VICTORIAN

Clearly given in response to an autograph collector, and written for display on front panel of envelope. Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 cm. In good condition, lightly aged. Horizontal crease along bottom not affecting signature, which reads ‘Emma Albani Gye | 1883.’ In 1883, after several years of enormous success in Europe, Albani returned to Canada to give a series of recitals. Thousands turned out to greet her arrival in Montreal.

See Gould’s entry in the Oxford DNB, with that of Lady Lyte’s husband. The Lytes were Somerset neighbours of Gould. 1p, 12mo. In good condition. He is glad to hear that ‘Mr Logsdail has done the drawing for you for he would be able to do far more justice to it than I could possibly have achieved’. On the occasions when he is called upon to ‘put sentiment into a cartoon’ he is ‘always conscious of failure and it is well to know one’s limitations’.

See Gould's entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition. The two leaves of the bifolium on which the letter is written have been separated, and each bears minor evidence of mounting on the blank reverse. He thanks Ashford for allowing him to ‘look through your very interesting collection of autographs’, which ‘does equal credit to your energy and to the good nature of mankind in general’. He continues: ‘The pages of an autograph book always make me realise that people are not so crabbed and disagreeable to each other as pessimists imagine or profess to believe.

Gertrude Ward trained under Florence Nightingale at St Thomas’s Hospital in London (see below), after which she became a district nurse, and then sister at the Medical Mission, Zanzibar. She was appointed to the position of Matron at Eton in 1901. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium, folded twice. In good condition. Nineteen lines of text. Signed ‘Gertrude Ward.’ She confirms the day of an appointment, but wishes to change the hour, as ‘unfortunately another UMCA Candidate has arranged to come at 3.30 on that day’.

1p, 12mo. On laid paper, folded once. Informing her that ‘Fanny’ will be returning in a few days, and that ‘we shall be very happy to come to your Garden Party on Thursday 10th. which is one of my chief pleasures of the Season’.

See Gould's entry in the Oxford DNB, with those of Newnes and Hobhouse. All eleven items are 12mo and signed ‘F Carruthers Gould’. Some show evidence of previous mounting. The collection is in good overall condition. As assistant editor of the Westminster Gazette he thanks Mrs Elizabeth Lee for her ‘suggestion about an article on the German Theatre’; and Macleod Yearsley for his ‘sketch of Macrurus’ (‘I already had the creature in my mind as the likeness is certainly a striking one’).

See both their entries in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition. He has ‘just read with much grateful pleasure’ the ‘very kindly reference’ to him in her ‘delightful book’ (presumably her second volume of reminiscences, ‘Leaves from the Notebooks of Lady Dorothy Nevill’, 1907). He is ‘just in the middle of it and enjoying it keenly’. The only fault he can find is that he will soon come to the end of it. It deserves great success and he hopes she will ‘give us more reminiscences’.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border (her mother had died the previous December). In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of paper to which the item was glued still adhering to reverse of second leaf. Having been informed by her sister ‘Miss Kingsley’ (her elder sister Rose) that Combe is ‘kind enough to wish for my autograph’, she has ‘much pleasure in sending it you - but I wish my pen was a better one, more befitting this serious occasion!’

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Clearly and firmly written. The letter would appear to concern an individual who is threatening to resign his membership of the Athenaeum Club, and ends with reference to proxy voting for new members. Hughes begins by reporting that he has 'already written to the good but peppery & impulsive Dr. of whom I am as fond as you are'.

