CALIFORNIA

[Erich von Stroheim's lost film.] 'Final Shooting Script' of his adaptation (with Leonard Spigelgass and Geraldine Nomis) of Dawn Powell’s ‘Walking down Broadway’, for which he was sacked by the studio, the film being reshot as ‘Hello, Sister!’

Author: 
Erich von Stroheim (1885-1957), Austrian director and actor in Germany and Hollywood; Dawn Powell (1896-1965), author; Fox Film Company, California; Leonard Spigelgass; Geraldine Nomis
Publication details: 
'Fox Film Comp. / California'. 9 August 1932.
£450.00

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.

[Guido Orlando, Italian-American press agent.] Copy of Typed Article on Orlando by W. Macqueen-Pope titled ‘“Enfant Terrible” of Public Relations’, with TLS to MP from Sidney Gordon of ‘Everybody’s’ magazine, rejecting the article as too scandalous.

Author: 
[Guido Orlando (1906-1988), Italian-American press agent.] Walter James Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960), theatre historian and journalist; Sidney Gordon, journalist with ‘Everybody’s’ magazine
Publication details: 
Gordon’s letter to Macqueen-Pope is dated 28 December 1950; on letterhead of ‘Everybody’s’, 114 Fleet Street, London, EC4. Macqueen-Pope’s article without date or place, but contemporaneous.
£125.00

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) The subject of MP’s article is the press agent and publicist Guido Orlando who came to the United States from Italy with his family in 1917. (MP may have come into contact with Orlando in his own position as press agent for Drury Lane and other theatres.) He was most active in Hollywood from the 1930s to 1960s. His papers are in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library.

[ Andrew Cowper Lawson, Professor of Geology at the University of California. ] Two Autograph Field Notebooks of an American geologist, including notes of Californian surveys conducted with E. F. Davis and A. R. Whitman while studying under Lawson.

Author: 
A. C. