Olympic

[William Leman Rede, playwright.] Original holograph unpublished jeux d'esprit, addressed to and concerning Mrs Keeley. Signed 'Leman Rede/'.

Author: 
William Leman Rede (1802-1847), playwright who wrote farces and melodramas for the Olympic, Strand and Adelphi theatres in London [Mrs. Keeley]
Publication details: 
Signed and dated 'Leman Rede/ | 31. May 1841'.
£45.00

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Thin strip of paper from mount adhering to edge on blank reverse. Folded three times. Signed and dated at foot: 'Leman Rede/ | 31. May 1841'. Addressed at bottom left: 'To | Mrs.

[Charles James Mathews, London actor-manager.] Autograph Letter Signed ('C J Mathews.'), declining to 'risk' an association with Ben Webster, who 'never reads the pieces at all' and whom he is 'unable to controul'.

Author: 
Charles James Mathews (1803-1878), actor, manager of the Olympic, Lyceum and Covent Garden theatres in London [Benjamin Nottingham Webster (1797-1882), actor-manager who built the Adelphi]
Publication details: 
25 Pelham Crescent [London], 23 July 1869.
£45.00

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient is not named. An interesting letter, indicating the relationship between two major theatrical figures in Victorian London. The main body of the letter reads: 'Dear Sir, | You really must excuse my incurring any such responsibility as that you would impose upon me. I am unable to controul Mr.

[William Leman Rede, playwright.] Original holograph unpublished jeux d'esprit, addressed to and concerning Mrs Keeley. Signed 'Leman Rede/'.

Author: 
William Leman Rede (1802-1847), playwright who wrote farces and melodramas for the Olympic, Strand and Adelphi theatres in London [Mrs. Keeley]
Publication details: 
Signed and dated 'Leman Rede/ | 31. May 1841'.
£45.00

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Thin strip of paper from mount adhering to edge on blank reverse. Folded three times. Signed and dated at foot: 'Leman Rede/ | 31. May 1841'. Addressed at bottom left: 'To | Mrs.

[Sinking of RMS Titanic, April 1912.] Long unpublished contemporary manuscript poem, signed by 'William Hall', titled 'Titanic', written within weeks of the sinking.

Author: 
RMS Titanic sinking, April 1912 [William Hall]
Publication details: 
No place [English]. Dated at end 'May 1912'.
£220.00

4pp., 4to. On three leaves. In fair condition, aged and creased. The poem, headed 'Titanic', is 64 lines long, divided into 15 stanzas (the first ten numbered), and is signed and dated at the end, following 'R.I.P.', 'William Hall | May 1912'. The verse is heartfelt and devout, in style something of a cross between Walt Whitman and William McGonagall. Apparently unpublished. The author is unknown, but the poem reflects the popular response to the celebrated maritime disaster.

[ Eustace Miles, Olympic real tennis player, proposes a book on 'How to Breathe' to the publisher Grant Richards. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Eustace Miles.') to Richards, also regarding 'the Roman History Reviews'.

Author: 
Eustace Miles [ Eustace Hamilton Miles ] (1868-1948), English real tennis player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics [ Grant Richards [ Franklin Thomas Grant Richards ] (1872-1948), publisher ]
Publication details: 
89 Norfolk Road, Littlehampton. 15 October 1901.
£50.00

Miles published two books with Richards: 'The Teaching of Jesus To-Day' (1899) and 'A History of Rome to 500 a.d.' (1901), the latter having appeared shortly before the writing of the letter. The work proposed by Miles in this letter does not appear to have been published by Richard or anyone else. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter begins: 'Dear Richards, | Would you be likely to publish a Vol. on | “How to Breathe” | in your “How-to” Series? There wd. Be plain-line illustrations. The Indian Yoga System wd.

[ Neville Bulwer-Lytton, 3rd Earl of Lytton, British military officer, Olympian and artist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Neville Lytton') to Digby la Motte, describing the 'magnificent' appearance at a Bach concert of Sir Claude Phillips.

Author: 
Neville Bulwer-Lytton (1879-1951), 3rd Earl of Lytton, British military officer, Olympian (Real Tennis) and artist [ Sir Claude Phillips; Richard Alexander Streatfeild ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Crabbet Park, Poundhill, Crawley, Sussex. 18 March 1911.
£65.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He apologises for being unable to 'get out of' his 'other engagement' after his committee the following next Wednesday, and asks for 'another opportunity of coming to see you.' He continues: 'I saw Streatfield [sic] from afar the other night at Bach's mass in B. Minor. He was magnificent in evening dress next to Claude Phillips even more magnificent.' He concludes: 'I expect you Wednesday afternoon at Rossetti Studios, Flood St.

