TOM

Page from an autograph album, 16.5 x 12cm, containing autographs as follows: "Compliments of | Count Primo Magri | from Bologna | Italy || Comtess [sic] M L Magri (Mrs Genl Tom Thumb)", filling the page. Overleaf signatures of C. W. Couldock, American Shakespearian Actor; Theodore Thomas, American conductor; M.W. Whitney and another ("W.. Fort"[?]).

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, laid down on part of a page from an album. Reads: 'Dear Teg. | Miss Elizabeth Philp has sent a batch of Songs of her own Company to the Queen. Will you kindly interest yourself to get them a notice?'

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, laid down on leaf removed from album. Clarke writes that a King's student, also named Clarke, whom Stuart took 'for vacation work', has returned 'full of enthusiasm & gratitude for all you & your people have taught him'. He only hopes that the student 'made as good an impression on you as you have done on him'. He concludes: 'Why don't you come and give the students a talk one day?' According to an official account: 'The University of London ran courses in journalism from around 1923.

[4] + 78pp., 12mo. In original grey-green printed wraps. Presentation inscription on fly-leaf, dated January 1907. The volume comprises three pieces. First, an untitled memoir, with footnote at end: 'My father begun [sic] this autobiography at the request of my brother Jack, and after his death did not continue it.'; second, an account of a street fight between a policeman and a 'bone-picker', titled 'A Street Adventure, 1845'; lastly, 'The Working Men's College'. Four copies on COPAC, but now uncommon.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Arnold, whose conversion to Roman Catholicism hindered his academic dvancement in England, was grandfather of the writer Aldous Huxley, and taught James Joyce at Dublin. At the time of writing he was running a private tutoring establishment at Oxford. He begins the letter by explaining that it has hardly been possible to reply to Hutchinson 'during term time [...] I had so much work on my hands'. He is returning 'Canon Bright's letter', and has 'not had time to look at the treatises on Perseverance and Predestination'.

On 3.5 x 16.5 cm piece of paper, cut from the end of a letter. Ruckled and lightly stained, with small closed tear (not affecting signature). Good firm signature. Reads: 'Kindest regards to your wife | Ever most truly yours | Thos Hughes'. At bottom left: '1873'. Same year printed on reverse, which carries more autograph text by Hughes, written at right angles to the text on the other side.

The Clarke family ran the Argyle for fifty years from 1890 to 1940, during which period it was one of the best-known provincial theatres. It opened as the Argyle Music Hall in 1868, and between 1876 and 1890 was named the Prince Of Wales Theatre, being used mainly to stage plays. In 1890 the focus returned to music hall and variety and it was renamed the Argyle Theatre. Its archives are in the University of Sheffield. 2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, somehwhat grubby and creased at foot of leaf.

48pp., thin 12mo. (20 x 9 cm.) Stapled. In good condition, on aged newspaper stock. Divided into ten sections: 'List of Delegates and Bodies Represented', 'The Conference', 'Chairman's Opening Remarks', 'Tom Mann's Address', 'The Resolution', 'The Discussion', 'A Weekly Newspaper' 'Manchester Syndicalist Education League', 'Parliamentary Action', 'Next Conference'. Ends with page on 'Industrial Syndicalism. What it is, and What it isn't', and two pages of details of 'Persons willing to speak as advocates of Industrial Syndicalism in their respective districts'.

Three pages (expansive hand), 12mo, fold mark, good condition. "Ihave decided on offering you our Drawing Mastership. | The salary will be half a guninea for every Boy in the School not on the Foundation up to a maximum of 160 guineas. | The boys have steadily exceeded 320, not on the Foundation, for years. But [...] is our rule of payment in all cases. | I should be glad if you could come in about a month."

12mo, 39 pp. Stitched into original coloured wraps decorated with pastel-coloured rainbow stripes. Text clear and complete. Good, on aged paper. The final two pages of the volume contain crude sketches in coloured pencil (figure seated on steps of country cottage, a clump of trees, ships at sea). The year is not stated, but certainly 1844 from the references in the volume. Found with other autograph material of the Rev. W. M. Mousley, who would have been sixteen at the time of writing. The trip is made along with 'Papa', 'Mama [Mamma]' (often 'poorly'), 'Henry' and 'James'.

