SITWELL

[Sir Osbert Sitwell, author and brother of the poet Edith Sitwell and art critic Sacheverell Sitwell.] Black and white publicity photograph, supplied by his publishers Macmillan and Co.

Author: 
Sir Osbert Sitwell [Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th baronet] (1892-1969), writer, brother of the poet Edith Sitwell and art critic Sacheverell Sitwell
Osbert
Publication details: 
Dated on back 25 August 1949. ‘From MACMILLAN & Co., Ltd., / St. Martin’s St., London, W.C.2.’
£50.00
Osbert

See his entry, and those of his siblings, in the Oxford DNB. A 15.5 x 20 cm black and white print, on glossy paper. Worn at edges, and with staining to blank area at top left. Stamped by the publishers on the reverse with ‘Sir Osbert Sitwell. Bt. / 25. 8. 49.’ There is a possibility that this is a signature by Sitwell, but the letter ‘O’ and other features are not quite right.

[Thomas Balston, publisher, painter and scholar of book production and illustration.] Autograph Letter Signed to ‘Mr. Tyrrell’, regarding the return of an engraving he has had photographed.

Author: 
Thomas Balston (1883-1967), director of publishers Duckworth and Co, painter and scholar of English book production and illustration, recipient of Military Cross, champion of wood engraving
Publication details: 
10 December 1918; on letterhead of Flat 64, 3 Whitehall Court, SW1 [London].
£50.00

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with one dog-eared corner. He writes that he has ‘had the engraving photographed’, and can ‘return it together with the casting’, with ‘very many thanks to you for being so kind as to lend it to me’.

[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.

[Dame Edith Sitwell and John Freeman's 'Face to Face' BBC TV interview. ] Two items: Autograph Letter Signed ('Edith Sitwell') to producer Hugh Burnett; & Typescript (printer's copy) of the section on the interview in Burnett's book of the series.

Author: 
Dame Edith Sitwell (1887-1964), iconic poet and critic [Hugh Burnett; John Freeman; Face to Face, BBC Television series]
Publication details: 
Letter with letterhead of Renishaw Hall, near Sheffield, in envelope on which Sitwell gives her address as Castello di Montegufoni, Montagnana, Val di Peso [near Florence, Italy]. 18 August 1959. Typescript undated (for book published in 1964).
£750.00

Two items relating to Sitwell's interview with John Freeman (1915-2014), broadcast in the BBC series 'Face to Face' on 6 May 1959. The two items are from the papers of the programme's producer Hugh Burnett (1924-2011). ONE: Autograph Letter Signed to Burnett. Signed 'Edith Sitwell'. On letterhead of Renishaw Hall, Renishaw, nr. Sheffield. 18 August 1959. 3pp., 12mo. In envelope with Italian stamp and postmark, addressed by Sitwell to 'Hugh Burnett, Esqre. | Television Studio | Lime Grove | London. W.12'.

[Pavel Tchelitchew, Russian surrealist painter.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Pavel') to 'My dear, dear Sweet Stephen' [Stephen Tennant?], regarding his love of Italy, theatre design in America, Lincoln Kirstein and Osbert Sitwell.

Author: 
Pavel Tchelitchew (1898-1957), Russian émigré surrealist painter, set designer and costume designer [Lincoln Kirstein; Osbert Sitwell; Stephen Tennant]
Publication details: 
'Lecourbe 43 – 65, 2 rue Jacques Mawas, Paris.' 23 April 1953.
£350.00

2pp., 4to. Aged and worn, but legible. A splendid effervescent letter, highly characteristic, written in demotic English in a close unruly hand. Tchelitchew was a close friend (lover?) of Edith Sitwell, and in addition to her brother Osbert, the letter contains references to Lincoln Kirstein (1907-1996), influential figure in New York culture, founder with George Balanchine of the New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet, and the book he was writing on Tchelitchew, as well as to Tchelitchew's partner the writer Charles Henry Ford (1908-2002).

[ Dame Edith Sitwell, poet. ] Autograph Signature ('Edith Sitwell') on valediction to a letter, a fragment of which is on the reverse.

Author: 
Edith Sitwell [ Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell ] (1887-1964), English poet and literary critic, with her brothers Sacheverell and Osbert one of 'the Sitwells'
Publication details: 
Place and date not stated.
£30.00

On 8 x 12.5 cm piece of paper, torn from the end of a letter. In fair condition, aged and lightly spotted. On one side of the slip is the conclusion of the letter: '[...] | Yours very sincerely | Edith Sitwell'. On the other side is the following autograph fragment: '[...] kind of you to invite me to your lumcheon party on Tuesday, and I am looking forward to it so much. I have not seen you for [...]'.

[ Lady Sarah Caroline Sitwell of Rempstone Hall, bluestocking. ] Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'S C Sitwell'), poignantly describing her circumstances in the last months of her life.

