HUMPHREY

[George Sinclair, gardener to the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey.] Parts of two Autograph Letters Signed to different seedsmen, both with good content, one relating to the subscription to Sinclair’s ‘Hortus gramineus Woburnensis’.

Author: 
George Sinclair (1786-1834), Scottish horticulturalist, gardener to the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey who conducted experiments under Sir Humphrey Davy
Publication details: 
One dated by recipient 1816, the other undated but also from 1816. Places not stated, but the undated letter from Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire.
£280.00

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Large fragments, both with interesting content, from the beginning of letters to unnamed seedsmen (both addressed to ‘Dear Sir’, but the two docketed by different individuals, suggesting different recipients). Neither has the signature present (presumably supplied to autograph hunters for placement in Sinclair’s ‘Hortus gramineus Woburnensis’, described in the ODNB as‘an expensive folio volume containing dried specimens of the grasses’). Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and with creases from having been folded up.

[Humphrey Joel, commercial photographer (Humphrey and Vera Joel).] Autograph Letter Signed to theatre historian W. Macqueen-Pope, threatening, since his last three letters have been ignored, to make new prints of photographs he is withholding.

Author: 
Humphrey Joel (fl. 1914), commercial photographer,‘Special Photographer to Fry's Magazine’ [Humphrey and Vera Joel, Photographers; Walter James Macqueen-Pope, theatre historian]
Publication details: 
7 December 1951; on letterhead of ‘Humphrey and Vera Joel / Photographers / Dryden Cottage, Radlett / Hertfordshire’.
£90.00

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) For several decades Humphrey Joel was a leading British commercial photographer, providing the London magazines with scenic and architectural views. In 1914 he was described as the ‘Special Photographer to Fry's Magazine’. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. The letterhead incorporates a reproduction of a drawing of Dryden Cottage. Signed ‘Humphrey Joel’.

[A Dickens Fellowship dinner in wartime London.] Autograph Signatures of James Agate, Walter Dexter, Humphrey House and Lewis B. Frewer to menu for dinner celebrating the ‘130th Anniversary of the Birthday of Charles Dickens’.

Author: 
James Agate (1877-1947), diarist and theatre critic; Walter Dexter; Humphrey House, Louis B. Frewer, Superintendent of Rhodes House Library, Oxford; Dickens Fellowship
Dickens
Publication details: 
‘Holborn Restaurant [London] 7th February 1942’.
£60.00
Dickens

It seems extraordinary that they were able to pull this off during wartime restrictions, and Dickens would have relished the shabby-genteelness of it. The menu is shakily printed in a faded blue on a 10 x 16.5 cm piece of cream card, with rounded edges. At foot: ‘Holborn Restaurant 7th February 1942’. The menu is headed: ‘THE DICKENS FELLOWSHIP / 130th Anniversary of the / Birthday of Charles Dickens / Chairman: WALTER DEXTER, Vice-President / Speakers: HUMPHREY HOUSE, JAMES AGATE’.

[Sir Humphry Mackworth, politician, and industrial entrepreneur.] Manuscript Draft Petition from Mackworth's partners to the Lord Chancellor, claiming that 'mismanagement' of interests in Neath (Wales), and New York, will leave them 'entirely ruined'

Author: 
Sir Humphry Mackworth [Sir Humphrey Mackworth], Tory politician and dubious industrial entrepreneur in Neath, Wales, and New York [Company of Mine Adventurers of England]
Publication details: 
[High Court of Chancery, London.] Circa 1721.
£350.00

Mackworth was a flamboyant character, but whatever his flaws he played a major and innovative role in energising Welsh industry in the late Stuart period. For information on him and his dubious ventures, see his entries in the Oxford DNB (where his first name is spelt 'Humphry') and the Dictionary of Welsh Biography (where it is spelt 'Humphrey').

[Humphrey Lloyd, Irish physicist, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin.] Autograph Letter Signed ('H Lloyd') to Alfred Fox, regarding his 'paper on Magnetical Observations' and Fox's brother's 'instrument', i.e. Robert Were Fox's magnetic dip compass.

Author: 
Humphrey Lloyd (1800-1881), Irish physicist, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin [Robert Were Fox the Younger (1789-1877), geologist, inventor of the magnetic dip compass]
Publication details: 
Trinity College Dublin. 24 March 1835.
£220.00

The recipient was a brother of the geologist and inventor Robert Were Fox the Younger (1789-1877), whose magnetic dip compass, constructed in the previous year, is the 'instrument' referred to at the end of the letter. (Fox's compass was used by Sir James Clark Ross on his Antarctic expedition, and was later used to discover the position of the South magnetic pole.) 1p, 4to. In fair condition, aged and creased, with traces of paper mount adhering to one edge, and repair to a closed tear with archival tape. Several folds.

[George Nesse Hill, surgeon, Brunonian psychiatrist, asylum keeper.] Two Autograph Letters, one signed ('G N Hill | Secy'), one in the third person, to John Davy, military surgeon, brother of Sir Humphrey Davy, on the Medical Society of Chester.

