MANUFACTURERS

Engraved advertisement printed in dark blue, light blue and pink on both sides of 20 x 14 cm piece of unwatermarked wove paper. An amusing fake bank note or bond, designed to showcase the firm’s competency. The paper stock and layout are entirely consistent with the firm’s work. On one side, instead of a picture of a monarch or president, is the face of a rather imperious young woman (one of the directors’ wives?), together with a design featuring the fasces and motto ‘VIS UNITA FORTIOR’.

9pp., 8vo. On nine stapled leaves. At end: 'With the compliments of | Westland Aircraft Limited, | Yeovil, Somerset. | Tel: Yeovil (0935) 5222 | November 1971'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The start of the document gives an indication of the businesslike style of the narrative: 'In 1915 the Directors of Petters Limited, the long-established Somerset heavy oil-engine manufacturers, offered their services to help the war effort. | As a result, the Company was asked to make aircraft and given instructions to proceed with the construction of 12 Short 184 seaplanes.

9pp., 8vo. On nine stapled leaves. At end: 'With the compliments of | Westland Aircraft Limited, | Yeovil, Somerset. | Tel: Yeovil (0935) 5222 | November 1971'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The start of the document gives an indication of the businesslike style of the narrative: 'In 1915 the Directors of Petters Limited, the long-established Somerset heavy oil-engine manufacturers, offered their services to help the war effort. | As a result, the Company was asked to make aircraft and given instructions to proceed with the construction of 12 Short 184 seaplanes.

The author Bruce Dudley Ryder was a second-cousin of the present Queen – his father Peter Hugh Dudley Ryder (1913-1993; see Who Was Who) having married the Queen's cousin Sarah Susannah Bowes-Lyon – and a great-grandson of the Earl of Harrowby. Ryder had family experience in the fields of business and transport, his father having been for many years head of the transport conglomerate Thomas Tilling Ltd.

96 black and white photographic prints, each cloth-backed and with the landscape dimensions 20 x 25 cm. In black leather loose leaf album by Wilson Jones Co., Kansas City. Stamped in gilt in bottom right-hand corner of first leaf, 'HAROLD C. HARVEY'. The prints are in good condition, curling a little at the fore-edge, and with slight creasing at right-hand margin of the first two. The binding is somewhat worn, but still tight, with the three original metal screws holding the album together.

105 items of correspondence, in French, in various formats (mainly 8vo). In good condition on lightly-aged paper. Each text clear and complete. The whole contained in a grey paper folder with 'Juillet 1818' on the front wrap. Each item unobtrusively numbered in neat red pencil. Featuring a wide range of the correspondents, as few write more than once. Occasional letters docketed. Accompanied by a modern abstract by a French-speaker, reflecting the difficulty of the various hands contained in the collection.

The report is 3pp., 4to, on a bifolium. Signed on behalf of the firm: 'Hoping that this information of our proceedings will be satisfactory to you | We remain | Gentlemen | Your Obedt Servants | Bathe & Kindon'. The letter begins: 'Gentlemen - | A Meeting of the London Floor Cloth Manufacturers, was held yesterday - & the result was, a rise of 2d. pr Sq: Yard, on their respective prices - this was carried, after considerable discussion, whether the rise should be 2d or 3d - but the majority decided for the 2d - at present'.

These items not only constitute survivals from one of the leading Lancashire textile manufacturers, in an era when the industry in that area was world-renowned, but also of what was considered to be one of the very best of the north of England's celebrated working men's colleges. A total of 507pp., 4to., in four folders. In addition to Frank Mallalieu's meticulous course notes, diagrams and calculations (with occasional tutors' markings), the contents include 99pp. of mimeographed course notes and 47 swatches of material.