NICOLAS

[‘I used it because I meant it’: Nicolas Bentley, writer, illustrator and cartoonist.] Typed Letter Signed to V. H. Collins, defending his use of the phrase ‘I am afraid’.

Author: 
Nicolas Bentley [born Nicholas Clerihew Bentley] (1907-1978), writer, illustrator and cartoonist [Vere Henry Collins]
Publication details: 
10 October 1955. On letterhead of Andre Deutsch Limited, Publishers, 12-14 Carlisle Street, Soho Square, London W1.
£50.00

See his entry by Ruari Maclean in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Vere Henry Collins (1872-1966), was an author and grammatical stickler. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. With Bentley’s distinctive stylized signature ‘Nicolas Bentley’. After thanking him for his letter he writes (apparently with reference to a newspaper article): ‘I am sorry if in using the phrase “I am afraid” I ruffled your grammatical sensibilities. I used it because I meant it.

[Nicolas Orloff [Nikolai Andreyevich Orlov], Russian concert pianist noted for his interpretations of Chopin.] Autograph Signature and English inscription on Christmas card to Alan Lockhart; with second Autograph Signature and note signed 'N. O.'

Author: 
Nicolas Orloff [Nikolai Andreyevich Orlov ] (1892-1964), Russian concert pianist noted for his interpretations of Chopin, who settled in Scotland
Orloff
Publication details: 
Card dated by Orloff to 1964/64. Signature on paper dated 1960.
£90.00
Orloff

Orloff left Russia in 1921, and toured the world as a leading interpreter of Chopin. He settled in Grantown-on-Spey in 1948, becoming a British citizen four years later. ONE: 6.5 x 14 cm bifoliate Christmas card, with blue and black illustration ‘Designed by Kris’. Dated at head by Orloff ‘1963/64’. Beneath the printed message he writes a large signature on two lines: ‘Nicolas Orloff’. Recipient’s name written at foot, in another hand: ‘Alan Lockhart’. The verso of the second leaf of this card is laid down on the verso of the following item.

[Le Général Fabvier, head of Greek army during War of Independence.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Le G[énér]al. Fabvier’) to the Baron de Bourgoing, criticizing the King of Greece and putting forward an apocalyptic vision of the future of Europe.

Author: 
Le Général Fabvier, head of Greek army during War of Independence. [Charles Nicolas Fabvier (1783-1855), Baron Fabvier], French Philhellene [Paul-Charles-Amable de Bourgoing (1761-1864), Baron]
Fabvier
Publication details: 
28 April 1842; Paris.
£1,250.00
Fabvier

A ‘longue lettre’, written ‘à cœur ouvert’; an extraordinary document, in whose passionate and pessimistic Catholic conservatism - expressed in martial terms befitting a hero of Borodino - is to be found the roots of the Action Française. 4pp, 4to. Bifolium. 58 lines of neatly- and closely-written text (neater than the minimal examples on Google!). In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Fabvier was the leader of the Greek regular army in the War of Indpendence, and in the latter part of this letter he expresses concerns over the future of his beloved Greece (‘ma chère Grèce’).

[ Sarony Virginia Cigarettes. ] Printed 'Travel Album' titled 'A Day on the Airway', with foreword by Sir Alan Cobham, containing complete set of 25 cigarette cards depicting a journey from Croydon Aerodrome to Amsterdam.

Author: 
[ Nicolas Sarony & Co., New Bond Street, London; Sir Alan Cobham; Imperial Airways; British aviation; Croydon Aerodrome; Amsterdam, Holland ]
Publication details: 
Issued by Nicolas Sarony & Co., New Bond Sreet, London, W.1. [ 1928 ]
£100.00

A charming and evocative production. Cards in very good condition; album in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Initial note: 'This Travel Album is issued without charge to hold a complete set of twenty-five "A Day on the Airway" pictures, as issued with all packings of Sarony Virginia Cigarettes, plain or cork tipped.' The album comprises eight pages printed in black and green, on thick paper, stitched into black card wraps. Embossed on the front cover in faded gold is the title and an illustration of the plane (an Imperial Airways 'Argosy') flying in clouds.

Mimeographed Typescript of 'Stanley Morison: 1889-1967. A Radio Portrait. Compiled by Nicholas [sic] Barker and Douglas Cleverdon.' Transmitted on the BBC Third Programme.

Author: 
Nicolas Barker and Douglas Cleverdon [Stanley Morison; Tom Burns, John Carter, Arthur Crook, Brooke Crutchley, Sir Francis Meynell, Graham Pollard, Janet & Reynolds Stone, Beatrice Warde]
Publication details: 
[BBC Third Programme, London.] Recorded on 24 January 1969. Transmitted on 2 February and 6 March 1969.
£280.00

[1] + 23pp., foolscap 8vo. On 24 leaves attached in one corner by a metal stud. The title page carries the reference TM144D, and states that the producer was Cleverdon, and gives times of transmission, rehearsal and recording, with 'R.P. REF. NO.' and the details of the secretary who typed out the document. The piece was narrated by Barker, with the 'Speakers' are named as Burns, Carter, Crook, Crutchley, Meynell, Pollard, the Stones and Warde.

