AUTOGRAPH

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘H. P. Greene’. Truly atrocious handwriting. Apparently addressed to ‘Dear Miss Salt’, and beginning: ‘I’ll be proud.’ He gives a date which will ‘suit me best’, and asks to be informed ‘if there is anything special [?] like [?]’.

Towards the end of 1942, with America having been at war with the Axis powers for a year to Britain’s three, Eleanor Roosevelt accepted an invitation from Queen Elizabeth to travel to Britain in order to ‘study the British home front effort and visit US troops stationed there. [...] she spent almost a month inspecting factories, shipyards, hospitals, schools, bomb shelters, distribution centers, Red Cross clubs, evacuee centers and military installations in England, Scotland and Ireland’ (Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, Columbian College).

Fox agreed to the film on condition that von Stroheim was limited to shooting 85,000 feet of film (around an hour and a half of screen time). The studio was pleased when he brought it in on time (he tied a thread around lead actor James Dunn’s genitals, and tugged on it every time he wanted him to show emotion) and on budget, but a screening left them appalled at the morbid content. Von Stroheim was sacked and the film was rewritten and renamed ‘Hello, Sister!’, with three-quarters of the original retained. It was a flop and von Stroheim chose never to direct again.

Lamartine is one of the greatest of French poets, and often counted as an early figure in that country's Romantic movement. His influence was extensive, from Verlaine and the Symbolists to Tolstoy. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to ‘Mon cher collegue’, with good firm signature ‘Lamartine.’ He suggests that the recipient send to his notary in his home town of Mâcon all the documents relating to the estate of ‘Mlle Martin’. He has need of his advice and suggests a time for meeting.

Lamartine is one of the greatest of French poets, and often counted as an early figure in that country's Romantic movement. His influence was extensive, from Verlaine and the Symbolists to Tolstoy. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, in faded ink, on aged and lightly worn paper. Previously folded into a packet, but now laid down on brown-paper backing. Addressed to ‘Messierus Hubert’, with signature ‘Lamartine’. He has read with great interest the letter they sent him, and the petition which accompanied it.

See is noticed in her the entry for her father Derwent Coleridge in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, on grey paper. Folded once. In a vigorous and youthful hand, considering the fact that she would be dead in a few months. Reads: ‘Miss Christabel Coleridge presents her compliments to the Secretary of the Royal Literature [sic] Fund, but is compelled to decline the honor they have done her, as she is unable to travel to London. She will endeavour to send a small subscription later on’.

Something of an historic document. In February and March of 1814 Vincence had led the French delegation at the Congress of Châtillon peace conference, at which his counterpart was Lord Aberdeen, with the British Home Secretary Lord Castlereagh arriving partway through. On behalf of Napoleon, Vincence had led, with little success the subsequent negotiations with Russia, Prussia and Austria which resulted in Napoleon’s abdication and exile to Elba, by the signing of the Treaty of Fontainbleau, a month before the present letter, on 11 April 1814, which was ratified by Vincence.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once.Addressed to 'Dear Miss Lewis' and with good firm signature 'Alfred Parsons'. He will be very pleased to dine with her the following Friday, '& dance one set of Lancers after; I feel much complimented at being asked with the young people'.

For most of his life Palmer was Vicar of Holy Trinity Church, South Woodford. He was the father of the composer Geoffrey Molyneaux Palmer. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘A. Smyth Palmer’. He offers to supply a copy of his ‘Word-hunter’s Note-book’ at a cheaper price than it can be got from the publisher Trübner. ‘I am sorry I cannot help you to A.K.HB’s address - He is a clergyman (I think) of the Church of Scotland - probably “N. B.” [i.e. addressing the letter with this abbreviation for ‘North Britain’] would find him.’

A Ukrainian Jew, Haffkine found his early career obstructed by his refusal to convert to the Russian Orthodox Church. He emigrated and worked at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, where he developed an anti-cholera vaccine that he tried out successfully in India. He is recognized as the first microbiologist to develop and use vaccines against cholera and bubonic plague. He tested the vaccines on himself. The three items in good conditon, lightly aged. ONE: ALS. 2pp., 12mo. He has been 'away from town', but now hopes to send 'a note on my work' within the week. 'It wd.

