STATES

On one side of a piece of laid paper, 11 x 18 cm. Laid down on a slightly larger piece of paper. Good: lightly aged with three neat vertical folds. Reads 'Oh! land of beauty - sun-lit Italy! How often do I fondly think of thee, | And of the days gone by . . . . . ! | [signature] A. Maffei | April 14th | 1866.'

Printed on one side of a piece of thick wove paper, watermarked 'G REIG', roughly 53 x 41 cm. Worn and a little spotted and grubby, with creasing and wear to extremities, but good overall, with text and design clear and entire. Handsome boldly designed certificate. Not filled in and with no manuscript additions whatsover. The illustration, an oval roughly 12 x 17 cm, shows the ship approaching white cliffs on shore, with a boat containing seven natives in the foreground.

All three items in very good condition. Clear, bold signature, on a cropped piece of paper three inches by five wide, reading 'Leonard Bernstein | Edinburgh | <'73>'. The first photograph (six and a half inches by eight wide, and with the stamp of the Scottish Tourist Board on the reverse), shows a smiling Bernstein in a Prince of Wales check double-breasted jacket with a bespectacled old gentleman in a single-breasted pinstripe jacket, admiring a bagpiper in full regalia at a British railway station (Edinburgh Waverley?).

On a piece of wove paper, cut into a shape roughly corresponding to a 5 x 8 cm rectangle. Aged, discoloured and worn, with some of the autograph slightly smudged with blotting. The autograph of one of America's greatest poets. In Longfellow's small, tight hand, reads: 'With regards | Henry . W . Longfellow .' Thin slip of paper laid down on the reverse reads 'S. ENGLEFIELD COLLECTION | HENLEY ON THAMES'.

Octavo: 29 + [2] pp. Unbound, stabbed and stitched. Slightly dogeared, on grubby, lightly-spotted paper. Loss to top right-hand corner of title-leaf (not affecting text). Two pages of advertisements at rear, headed 'Important pamphlets, etc. Recently published by James Ridgway, Piccadilly.'

Octavo: 28 pp. Unbound, stabbed and stitched. Slightly dogeared, on grubby, lightly-spotted paper. Loss to top right-hand corner of title-leaf (not affecting text). Marked up in ink in a contemporary hand. COPAC lists copies at the British Library, Manchester and National Library of Scotland. The 'Alabama Question' related to what indemnity should be paid by Great Britain for damage done to United States commerce by the Alabama and other confederate cruisers built in British ports.

Stapled pamphlet of thirteen pages (dimensions of leaf 15 x 8 cm), in original grey printed wraps. Attractively produced in relatively small print. Small stain to rear wrap, and some spotting to p.12. Inscribed beneath frontispiece photograph of a pensive Canfield at her writing desk, 'With best greetings to Harry from [signed] Dorothy Canfield Fisher'. The final page consists of a list of 'Books By Dorothy Canfield', several of which are scored through in pencil, with the titles of four others added. No copy listed on COPAC, and none listed in the Yale and Harvard catalogues.

Text on one side of a piece of thin card, dimensions roughly 140 x 85 mm. Mourning border on both sides. In good condition: on lightly aged card with a few scuff marks on the reverse. Text reads 'We deeply regret to have to announce that President McKinley, after getting much better up to Sept. 13, then gradually sank from decline of strength and failure of the heart's action, and died.' The source of the text is unclear. Probably intended for display. McKinley was shot in Buffalo, New York, on 5 September 1901, by the anarchist Leon Frank Czolgosz, and died on 14 September.

8vo: [viii] + 265 + [ii] pp. Printers slug on page following 265, followed by a full-page advertisement by Harrison Hall, Philadelphia, and Collins & Co., New York, for 'Wilson's Ornithology', dated 'Philadelphia, July 1832'. In original brown paper boards, with brown cloth spine carrying white printed label. Tight, but in poor condition, with light spotting and damp-staining. Unobtrusive repair to closed tear on reverse of title-leaf. Ownership inscription of Joseph Malcomson (mill owner of Portlaw, County Waterford) to rectos of first four leaves, including title.

8vo: 52 pp. Stitched pamphlet in marbled paper wraps. On aged, damp-stained paper, with foxing to last leaf. The Institution was later renamed the National Institute and eventually became a part of the Smithsonian Institute.

