Printing History

8vo, 2 pp. Good, though a little grubby on the reverse. Printed down the left hand margin of the recto is a long list headed 'Printers and Publishers of Illustrated Guides to'. Printed in large letters at the centre of the letterhead is 'Shropshire: Historical and Biographical', but there is no record of this title being published, or of any volume on Shropshire by Mates & Sons. From the context it appears that Lumley had a hand in Frederick John Snell's 'Devonshire, historical, descriptive, biographical', published by Mate & Sons in 1907.

8vo, 1 p. Very good, on lightly discoloured laid paper with 'TIMBRE ROYAL' watermark. In left-hand margin, clear embossed Timbre Royal seal by Galle and black ink 35 centime stamp (both 2.5 cm diameter). Written in a clear, attractive hand. Total of 35F 35c, 'Pour acquit', under three sub-headings: 'Impression de 200 Afficher grand format; pour la Vente des Mobiliers provenant des Successions dévoluer à 'Etat', '200 Timbrer à 10 centimes' and 'Timbre de la Quittance'.

Both items 12mo, 1 p. Both in good condition. The secretarial letter (docketed in purple 'Repondre le 1r mars 1914'): The 'cliché Durocher', which appeared 'dans le No d'Avril 1913, page 62, et qui doit passer aussi dans le Dictionnaire [des ex-libris français] Wiggishof [...] a été designé par M. du Roure de Paulin'. Protat's letter: 'Le cliché Durocher était bien à l'imprimerie nous l'avons retrouvé. Il n'était pas à la place qu'indiquait le registre.' He apologises for having 'inutilement derangé' Martin

Both items 4to, 1 p. Both on creased paper with closed tears neatly repaired on reverse with archival tape. Letter to Flobert: Most of the type of Martin's article (in the 'Bulletin de la Société Archéologique, Historique & Artistique le Vieux Papier') still exists, and the printer asks to be informed what quantity of the offprint he requires. 'Le cliché de la 1r page, qui sert à frontispiece, a été renvoyé à M.

12mo, 3 pp. Very good. Nichols regrets not seeing the recipient 'again before I left the Institution on Tuesday, to thank you for your kind attention' [Upcott was sub-librarian at the London Institution]. He is sending him a proof (presumably of an article in the Gentleman's Magazine), 'that you may see what I have said about your Album, and also what about modern collectors, and make any emendation you think fit in either place'. Discussion of 'the earliest Album in the Museum', about the date of which the recipient has been misled by a misprint.

12mo: 2 pp. 28 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, with unobtrusive small spike hole and traces of mounts adhering to four corners. Interesting animated letter between a Victorian author and his printer. Relates to Tupper's 'A hymn for All Nations; translated into thirty languages; nearly fifty versions; the music composed expressly by S. Sebastian Wesley.' (1851). Asks his printer to 'Attend to Hymn as within' (not present). 'We cannot help all this trouble'. Tupper has written to Dr Gavassi, but has had no answer: 'get Rossetti's as soon as you can.

On one side of piece of laid paper roughly 16 x 19.5 cm. Good, though lightly aged, and with a few small pin holes in one corner (not affecting text). 12 lines. Headed 'imprime pour le Citoyen Duprat, par Crapelet, 9 Nivose an 9e'. The first of four entries reads 'Memoire sur la reunion de l'artillerie & du Genie [published in Paris in 1800 by Duprat], contenant cinq feuilles & demie in-8o. Cicero, tirees a 500 exempl. a raison de 24th la feuille'. Second entry gives cost of 'Remaniement de toutes les feuilles & corrections extraordinaires'.

Quarto: 65 pp. Numerous plates. In original grey printed wraps. Internally good, with a little spotting and creasing to the ruckled edges; wraps worn and stained. A beautifully printed item, on thick laid paper. Among the printed matter are books of hours, breviaries, psalters, and letters (with facsimile plates) by Byron, Keats, Johnson and Sterne; and manuscripts of Fielding and Horace Walpole.

12mo, 3 pp, 35 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, and with a thin strip from mount adhering at head of blank verso of second leaf of bifolium. Discusses 'the restriction on the importation of paper and paper making materials', imposed 'with the object of securing more tonnage space in incoming vessels'.

On one side of piece of discoloured paper, roughly 13 x 22 cm. Delongueil's circular engraved device (3 cm diameter) in top left-hand corner. Charges for striking a medal in bronze and silver of Olivier de Serres.

Letter One (12mo: 4 pp, to 'My dear Mr Nichols', good, on discoloured paper): Explains that he has given 'a note of introduction to a most particular friend of mine Mr Lawrence of Ipplepen near Totnes and Launceston Cornwall'. Lawrence 'was a great friend of the late Mr Arundel of Landulph' and is 'a great friend of Mr Bray of Tavistock'. He is 'a man of ancient Cornish descent & from its first families'. Spence thinks Nichol will find Lawrence 'a valuable West Country Correspondent, well up in County history and nothing loth in the pursuit of antiquarian lore[.

12mo: 1 p. Lacking strip (two inches by four) at foot, bearing text. Otherwise good. A formal letter in the third person. Asks Colburn to 'send him an answer to his last [underlined] Communication'. He has 'completed the Manuscript of the Work [presumably 'Narrative of the war in Germany and France, in 1813 and 1814', 1830], except the winding up in a few Pages <...>'.

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.