Author: 
Lady Sarah Caroline Sitwell (c.1781-1860) of Rempstone Hall, Leicestershire, bluestocking and society hostess, described by Lord Byron as 'a wit and blue' [ Sir George Scharf (1820-1895) ]
Publication details: 
All on letterheads of Rempstone [Leicestershire]. One dated 23 February 1860, another dated 10 November [1860], and the last 'Thursday' [no year]
£220.00

The three items totalling 11pp., 12mo. On three bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged. ONE: 23 February 1860. 3pp., 12mo. She begins: 'I cannot receive yr. repeated welcome remembrance of old Remp[ston]e. days, without a line of thanks for the pleasurable thoughts they awaken - a boon, to a Recluse, who lives much on the past & on the far-off present, which a friendly telescope may bring before her'. She congratulates him in graceful terms on his 'success'.

Printed prospectus for 'The Crown Jewels and other Regalia in the Tower of London'.

Author: 
Major-General H. D. W. Sitwell, Keeper of the Jewel House, Tower of London; Clarence Winchester [The Dropmore Press]
Publication details: 
Published at The Dropmore Press Limited, 9 Great James Street, London WC1. Undated [before the publication of the book itself in 1953].
£38.00

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. In very good condition. Covering the whole of the front page is a beautiful coloured illustration of the Imperial State Crown, with no text. The following three pages are printed in black and purple, with the second page carrying the publication details; the third page a full-page note from the editor; and the last page an advertisement for Sir John Wilson's 'Royal Philatelic Collection'. No copies of this item traced on either COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.

[Osbert Sitwell and Margaret Barton.] Offprint of their chapter on 'Taste' in 'Johnson's England', presented to Margaret Llewellyn Davies, Peter Pan's aunt, by Margaret Barton, with ANS stating that 'It is one of a "limited edition" of three.'

Author: 
Osbert Sitwell and Margaret Barton [Margaret Llewellyn Davies (1861-1944), general secretary of the Women's Co-Operative Guild; suffragist; Arthur Stanley Turberville; Samuel Johnson]
Publication details: 
Published in 'Johnson's England', ed. A. S. Turberville. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1933.
£125.00

40pp., 8vo, with four plates. Paginated 1-40 (the chapter appears with the same pagination at the beginning of the second of the two volumes of the book). Bound in green buckram, with 'TASTE | OSBERT SITWELL | AND | MARGARET BARTON' stamped in gilt on front board. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in lightly-worn binding.

Autograph Letter Signed from 'R. A. Bennet', editor of 'Truth', to 'Osbert' [Burdett], regarding the Irish journalist and politician T. P. O'Connor.

Author: 
R. A. Bennett, editor of 'Truth' [Thomas Power O'Connor (1848-1929), Irish journalist and proprietor of 'T. P.'s Weekly', founder and first editor of the Sun newspaper; Sir Osbert Sitwell]
Autograph Letter Signed from 'R. A. Bennet', editor of 'Truth',
Publication details: 
11 December 1925; on letterhead of 'Truth' Buildings, Carteret Street, Queen Anne's Gate, London.
£65.00
Autograph Letter Signed from 'R. A. Bennet', editor of 'Truth',

12mo, 1 p. Nine lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed in pencil on reverse 'R. A. Bennett re T. P. O'Connor'. He is enclosing 'the promised note to "T. P". I see that he is ailing and going to the Riviera at an early date, so you had better try and catch him at once.' Bennett had to get the recipient's address from his publishers, as O'Connor left without passing it on.

Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'Osbert') to 'My dear James' [the film producer R. J. Minney].

Author: 
Osbert Sitwell (1892-1969) [R. J. Minney]
Publication details: 
Letter One: 'Friday Renishaw' [c.1942]; on letterhead of 2 Carlyle Square, SW3. Letter Two: 5 April [c.1942?]. On illustrated letterhead of 'Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire [last word deleted]'. Letter Three: 4 January 1944; on Renishaw Hall letterhead.
£165.00

Sitwell and Renishaw collaborated on the play 'Gentle Caesar' (published in 1942), and the last two letters would appear to concern a possible film adaptation. All three items very good on lightly aged paper. Letter One ('Friday Renishaw'): 12mo, 2 pp. 18 lines of text. Apparently written around the time of the play's composition. Sitwell is 'delighted' that Minney is 'already immersed in Pares's book. I have just read the Czar and Empress Marie's Letters.' He has 'marked (in the preface mostly) what I thought helpful for atmosphere, or amusing'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Osbert') to 'My dear James'.

Author: 
Osbert Sitwell [Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th Baronet] (1892-1969), English writer and aesthete
Publication details: 
Monday' [no date]; on illustrated letterhead of Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire (amended by Sitwell to 'Renishaw | N[ear]. Sheffield').
£120.00

12mo, 2 pp. Very good. Attractive letterhead with engraved illustration of 'Renishaw Hall | Derbyshire' (last word crossed out by Sitwell). Written in purple ink. Asks if there is 'anything to be made of a curtain-raiser, or short film, which wd. show Napoleon catching the cold, which lost him the Battle of Waterloo? . . It is an amusing idea.' He considers that it is 'sure to have been some very silly person who sneezed at him . . . Or is the idea nonsense!'

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