172pp., 16mo (10 x 6.5 cm.). In original green leather quarter-binding, with marbled endpapers and label on front cover: 'No 1 | DECEMBER | 1837 | 1838'. Aged and worn, with the contents of the volume detached from the binding, and the signatures loose through breaking of the stitching. In pencil beneath the binder's ticket on the front pastedown: 'Hogarth | 10 Powis Place', with this address continuing at the foot of the first page: 'Gt Ormond St'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with small scrap from white label adhering to a margin. He explains that the reason that a letter has not been forwarded to him is that he has not, 'for years, had to do with the management of the Illustrated London News', although he does contribute to it. Nevertheless he will try to get the recipient 'a proof of the Port[rai]t. - with great pleasure'. He adds, in a postscript at the head of the page: 'I think the Memoir was cut out from the Times'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. On aged paper, with punch hole through both leaves at head, small closed cut along bottom edge of first leaf, and with paper and part of another letter (from an album) glued onto the reverse of the second leaf. Folded once. The signature 'M. Massenet' is explained in Massenet's obituary in the Musical Times, 1 September 1912, which speaks of 'the composer's known antipathy to the name Jules […] He preferred to be called “M. Massenet” simply'. The recipient of this enthusiastic letter is not named.

All signed ‘George C: Oke’. At the time of writing Oke was Assistant Clerk to the Lord Mayor, a position he had held since 1855; in 1864 he would assume the Chief Clerkship. For details of the recipient, barrister and F.R.S, elder brother of Sir Bartle Frere and nephew of Canning’s friend the satirist John Hookham Frere, see the Law Times, 31 December 1887. The four letters total 10pp, 12mo, all on letterheads with engraved arms of the City of London. All in good condition; very lightly aged; with folds. Closely and neatly written.

See Knox’s entry in the Oxford DNB, along with those of his father Edmund Arbuthnott Knox, his brothers Ronald, Dillwyn and Wilfred, his wife the ‘Mary Poppins’ illustrator Mary Shepard (daughter of Ernest Shepard) and his daughter the novelist Penelope Fitzgerald. At the time the present material was composed Knox had been involved with Punch for more than four decades (1904-1948), holding the editorship for the last sixteen, with the magazines circulation rising to a peak of almost 200,000 as he approached his retirement.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'My dear Lord, | I have fixed the Oath's Bills &c for Tuesday July 9. | Believe me | faithfully Yours | Kimberley'.

256pp., 12mo. With frontispiece engraving and vignette on title. In original brown cloth binding, with blind-stamped decorative pattern on the boards, and title and design on the spine. Ownership inscription of 'Arthur Baxter | Runcorn | 1861' on piece of paper laid down on front pastedown. A tight copy, on stained paper (particularly the last few leaves) and aged paper, in worn binding with gilt almost dulled. An interesting production, reminiscent of previous Minerva Press publications, and looking ahead to the yellow-back.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE (13 January 1934): 1p., landscape 12mo. The 'proposed article sounds the sort of thing', but Strangeways cannot accept it until he sees it. TWO (3 February 1934): 2pp., landscape 12mo. He thanks him for sending the article, regarding which he writes: 'if the musicians mentioned in it had been more important or there had been more about them, it wd. have been worth printing; but as it is I am afraid it is not of sufficient interest.' The writer's reference to 'Ranzini' is, Strangeways points out, 'almost certainly' a mistake for 'V.

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. A daughter from Lady Derby's first marriage was married to the Earl of Galloway, from whose seat Derby writes. Addressed to 'G. [sic] Norbury. Esq.' Having received the letter of the unnamed male recipient, he feels he 'must decline to give my name as patron of the now proposed society of water colour painters in Liverpool: not because I do not approve of the formation of such a society, but because your invitation to join it is the first intimation I have received of any such project being in contemplation'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of yellow paper mount adhering to the blank reverse. Reads: 'Mr & Mrs. Bohn present their compliments to the Mayor of Liverpool and Mrs. Hubback, and have much pleasure in accepting their polite invitation for the 15th. proxo.'

