BOOK

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. (BBTI has John Andrews with bookshop and circulating library at 167 New Bond Street from before 1831 to 1857.) 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Extracted from an album, and with the gutter strengthened with archival tape. Otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. As a piece of business correspondence has a spike hole through the centre of both leaves, unfortunately also through the ?H? of the signature ?H L Bulmer?, which is little more than a scrawl, with corkscrew paraphe.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. (BBTI has John Andrews with bookshop and circulating library at 167 New Bond Street from before 1831 to 1857.) 1p, 12mo. Addressed on reverse of second leaf for delivery by hand ('wait') to 'Mr Wauchope / at Mr Andrews' / 167. New Bond St.'. In good condition, lightly aged, with unobtrusive central spike hole (for business correspondence) through both leaves. Reads: 'Dear Sir / Be so good as send me the vouchers of the Scrivener for 1827 agreeably with your promise, is there particular occasion for them today'.

This forgotten case of identity fraud predates the celebrated Titchborne case by more than a decade.

Apparently an earlier version of the concluding part of Chetwynd’s dystopian first book, ‘The Copper Cow’, published in London by Anthony Blond in 1962 which gives a surrealistic description of a Britain of the near future. Duplicated typescript, double-spaced and printed on rectos of leaves only, all attached with metal stud. Paginated 115-210, preceded by title page and section title. In good condition, lightly aged. With deletions and manuscript corrections duplicated, but no actual manuscript emendations.

See Binney’s entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. The present item is only the first part of the letter, and hence unsigned, but the author is undoubtedly Binney (the text ends with a reference to ‘my preface to Dr Cheever’s “Incidents & Memories of the Christian Life,” published by Collins of Glasgow’). In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. The recipient is not named, but the subject of the letter is a proposal for Binney to prepare for English publication a work by ‘the blind eloquent American’ (i.e. William Henry Milburn).

from the end of a letter. A good example of Crane's stylized and distinctive signature. Reads: 'Believe me, / Very truly yours, / Walter Crane'. The top part of a cropped 'P S' is present at bottom left. See Image.

See her entry, with those of the recipient, her husband, stepdaughter and the other members of the Knox family, in the Oxford DNB. The material is in good condition, lightly aged. All three items addressed to 'My dear Wilfred' and signed 'Mary'. ONE (18 March [1945]): 2pp, 12mo. Begins: 'I am afraid we are allowing Mrs. W. to stay on at the Cottage during the School Easter Vacation, because it seems rather difficult to turn her out at this time of year in view of the weather & the fact that she obviously has Mrs. Moses on her side'.

Three pages, 8vo, creased and slightly stained, but clear and complete. He's been sent a copy of Seymour's lectures on Convents (pub. 1852), pays for it with stamps, makes one or two points for the next edition, refers to Wiseman (who published a response in 1853) as the Cardinal of Impudentiana, and gives references to other works on nunneries (evidences against). He promotes a campaign to petition for the repeal of the Emancipation Act, and concludes with further suggestions for a new edition (typography etc).

See Sheila Markham’s interview with Thorp’s grandson Jim in ‘The Bookdealer’, April 1995, and the report ‘Now it’s the end of the Thomas Thorp story’, Surrey Live, 17 January 2003. 132pp, 8vo. Stapled. Pagination includes grey printed wraps, with title and first and last entries. On cheap discoloured paper, with slight wear to bottom corner of first few leaves; spine worn and chipped, covers detached. Undated, but with no item found dated later than 1929. Fifty-one pages (33-83) of bookplates in small print.

See the two men's entries in the Oxford DNB. Webb’s book contained four engravings from drawings by Birket Foster, the last (‘The Tomb of Thomas Lawson’) of which is absent. The first has ‘E. EVANS Sc.’ engraved into the plate; the other two, evidently the work of the same hand, are unattributed. Three proof engravings, on wove paper roughly 20.5 x 13.5. All in good condition, very lightly spotted and worn, and certainly suitable for display. ONE (the frontispiece): Captioned, ‘SWARTHMOOR HALL.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. The present item, is on one side of an 11 x 6.5 cm slip of paper, cut from a letter and laid down on a 12.5 x 8 cm piece of card. In good condition, lightly aged. Very slightly smudged by Leech. Reads: ‘[...] very low. until I see / you Believe me / Yours Ever Faithfully / John Leech. / Martin . F. Tupper Esq / &c. &c. &c.’ See Image. Leech illustrated at least one book by Tupper (The Crock of Gold).