Total 18pp., 8vo (letters), 3pp., 4to (lists), and one page 8vo (list). The dealers are giving advice and information to the collector, particularly relating to the Dawson Turner Sale (1859) and the Libri Sale (1859), often illegibly or nearly so. A. William Boone (4 June 1859) advises that a holograph letter of Napoleon will attract interest enough to justify two guineas and would sell for more in Paris. He believes a volume on Scottish affairs would realize fully ?420.

One page, 8vo, lightly aged, with neat remains of a windowpane mount. See Image.One page, 4to, closed tears, slightly stained, text complete, a list enclosed in a gold border. Two variants, one headed, For the Inspection of Her Majesty the Queen, His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, and the two Princesses, on the Occasion of their Visit to Leeds, Sept. 6, 1858 and with footnotes acknowledging the loan of items from John Young, Esq., Vanburgh Honse [sic], Blackheath and the Collection of William Tite, Esq. The other copy has no such information.

Novelist. One page manuscript, c.6 x 8, presumably from Miss Mitford's letter book (numbered p.247), poor condition but the text is clear apart from two or three words. The page comprises the conclusion of one draft letter with her full signature, all with a line through, and the first fourteen lines of a draft letter to Sir William Elford, banker, politician, and amateur artist, 1 Dec. 1810, thanking him for his flattering comments and obviously responding to his idea that her poetry has caused illness in him.

3pp, foolscap 8vo. On laid paper with watermark: 'GOLDING | & | SNELGROVE | 1811'. Aged and worn, with closed tears along folds, but with text complete and clear. The document includes two passages written in red ink which has faded but is still legible. The background to the present letter is given in Lambert's entry in the Oxford DNB: 'On 4 June 1813 Lambert was promoted major-general, and was appointed to a brigade of the 6th division. [?] Having been sent to America, he joined the army under Sir Edward Pakenham below New Orleans on 6 January 1815, with the 7th and 43rd foot regiments.

Total 4pp., 8vo, bifolia, good condition. (LETTER ONE, March) detailed discussion of omissions and changes (presumably to Archibald Malmaison - mentioned in final paragrpah of the letter). He discusses the marking of the proofs, the omission of an obviuos passgage, keeping the footnotes (add strongly to the vraisemblance). He asks if the story ois to be published in [Temple Bar] but thinks the publication of the book would produce the most powerful effect. He estimates the number of pages for a book. He asks for an immediate cheque un-crossed. (LETTER 2, June).

For biographical details of Dr R. E. S. Tanner, see the end of this description. Brown card folder (by The Parker File Co. Ltd, Rangoon), housing 105 items (confidential correspondence, memoranda, applications, advisory and information documents, reports, telegrams, newspaper cuttings) relating to Tanner's application and training for a Civil Affairs post in Burma, including material from the training course he undertook at the Civil Affairs Staff Centre, Wimbledon. The folder and its contents are in fair condition, lightly-aged and worn.

One page, on paper roughly four and a half inches by seven wide. Very good on lightly aged paper. She is enclosing her husband's signature. '[H]e desires me to thank you for your clever and truthful verses of An appeal to the Protestants of England [Plymouth, 1873]; which he has seen before; and which we both most highly approve of.' The Cruikshanks are glad to hear that the Wrights have 'arrived Home safely'. George Cruikshank has written G.C. | born | Sep 27th 79. See Image

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, and folded once for postage. Clearly responding to a request for an autograph. Boldly written, with the merest smudging to the surname: 'with compliments / of Stanhope A. Forbes / 5th March 1935'.

A document of some historical significance.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On one side of 9 x 6 cm piece section from a letter and laid down on slightly larger and thicker piece of paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: '[...] / to subscribe myself / Your faithful Servant / W. Harrison Ainsworth. / Kensal Manor House, / Harrow Road. / March Four. 1843.' See IMage

The subject of this article is discussed by William M. Johnston, in his article ‘William Kinglake’s “A Summer in Russia”: A Neglected Memoir of Saint Petersburgh in 1845’ (TSLL, Spring 1967). The memoir was published anonymously by Ainsworth in the New Monthly Magazine, of which he was editor and proprietor, in three parts, but a German translation in the same year revealed Kinglake’s identity. See the entries for Ainsworth and Kinglake in the Oxford DNB. An interesting letter, casting light on Victorian journalistic practices. 4pp, 12mo. Forty lines of text. On a bifolium.