285pp., 8vo, including newspaper cuttings laid down on 24pp., and one loose cutting. In contemporary black leather half-binding, with brown cloth covers, and 'MINUTE BOOK' in gilt on front. Marbled endpapers. Ticket on rear pastedown of 'W. BLAIR, | Stationer, | Post Office Buildings | TONBRIDGE'. Internally in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding with front hinge split. Manuscript title: 'Tonbridge Cricket Week. | 1894. | First Held 1890'.

16pp., 8vo. Complete publication, unstapled and unbound. Unopened (i.e. with the pages unseparated). On the usual high-acidity newspaper stock, brittle and aged, with chipping to outer margins. The first page carries a poem title 'Ireland, 1914', by Padraic Colum. Other contributors include Joseph Plunkett and Professor T. M. ('Tom') Kettle. The final page carries an article by M. J. Judge titled 'A Nation's Destiny. Arms Are The Arbiters', and an illustrated piece on 'First Aid'. The newspaper was published between 1914 and 1916.

v + 83pp. In grey printed wraps. Printed on rectos only and comb-bound. On aged and worn paper, with stamps of the Hire Library of Messrs Chappell & Co. Ltd, 50 New Bond Street. With pencil markings and annotations. Loosely inserted is an 'On Loan' receipt to 'Mr. T. Dickinson, 12A, York Mews, London, N.W.5.' The first English production of the play was at the Apollo Theatre, London, opening on 7 September 1961. It ran for 44 performances.

ONE (Elliott's letter): 3pp., 12mo. 34 lines. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged paper, loosely attached to the title-leaf of the book by a small piece of gummed paper. The letter begins: 'My dear Driberg | I ought to have acknowledged your letter sooner, but I only received it on my return from abroad, and since then I have been busy struggling with the arears which always accrue during absence.' He thanks him for sending his 'son's little volume', which he has read 'with much interest & congratulate him on the neat & modest appearance he has made in print'.

34 + [1]pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, a little ruckled. Advertisement for 'Jan Cladpole's Trip to Merricur' ('Just published') on last page. A three-page preface is followed by the poem, in 152 four-line stanzas, with pp.33-34 carrying another poem titled 'Tom Cladpole's Return'. Surprisingly uncommon.

The three items derive from the Bilainkin papers. Each is separately paginated and stapled, with the text on one side only of the leaves. All three in good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with rusty staples. Item One: Titled 'ADD 1960 DIARY. Saturday, July 23.' 7pp., foolscap 8vo. With carbon copy of the same.

8pp., 4to. On eight leaves pinned together. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with rust staining from pin. Apparently unpublished. Typed at head of first page: 'From J. H. Driberg, 19, Dryden Chambers, W.1.', above which, in manuscript: 'NL. N. 10 pt Miscellany'. Driberg is clearly the author: 'Anyanga' is a surname common in the area of Kenya in which he was based as a colonial offical. The first paragraph gives an indication of the tone of the piece: 'The War left me with one fragrant memory. Her name was Yvonne Beaubouchais, and the date was 1915.

Black and white portrait of Driberg from the waist up, by Converse Studios Inc., New York. In good condition, in lightly-worn printed card folder, 35 x 25.5 cm. The image is mounted behind a 23.5 x 18 cm windowpane. Driberg, in his early thirties, in a double-breasted pin-striped suit, white shirt, and tie, faces the camera with hands in pockets. From Driberg's own papers.

The nine large prints are in good condition, lightly-aged with slight wear to corners. The smaller print is lightly-creased. In worn blue faux-leather album, with large facsimile signature of 'Lenare' on cover in gilt, with the address 'Portraiture | 28, GEORGE STREET | HANOVER SQUARE | LONDON, W.1.' ONE to FOUR. A series of four head-and-shoulders portraits of Driberg, each signed in pencil by Maurice Beck, and with the stamp on the reverse: 'Photograph by | Maurice Beck | F.R.P.S.' Each on a piece of 37 x 29.5 cm.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Untidily-written by Taylor, with several ink smudges. The letter begins: 'Dear Col: Cunningham | I find recorded, in my catalogues, no other portrait of Eliz: Countess of Pembroke & her son, except the one in the Earl of Pembroke's possession at Wilton House. There is a repetition of the group of mother & son in that picture, with the Earl in it, in Wilton House. Lord Normanton has a head of the Lady, painted at the same time, apparently'.

