HOOKER

[Darwin's closest friend: Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, botanist and explorer, Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.] Two Autograph Letters Signed to Thomas Lister, regarding seeds and an account of 'negro' handling of poisons.

Author: 
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911), botanist and explorer, Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew and Charles Darwin's closest friend [Thomas Villiers (1832-1902) of the Foreign Office]
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Publication details: 
ONE: 6 June 1877. TWO: 14 November 1878. Both with embossed letterhead of the Royal Gardens, Kew.
£450.00
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient was the son of the novelist Thomas Henry Lister (1800-1842) and his wife, born Lady Maria Theresa Villiers (1803-1865), and later Lady Theresa Lewis, wife of the Liberal politician Sir George Cornewall Lewis (1806-1863). Thomas Lister became an assistant under-secretary for foreign affairs in 1873 and was made a KCMG in 1885. The two items are in good condition, lightly aged and folded for postage. Both addressed to ‘Dear Mr Lister’ and signed ‘Jos. D. Hooker’. Written in an oddly difficult hand. ONE (6 June 1877): 2pp, 16mo.

[Sir William Jackson Hooker, biologist, first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.] Autograph Signature in valediction to letter.

Author: 
Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865), biologist and botanical illustrator, first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew
Sir William Jackson Hooker
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£35.00
Sir William Jackson Hooker

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 9.5 x 3 cm slip of paper, cut from letter. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Your affectionate / friend / W. J. Hooker'. Fragment of text on reverse: '[...] there is any foundat[...] / for the above repor[...] / or not. If there [...]'.

[ Sir William Boxall RA, Director of the National Gallery. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('W Boxall'), regarding painting a portrait of the wife of either Sir W. J. Hooker or his son Sir J. D. Hooker, successively Directors, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.

Author: 
Sir William Boxall RA (1800-1879), English artist and Director of the National Gallery, London [ Sir William Jackson Hooker and Sir Joseph Hooker, Directors of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew ]
Publication details: 
14 Welbeck Street [ London ]. 'Monday' [no date].
£65.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with some damage ay foot of reverse of second leaf (not affecting signature) caused by removal from mount. The letter presumably dates from before Boxall's appointment as Director of the National Gallery in 1866, when he all but gave up painting. It is addressed to 'Dr. Hooker', and the recipient is either Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865) or his son Sir Joseph Hooker (1817-1911), successively Directors of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.

[ Sir Francis Palgrave. ] Autograph Note Signed ('F. Palgrave')

Author: 
Sir Francis Palgrave (1788-1861; né Francis Ephraim Cohen), archivist and historian
Publication details: 
'Rolls [The Rolls Office, London] | Wedy'. No date.
£32.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. 'Sir F Palgrave' in another hand at the head. Reads: 'My dear Sir | I enclose a note for Hooker but not knowing your particular object it is rather vague | Yrs truly | F. Palgrave'.

Syndicate content