[ Oscar Barrett, musical director. ] Autograph Letter Signed, a letter of condolence to the widow of composer Herman Finck

Author: 
Oscar Barrett (1846-1941), musical director of Augustus Harris, producer of pantomimes at the Crystal Palace and the Olympic Theatre, London [ Herman Finck [ born Hermann Van Der Vinck ] (1872-1939) ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 2 Coleherne Mansions, 226 Old Brompton Road, S.W.5. [ London ] 22 April 1939.
£45.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He writes that 'The passing on of such a dear man as Herman leaves a blank in many many peoples lives & those who had the priviledge [sic] of his friendship can the better realise all you must be suffering at the present time.' He concludes by telling her that her 'grief is shared' by Finck's 'countless friends', and that she must have a 'sweet solace' in the memory of 'the many joyous times spent in his company'. The word 'Answered' is written at the head.

[ 1968 Tokyo Olympic Games. ] Autograph 'Olympic Diary' of Brigadier James Grose, equestrian team manager, covering the period leading up to the opening ceremony; with accounts. With 'situation report for Col Ansell', telegrams, receipts.

Author: 
Brigadier James Grose, Director of the Burghley Horse Trials and British equestrian team manager at 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games [ Col. Sir Michael Picton Ansell (1905-1994) ]
Publication details: 
'British Equestrian Team | Yo-yogi Village' [Tokyo, Japan]. 23 September to 14 October 1964.
£450.00

38pp., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. In 'Note Book Made of paper Specially prepared in Japan'. On front cover: 'J. GROSE | British Equestrian Team | Yo-yogi Village | Olympic Diary'. Begins on 23 September with flight from London Airport via Bombay. In Hong Kong he dines with 'Algie (Lady O'Connor)' at Flagstaff House. In the Olympic Village at Yoyogi on 26 September he discusses problems 'in our hut (448)', before inspecting 'the Equestrian Centre (Baji-Koen)'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Robt Buchanan') to Fenn.

Author: 
Robert Buchanan [Robert Williams Buchanan] (1841-1901), English playwright, poet and novelist [George Manville Fenn (1831-1909), English novelist; Harriett Jay (1863-1932), Scottish actress and write]
Publication details: 
18 December [no year]; 5 Larkhill Rise, Clapham.
£45.00

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and entire, on lightly creased blue paper, with a thin docketed strip neatly cut away at the foot of the letter. Traces of cream paper mount adhering to the blank reverse. Presumably refers to the play 'Alone in London', which debuted at the Olympic Theatre in 1885. Buchanan trusts that Fenn 'will be present in production of my new play & Miss Jay's debut on Wednesday next'. He asks whether to send the stalls, 'or do you get them from the Office? It will be indeed disappointing if you do not come, this time.'

autograph letter signed to Mr [?] Ward,

Author: 
Ada Cavendish
Publication details: 
20 February 1877, with letterhead 26 Sackville Street, Piccadilly, and serpentine monogram of the initials A and C.
£20.00

English actress (1839-1895), for a time manageress of the Olympic Theatre. 2 pp, 12mo. "I enclose you the Stalls with much pleasure - and I hope you will enjoy the performance. Please place the enclosed cheque for £25 - to my account and oblige / Yours sincerely / Ada Cavendish". Traces of glue and paper from previous mounting at foot of second page.

autograph note signed to unnamed male correspondent,

Author: 
Ada Cavendish
Publication details: 
no date, but docketed "May 1875", with embossment 26 Sackville Street, Cavendish Square, and serpentine monogram of the initials A and C.
£20.00

English actress (1839-1895), for a time manageress of the Olympic Theatre. One page, 12mo. "Sir / I have much pleasure in forwarding you my autograph / Yours truly / Ada Cavendish". One of the edges unevenly cropped, and slight traces of previous mounting on the reverse.

one autograph note signed to an unnamed correspondent,

Author: 
Ada Cavendish
Publication details: 
without date or place.
£20.00

English actress (1839-1895), for a time manageress of the Olympic Theatre. One page, 12mo. Written in a bold hand, clearly in reply to a request for an autograph. " "Tell me thy reason / Why thou wilt marry " / "All's well that ends well" / Ada Cavendish". In reasonable condition, despite a tear almost halfway down a crease running vertically down the centre of the paper, and traces of glue and paper from previous mounting on the reverse.

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