NINETEEN-TWENTIES

[Manchester Literary Club, founded 1862.] Three items of printed ephemera: menus for the ‘Christmas Supper’ in 1927 and 1929 (each with photograph of ‘J. Windsor Burgess as Father Christmas’); invitation to ‘Complimentary Supper' to Prof. F. E. Weiss

Author: 
Manchester Literary Club, founded 1862 [J. Windsor Burgess; Prof. F. E. Weiss; J. H. Brocklehurst; A. C. Wilson; Grand Hotel, Manchester]
Publication details: 
Events held at the Grand Hotel, Manchester. The ‘christmas suppers’ in 1927 and 1929; the ‘complimentary supper’ in 1928.
£120.00

Three scarce items, with no other copies traced. All three carry the Club’s badge. The 1929 menu is in good condition; the other two items are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The two ‘Christmas Supper’ menus are uniform in layout. Each is printed on an 8vo piece of white card, with the same photograph of ‘J. Windsor Burgess as Father Christmas’ on one side and the menu on the other. (The menus differ and are dated.) Each menu is wrapped in a grey-paper 8vo bifolium, printed on all four sides. The Menu for 19 December 1927 states on the cover: ‘J. H. Brocklehurst, Esq.

[1920s ladies' fashion: Heather Thatcher, stage and screen actress and dancer.] Autograph Signature to Corrected Typescript of article ‘ “Dress To Suit Yourself.” / says Heather Thatcher / In an Exclusive Interview with Dorothy Owston-Booth.’

Author: 
Heather Thatcher (1896-1987), stage and screen actress and dancer whose Russian-designed costumes caused a sensation in the 1920s [Dorothy Owston-Booth (b.1889), journalist;1920s ladies’
Publication details: 
No date or place. [London. 1920s.]
£90.00

An excellent bold and sprawling signature ‘Heather Thatcher’ at the end of a carbon typescript of a 1920s article from an unascertained source, with a few minor corrections in pencil. 3pp, 4to. Fifty-nine lines of text, on three leaves attached with a slightly rusty paperclip. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Begins: ‘ “Luckily, fashion for this autumn and winter are going to be varied; so every woman will be able to find something to suit her own particular type,” said lovely Heather Thatcher when she was showing me some of her new autumn dresses.

[Harry Roy, British dance band leader responsible for the 1931 classic 'My Girl's Pussy' ; Joe Daniels, Dixieland drummer.] Autograph Signatures of Roy and Daniels, the latter cut from letter describing himself as ‘One of the Drumming Fraternity.’

Author: 
Harry Roy [born Harris Litman] (1900-1971), British dance band leader and clarinettist; Joe Daniels (1909-1993), British Dixieland drummer, born in South Africa
Publication details: 
No place or date.
£32.00

See Roy’s entry in the Oxford DNB. He part-wrote and performed the perennially popular ‘My Girl’s Pussy’, with other songs with suggestive titles. The two men’s careers both began in the 1920s, and Daniels played in the band of Roy’s brother Sid Roy. The two signatures laid down on an 8.5 x 7 piece cut from the leaf from an autograph album. Somewhat discoloured, otherwise in good condition. ONE: Signature of ‘Harry Roy’. On 6 x 4.5 cm slip of paper. Large signature, with the downstrokes of the final letter y’s extending unusually far. TWO: Signature of ‘Joe Daniels’.

[Sir Philip Sassoon of Port Lympne: described by Noel Coward as ‘a phenomenon that would never recur’.] Autograph Signature (‘Philip Sassoon.) and autograph compliments slip.

Author: 
Sir Philip Sassoon [Sir Philip Albert Gustave David Sassoon] (1888-1939), politician, art collector and socialite at Port Lympne and Trent Park, cousin of Siegfried Sassoon, friend of Noel Coward
Sassoon
Publication details: 
No date [dated by recipient 12 June 1928]. Laid down on letterhead of 25 Park Lane, W. [London.], which carries the autograph compliments.
£50.00
Sassoon

Considered by his friend Noël Coward as ‘a phenomenon that would never recur’. See his entry by Osbert Sitwell in the Oxford DNB and the biography by Damian Collins, ‘Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of Philip Sassoon’ (2016). Clearly sent in response to a request for an autograph. The signature is on a plain 9 x 6 cm card, and reads simply ‘Philip Sassoon.’ The card is laid down at the foot of a 12mo letterhead, on which is written by Sassoon, above a flourish: ‘With Sir Philip Sassoon’s Compliments’. Both items in good condition, lightly aged.

