 1915, University College, Gower St, to Wood, docketed): On the subject of a paper he proposes to give to the Society entitled 'The Organisation of Scientific Research'.

The two signatures are on one side of a 14 x 18cm leaf of cream paper removed from an album. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with laid down. Good clear examples. Beecham's signature 'Thomas Beecham' is above that of 'Ethel Frank'. Probably given on Franks first visit to Britain in 1921. Small magazine cutting of photograph of three musicians laid down on reverse.

On F. J. Head & Co. laid paper. Dimensions of paper: 23 x 29cm. Dimensions of plate: 17.5 x 25cm. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. A wonderful watery view of a winding country river and trees. Inscribed in pencil on the reverse: 'To Father Richard. This is working Proof for drypoint "The River" | Robin Wallace July 1927'. Wallace, a well-known painter of landscapes and still life subjects in oil and water-colour, was born at Kendal in the Lake District and studied in Kensington at the Byam Shaw and Vicat Cole School of Art.

2pp., 4to. Printed on the same side of one piece of shiny art paper, folded to make a bifolium. Aged and stained, with wear and slight loss to extremities. Photograph of Russell beneath title, alongside 'Sonnet | To W. Clark Russell', reprinted 'From "English Sea Pictures." By Julia D. Young, Author of "Barham Beach, the President's Poem." - New York.' The author laments that '[i]n this country, it is not the fashion to ennoble those who really do something for their time and generation', such as Russell, whose 'stupendous output' consists of 'fifty-seven books everyone [sic] of them good'.

1p., 12mo. On aged paper, with spike hole and damage to one margin, affecting five words of text, but not the signature. He asks for the item he orders, 'Natural Hist of England', to be addressed on the parcel to 'Very Rev. Dr. Husenbeth | Care of Mr. Spratchett | St. John's | Madder Market | Norwich'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with small piece of mount adhering at head. Accepting an invitation to dinner.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with small part of paper mount adhering at head. Accepting a dinner invitation on 20 November.

The three inscriptions are all on one side of an 18 x 16 cm leaf taken from an album. In good condition, lightly-aged. Given during the shooting of the RKO film 'The Saint in London' (1939), which Sanders starred in and Carstairs directed. Sanders writes, at the head of the page, 'To Anne | I want to see you in about 8 years time! | George Sanders | April 1939.' Beneath this is: 'Anne - let's make it seven! | John Paddy Carstairs: | '39.' And beneath Carstairs' inscription: 'Six years. X. | Tony Keys'. The recipient was the daughter off a cameraman at Twickenham Film Studios.

Printed on one side of a 31.5 x 19.5 cm piece of Britannia laid paper. A fragile piece of ephemera, aged and with heavy wear to extremities. The text is complete, except for loss to the first letter ('P') of the first word ('Poor') on the top line. Text reads: 'Poor Rates. | THE GUARDIANS who were appointed a Committee to examine the Receipts of the Collectors, having compared a great number of Receipts with the Original Rate Book, have the satisfaction to inform the Inhabitants that they are fully satisfied with Messrs.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. He writes that he has had 'a very fine p' sent to him, and asks if Pearson might accept it. 'If you dont care about it yourself you may have friends here to whom you might like to give it. Only, unluckily, I must have back the top'. He ends with a complaint regarding a 'Bronchial cough'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In acceptable condition, aged and somewhat grubby. He thanks him for sending his article in the 'Musical Gazette', and comments that it is 'certainly curious about the Purcell Catch & the coincidence of the four notes, but it is difficult to say whether it was done purposely or by accident'.

On one side of 7 x 11 cm piece of paper, cut from the end of a letter. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'It would be very good of you to append this short notice of a deserving measure. | Please forgive me trespassing on yr. time & good nature and believe me | Faithfully your's | Walter S Sichel'. For more information about Sichel, see his entry in Who Was Who.

In blue ink, on 3.5 x 10 cm piece of thick paper, cut from a letter. In good condition, with traces of glue from mount on reverse. Reads: 'Yours faithfully | Walter Greenwood'.

A good, firm signature on the reverse of an 8vo endpaper removed from a book. In good condition, lightly-aged. Reads simply: 'Marie Corelli'.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged watermarked laid paper. The 'Private Circular' is 4pp., 4to, in a bifolium. Contains a description by 'J. J. H.', beginning: 'At the suggestion of several friends interested in genealogical research, and with the assistance of Mr. F. A. Crisp, I have been induced to print a portion of my collections illustrating the last three generations of families resident in England and Wales. | The information now collected would in a few years' time be almost unattainable.' The final two pages carry a list of 'Pedigrees in Volumes I.

Good, firm signature, on 5.5 x 14.5 cm piece of paper. In good condition, lightly aged, on card backing bearing traces of mount on reverse. Reads simply: 'Florence Marryat.'

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, but with a corner of the first leaf torn away, resulting in some loss of text, including the year. The reverse of the second leaf laid down on a leaf removed from an album. The image of the 'design', 8 x 6.5 cm, is on the second leaf, which also carries Tayler's signature. It is a crude but pleasing sketch of an intended painting, done with the sureness of a watercolour artist.

