HAROLD

The poster printed on one side of a 50 x 36.5 cm piece of paper, in black, red and purple, with four photographs (chessmen, clocks, demonstration board, and miniature set). Folded three times. In good condition, on aged paper, with pinholes to the edges and 'ALL ENQUIRIES TO MR MCCARTHY LAB ONE.' in red ink at foot.

On one side of a 16 x 20 cm piece of light-green paper, removed from an album. In good condition, lightly-aged. Thalben-Ball's signature is the upper of the two, and reads 'To | [bar of music in 3/4 time] | G. G. Thalben-Ball | 22. v. 41'. Parry's signatuer is towards the centre of the page, and simply reads 'Parry Jones.' From album which also contained the signatures of many performers at the Denbigh Eisteddford in 1939.

Totalling 5pp., 4to and 3pp., 12mo. The six items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with the first three in autograph and the last three (from Broadcasting House) typed. Hill begins the first letter (22 April 1963) with the assertion that he is 'taking heed' of Massingham's 'stimulating advice', and this sets the tone of the whole correspondence.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightl-aged paper. A short letter, in which he thanks Brett-James for writing to him 'about the Macmillan speech': 'I really feel badly at having put you obviously to so much trouble'. He suggests that Brett-James sends him 'the tape' and lets him 'have it transcribed here, by my secretary'.

4pp., 16mo (11 x 16.5 cm). Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Appropriately brief and dimutive biography (35 lines), describing Piyott (erroneously) as 'undoubtedly the smallest adult human being ever known to live'. Followed by 'Copy of Birth Certificate of the Smallest Man on Earth' in type. The latest dated event in the biography is a tour by Pyott 'through the whole of South Africa during 1903-4'. Pyott stood 23ins and weighed 24lbs, and is said to have been carried around Edgeley Park during Stockport County home matches in the palm of a man's hand.

12mo, 2 pp. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with two punch-holes to the top left-hand corner. Noon 'won't regret' employing Michael Harmer. 'Please give me news of yourself; I hear nothing but vague, disturbing rumours'.

For more information relating to this influential series of concerts, see 'Pursuit: The Uncensored Memoirs of John Calder' (2001). Seven items, including two duplicates. Text of all items clear and complete. In fair condition, but with one side of a duplicate advertisement heavily sunned (see below). ONE: Typed Letter Signed ('Ian Hamilton') from Hamilton to Conn (husband of the poet Jeanne Conn), 12 February 1960. 4to, 1 p. Eighteen lines. Responding to Conn's criticisms, explaining reasons for cutting short discussion and cancelling part of the programme, and giving future plans.

8vo, 2 pp. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He is 'sorry' that Harlech has 'left the Colonial Office, upon which you have produced such a profound and salutary effect'. From the point of view of the I.L.O.

4to, 3 pp. 42 lines of text. Good, on aged paper. He is sorry not to have known about Niggeman's bank holiday visit to Hatfield House: 'it would have been an immense pleasure to us all to see you. Do come down and pay us a private call some other time.' The 'points' she makes 'are just the kind of thing we want to know'. Salisbury did not 'go round the Hosue with the visitors, for I did not wish to embarrass the guides; but clearly there is a good deal more organisation needed before our machinery works smoothly'.

8vo: 12 pp (unpaginated). Wraps and stapled. Fair: on aged and lightly-creased paper. A few marks in pencil and red pencil (on two occasions 'my "Owner" ' in the text noted as 'Lord R.'). Stamped with limitation number 57. Printed in small type in double column. In his introductory note Warden explains that the text is 'made up of extracts from a diary, which I more or less kept, and letters sent home during a recent voyage of 20,000 miles.

On the recto of a piece of pink paper, roughly 17.5 x 23.5 cm, removed from an autograph album. Good, on lightly aged paper. Phillips's autograph is in the top left-hand corner, reading 'Montague F. Phillips | March 1927.' Above it are four bars of musical notation, marked 'allegro' and titled 'The Fishermen of England. The Rebel Maid" - both by Phillips).' Beneath this, and divided from it by a diagonal line, is Phillips's wife's autograph: 'Yours sincerely | Clara Butterworth'. The couple met while both students at the Royal Academy of Music.