Author: 
George Nesse Hill (1766-1831) of Alcaston Manor, Chester, Cheshire, surgeon, champion of Brunonian psychaitry and asylum keeper [John Davy (1790-1868), army surgeon, brother of Sir Humphrey Davy]
Publication details: 
[Chester.] 30 August and 30 October 1827.
£500.00

Bynum and Porter, in their 'Brunonianism in Britain and Europe' (1988), describe Hill – keeper at one point of two asylums – as a 'substantial figure [...] a champion of Brunonian psychiatry'. For the recipient John Davy (1790-1868), anatomist and physiologist, brother of Sir Humphrey Davy, see his entry in the Oxford DNB. Two letters, both in good condition, attached to one another along one edge, with thin strip from mount adhering. Both letters are bifoliums, and both have had the second leaf, trimmed along the fore-edge, resulting in each case to slight loss to the address.

[ Mrs. Humphrey Ward, novelist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Mary A. Ward') [ to W. J. Fisher ], regarding 'the fund to be raised for Mr. Harold Frederic's widow & children', expressing disquiet over 'circumstances disclosed' at .Frederic's inquest.

Author: 
Mrs. Humphrey Ward [ Mary Augusta Ward, nee Arnold ] (1851-1920), English novelist [ Harold Frederick (1856-98), London correspondent of New York Times; W. J. Fisher ]
Publication details: 
25 Grosvenor Place, London SW, on cancelled letterhead of Stocks, Tring. 5 December 1898.
£50.00

An interesting letter regarding a celebrated Victorian scandal. In 1884 Frederic had come to England with his wife and five children as the London correspondent of the New York TImes. He set up a second household with Kate Lyon, with whom he had a further three children. Lyons was a Christian Scientist, and when Frederic suffered a stroke in 1898, she tried to cure him by faith healing, but he died. At the instigation of Mrs Frederic, Lyon was tried for manslaughter, but was acquitted. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border.

[ Sir Humphrey Sumner Milford, publisher to the University of Oxford. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Humphrey S. Milford') to George Ravensworth Hughes, son of Thomas McKenny Hughes, Woodwardian Professor of Geology, Cambridge, regarding his wedding.

Author: 
Sir Humphrey Sumner Milford (1877-1952), publisher to the University of Oxford [ George Ravensworth Hughes (1888-1983), son of Thomas McKenny Hughes (1832-1917), Cambridge geologist ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Oxford University Press, Amen Corner, London. 12 March 1917.
£35.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In very good condition, lightly aged. Had he known that Hughes's wedding was 'coming off so soon' he would have been 'in time with a little gift'. As it is, he asks him to choose for himself, 'with the aid of your wife': 'Are you and she sick of the Oxford Books of Verse? Is Shakspeare's England too weighty (avoirdupois) for war-time establishments?

[ Sir Humphrey Sumner Milford, publisher to the University of Oxford. ] Duplicated typed circular, with facsimile signature of 'Humphrey S. Milford', describing the economic situation which has resulted in an increase in prices.

Author: 
Humphrey Milford [ Sir Humphrey Sumner Milford ] (1877-1952), publisher to the University of Oxford [ Oxford University Press ]
Publication details: 
On his Oxford University Press letterhead ('Manager: HUMPHREY MILFORD | Head Office: Amen Corner, London, E.C. 4'. 16 August 1919.
£100.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and spotted paper. A convincing copy of a genuine typed letter, with Milford's signature and the letterhead in black ink, and the typewritten text in purple. 25 lines of text in three paragraphs. An interesting glimpse into the state of the British publishing industry in the period immediately following the First World War.

[F. G. Gordon and the Oxford University Press.] Correspondence with John Johnson, Humphrey Milford, Sir John Forsdyke, S. R. K. Glanville, Sir G. F. Hill, and others, about his book 'Through Basque to Minoan'. With corrected manuscripts, proofs, etc.

Author: 
Frank Gordon Gordon [né Straube] (1874-1968), classical scholar with theory on Minoan Linear A [John Johnson; Humphrey Milford; Oxford University Press; Sir John Forsdyke; S. R. K. Glanville]
Publication details: 
Letters from various locations (including the British Museum), between 1930 and 1932. [The book published by Oxford University Press, 1931.]
£950.00

The collection is in good overall condition, with light signs of age and wear. As the following description indicates, much care was taken by OUP with the production of the book, the Press even going so far as to produce new type for it (examples of which are accompany a letter by the printer John Johnson). Unfortunately the book was not well received - a savage review [by Sir P. J.

[Humphrey Ewing Crum-Ewing, Scottish Liberal politician.] Autograph Letter Signed ('H E Crum Ewing') to the agents Messrs Maitland & Graham, regarding his reluctance to put his name to the 'Greenock Police & Water Bill'.

