MAXWELL

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient would appear to have been an impudent autograph collector. Addressed to ‘Grant Reid / Esq’ and signed ‘Herbert Maxwell’. Begins: ‘Dear Sir / I have directed a copy of Post Meridiana to be sent to you according to your desire.’ He cannot however comply with Reid’s other request. ‘I have no time to give to drawing now, and my family have possessed themselves of all my old drawings.’

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items 1p, 12mo, and both in good condition, lightly aged, with slight evidence of previous mounting on the blank reverses. Both folded once for postage. Both letters during the tenure as Lord Mayor of London of Sir John Charles Bell (1843-1924). ONE (8 March 1907): ‘Sir Claude Macdonald has the honour to accept the kind invitation of the Lord Mayor to Luncheon on March 13th.

In addition to acting as editor of the works of his colleague James Clerk Maxwell, Niven was the teacher of one of the greatest mathematicians and philosophers of the twentieth century, Alfred North Whitehead. The item is from the papers of the presumed recipient, Mrs Evelyn Julia Allan of the Chelsea Red Cross. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Signed ‘W. D. Niven’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mrs Allen’. He was pleased to receive her letter, ‘reminding me of old times’, but he had not forgotten her, as he has ‘sometimes heard Dr. J. M Bruce speak about you & your family’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with slight creasing to one corner. Folded once. In addition to the signature ‘Stanley Rous’, the salutation ‘Dear Max’ is written in Rous’s autograph. (Robertson’s full Wandsworth address is typed out at the head.) The note reads: ‘The enclosed translation of an article which appeared in a Continental newspaper has just been handed to me. I sent it on at once, in case it is of help to you.’ See image

See the entries on the two men in the Oxford DNB. The document to which Stirling Maxwell refers in this letter can be read as ‘Dissent (No. III.)’ on pp.xiii to xxii of the parliamentary ‘Report of the Oaths Commission. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty.’ (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1867). There were five dissenters to the report: alongside Stirling Maxwell and Milman were Robert Lowe, Lord Lyveden, and Edward Pleydell Bouverie. 3pp, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from mounting to blank reverse of second leaf.

See Gould’s entry in the Oxford DNB, with that of Lady Lyte’s husband. The Lytes were Somerset neighbours of Gould. 1p, 12mo. In good condition. He is glad to hear that ‘Mr Logsdail has done the drawing for you for he would be able to do far more justice to it than I could possibly have achieved’. On the occasions when he is called upon to ‘put sentiment into a cartoon’ he is ‘always conscious of failure and it is well to know one’s limitations’.

7pp, 32mo. On two bifoliums, stitched together. In good condition, lightly aged. Signed 'Agnes Strickland'. A nice letter with interesting content. Begins: 'Feeling all the kindness of most friendly invitation so sensibly as I do, it gives me the greater regret to be compelled to forgo the pleasure you offer me, of joining my friends Mr. & Miss Mackinnon in your charming home on the 8th of Octr.

On one side of 8 x 13.5 cm leaf of cream paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight creasing to one corner. A good, firm underlined signature. Reads: 'Good luck to Enid! | Max Wall | 1951'. On the reverse is the autograph of an unknown signatory: 'To Enid | [Sister? Lister?] [J?] Ferguson'.

Five documents. The two telegrams are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn; the other items are in good condition. A photocopy of a typed page from Brooks's diary explains the context in entertaining fashion: '”Staggerer number one,” whispered Dick Swiveller over my shoulder this morning when on my office desk I found a letter from Ronald Staples giving me a twelve month's statutory notice of dismissal from the editorship of Truth.' He explains that the magazine is losing money, and criticises Staples's plans. 'However – here's a how-de-do!

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed with postmarks, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Mr. Simpson, | Clothiere, | St. Martin's Lane | London.' In fair condition, on aged paper. Docketted with Harcourt's dates. The letter reads: 'Sir, | Captain Sir Murray Maxwell having signified his intention of offering himself as a Candidate for Westminster at the ensuing Election; I shall be much obliged to you if you will give him Your Vote upon that occasion.' In the 1818 general election Maxwell (1775-1831) was defeated by less than 400 votes, losing to Sir Samuel Romilly and Sir Francis Burdett.