Six documents from the papers of John Carter, including material relating to Stanley Morison and the Beatrice Warde Memorial Fund, including letters from James Moran, Professor E. A. Lowe, Nicolas Barker and D. van Velden.

Author: 
John Carter [John Waynflete Carter] (1905-1975); Professor E. A. Lowe; Nicolas Barker; James Moran; D. van Velden [Beatrice Warde (1900-1969); Herbert Morison; Monotype Corporation]
Publication details: 
From London; The Hague; Princeton, New Jersey. Written between 1966 and 1971.
£180.00

The six items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: Typed Letter Signed to Carter, in English, from Miss Dr. D. van Velden, curator. On letterhead of the Rijksmuseum Meermanno-Westreenianum. 22 March 1966. 1p., 12mo. Giving details of the opening hours. TWO: Typed Letter Signed to Carter from E. A. Lowe. On letterhead of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey. 25 January 1969. 'If there are any new developments re Stanley Morison, I hope you will keep me posted. Some one sent me Brooke Crutchley's Two Men. There was no card so I do not know to whom I am indebted.

[Pamphlet, Inscribed by author] Notice sur Deux Livres Rarissimes qui font partie de ma Bibliothèque [continued in description.

Author: 
[NICOLAS JOLY] M[onsieur] N. Joly (1812-1885), book-collector, scientist (professeur de zoologie à la Faculté des Sciences)
Publication details: 
Toulouse, Imprimerie Douladoure, Rouget Frères et Delahaut, successeurs, Rue Sainy-Rome, 39, 1870.
£180.00

36pp., 8vo, green paper wraps.frontispiece (portrait of La Baumelle), chipped and stained, sl. hinge strain, contents sl. foxed but mainly good condition. Titlepage continued: "[...] Accompagnés de Pensées inédites de la Beaumelle, et d'une lettre autographe de La Condamine, relative a la première incarcération de l'auteur des Pensées a la Bastille." "Extrait des Mémoires de l'Académie impériale des Sciences, Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres de Toulouse. 7me sè, To.

Typed Letter Signed by Nicolas Bentley to the actor C. Kenneth Benda, concerning the rights to his book 'Trent's Last Case', and a proposal by Benda for a stage adaptation.

Author: 
Nicolas Bentley [Nicolas Clerihew Bentley (1907-1978)], British author and illustrator [C. Kenneth Benda (1902-1978), British actor]
Typed Letter Signed by Nicolas Bentley
Publication details: 
10 June 1966; on Bentley's letterhead, 7 Hobury Street, Chelsea.
£75.00
Typed Letter Signed by Nicolas Bentley

4to, 1 p. 19 lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and lightly creased paper, with strip of sunning to left-hand margin. Neat signature: 'Nicolas Bentley'. The film and television rights to the book were all 'bought some years ago by Herbert Wilcox, who, as I understand it, still owns them'. Bentley has reports the opinion of 'Messrs A. P. Watt, my late father's agent', on the question of the radio rights. 'I control the stage rights', Bentley states, giving the conditions on which he would agree to a stage adaptation.

The Art of Poetry, Written in French by The Sieur de Boileau. In Four Canto's. Made English By Sir William Soames, Since Revis'd by John Dryden, Esq;

Author: 
Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux; Sir William Soames; John Dryden; Henry Hills junior, London printer
Publication details: 
London: Printed and Sold by H. Hills, in Black-fryars near the Water-side. 1710.
£400.00

12mo: 40 pp. Disbound. Good, on lightly aged paper. Contemporary ownership inscription of 'William Francklyn" on title-page. This edition is scarce: no copy in the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at Liverpool.

Autograph Letter Signed ('C. N. Allou') to unnamed male correspondent [perhaps the Abbe Moigno of "Cosmos")

Author: 
Charles-Nicolas Allou (1787-1843), engineer and author ['Ingénieur au Corps royal des mines (en 1821); inspecteur en chef des travaux souterrains du département de la Seine']
Publication details: 
30 August 1829; Paris.
£35.00

12mo, 1 p, 16 lines. In French. Very good. Cancelling an appointment, and sending 'l'article que vous m'avez demandé pour la Revue': 'vous êtes parfaitement libre de tailler, couper, et rogner'.

Autograph Postcard Signed to Kenneth Bredon, of Bredon's Bookshop in Brighton.

Author: 
Nicolas Bentley
Publication details: 
Postmarked 24 September 1974; 'The Old School, Downhead, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.'
£35.00

One page, very good. Postcard illustration of Marie Taglioni. In Bentley's distinctive neat hand. 'If & when Angus & Robertson's traveller shows you a book called Dead Funny, illus. by Bill Tidy, pubs. Ask & Grant, I hope you'll feel compelled to place a huge order: The Grant is Arabella's husband, just breaking into publishing (mad!) How are you & Billie? We should love to see you both, but I doubt that you ever come this way. If you do, you can count on a warm bed & reception. Try & make it sometimes.' Signed 'Nick'.

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