[Ivor Novello, composer, playwright and actor.] Autograph Signature on front cover of the 'Magazine Programme' of his comedy 'I Lived With You'.

Author: 
Ivor Novello [born David Ivor Davies] (1893-1951), Welsh composer, playwright and actor [W. J. Macqueen-Pope]
Publication details: 
The Magazine Programme [London: Prince of Wales' Theatre], No. 893. 4 April 1932.
£45.00

[24]pp, 12mo. Stapled programme, in shiny covers. Strip torn away from back cover, and with staples slightly rusted, otherwise in fair condition. Large signature 'Ivor Novello' diagonally across title on front cover: 'Richard D. Rose | presents | Ivor Novello | in | I Lived With You | A comedy in three acts | by | Ivor Novello'. An illustrated 'magazine' programme, containing articles and advertisements. No copy on OCLC WorldCat. From the papers of Novello's friend and biographer, the theatre historian W. J.

[ 'Engineering', London journal. ] Autograph register of contributions compiled by editor Thomas Walley, in form of table of articles and authors, with meticulous printing and publication details.

Author: 
Thomas Walley (1872-1947), editor of 'Engineering', London journal founded in 1866 [ Lieut-Col. Percy John Cowan (1876-1954) and Herbert Henry Johnson (c.1875-1957), joint editors ]
Publication details: 
[ London: Engineering. ] Entries dating from 27 November 1925 to 17 January 1934.
£750.00

Walley has converted one volume of a printed diary ('The Business Year Book' for 1923, by the R. C. Maxwell Co., Trenton, New Jersey) into a continuous table listing all the articles contributed between 27 November 1925 and 17 January 1934. Entries are compiled with the meticulous attention to detail one would expect from an engineer, giving a range of information including the times of receipt of material to the minute, and even the typeface in which an article was printed.

[ Devon County Cricket Club and Dorset County Cricket Club. ] Autograph Signatures of the twenty-two cricketers taking part in the match 'Dorset v. Devon. Aug. 22 & 23 - 1924'.

Author: 
Devon County Cricket Club, founded 1899; Dorset County Cricket Club, founded 1896
Publication details: 
[ Dorset v. Devon cricket match. ] 22 and 23 August 1924
£45.00

On one side of a 16 x 20 cm leaf torn from an album. In fair condition, lightly aged. The signatures of the eleven Devon players in column along the left-hand edge, and those of the Dorset players in a column along the right-hand edge. Details of the match and players are hard to find. Here is a tentative reading of the Devon signatures: 'F H Canok | A R Strephardy | W F Light | S Blakeney | K G E<?> | E. G. Trench | J R Carter | C R Russell | <?> | G H H Sherlock | E A S<?>'. And a similarly-tentative reading of the Dorset signatures: 'E. C. Walby | W Harrison | W. J. Knight | M. B.

[ Herbert Sutcliffe, Frank Woolley, Fred Root and William Astill, England cricketers. ] Autograph Signatures ('H Sutcliffe', 'F E Woolley', 'Fred Foot', 'W. E. Astill'), with the signature of 'B W Bullock'.

Author: 
Herbert Sutcliffe (1894-1978); Frank Woolley [ Frank Edward Woolley ] (1887-1978); Fred Root [ Charles Frederick Root ] (1890-1954); William Ewart Astill (1888-1948); B. W. Bullock
Publication details: 
Given at the Yorkshire v. Rest of England match, the Oval [ London ], September 1923.
£60.00

The signatures of Sutcliffe and Woolley are on a 16 x 18 cm. piece of grey paper, cut from an album, those of the other three men are crowded onto an L-shaped piece of paper, laid down on the same leaf. At head of page: 'Yorkshire v. Rest of England, The Oval, Sept. 1923.' The odd man out is B. W. Bullock [ Burnett Wedlake Bullock ] (1896-1954), who did not take part in the match. He played for Surrey, and was presumably around when his more illustrious colleagues were giving autographs. According to the report in The Times, the match ended in a draw.