Valuation: 29pp., 4to, in a brown folder bound with green ribbon. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With a few manuscript additions. The title reads: 'T. DRIBERG, ESQ., 601 MOUNTJOY HOUSE, BARBICAN, LONDON, E.C.2. | VALUATIONS FOR INSURANCE | CHRISTIE, MANSON & WOODS.

2pp., landscape 12mo. In good condition, with minor water stain. He begs Driberg's pardon for having to 'break my engagement to play Bridge with you on Saturday evening - though it seems very impolite when I accepted so long ago': 'The fact is that the Master of Trinity has announced his intention of bringing the Belgian Ambassador to dine with me in Hall at Magdalene on that evening, and I regard this as so near to a Royal Command that I dare not evade it!' He hopes that '[w]ith this amount of notice' Driberg will be able to find a replacement, and asks for 'another chance later on'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Jack | It is a long time since we met - but perhaps that is my fault. If so, will you let bygones be bygones - and come over to Toppesfield some time?' She suggests a date, 'Or any Sunday lunch in the immediate future', stating that 'after July, all plans are "Hitler permitting"!' Driberg has noted his acceptance of the invitation up one margin. [Driberg was a Lecturer in Anthropology at Cambridge University from 1934 to 1942. His brother was the colourful Labour MP Tom Driberg.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins: 'My bookseller has sent me tonight "Island India at School" - Chicago University Press $2 [in fact 'Island India at School', E. R. Embree et al, 1934], and therefore, presumably, C.U.P. in this country.' He apologises for troubling Driberg unnecessarily: 'But yesterday they told me that they couldn't even trace it in Publishers' Catalogues.' Postscript reads: 'I hope I'm not robbing you of your proper style & title. I feel that it might be "Dr."

14pp., 12mo. In ruled notebook bound in black cloth. Titled 'Tom - School' at head of first page, with small section cut away from the front cover to make this visible. In fair condition on lightly-aged paper, with one slightly dogeared corner and light staining to blank leaves at the rear. Written while Driberg was between the ages of five and thirteen, and with the handwriting more untidy towards the end.

After '[...] with numerous local illustrations.' the title continues: 'To which is added a short account of The Coventry Cemetery, Waterworks, St. Mary's and Draper's Halls, School of Art, New Free Library, Bond's and Ford's Hospitals; also the History of Stoneleigh and Combe Abbeys, Kenilworth Castle, &c.' 48pp., small (15 x 12 cm) 4to. With fold-out frontispiece and nine engraved plates, including 'The Countess Lady Godiva riding through Coventry' and 'Peeping Tom of Coventry'. In green printed card wraps with red cloth spine.

Book: [xii] + 95 pp., 8vo. In fair condition, in original green cloth and worn yellow dustwrapper. Inscribed on front free endpaper: 'For Tom Driberg | With Good Wishes | Robin Skelton | May 1960'. With review slip, on the reverse of which Driberg has written: 'Blake | Graves | Frost | Plomer'. Skelton's Letter: 2pp., 12mo. 20 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Regarding the book he writes that he has 'added a note to the preface to the 2 Ballads of the Muse', which he hopes 'doesn't too much spoil the layout'. He thanks Driberg for his interest in his work.

1p., 4to. Fair, on aged paper, with one small burn-hole to margin. Addressed to 'Mrs. T. Driberg, | Bradwell Lodge, | Bradwell juxta Mare, | nr. Southminster, | Essex.' He thanks her for receiving 'an African boy from Northern Rhodesia and some members of my family', and 'showing us the details of your charming house so unhesitatingly'. He discusses the 'astonishing contrast the house is to the landscape around it.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Van Thal was 'most distressed to read in the Daily Express this morning that you were no longer connected with that paper.' He thanks him 'for the pleasure that you have given me over a number of years of reading a first class column'. He hopes it will be 'discoverable as to where you are going to continue to write - or have politics put an end to a chapter?' In a postscript he states that he is at least 'able to console myself with Hansard!'

Having been expelled from the Communist Party in 1941, Driberg joined the Labour Party in 1945; he would be elected to the National Executive throughout 1949-72 and was chairman of the party in 1957-8. The collection is in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with occasional minor rust staining from paperclips. ONE: Autograph Notes by Driberg of 'Bradwell local information'. 12pp., 12mo, on a total of eight leaves of House of Commons notepaper.