Two pink cloth bandages, in brown cloth packet, roughly 8 x 11 x 2 cm. The contents are described as 'Two Dressings in Waterproof Covers, each consisting of a gauze pad stitched to a bandage and a safety pin.; The printed text, encased within a border, also includes instructions 'To Open' and 'Directions for Use'. The Imperial War Museum has three such dressings (1940, 1942 and 1944), but none with the same date as the present item.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed to 'Dear Sir & Brother'. He had been hoping to see him 'at the consecration of our Tenbury Lodge. I begged Brother Barber to invite you, & I think I told you we would put you up here on that occasion'. He hopes he will come 'at some future lodge night when we have got into work'. He informs him that he has that day 'received a notice of the Royal Arch Chapter' the following Thursday, adding 'I see I am to be ballotted for, & if elected to be exalted'.

1p., 16mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Docketted on reverse of second leaf 'Sir H Bishop June 17th/46' (17 June 1846 was a Wednesday, so probably a mistake for the previous day). He is much obliged by her 'kind thought, in sending me a Ticket for you Concert', but it is uncertain whether he will be in London at that time, 'but I wish you, most sincerely, every success'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, but with damage at head of outer sides caused by removal from grey paper mount. While Seammen worked for him he found him to be 'good tempered, obliging & trustworthy - He left me last year owing to an illness which, at the time, precluded his having the same efficient control over the Household that he had hitherto exercised'. He explains the reason for making 'a change', and is sending 'an excellent Character with him, of 14 years, from Lord Ravensworth'.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. On two leaves stapled together. The letterhead, printed in red, is a cartoon portrait of the artist with palette and brush, pointing to the address on a blackboard. A long chatty letter, listing the titles and prices of an order Malcolm has made, describing his activities at a time when he is 'pushed like mad', arranging an 'interview for ERG', discribing the contents of the four albums of his stamp collecting ('I wouldn't call myself a philatelist . . . .

ONE (12 January 1975): 1p., 4to. In good condition. First page of letter only, and lacking signature. A generally positive review ('When I write, I suffer from excess, a disease which you and your contemporaries, Aldis, Brunner, Bulmer, etc long since cured yourselves of. [...] The story was, as I am sure you know, good.'), but with some caveats ('I also don't think that a female covered with body hairs would also have hair reaching down to her waist.'). TWO: 1p., 8vo. Signed in green ink. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear at head.

A black and white print, 24 x 19 cm. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Shows Loder in top hat and nineteenth-century frock coat, with cane. Inscribed: 'To Mrs. Wright | With sincere good wishes | from | John Loder.' In pencil on reverse: 'Capt. William | Java Head | J. K. 67 | For Mrs Wright | Stills'. Stamped on reverse: 'CYRIL LEESTON | LONDON | TELEPHONE 3884 PADDINGTON'. This image is not in the National Portrait Gallery collection, nor is any other by Leeston.

The three items in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. ONE: 4 April 1858. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Addressed to 'Mr. H Moore | Messrs. Gambert & Co.' Regarding the financial arrangement surrounding his engraving 'The Miller's Daughter'. On the subject of 'the two repayment bills', he would 'rather not part with £50.00 for some two or three months to come'. TWO: 11 December 1858. 1p., landscape 12mo. Directing the firm to give the bearer 'six (6) Artists Proofs of Millers Daughter -, which I long since promised to the owner of the Picture'. THREE: 24 December 1860. 2pp., 12mo.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. A long letter, closely and neatly written, with a number of emendations suggesting that it is a draft. After a short reference to the Count's kindness to him and his friend Joseph Neave, he devotes the rest of the letter to 'the heavy trial thou has had to pass through', discussing the nature of loss with 'knowledge from my own experience, that the loss of a child is a grief into whose full depths no stranger can enter, and that words, even well-meant, when uttered at an unfit moment, pain instead of helping'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed: '20 August 1835 | Lord Auckland to R L'. Reads 'Lord Auckland would be much obliged to Mr Lambert if he would call here tomorrow soon after two o'clock -'.

1p., 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged and spotted. Since she is going away, he considers it 'safer' to return the 'Oedipus', which has given him great pleasure. He hopes she will enjoy her 'Freshwater outing', and that 'we may remain above the horizon to welcome your return to town'. The Freshfields were a noted family of solicitors, with strong connections with the Bank of England.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with negligible traces of mount adhering to the blank reverse of the leaf. Addressed to 'Dr Clarke | Harper St.' After explaining that the Commissioners of the Public Records want lists of the new plates for the first volume of 'Foeder', and another list of 'the old ones necessary to be re engraved', reminds him that he promised the latter list 'in September last'.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter is 2pp., 4to, and is written in a playful tone. Escaping the accompanying spoof Steward writes: 'Your remark that Glasgow was as alien to you as Mars got me thinking along the lines of the attached headline . . . . . It would be a good idea for a story if it hadnt been done about three thousand times already (See Robert Bloch (Report on Sol III) and others).