[ The Original Society of Papermakers, Maidstone. ] 72 printed items

Author: 
The Original Society of Papermakers, Maidstone, Kent [ James Bourke and R. Robertson, Secretaries ]
Publication details: 
Mainly printed by R. W. Burkitt, Maidstone, Kent. Three dating from 1901, the other 69 from between 1920 and 1929.
£450.00

An interesting collection of material relating to trades unions in the paper industry, and a scarce survival. The University of Birmingham, which holds a small collection of pre-twentieth-century material relating to the Original Society of Papermakers, notes that 'Few records have survived, including papers kept by chance and found within later correspondence'.

[ Jill Casson and Andrew Storie, British costume designers. ] Autograph note signed from Casson, on printed invitation to a show of 'Mr. Andrew Storie's drawings' at Casson's studio.

Author: 
Jill Casson and Andrew Storie, British costume designers
Publication details: 
The invitation, for 20 July 1928, from Casson's studio, The Little House, 24, Clareville Street, Queen's Gate. Autograph note by Casson undated.
£45.00

Printed on one 12mo page of a bifolium of thick orange paper. The invitation is to a show of 'Mr. Andrew Storie's drawings of modern, mediaeval and theatrical dresses at her studio on Friday, 20th July, 1928 from 4 to 7 - (p.m. of course)'. Casson's note, in top left-hand corner, reads: 'Mr. Ian Davison kindly told me he was sure you would be very interested in Mr. Storie's work. - I do hope you can find time to come. | Jill Casson'.

[ South African 1920s petrochemical industry. ] Substantial manuscript double-entry ledger of a company with international interests

Author: 
South African petrochemical industry in the nineteen-twenties [ South Africa; Standard Oil Company; tanning; petrol; petroleum ]
Publication details: 
Ledger by H. C. Cray & Co, Account Book Makers & Printers, Port Elizabeth [ South Africa ]. 1921 to 1928.
£500.00

340pp., folio. In sturdy brown calf binding with geometric decoration using thin leather strips and marbled endpapers. 'PRIVATE LEDGER' on label on spine. Thumb indexed. A further 12pp., 8vo, of manuscript accounts for 'Jan June 1928' on loosely-inserted leaves. The ledger indicates a substantial company (even possessing a 'Doubtful Debt Reserve'), its trading account showing a healthy balance, generally hovering around the £25,000 mark.

[ Conrad Heighton Leigh, English artist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('C H Leigh') to 'Mr Horton', giving an account of the result of his visit to the London publisher Grant Richards, regarding 'Mr Hegcock's & my little alphabet'.

Author: 
Conrad Heighton Leigh (b.1883), artist, commercial illustrator and member of the Brighton Arts Club [ Grant Richards (1911-1963), London publisher ]
Publication details: 
68 Grand Parade, Brighton. 20 January 1902.
£56.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, with light signs of age and wear. After following Horton's 'kind advice' concerning 'Mr Hedgcock's & my little alphabet', 're some sketches with more action in them', he has been to 'Town' to show the designs to the publishers Grant Richards. He 'called in person on Thursday but after some delay they have eventually rejected the Alphabet. [...] Evidently from what I was told the sketches such as you advised would have been more what they wanted', so he will do them again 'in that style and try again with other people'.

[Offprint of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, London.] Franco-American and Franco-British Relations. (Paper read on June 15th, 1926.)

