BOOKS

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with the conclusion and signature ('Juliana Horatia Ewing. | (Not an elegant signature!)') of the letter cross-written at the head of the first page. Drawing of a 'round chess board', with explanation, on second page. An excellent intimate letter, to a family member or friend whose name is not clearly written (Marion? Marnie?). She begins by acknowledging her 'very delightful' letter, and expressing pleasure at 'the prospect of our "play" in town'.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, folded twice. Explaining that as it was a week-end he was not able to answer her letter sooner, he writes, evidently on the subject of a painting she has commissioned: 'I should be very pleased to see any of your friends to show them the portrait on Friday or Saturday next at 3.30 or on any other day at that time which may be more convenient.' He concludes: 'Do not hesitate to send anyone you think would like to see the picture'.

See Sams's entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. On a bifolium, the second leaf of which has had a rectangle, almost amounting to half, cut away from the bottom. The text of the letter is complete, but the priced list of the prints and drawings on the last page, lacks the lower half. A long letter, closely written. Signed 'J. Sams.' Aged, worn and lightly stained, but nevertheless in passable condition. The recipient, saluted as 'Esteemed Friend', is not named.

See Sams's entry in the Oxford DNB. Two letters providing an interesting glimpse of the practicalities of Victorian antiquarian bookselling. Both letters 3pp, 12mo, and bifoliums addressed on reverse of second leaf, with broken seals and postmarks, to 'Godfrey Meynell Esqre | at Mr Stamp's, | Surgeon, | Seaton Carew, | nr Hartlepool.' Both addressed to 'Respected Frd.' In fair condition, aged and worn. ONE: 15 August 1847. He begins by explaining that he was 'from home in the city of Durham' when Meynell's letter came.

Front panel of envelope, 7.5 x 10.5 cm. On thin paper. Aged, worn and creased, with fraying and loss to edges. Two circular Boston postmarks in black ink at top right. Endorsed at top left 'Nov. 14. 80.' In contemporary hand [Clementia Taylor?] at bottom left: 'May Allcott [sic]'. The address, in Alcott's autograph, one word of which is cropped, reads: 'Mrs Peter Taylor. | 22 Marine Par[ade] | Brighton | England'. Clementia Taylor [née Doughty] (1810-1898) was an abolitionist and supporter of women's suffrage.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and spotted. Reads: 'Dear Mrs. Epps, | I shall be very glad to see you and your party this afternoon; or, if I am not able to be with you, an assistant shall meet you in the hall at 3.'

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed in type to 'My dear Shepard,' but with the last word corrected in autograph to 'Ernest'. He has now 'made sufficient progress with Monmouthshire' to be able to give Shephard 'a line': 'The first two verses bear upon the Wye valley and the Usk valley, of which Tintern is the best symbol.

According to the Daily Telegraph, 2 November 2006 (see the end of this description), Lady Margaret Sackville was 'a poet who mixed with writers such as W B Yeats and Wilfred Scawen Blunt, was a friend of Lady Ottoline Morrell, a leading member of the Bloomsbury Set'. 167pp., 4to. Each page on the recto of a separate leaf, the whole bound with green thread through punch holes in margins. The first page worn and with label (of literary agent?) removed from head, otherwise in good condition, lightly aged and worn.

R. J. L. Kingsford, in his history of the Publishers Association, describes Young as 'a bookseller of outstanding character and ability, a friend of Arnold Bennett, and the discoverer of the literary distinction of George Sturt'. 1p., 12mo. Neatly and closely written. Headed 'private', and addressed to 'Dear John'. Young is apparently following a dinner (of the Publishers Association) at which George Bernard Shaw was present, and the subject of the letter would appear to be an exhibition Wilson's firm has mounted of books by the London publisher John Murray.