Three pieces of ephemera from a golden period of English children’s book illustration. All three items printed on shiny paper, and all worn and discoloured. ONE: ‘Hodder & Stoughton’s Christmas List’, with advertisement for Edmund Dulac’s edition of A. T. Quiller-Couch’s ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ on cover. 20pp, folio. With rusting staples. Folded once. Undated, but containing items published in 1910, apart from the cover item, which appears to have been published in 1912.

For more than a century the firm of John Brumfit Ltd of the City of London was one of Britain's leading cigar and tobacco merchants, its reputation international. The firm was founded in 1864 by John B. Brumfit, son of Charles Brumfit of No. 1 Pall Mall West. The items offered here are the journal and cash book written out by the founder at the firm's inception, together with two related items (Items Three and Four below).

16mo (13.5 x 10.5 cm), 288 pp. In original black and red printed wraps, illustrated on front with illustrations relating to the city. Fold-out 'Map of Sydney' (26 x 38 cm) in black and grey, with advertisements on reverse. Lacking the fold-out map which should be present on a stub between pp 124 and 125. Good, a little aged with slight staining at foot of first leaf. In worn and stained wraps, becoming detached from book at front. Ownership inscription of 'U Reynell 1895' in pencil on front wrap. Advertisements throughout. Numerous photographic illustrations.

This prospectus is a scarce item: no other copy has been traced. A 4to bifolium, with four unnumbered pages printed in red. Somewhat aged and worn, with a horizontal strip of light discoloration at the head of the cover, which has the title and author’s name surrounded by a border made up of Tenniel’s illustrations, beneath this is a quotation from Dodgson’s poetry and the price of ‘7/6 net’. Across the middle two pages is the heading ‘The Centenary “Life of Lewis Carroll”’. The text begins by explaining that Reed has made use of Dodgson’s letters to Ellen Terry.

The history of the business is convoluted. See the entries in the Oxford DNB of the founder of the firm John Newbery (c.1713-1767) of St Paul’s Churchyard, his son Francis Newbery (1743-1818), and Elizabeth Newbery, née Bryant (c.1746-1821, widow of Francis Newbery (c.1740-1780), cousin of the aforementioned Francis, who, according to Oxford DNB, ‘had studied chemistry and medicine but on the death of his father in 1767 he was urged by Samuel Johnson and Robert James to continue the business of publishing and selling patent medicines which he had inherited as the only surviving son. ...

A nice piece of Ealing ephemera, and scarce: no other copy traced, either on WorldCat or JISC. 48pp, 12mo. Stapled into grey wraps, with heavily-inked cover illustration by Joan Murrell, depicting six figures from various nations (Japanese geisha in the middle), beneath bunting of five flags with Union Flag in centre, and with 'BAZAAR OF NATIONS' at head. Title page reads: ?Book of the Bazaar / held at the / Ealing Town Hall, / Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, / June 8th, 9th, 10th / 1920.

See the entries for Wynter and Walford in the Oxford DNB. The present letter provides a valuable insight into the position of ‘the man of letters’ in Victorian periodical publication: according to the ODNB, Walford ‘edited the Gentleman's Magazine in 1866 and strongly objected to the proprietor Joseph Hatton's decision to change the character of that magazine.

Three pages, 12mo, bifolium, good condition. Second leaf laid down on part of a album page. See Image of pp.2 & 3. Text: You write to me and I dont [sic] answer. but I know you hear of me From [sic] his letters - which I just manage to send though I fear . [sic] they most often be very dull. | Are you coming up For the Jubilee - its all Jubilee - I hope it is going to be Fine [sic] it would bve such a great disappointment if it was not. | I have been awayFor [sic] the last three Sundays but it seems to take a lot of time somehow . We are of course a long way off the station here.

