Book Trade History

Author, associate of Arthur Astor Carey (1857-1923), philanthropist and social worker, of Waltham, Mass. Four, three and two pages, 8vo, respectively, good condition. (1915?). She speculates that she didb't answer his letter because "I think I wanted at first to consider asking my publishers what they thought of publishing a cheap edition of my books - as you suggested - and then I decided that they would not think it advisable . . ." She praises a pamphlet he has sent, "Libraries as Workshops", describing her early experience in libraries.

Two pages, octavo. Good, apart from damage and loss to one edge caused by removal from mount. Would appear to relate to the controversy between the surgeon Sir Henry Thompson (1820-1904) and John Tyndall (1820-1893), held in the pages of Strahan's 'Contemporary Review'. Reads 'I herewith send you the proof of your reply to Sir Henry Thompson | Please revise and return it tomorrow.

Dimensions roughly three and a half inches by three. One page, blank reverse. On aged paper, with some staining along one edge and crude ink marking, including 'Bookes bound', in a contemporary hand. Twenty-seven lines, beginning 'ROBERT AKENHEAD [...] sells the Goods followsng, [sic] viz. | BIBLES, Common-Prayers, and all other Sorts of Books of Divinity, History, Physick, Mathematicks.

One page, 4to, somewhat grubby and worn at the edge, but text clear and complete. Account total £7.16.11 paid in cash. Twenty two items listed with prices, multiple copies from "6 Hist of All Nations" to 200 Maclaurin's Spelling", subjects including educational (as above) and children's ("Mother Goose", "Mothers Chits Chats Tales"). Other items include "Traders Guide", "Robinson Crusoe", "London Cries", "Lottery Books", "Tom Thumbs Play Bills".

Two pages, quarto. Very good, on lightly aged and creased paper. He is sorry that he has not been able to 'become personally acquainted with' Watts since coming to town, but will 'very soon make another attempt', hoping to find him at home.

The four items, all on aged and lightly spotted paper, are attached by four rusty staples. One (five pages, octavo): In reply to the firm's inquiry regarding 'the prevention of rising spaces in Monotype', Marshall states that, instead of giving information, he 'would rather send you the method and you try it out and prove for yourself its value, then pay me afterwards'.

One page, octavo. Carefully laid down on neatly-docketed larger piece of paper, but with the glue employed badly aged and causing staining. Closed tear across letter caused by removal from spike. Signature clear and unmarked. Reads 'Dear Sir, | I believe it will be better to set up the enclosed proofs, in sheets in the usual manner. The remainder of the Report will be sent immediately.'

One page, from larger sheet, c.8 x 6.5, fold marks, some marking mainly good. "Edinburgh {6 April} 18{15}/{J.M. Farquhar Esq/ for Mr Bruce}/ Bought of Archd. Constable & Co./ { Bewick Birds --£1.4.0/ <?> Saxon and Gaul 17 /6 April 1815'/ Recd / for A. Constable &Co/ }" Verso note: "6 April 1815/ account/ by/ A Constable & Co/ 7/."

First president of the board of agriculture (1754-1835). One page, 8vo, sl. chipped and marked, but text clear and complete. "Sir John Sinclair presents his Compliments to Messrs. Hurst Robinson & Co. and shall be glad to have send [sic] him, as soon as possible, 10 Copies of the Prospectus of his analysis of the Statistical Account of Scotland, which he will replace from Edinburgh. He will take an early opportunity of calling upon them respecting the London sale of that Work." The "Analysis" was published in two parts in 1825 - by Hurst?

One one side of a piece of laid paper, 26.5 x 21 cms. Aged and creased, with chipping to extremities and staining on reverse from repair to one of two closed tears. Thirty-six lines, with facsimile of Housman's signature at foot. An appeal for 'money for the Library - your Library'. Somewhat poignant, considering the present neglected state of the British library service. '[...] The question is - do you want to give money to your Library? [...] But, for my own part, I ask - why, why Libraries? What are they for? What there do you read?

Eight pages, quarto. Unbound and stitched on six leaves. Good, with recto of first leaf and verso of last somewhat more aged. With company and tax stamps. 'Mortgage, [a leasehold plot of land and messuage Numbered 26 in Barker Street Oldham in the County of Lancaster to secure £450 and interest.' Typewritten acknowledgment of payment, 25 February 1929, signed by company secretary W. Harvey and director J. Brown.

One page, 8vo, minor defects, text clear and complete, except were a spike-hole cuts out a letter. He enjoyed looking through Ellis's catalogue but "I regret the names of Stothard and Blake do not occur more frequently - I beg to enclose a list of a few works I am seeking and shall feel greatly obliged if by any means you could procure them for me." Note: He formed a large collection of engravings after the works of Thomas Stothard, R.A., and prepared, in conjunction with Mr.

Printed and manuscript. Invoice made out to Rev. Dr. Eccleston of Cambridge, 9 x 5.5", defects but text clear and complete.