Three documents, all in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, each of the total of six leaves with three (later?) punch holes to the inner margins of the leaves. On the same browned thin wove paper. The source of these items is uncertain, but they appear to date from the first decades of the twentieth century. ONE: 'Disposition of Troops in the Canal Defences, 15th January, 1915.' 4pp., folio. Beginning with: 'G.O.C., Canal Defences. - Major-General A. Wilson. | Chief Staff Officer, Canal Defences. - Br.-General A. H.

4to: x + 379 pp. Frontispiece and plates. Tight copy on aged paper, in worn binding. Annotated throughout, with the endpapers and almost every page of the first 146 in particular crammed with notes by Branford in pencil and pen. On the front free endpaper Branford writes 'Finished (fairly thoroughly) on Feb. 26th 1934', and on the title-page, 'B. B. Sep. 3d. 1943'. On the same page he has added to the title 'and many notes (additional to those in text) on his intimate & great friend James Clerk Maxwell [...] the notes being taken from his Life by Campbell & Garnett'.

The book is xv + 256pp., 8vo. In grey cloth binding with printed cover. In fair condition, on aged paper, with front hinge split. Ownership inscription in blue pencil on front pastedown: 'Bridget Guinness | 8 Washington Sq | 1915'. In same blue pencil on reverse of rear free endpaper is a note of an appointment for a meeting with 'the American Florence Nightingale', Anna C. Maxwell (1851-1929), who was then the Director of the School of Nursing at the Presbyterian Hospital: '4 ock Tuesday Presbyterian 70th N Mad. Miss Maxwell's office -'.

Lascelles bought Lichfield House in 1729, and committed suicide there in 1753. The enormous success of Braddon's novels 'Lady Audley's Secret' (1862) and 'Aurora Floyd' (1863) allowed her to buy Lichfield House, where she too died. It was demolished in the 1930s. ONE: Manuscript indenture on vellum. 'Mrs. M. E. Maxwell to G. M. Maxwell Esq | Conveyance of freehold property known as "The Homestead" Sheen Road Richmond Surrey'. 10 June 1914. 4pp., 8vo, with covering page. Laid out in usual fashion, bound with green ribbon with tax stamps, Land Registry stamp, and two seals in red wax.

TLS: 2pp., 12mo. In good condition. The letter begins: 'Dear Al: | Last Thursday morning, while sitting in a barbar chair, I asked myself a question which a number of people have been asking me recently, namely, What are you doing at Harvard? I couldn't come up with a very satisfactory answer, so I went to a friend's house on Cape Cod for the weekend. Monday I saw the head of the English Department at Harvard, H. C. Baker. He said, "Follow your star," which seemed to me a little romantic, but all the same good advice.

70pp., 8vo, with additional four-page 'Insert' between pp.56-57. Frontispiece photograph of nine members of the battery in old age, with 'Rufus Jones or "Rube," T. A. Dearing's servant.' Stapled. In grey wraps with title also on front cover. Internally in fair condition, on lightly-aged and dog-eared paper, with staples slightly rusted; in worn wraps. Bookplate of Patrick C. Courtney on reverse of front wrap. Printed note on reverse of title-page: 'This History of Lumsden's Battery was written from memory in 1905 by Dr. Maxwell and Dr. Little, with the help of a diary kept by Dr. James T.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with strip from mount adhering at head of blank reverse. He thanks Sawyer for his letter: 'I am obliged to you for sending me the front page of the United States Tariff Act'. 'The Americans are out for their own prosperity all the time. I only wish our own Government would show the same propensity.' He addresses the letter to 'Chas. J. Sawyer, Esq., 12 & 13, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, W.1.

2pp., 4to. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The first paragraph reads: 'In expansion of my somewhat cryptic remarks reported in col. 241 of the Official Report of last night's debate you may care to have the following note about the point which you raised.' There follow quotations relating to 'The summary offence [...] under subsection (1) of section 9 of the Vehicles (Excise) Act, 1949' and 'The indictable offence [...] under section 5 of the Perjury Act, 1911'. From the Chorley papers.