The recipient is clearly not the American politician Joseph Lanier Williams (1810-1865), but rather an editor of Beveridge’s history of India at Blackie’s. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, but with diagonal crease at bottom right going through Beveridge’s signature. Folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Joseph L. Williams Esqr’ and signed ‘Henry Beveridge’. He begins by undertaking to ‘attend to the matters’ mentioned in Williams’s note.

An elusive figure, Dosse is certainly a candidate for a full-length study. The novelist Sally Emerson gives an excellent account of her time as editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ in its last days in an article titled ‘Death of a Bookman’ (Standpoint magazine, October 2018). These six items are in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: 2pp, foolscap 8vo, second page numbered. Complete rough draft of typed letter, with manuscript corrections, endorsing ‘Books and Bookmen’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was 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. The present item is 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘Simon Nowell Smith’.

An interesting letter, containing an assessment by a leading publisher of what he sees as the unusual position he considers his profession occupies within the business world. See his entry, and that of his partner Nigel Nicolson, in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was 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. The present item is 2pp, 12mo.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was 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. The typed letter is in fair condition, aged and worn; the three cards are in very good condition. The signature on the four items is little more than a squiggle. Of the three cards, only Item Four below is addressed.

Title from cover of enlarged edition: Quads within quads. 94, [2] pages : illustrations; 16 cm. LACKING miniature book. PROSPECTUS, 10 x 11cm, tipped onto front free endpaper. Condition of contents good, but foxing of endpapers and edges of other pages. Covers sl. mottled. SEE IMAGE. A collection of printer's jokes from Paper and Printing Trades Journal. Edition statements at head of titles: Enlarged edition, Midget folio substituted by a note written by Miniature Collector, E.G.

Pp.[xxxiv].280, dj sl. worn edges, end of front endpaper with fold marks, book in very good condition. Illustrated throughout and with the fine double-page title printed in red and white (by Reynolds Stone). Note: Barbara Kaye (Muir), Percy Muir's widow, purchased this copy at auction (Bloomsbury) and sold it to me after exhibiting it at the Cafe Royal in 1996. She added a pencil note to the front endpaper: Presentation copy from co-editor [John Carter] to John Rayner. With cutting of review of book by Head Master of Eton Dr Robert Birley.

See the entries in the Oxford DNB on Browning and firm’s founder Adam Black (1784-1874). 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded three times. Addressed to ‘Oscar Browning Esq’ and signed ‘A. &. C. Black’. The firm is replying to a note of Browning’s of 7 July 1891, ‘desiring our assent to the separate publication in book form of your Articles, from the Ency[lopaedi]a Brit[annic]a. on Dante & Goethe’. They ‘have pleasure in complying therewith, on the usual understanding that the sources of the articles is duly acknowledged & a copy of the book sent to us when published’.

An interesting item, casting light on Victorian London publishing of periodical literature. For Passmore Edwards, to whom London is indebted for innumerable public libraries (many now closed), see his entry in the Oxford DNB. ‘The Biographical Magazine’ was founded in 1852, and the first two volumes were published by ‘J. Passmore Edwards, 2, Horse-shoe Court, Ludgate Hill’.

Morristown, N.J., 1952. xix,[1],97pp. plus facsimiles. Original printed wrappers. Minimal small chips and tears to edges, edges of wraps sunned (up to one inch), small stain on title. Good, with Thomas W. Streeter's calling card inserted.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On recto of the first leaf of a bifolium, the verso of the second leaf of which carries the address to ‘Messrs Vizetely [sic] Branston & Co / 135 Fleet St’. The firm, who traded between 1827 and 1837, were not only ‘engravers and oriental printers’, but publishers too: the item referred to in this letter, ‘The Young Lady’s Book’, had two editions published in 1829 and a third in 1832, and Jackson presumably contributed work. In fair condition, discoloured and worn.