The collection is in very good condition, though items are lightly creased and a tad grubby. ITEM ONE: Memorandum of Agreement, 26 February 1963, between Anthony Blond Limited and Benedictus (of 'Winter Lodge, Cookham Dean, Berkshire'), for 'You're a Big Boy now' (published by Blond in 1963). Signed; initialed 'D. H. B.' [David Henry Benedictus] twice. Three pages, folio. Staple attached at head of first leaf of bifolium. Advance of £250 and discussion of royalties and percentages.

4to. Pages: [4] + 30. Uncut and in large part unopened, in original plain grey wraps. Stabbed as issued, but with thread worn away and signatures loose within wraps. Grubby and with some offsetting, but overall a very good survival of a scarce and fragile item. A handsome production which does great credit to its place of origin. Half-title, with vignette of castellated building. Title-page with circular medal of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne (before whom the work was read). Engraving on page one by Isaac Nicholson ('I. NICHOLSON, DEL.

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.'

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'.

Invoice, trimmed, 7.5 x 3.5, printed heading "Messrs. Hodson & Brown, Printers of the Cambridge Chronicle." It is for "Printing 400 Catalogues of Henley's Guns, Shells &c" and advertising. Receipt is conventional size.

Invoice: one page, fol. good condition. Charges for advertising notices in various newspapers, printing posters of Sale Particulars, printing catalogues (full detail), and related printing and actions.

Dimensions of paper roughly eight inches by five; dimensions of print four and a quarter inches by three and a half. Good clean image, on paper aged and creased at extremities only. A wild-haired octogenarian Gent leans on a pile of books in a stone archway, holding open a copy of his History of Rippon (1733). Taken from Thorpe's edition of Gent's 'Life', published in 1832.

The collection as a whole is in good condition, although lightly creased in places and somewhat dusty and aged. All items have unobtrusive pinholes, and Item Seven has fraying and closed tears to extremities. An interesting correspondence casting light on publishing practices at the turn of the nineteenth century. ITEMS ONE TO FIVE: 12mo letters from Lucas's solicitors Field, Roscoe & Co., each on the firm's letterhead, to the 'Receiver and Manager appointed to carry on [Richards'] business', H. C. K. Stileman, dated 9, 11, 18 and 21 March, and 1 April 1905.

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

One page, 6.5 x 5.5", good condition. Payment for one number of "Blackwood's Magazine". Note spelling "Recieved".

Two pages, on a rough-edged leaf approximately seven inches by four. Good, though aged and a lightly stained. A highly interesting list of twenty-seven titles by a radical publisher. Several works relating to Robert Wedderburn and Thomas Davison. Also 'The Cast-Iron Parson', 'A Peep after Hell' and 'GREAT GORGY: giving a Humourous Description of his Journey to Westminster, on Giff, the Ch-lor's Grey Mare'. Ends 'The Trade Supplied with all the Popular Works of the Day. | Printing & Bookbinding | NEATLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY EXECUTED. | NEWSPAPERS SERVED IN TOWN AND COUNTRY.

One page, 8vo, minor damage and staining. The invoice is to the account of [J?] Handscomb but the receipt is signed by "E. Hanscomb" identifiable with Eb Handscomb perhaps in BBTI though the dates are a problem. Apparently unrelated figures in pencil on reverse.

c.3 x 4.5, creased and slightly soiled. Re. BBTI in Market Street in 1824 - further detail to add.

One page, on rough-edged grey wove paper, roughly nine inches by six wide. An attractive production of twenty-two lines, with ornamental rules top and bottom, headed 'This Day is Published, | IN TWO VOLUMES OCTAVO, | PRICE ONE GUINEA IN BOARDS, | Monographia Apum Angliae; | [...] | By WILLIAM KIRBY, B.A. F.L.S. | RECTOR of Barham in Suffolk. | [...]'. According to BBTI John White traded between 1785 and 1816 and Stephen Couchman between 1774 and 1825.

One page, c.6.5 x 4.5", verso blank, right edge irregular (extracted?), small tear, sl.ightly marked, good condition. "In pursuance of an Order of the House of Peers, of the Nineteenth Day of March 1746, I do appoint SAMUEL BILLINGSLEY to Print the whole Proceedings in the House of Peers, upon the Impeachment exhibited by the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, in Parliament assembled, in the Names of Themselves, and of all the Commons of Great Britain, against Simon Lord Lovat, for High Treason; And do forbid any other Person to Print the same. / Hardwicke C."

Four pages, fol., tear on fold marks, other defects but text clear and complete. The ten signatories also include W. Morrison (presumably the philanthropist, Walter), T[homas]. Brassey, R.M. [Castor?], Auberon Herbert ("the originator of Voluntaryism" (Wikipedia - see alos DNB), Hodgson Pratt (Peace advocate (DNB), [P.H. Hillard?], Edw. Owen Greeening, Tito Pagliardini and another (undeciphered). A socialist project concerning which I have found little information.

Clowes is an eminent firm of English printers, founded in London in 1803, and still thriving in Suffolk. The twelve typed letters are each one page, quarto, on the firm's Duke Street letterhead. The autograph letter is one page, 12mo, with mourning border. The collection in good condition overall, with a few items aged and lightly creased. Most items docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. All items except the circular signed by 'W A Clowes', who (he informs Wood in his first letter) has taken over from his cousin, Captain W. C.