1p., foolscap 8vo. On wove paper watermarked 'G R | 1806'. Aged, and with fraying to extremities, with closed tears through three of the signatures, unobtrusively repaired on the reverse with archival tape. Presumably a draft or second copy, as the original must be among the papers of the Society of Antiquaries. The document reads: 'To the Right Hon. George Earl of Leicester, | President of the Society of Antiquaries. | My Lord, | We whose names are hereunto subscribed request leave to signify to your lordship that Edward-Wedlake [sic] Brayley, Esq.

Janet Maxwell married William Maxwell in Buittle Parish on 3 September 1839, and died three years later. The nine items, in good condition on lightly-aged paper, provide a fascinating insight into the requisites and cost of an early Victorian Scottish middle-class wedding, from the wedding 'pelisse' to the 'bride's cake'. ONE. Covering packet with manuscript note by J. H. Maxwell reading 'Vouchers | My Daughters marriage - clothes jewellery pocket money &c | 3d Sep 1839 | £439. 5. 4'. TWO. Autograph itemised account by J. H. Maxwell. 12mo, 1 p.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. He is sending 'some autograph letters, which I hope may not be without interest to your friend Mr. Henry Bright'. Bright, Hawthorne's closest English friend, toured America in 1852.

12mo, 1 p. Good, on ruled paper. A note of introduction for the bearer, Miss Ward [Genevieve Ward, actress]..

4to, 2 pp. Very good. Small ink tick at head of first page (not affecting text).

12mo, 2 pp. Twenty-eight lines of text. Good, on lightly-creased paper. Lockhart's signature has been docketed in ink (by Aitken?) 'Sir Robert'. A letter of condolence on the death of Aitken's father. Reminisces about the 'moment I came into his life', a 'luncheon at Charkley' soon after the First World War: 'The only other guest was Augustus John. [...] as you know, I learnt much from him. Indeed, it was he who taught me how to write, and in his house I met numerous people whom, but for him, I should never have known.' He considers that Beaverbrook treated him 'nobly'.

Total four pages, 8vo, dusted but text clear and complete. (Sept.) He is sorry to have missed him and has to go to Dumfries the following day "on Territorial Force business". He looks forward to luncheon during the subsequent week. "If you care to put a fly over Loch Elrig, pray do so, and tell Hannan you require the boat. There are good trout up to 3lb in the loch. | I hope you are not going to allow the Wye to be polutted. That would indeed be an inhuman outrage." (Oct.) He appreciates the three photograpsh Hutton has sent of the "House of Elrig.

Dimensions of paper 23 x 17 cm. White border of 0.25 cm. A little grubby and with slight silvering at base, but overall a very good impression. A striking head and shoulders shot, with a clean shaven young Wall, neatly dressed in evening wear with black bow tie, and wearing a white sailor's hat at an angle, staring straight at the camera, with glossy lips, eyebrows raised and deadpan expression. The words 'Max Wall' printed in bottom left-hand corner. The inscription reads 'To Peggy | Sincere good wishes | [signed] Max Wall | 1932'.

British stage designer (died 1971), painter, writer and lecturer. Both items one page, octavo, and very good, though lightly creased. Both signed 'Maxwell Armfield'. LETTER ONE (docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp): He has read the lecture by 'Mr. Davis', 'with great interest [...] our opinions on the subject seem to be identical! I should like to meet him some time if he is an accessible sort of person. [...] a series of such lectures issued as pamphlets with attractive titles would do a great deal towards a better understanding of the problem'.

Politician, publisher and one of the greatest crooks of the twentieth century (1923-91). The recipient, Mary Delane, is described as 'sometime woman's editor for The Times'. A collection of drafts and letters mainly relating to negotiations for the publication by Maxwell's Pergamon Press of a series of cookery books. A fine example of his Maxwell's questionable business practices. Mainly consisting of typed correspondence and draft replies, mostly in 8vo, some creased and torn but generally in good condition.