See his entry in J. F. Smith, 'The Admission Register of the Manchester School'. 6pp, 12mo. Written in a neat, close hand. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. A vivid example of the methodology of the nineteenth-century English clerical antiquary. The main subject is the controversialist Richard Montagu (1577-1641), Bishop of Norwich, about whom, in January of the following year (that of his death), Backhouse would publish a letter in 'The Academy' under the title 'The Abbreviations in Bishop Mountagu's [sic] Dedication'. The recipient is not identified.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper, folded twice. Reads: 'Sir Frank Benson regrets that his departure for South Africa will prevent his having the pleasure of availing himself of the Literary Society's kind invitation to assist at the banquet, on Wednesday, July 16th. -'

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The item is a nice association between Austin and his birthplace. An 8 x 13.5 cm post card, printed on both sides. In fair condition, aged, with central vertical fold. The form is a request for a ticket to the degree ceremony, but Austin has altered the text in autograph to read: 'I shall be glad [if you will kindly admit the bearer of this] ticket [to] the Degree Ceremony, at the Town Hall, Leeds, on Thursday, October 6th, 1904.' He signs 'Alfred Austin' at bottom right, underlined with two short lines.

1p, 12mo. On a bifolium endorsed on second leaf '1848 | C R Cockerell R A | 8 May'. Reads: 'My Dear Sir | I hope you have recd. my subscription paid by cheque on London & Westymr. Bank. & forwarded to Mess. Drummond on the 14 Feby. 1848. | Your's truly | C. R. Cockerell'.

9pp, 12mo. On twi bifoliums and a single leaf, only the first of the bifoliums carrying the letterhead. In good condition, on aged paper. Folded once and in an envelope with 'Whist for 2. | Rules by Miss Stanton.' on cover. The letterhead has the feel of the 1920s, but the handwriting is Victorian, and presumably that of an old spinster. The first bifolium carries a separate set of instructions over four pages, headed 'Whist for two', and concluding: 'Hope you can read it excuse blots for I cant see what I have written'.

7pp, 32mo. On two bifoliums, stitched together. In good condition, lightly aged. Signed 'Agnes Strickland'. A nice letter with interesting content. Begins: 'Feeling all the kindness of most friendly invitation so sensibly as I do, it gives me the greater regret to be compelled to forgo the pleasure you offer me, of joining my friends Mr. & Miss Mackinnon in your charming home on the 8th of Octr.

Both the letter and the accompanying document are in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Both items signed 'Dion: Lardner'. ONE: Letter to Dickinson & Co. 1p, 12mo. He wishes to add 'these few lines' to 'the enclosed business letter' (not present), 'to aprise you that from the private knowledge I have of the parties interested in the business that I am of opinion that they are entitled to serious attention.

Both in good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip from mount adhering, and crease lines from folding. Two excellent long letters in Spedding's neat and close hand, full of content regarding the relationship between Victorian author, publisher and reader. The topic is Spedding's preparation for the publication of his pamphlet 'Publishers and Authors' (London: J. R. Smith, 1867). Both letters addressed to 'My dear Mervivale'. ONE: 3 September 1866. 4pp, 18mo. On a bifolium.

LETTER: 1p, 4to. On aged and spotted paper. Folded once. Written in the shaky hand of a ninety-seven year-old. She thanks him for his 'letter so well written', adding: 'I don't think I wrote as well as that when I was eleven years old!' She wishes him every success with his autograph collection, and is pleased to add her signature to it. 'I will put it to the end of this sheet so that you can cut it out and paste it in where you wish.' The signature is at bottom right: 'Yours with sincere good wishes | Berta Ruck | 12th March | 1975'.

2pp, 16mo. In fair condition, on aged paper with ruckling caused by glue from mount, traces of the paper from which adhere to blank reverses of both leaves. In a crabbed difficult hand, addressed to 'Mrs [Pugh?]', regarding his forthcoming book 'Sophia', a copy of which he will be sending the recipient, with reference to his wife, 'anxiety', and something 'characteristic'.

Rectangle of paper, cut down from a larger page, with corners trimmed at the diagonal. In fair condition, lightly aged. Laid down on a piece of card. Reads: 'It is good not to eat Flesh, or Drink Wine, or do anything whereby a Brother may be caused to stumble or be made weak. Romans C. 14. V. 21. | Theobald Mathew | September 12 1843'.