Author: 
Humphrey Ewing Crum-Ewing (1802-1887), Scottish Liberal Member of Parliament from 1857 to 1874
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the House of Commons Library, 21 February 1865.
£45.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He has received a note from his friend 'Provost Grieve', asking him to 'allow my name to be put on the back of the Greenock Police & Water Bill, along with Mr Dunlop'. If this were a formality he would readily agree, 'But I find some of my own Constituents have severe alarm about the water part - and I would prefer that you would get some other Member of the House - Mr Bouvene is interested as representative of Pt Glasgow which is to receive the benefit of the water'.

[Printed book.] Lavender Harvest.

Author: 
Constance Farmar [The Cayme Press, Kensington, owned by Humphrey Toulmin (1893-1971)]
Publication details: 
Printed at the Cayme Press, Kensington. 1926.
£120.00

50pp., 12mo. In light-blue boards, with white label on front board carrying title and illustration of sickle with sheaves of lavender. Internally good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn and aged boards. Uncommon: only three copies on COPAC (British Library, Oxford and National Library of Scotland), with a further four in American institutions on WorldCat. Farmar's only other book appears to have been 'Castles in Spain' (1907). She also produced the lyrics to a song titled 'Bluebell-time', with music by Ruby Holland.

Manuscript account [by Rev. Richard Lyne?] headed 'Humphry May an old Man of Back in Egloshayle parish brought a parcel to Little Petherick, and the following are some of his 'xpressions [expressions]', giving a transcript in West Country dialect.

Author: 
[Rev. Richard Lyne, Rector of Little Petherick, Cornwall?; Humphry May of Back in Egloshayle Parish]
Publication details: 
Without place or date. [Little Petherick, Cornwall; 1830s?]
£120.00

2pp., 4to. 50 lines of text. On a single leaf of wove paper. Good: lightly worn on aged paper with slight damage to two words. A delightful exchange, with May's reply to the offer of a glass of rum beginning: 'Thanky Maister tis a nice dram. Ive agot the rousy cum stoundrums in my ears with the could. I pute a man to smoke perbacky in mun, and I rousted a Tryan and squeery cum squaten in till I sweat again with the hett and pain'.

Spoof handbill advertisement, by 'Humphrey Higginbottom & Co.', for 'The Dark Lanthorn, Or, Suffolk Twinkler, and Woodbridge farthing Rush-light', headed: 'To all who have the interest of ignorance & bigotry at heart, This Statement is addressed.'

Author: 
'Humphrey Higginbottom & Co.', 'The Dark Lanthorn, Or, Suffolk Twinkler, and Woodbridge farthing Rush-light' [J. Munro, Printer, and Bookseller, Woodbridge, Suffolk]
Spoof handbill advertisement
Publication details: 
Dated 'WOODBRIDGE, SUFFOLK, | July 13th, 1826.' [printer's slug: 'J. MUNRO, PRINTER, AND BOOKSELLER, WOODBRIDGE.']
£65.00
Spoof handbill advertisement

Nicely printed, in a variety of types and point sizes, on one side of a piece of laid 4to paper. Twenty-two lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper.

Autograph Manuscript headed 'Proposed Porson Scholarship is open to Freshmen only - Examination in the October term, exclusively Classical. | Objections to the Grace for accepting this Foundation.'

Author: 
William Gilson Humphry [sometimes misspelt 'Humphrey'] (1815-1886), biblical scholar, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London
Publication details: 
21 October 1846; Trinity College, Cambridge.
£85.00

4to (26.5 x 22 cm), 2 pp, 30 lines of text. On discoloured and lightly creased and stained paper, with some chipping to extremities, but with text clear and entire.

Autograph Signature ('Mary A. Ward.') on fragment of letter.

Author: 
Mary Augusta Ward (1851-1920, nee Arnold), English novelist 'Mrs. Humphry Ward'
Publication details: 
Docketed '1914' in pencil.
£15.00

On piece of lightly discoloured paper roughly 4 x 10 cms, with horizontal fold on left. Reads '[typed] Yours sincerely, | [signed] Mary A. Ward.' Docketed in pencil at foot 'Mrs Humphry Ward 1914'.

Autograph Note Signed to [Wilson Lowry], engraver (see DNB).

Author: 
John George Children
Publication details: 
Montagu Place, Russell Square, 4 August 18[22?]
£100.00

Scientist (see DNB). One page, trimmed 4to, laid down on card, some staining, date smudged, but text clear and complete. "I hope the enclosed will be useful to you in finding the vessell you want for your circumnavigation." Perhaps it relates to Lowry's scientific interests.

Autograph Letter Signed to Thomas Archer. [Humphry Davy].

Author: 
William Thomas Brande
Publication details: 
6 January 1843; Royal Mint.
£150.00

English chemist (1788-1866) who succeeded Sir Humphrey Davy as Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution (1813). Two pages, octavo. Very good, though lightly creased and with remains of previous mount adhering to one edge. Begins 'I have no doubt that much fraud is committed by the substitution of spiritious liquors of different strengths, for what is called woodspirit and wood naphtha'.

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