29pp., small 4to. Stitched into card covers. Internally in fair condition, in aged and worn covers repaired along the spine with brown tape. There are eleven hand-coloured engravings: one on the cover, a frontispiece, two vignettes (at the beginning and end of the poem) and seven full-page illustrations in the body of the poem (six of them with blank reverses). The cover illustration, frontispiece, and all but two of the full-page engravings are attributed to Chandler and Duran.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Reads: 'Dear Mr Case, | You are most welcome to my Autograph, which I send in signing myself - | Yours faithfully | Agnes Giberne'.

1p., on 12 x 11.5 cm piece of paper, possibly cut from the conclusion of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from mount on reverse and slight loss to two words of text from wear. Apparently written to a family member or intimate (but see note below), the note reads: 'The enclosed is the list of the books that will reach you tomorrow morning by Messrs.

12mo, [viii] + 210 pp, together with four unpaginated pages before p. 79 and two unpaginated pages before p. 165. With fold-out list of Knights of the Garter. Includes a "Catalogue of the Nobility of Ireland". On aged paper, in worn eighteenth-century binding, modern rebacking. Ownership inscription, at head of p.1, 'Mary Standish of Standish - Her Book' (suggesting a relationship with Myles Standish, pioneer American); and a couple of ownership initials on title-page.

On one side of a 2.5 x 11 cm slip of paper, cut from the end of a letter. Reads 'Yours very sincerely | Louisa Molesworth'.

Written (perhaps appropriately) in a somewhat childish hand.

12pp., 8vo. Stapled into light-brown printed wraps, with title in dark-brown on white label on front wrap. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Blackwell's address is on pp.3-10; p.11 carries a 'List of Members 30th June 1937', in two columns, including R. Cobden-Sanderson, Geoffrey Faber, Rupert Hart-Davis, Harold Macmillan, Stanley Unwin and Sir Hugh Walpole. The final page carries details of the Society's officers, committee, secretary and offices. Blackwell begins his address: 'I have nothing new or strange to propose to-night.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter indicates that Bradburn was deriving some sort of income from the sale of her books, and was making 'Missionary capes', possibly for charity. She writes that she is concerned that 'the two notes written to Mrs. Walker and the one to yourself, were not received', and asks whether ''the Missionary Books' and magazines were sent to him as ordered, 'I trust Mr. Thomas Walker had the dozen for which he kindly prepaid me.' She has 'an affectionate respect for Mr. and Mrs.

On one side of a 7.5 x 12.5 cm leaf of pink paper, extracted from an album. In good condition, very lightly aged. Centred on the page, in blue ink, the inscription reads: 'love from | Enid Blyton'. No other writing anywhere on the leaf. As 600 million copies of Blyton's books have been sold worldwide, and as she oversaw the design of her books, and insisted on her distinctive signature being placed on every cover, it is not an exaggeration to state that this is one of the most famous signatures of the twentieth century.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Abergeldie, Eastbourne, 'is at present my permanent address. We are not likely to return to Clifton, but shall probably settle down in Eastbourne, - though not in this house.' She thanks her for her invitation to Dalston: 'If I find it possible, when in London, to get there, I will write to let you know.'

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. A warm and characteristically solicitous letter. She has heard 'such a sad account' of the recipient, and hopes she is 'quite well & fit again now'. The Dearmers 'couldn't manage Paris but we should have loved it - There has been so much - boys' holidays & my book & now another new play! I am sending you "Gervase" - I always think of correcting the proofs at Alnmouth and the sunshine there - & your little red cap with the tassel!' She asks if 'Mrs.

18pp., 8vo. Disbound. In fair condition, on aged and brittle paper. 404 items in double column. First page headed 'IX. LXXX. XVII.' An interesting collection of Americana. First entry: 'ABBOT, LIEUT. JOEL. Naval Court Martial. Scandalous Conduct. Printed from Official Record on file in Navy Department. 8vo, pp. 152. Washington, 1822. 75 [cents] | Another, Reported by F. W. Waldo, to which is added an Appendix, containing Sundry Documents in Relation to Management of Affairs on Boston Station. 8vo, pp. 237, boards, uncut. Boston, 1822. 1 00 [i.e. one dollar]'. Last entry: 'ZANE, SARAH.