8vo, [ii] + 8 pp. Unbound stitched pamphlet. Lightly aged, and with short closed tears at head and foot of outer leaves. Dogeared corner to rear leaf. A 116-line 29-stanza poem, beginning 'The Pilgrims loved Old England, | Their hearts fed on her sod, | Their souls clung close to England, | But closelier [sic] to God.' and ending 'And through those centuries strenuous | In services to Man, | If sometimes sadly tenuous, | We claimed, and kept the Van.' Scarce: no copy on COPAC, in the British Library or Library of Congress.

Landscape 12mo, 2 pp. 17 pages of text. Blue oval stamp at head. Good, on lightly creased paper, with small closed tear at head. Difficult hand. 'Bambridge is not a familiar name in Virginia. Very many of the early settlers died from malaria & other fevers soon after arriving.' Discusses the difficulty of genealogical research ('we have a hundred Counties in Virginia').

4to, 4 pp. Good, on lightly creased paper. From the Ken Ryan collection. Long, rambling, good-humoured letter on the . 'Here it is New Years Eve and I'm at home, and being quiet. - I was tired as we have worked hard all week. - and its good to be quiet. [...] London must have been interesting during the holiday season - I hope to some day see it but when I ever will is the question I'm never to [sic] good to save money. - Next week we have the Monte Carlo Ballet. Russe. and I am looking forward to seeing it. with pleasure. I've always been so fond of ballet.'

One page, 12mo. On aged and spotted paper, with traces of previous mount on reverse. Craigie's 'PMTC' monogram in top left-hand corner, and a red '45' in a red circle in top right-hand. Fourteen-line biographical cutting laid down along one edge. Reads 'Dear Sir | I have much pleasure in sending you my autograph. | Yours faithfully | Pearl Mary-Teresa Craigie.'

One page, 12mo. Very good on lightly aged paper. 'It gives me much pleasure to add my autograph to your collection.' With a 38-line biographical cutting on Fiske.

Octavo: 18 pp. Unbound: stabbed and unstitched. First leaf and leaves with pp. 15/16 and 17/18 loose. Leaves with pp.3/4 and 15/16 half-separated. Paper discoloured and chipping at edges. Extends to 918 lots. The odd number of leaves implies the loss of a final leaf, possibly bearing text. Stamp of the Public Library Ford Collection. Docketing in pencil notes a duplicate at the New York Public Library. No other copy traced.

Octavo: 31 pp. Stitched and unbound, with front of the original printed wraps, which bears the title-page, still present. Text clear and entire, on aged paper with some dogearing and chipping to top outer corner. Front wrap creased and lightly stained, with a little chipping, but with text clear and entire. Pencil ownership inscription in contemporary hand at head of title. Reproduces the proposed amended constitution and various resolutions regarding a referendum on the subject.

One page. On piece of paper roughly seven inches by three and a half wide. Bottom part of letter cut away. Reads 'Dr Sir | In compiance with your wish | I subscribe myself | truly yours | [signed] J. M. Weston | To/ | Jas. Reese Esq'. Docketed by Rees 'The above autograph is that of my friend J M Weston, Stage Manager of the St Charles Theatre - he is the Author of Several popular pieces, among which is the beautiful drama of Lucretia Borgia'. Dated in another hand on reverse. Not much appears to be known about Weston, whose translation of Victor Hugo's play was first published in 1850.

American evangelist (1873-1967), founder of the Pocket Testament League and the Million Testaments Campaign. One page damp-affected but text clear, some creasing. The letter from Davis is mounted on a leaf from an autograph album, and the two leaves of the other item are both glued along one edge to the same leaf. Letter from the Advertisers, two pages (on two leaves of different size), quarto. Some words of text on second leaf obscured through first leaf being glued over left-hand margin of leaf, but legible through paper of first leaf.

One page, 12mo. Good on piece of lightly-creased and aged paper, neatly mounted on slightly-larger piece of paper. Enclosing funds 'for the Use of St Andrews Hall April 2nd. 3rd. & 4th./66 for Christys Minstrels Concerts'. Postscript requests that receipt be sent to Reading in Berkshire: 'Shall be there on Thursday next'. A significant document. 1866 marked the introduction of the minstrel show into England by Christy's Minstrels, and the first of several extremely successful tours by the company.