Paper dimensions roughly fifteen inches by ten and a half wide; print dimensions twelve inches by seven and a quarter wide. Good clear image with border a little dusty and aged. Full-length image of a dour Panizzi standing at a desk holding a book. Page of letterpress on separate leaf of same dimensions, containing spirited account ['he sought refuge in Switzerland, but he was expelled discreditably from that country, [...] Keeper of the Printed Books [...] the man in all Europe most competent to fill it.

All items octavo. Bound together in contemporary leather half-binding with red label. Good, on aged paper. Front board beginning to split. Label and stamps of Newport Reference Library. Each title-page initialed in contemporary hand 'G. S. W.' Part 2, 1825: pp.[ii] + [103]-348, items 1666 to 6197. Part 3, 1825 ('Including the libraries of the late Rev. Dr. Ryland; J. Nott, M.D. of Clifton, Deceased; And other Collections, recently Purchased'): pp.v + 349-606. With two-page 'Brief Memoir of the late John Nott, M.D. of the Hotwells, Bristol', 'Extracted from Felix Farley's Bristol Journal'.

all octavo, in worn nineteenth-century binding, with front hinge loose, lacking spine. New endpapers. All items good, on aged paper with occasional foxing. An invaluable collection, providing a snapshot of secondhand bookselling in provincial Victorian England within an extremely short timescale. Several of the booksellers are not represented in the British Library collection, and others are only represented by catalogues of a later date. Of note are the two catalogues published by Sotheran's Manchester arm, the existence of which is not mentioned in Andrew Block's 'Short History' (1933).

Two pages, fol., fragile, sl. chipped, inch round hole in second page with some loss of text. Hatchard reports on the distribution of copies of his book ["A Family Exposition of the Pentateuch: Genesis" (J. Hatchard, 1841)] as "From the Author", giving a substantial list occupying the second page (c.80 names consisting of the great and the good, with excisions, corrections and additions, with six names ticked and three show multiple copies). He tells him how many copies have been printed of the first and second editions, the issuing of the second he expects to give the first "a lift".

One page, 8vo, good. He sends newspapers post free "to all parts of the Kingdom." He charges mainly for items of stationery but also an almanack.

Piece of paper, bifoliate, c.5 x 4", good condition. "Gent. / These books belong to you - I will call & explain tomorrow / A. Leighton". Archibald Leighton II helped invent and develop 'book cloth binding' between 1820 and 1832. (BBTI).

Sixteen invoices, all 8vo, good condition. They bought account books and stationery relevant to their function. The overseers, for example, bought a "Poor Rates Book", had "Rate Receipt books" and "Poor Rate Notices" printed by Gotelee. The surveyors' invoices listed "Printing 200 Highway Rate Receipts". The churchwardens had a "Book of Common Prayer" bound.

Pamphlet, 8pp., 12mo, blank wraps except inside back wrap ("Reprinted from The Nation / 50 Copies"), minor damage at one staple, mainly good. Enclosed: printed anonymous poem entitled "It Takes a Book", one page (verso blank), 12mo, the theme of which is that you can trust a friend to return anything except a book. Not in Beverly Chew. Essays and verses about books. New York: D. B. Updike, 1926)

Roughly twelve and half inches by nine and a quarter. Neatly mounted on piece of cream paper, with surrounding ink rules. Good, with some ruckling and wear to corners. Characteristically arresting arrangement of type. Reads: 'CAUTION. | THE ONLY CORRECT COPY | OF DONIZETTI'S OPERA | THE FAVOURITE | AS PERFORMED IN ENGLISH AT THE | THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE, | IS PUBLISHED BY | JEFFERYS AND CO.

Octavo, 216 pages. One of 'only fifty copies printed, on thick paper'. Title-page in red and black. Aged and a little stained, in recent half-leather rebinding. 9670 items listed, 'for the most part second-hand'.

Total three pages, various formats, minor defects. Items include stationery, pens, plays, poetry, periodicals, history

Dimensions roughly eight inches by five and a half. Very good on aged paper. All but top edge rough. One page, blank reverse.

Two pages, on leaf roughly eight and a half inches by five. Very good, with three stab holes along one margin. Headed 'NEW COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, [...] This Day is published'.

4to, good condition. Dobell describes a defective "tract" ("A Precious Apple") and speculates on its authorship (Lady Eleanor Douglas). He will send it to be examined. Another hand (presumably Windle) has added pencil notes on the reference works which do not list the item and speculating "probably part of a larger work with different title."

One page, 8vo, defects but text clear and complete. "State Trials" and "Cobbett's Register".

One page. Dimensions of slip roughly four inches by five and a quarter wide. Somewhat aged, but entirely legible. Reads 'British Quarterly Review | Can you tell me what was the last part of this issued, if it is possible to get a title-page and index to vol 83. My last part is 166 April 1886'. Docketed note of reply states that no title was published to the volume containing April 1886.

One page, 8vo, good condition. A "Sederunt Book".