Author: 
M. André Siegfried [The Royal Institute of International Affairs, London]
Publication details: 
'Reprinted from "Journal of Royal Institute of International Affairs," September 1926.'
£280.00

14pp., 8vo, paginated 225-238. Stitched pamphlet in grey printed wraps. Somewhat worn and aged, with pin hole passing through the pamphlet at head. Siegried's aim is to 'study as frankly as possible the spirit of Franco-American relations. Then - and this might look bold, as I am speaking to a British audience - I will try to analyse what I think is the spirit of Anglo-American relations.

Field notebook compiled by J. H. Driberg, later Lecturer in Anthropology, Cambridge University, compiled while a British colonial official, and dealing with local, linguistic and other matters.

Author: 
Jack Herbert Driberg (1888-1946), Lecturer in Anthropology, Cambridge University, 1934-42; and brother of the Labour MP and gossip columnist 'William Hickey' Tom Driberg (1905-1976); Uganda; Africa]
Publication details: 
The earliest dated entry from Longarim, Uganda, 27 March 1923; and the latest from Loriya HIll, 15 January 1925.
£250.00

A significant item, written, as his biographer Roy Abrahams explains, by a man who was 'almost single-handedly responsible for keeping academic social anthropology, and one might add the place of African research within it, alive in the small Archaeology and Anthropology Department in Cambridge in those otherwise rather barren days of the 1930s'. 45pp., 12mo. In a ruled, stitched notebook without cover. Written in pencil on stained and aged paper. Some of the text is faded.

[Printed book.] Practical Instruction for Detectives. A Complete Course in Secret Service Study. By Emmerson W. Manning, Manning National Detective Institute.

Author: 
Emmerson W. Manning [Emmerson Wain Manning], Manning National Detective Institute
Publication details: 
Chicago: Frederick J. Drake & Co. Publishers. [Circa 1921.]
£50.00

94 + [i] pp. In original green cloth with title in black on front cover. Good, lightly-aged in lightly-worn and spotted binding. Ownership signature ('') in pencil on title-page, with pencil annotations throughout translating passages into French. Chapters on 'Shadowing', 'Burglaries', 'Identification of Criminals', 'Forgeries', 'Confessions', 'Murder Cases', 'Grafters', 'Detective Work in Department Stores', 'Railroad Detective Work', 'Detective Work for Street Railways', 'Other Kinds of Detective Work' (the last including 'Illegal Liquor selling').

Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate to Montague Shearman, regarding the 'Controversy' surrounding Noel Coward's 1931 play 'Cavalcade', forwarded with two covering notes by Agate's secretary Alan 'Jock' Dent to E. F. Gye.

Author: 
James Agate (1877-1947), critic [Alan Dent [Alan 'Jock' Dent; Jock Dent] (1905-1978), journalist; Montague Shearman (1886-1940), art collector; Ernest Frederick Gye (1879-1955), diplomat; Noel Coward]
Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate
Publication details: 
The copies of Agate's letters to Shearman, 5 and 6 November 1931; Dent's notes to Gye of the same dates; all four items on letterheads of 25 Palace Court, London, W2.
£145.00
Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate

A total of 8 pp, 4to, all on Palace Court letterheads. Dent's notes both signed 'Jock Dent.', and the copies both signed 'James Agate'. Two important, energetic and vivid letters by Agate, totalling 6 pp, 4to, defending Coward's play and his position on 'the intellectual and the popular', against the 'pseudo-intelligentsia' of the barristers Shearman and 'Jack' St John Hutchinson (1884-1942).

Autograph Letter Signed ('Julian B. Arnold') to Raffin, commenting on the state of the American book trade.

Author: 
Julian Biddulph Arnold, author, and son and biographer of Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904) [Alain Raffin]
Publication details: 
20 September 1921; 5132 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago, Illinois [on cancelled letterhead].
£85.00

4to, 2 pp. Twenty-seven lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged and slightly creased paper. He cannot help Raffin find an American publisher for his book 'Mystery, Mirage and Miracle' (privately printed for the author in London in 1921), although he finds its style 'delightful', and its subject matter 'one which deeply interests me'. 'The book-market is in a very strained condition - a sort of transition period with all the publishers "sitting on the fence", and the public refusing to by any books except a few which have the luck to become fashionable'.

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