Printed on one side of a piece of paper roughly 46 x 32 cm, folded twice to make a 23 x 16 cm card. Good, on lightly aged and spotted paper. On the front is a small illustration in green and black, roughly 7.5 x 6 cm, showing a picture of a domestic Christmas interior in an ivy-topped frame. Inside the card, on the left-hand page, is Monro's poem, of 18 lines arranged in three stanzas, beginning, 'The Curate and the Spinster sit.

8vo: 334 pp. Portrait of Northcliffe as frontispiece. Three facsimiles of letters in text and fold-out with facsimiles of three of Northcliffe's letters. Inscribed by Owen on front pastedown 'To Elaine from Louise and Northcliffe. | Nov. 1938'. (The reference to 'Northcliffe' is explained by the fact that Owen considered herself a spirit medium, in contact with the deceased Viscount.) Internally good: sound and tight, on lightly aged paper. In original worn red cloth, with slight bloom on front.

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'.

Octavo bifolium on shiny art paper. A bit grubby, with two horizontal fold lines across photograph of Miss Doniach's head and shoulders in profile. Signed beneath photograph in blue ink. Central section contains twelve press opinions, ranging from Ernest Newman in the Sunday Times to the Amsterdam Handelsblatt.

Postcard with painting of Rialto Bridge by Canaletto. Postmarked 1970. Ruckled with damp but entirely legible. An amusing communication, beginning 'Thought I would let you know that we were not involved in the great tornado that sunk a voporetto [sic] on Lirica 4, and that the Hotel alla Fava is still very comfortable.' Refers to the Lambs' 'self-contained eyrie' and 'the weak fast coffee which tastes of mud; but clearly and obviously isn't'.

Octavo. 224 pages. Very good, with light spotting to top edge, front endpapers and prelims. In worn, torn dustwrapper with some loss. INSCRIBED COPY 'To Alan | 'at his own request' | with friendly greetings from | Henry Gifford | 7th November 1950'.

Upper middle-class English writer (1916-74), editor of the 'Spectator' magazine 1947-9, biographer of Queen Mary, beaten to death by gay lover. The recipient (1912-82) was a writer under the pseudonym Alice Acland. Born Anne Acland-Troyte. Her first husband was Robert Egerton Grosvenor, 5th Baron Ebury, and her fourth Anthony Freire Marreco, the last survivor of the seven-strong British prosecuting team at Nuremberg, with whom she lived in Ireland. A series of camp, gossippy and revealing letters to a close friend.

British soldier and courtier (1888-1969), Equerry and Groom of the Robes to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. Both letters written in capacity as Private Secretary to the Duke of York. Both very good, though grubby, docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. LETTER ONE (one page, 12mo): 'Further to your letter of September 20th., which the Duke of York has had under his consideration, His Royal Highness desires me to tell you that he will be very pelased to be present at the Meeting at which Mr. Robert Hyde will read a paper, on February 7th. 1934.

Wife (1900-66) of the Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, and daughter of the Duke of Devonshire. Three pages, 12mo. Grubby, creased and stained (perhaps with tears?). She was 'up in Stockton' the previous week, and heard that her correspondent's son was ill. 'Having children of my own, I know how very precious they are & how terribly one feels it when anything is wrong with them. It is dreadful when one sees such little things ill & one feels it is so cruel that it should happen to them.

Architect and engraver (1839-1922). One page, 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, but with evidence of previous mounting on brown paper on reverse. Addressed to 'Dear Doctor'. He thanks him for his 'kind care of us' ('your crippled patient gave you much trouble') and asks him to accept a copy of his 'Belgium' ('Etchings in Belgium. With descriptive letterpress', 1878), which he is sending through the '' and 'will probably arrive someday'. Signed 'Ernest George'. Docketed in ink on reverse.