See his entry and hers in the Oxford DNB. Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and both on bifoliums folded for postage. Both signed ‘Robert Murchison’ and addressed to ‘Dear Lady Theresa’. The subject of the first letter is Sir Thomas Villiers Lister (1832-1902), son of Lady Theresa Lewis by her first husband the novelist Thomas Henry Lister (1800-1842). ONE (‘Monday Mng’): 3pp, 12mo. On his arrival at Burnham Beeches the previous afternoon he ‘found all the party sported with young Ladies in riding habits & your boy looking very well & in high spirits, but without a voice’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient is not named, but the item is from the papers of the author Lady Theresa Lewis (1803-1865), and it may well be her first husband Thomas Henry Lister (1800-1842), who had Scottish connections. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice for postage. Addressed to ‘My dear Sir’ and signed ‘W. Hamilton’. Atrocious handwriting. ‘My dear Sir / I have been much occupied of late in [?] requested the honour of your company. If you are disengaged on the 7th. January (Thursday) it will give great pleasure to see you at 6 oclock.’ See Image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, and folded once for postage. The male recipient is not named, and the letter is signed ‘Stanhope A. Forbes’, with slight smudging to the ‘o’ of ‘Forbes’. As he is obliged to him for his letter ‘& the kind things you are good enough to say about my work’, he is happy ‘to accede to your request to append my signature’.

On one side of an irregular piece of paper, roughly 18 x 9 cm, torn from the foot of a document. Heavily discoloured, but neatly laid down on a 19 x 13.5 cm piece of grey paper, with the typed caption: ‘Signture [sic] of: / Sir Robert HOWARD (1626-1698) P.C. / Auditor of the Excheq: and Dramatist / (part-author, with Dryden, of ‘The Indian Queen’ etc.)’. At the head: ‘pray pay this Order out of Customes’; and beneath this the Latin draft, with date and sum (but not the name of the payee). Howard’s signature, written large and bold, is at bottom left: ‘Exam[inatus] P[er]. Howard’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the papers of Philip Dosse, proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018; and Michael Barber, 'What was Books and Bookmen?', Literary Review blog, 18 August 2023. On one side of a 14 x 10 cm compliments slip in red ink, which has 'Sir JOHN BETJEMAN' at top left, and 'With Compliments' centred.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. A protege of Prince Albert, Bell worked for the Privy Purse from the time of the Great Exhibition, and served as Permanent Secretary to the Keeper of the Privy Purse from 1876 to his death. Signed ‘John Gilbert’ and addressed to ‘Doyne C. Bell Esquire / &c &c.’ 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Reads: ‘Dear Sir, / I remember the small picture painted in 1851. H M The Queen holding a drawing Room at St James’s Palace. / I did not intend to paint a larger picture and never did’. See Image.

See his entry and hers in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, and folded for postage. Written in a not entirely straightforward hand (although very much much better than that of his brother the novelist Lord Lytton). Reads: ‘My dear Lady Theresa, / I am very much obliged by your kind remembrance of me and the very agreeable party to wh. you are so good as to invite me. / Very much indeed do I regret dining at Buckingham palace since I fear, [?], that I shall not be away in time to reach you at a decent time. If I can do so however you may quite see that I will. / Yrs.

See his entry and Lady Theresa Lewis's in the Oxford DNB. Addressed to 'My dear Madam' and signed 'A. H. Layard.' The recipient is not named, but the item is from the papers of Lady [Maria] Theresa Lewis (1803-1865), who lived in Kent House in Knightsbridge with her second husband Sir George Cornewall Lewis (1806-1863), Bart, Liberal Chancellor of the Exchequer, her first husband having been the novelist Thomas Henry Lister (1800-1842). 2pp, 16mo. On the first leaf of a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, folded three times.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient is Lady Theresa Lewis (1803-1865), whose first husband was the novelist Thomas Henry Lister (1800-1842). The present letter is written before her marriage to her second husband the Liberal politician Sir George Cornewall Lewis (1806-1863). 2pp, 32mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of stub from mount adhering to one edge. Folded once for postage. A charming missive. Reads: ‘My dear Mrs Lister / I shall be delighted to come to you, if I can make my escape from where I shall be, in any decent time.