Three pages, small octavo. Good, though a little aged. He is having an exhibition of his 'new Mexican things [...] and teaching a small class' in Savannah. He is pleased that Woodward is going to Chapel Hill ('They need a breath of fresh air.'). The rest of the letter consists of an interesting assessment of the artistic situation in the area, beginning, 'In N.

American diplomat and author (1817-1911), editor of Benjamin Franklin's works. All three items are very good on paper discoloured with age, though all with small punch holes for binding in upper corners, resulting to loss to six words of text. All three signed 'John Bigelow'. The second letter represents an important exposition of Bigelow's religious position at the very end of his life. LETTER ONE (14 March 1911, 21 Gramercy Park, two pages, octavo): In response to his correspondent's 'Syrenic appeal' he is sending a cheque for $25, 'at the rate of $5 for the next five years'.

American lawyer (1873-1958), who in 1930 headed the investigation into political corruption in New York City which brought about the decline of Tammany Hall. Sulzer (1863-1941) had been elected Democratic Governor of New York in 1913 with Tammany support, but had been removed from office following an internal dispute. One page, quarto. Very good. His reply to Sulzer's letter has been delayed due to 'pressure of other matters and my absence from the City'. He thanks Sulzer for the 'recent note conveying your good wishes.

American Unitarian clergyman (1811-93) and editor and proprietor of the North American Review; Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard, 1860-81. One page, octavo. Good but on discoloured paper with slight spotting. 'It is my invariable rule not to send proof to any writer for the North American. You are however at entire liberty, to see the proof of your article by your own arrangement with the printers, who will be very ready to oblige you.' Signed 'A. P. Peabody'.

English politician (1881-1965) and architect, much of whose work was done in the United States. Both letters two pages, quarto. Both letters docketed (the first heavily so), bearing the Society's stamp, and with pin and staple holes in top left-hand corner. Second letter good, first lightly creased and grubby. Revealing documents relating to the Royal Society's 'British Art in Industry' exhibition, held at the Royal Academy in 1935. The Society's website describes this as a 'resounding success', but as these letters show, the matter was not so clear cut.

First Chief Justice of Nova Scotia (1710-76). Flyleaf detached from octavo volume and neatly mounted on piece of white card, itself mounted on larger piece of grey card. While the mounts are in good condition the leaf itself is poor, discoloured and stained. Reads in top left-hand corner 'Jonathn Belcher | August. 1754.' Also present are signatures of 'Hawkins | London' and 'Jn L. Lee | 1870'.

English ecclesiastic (1678-1761) and controversialist, who left his library to Cambridge University. LETTER: one page, octavo, discoloured and creased, and with neatly-repaired loss of strip approximately four inches by one and a half to top right-hand corner, causing some loss to text. Reads 'My Lords. | The Reverend Thomas Bradbury C Master of Arts being Licenced to perform th Office in New Jersey in his Majestys Plant America and on his departure thither I request that your Lordships will be pleased to his Majesty's Bounty of Twenty pounds to defray of his passage to that Province'.

The letter of 2 pages, 4to. Discoloured, dusty and frayed. Dr Carl P. Russell has asked him to reply to Epps's letter regarding 'the preservation of outdoor Geological Sections'. Discusses this matter over two paragraphs. Says he is sending a copy of his 'Field Manual for Museums' and refers Epps to two illustrations. 'I am personally as well as professionally interested in all problems related to the preservation of natural and historical objects and will be pleased to learn of any methods you have found to be satisfactory.' The note of 1 page, 16mo.

Norman Mattoon Thomas (1884-1968), six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party. 1 page, 8vo. Not in good condition: fraying at all four edges, with loss to the last two letters of the author's surname. Letter addressed to 'Dear Comrade Snelling'. He explains in great detail the need 'to enlist support for an expansion program which has just been decided on by the National Committee of the Socialist Party [...] we have no funds to meet it [...] The program provides for a membership drive for 10,000 new members in 1933.

Lost Horizons by Harry Segall (1897-1975) opened at the St James Theatre on Broadway on 15 October 1934. An impressive testament to the efficient marketing of mainstream entertainment in early-twentieth-century America. Laurence Rivers, Inc., of 19 West 44th Street, New York City, were clearly the play's publicists, and the majority of these letters are from the representatives of various religious organisations in New York, thanking William Fields of the company for the gift of free tickets.