3pp., 4to. On bifolium of watermarked laid paper. With additional slip of paper listing around twenty titles loosely inserted. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. The first page is headed: 'Inventory of Mr De Coetlogon's Books.' Beneath the main heading is a list of 25 titles, with the subheading '1st. Shelf Drawing Room Right hand Corner of fire Place.' The second page continues with two more columns of similar books. The third page, also in two columns, is headed 'Shelf of Books. - left hand of fire-place'.

13 + [1]pp., 8vo. Stapled and unbound. Staining to inner margin of front cover, otherwise in fair condition, on lightly aged paper. Thirteen items, eleven by Greenaway (with three illustrations) and two by Thomson (both illustrated). The most expensive item, at £100, is the first, Greenaway's 'Apples' (illustrated): 'A large water-colour drawing of a little girl standing in front of a whitewashed wall holding a few apples in the lid of a hamper.

111 + [1]pp., 8vo. Frontispiece and eight plates. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, in worn grey printed wraps, with light staining to front cover and slight loss at head of spine. Rollington's account begins: 'Some enthusiastic old readers of Boys' Journals of nearly forty years ago have asked me to write a brief history of the rise and fall of Boys' Papers during that period. | I can speak from experience, for I have been the proprietor of four Boys' Journals, and have written many boys stories.' Pasted inside the back cover is a full-page advertisement, by 'JOHN J.

124 + [4] pp., 12mo. Four hand-coloured plates including frontispiece. A four-page publisher's advertisement at rear, for 'A New and Attractive Series of Juvenile Books'. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. In worn brown-cloth binding with decorative design featuring titles in gilt on cover; split hinge at rear. Stirling's story continues to p.50, and is followed by Templer's collection of 27 'improving' poems, from 'The Invitation' and 'The Holly Tree's Tale - Christmas' to 'Heartsease - Thoughts of Peace' and 'The Misseltoe - A Missionary Tale'.

King's letters total 135pp., 12mo; 10pp., 4to. The earlier letters (mainly from East Molesey) all addressed to 'Mr Dossé'; 37 of the later letters (all from Dublin) addressed to 'Dear Philip'. The collection also contains the holograph of King's review of Graham Cleverley's 1976 book 'The Fleet Street Disaster' (6pp, foolscap 8vo), and 11 Autograph Letters Signed and three Autograph Cards Signed to Dossé from King's wife Ruth (neé Railton), dating from between 1971 and 1979. These are written in a chatty style, the letters totalling 25pp., 12mo; 2pp., 4to.

351 aphorisms by the journalist, writer, publisher and bibliophile George Holbrook Jackson (1874-1948), unpublished and all written out in autograph, on 13 x 20 cm slips made from the halving of 4to leaves from autograph and typewritten drafts of essays and correspondence.In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper.

The two volumes folio, 20 pp, and folio, 18 pp. Both in the same neat hand and in uniform original bindings of green boards, with green cloth spines and white decoratively-cut paper labels on front covers, each carrying a description of the contents addressed to 'Königin Adelheid von Großbritannien'. The first account book (1844-1845) has part of the second leaf (pp.2-3) torn away; and the second (1847-1848) is lacking the fourth leaf (pp.9-10).

An interesting collection of material relating to trades unions in the paper industry, and a scarce survival. The University of Birmingham, which holds a small collection of pre-twentieth-century material relating to the Original Society of Papermakers, notes that 'Few records have survived, including papers kept by chance and found within later correspondence'.

16mo volume. In printed card covers with green cloth spine. The 'Staff-Kalendar' proper unpaginated (circa 200pp.). Title on cover. The supplement, 111pp., printed upside-down at the back of the volume, with its own cover bearing the title. Internally in good condition on aged paper; binding somewhat worn and aged. In small type. Gives a charming insight into the running of a historic institution. As an example, the entry for 1 July commences: 'Dusting begins. | Accession-register for June to be made up. | Fire-buckets to be refilled. | To be cleaned out: - | 1. Hot water channels in Bodley.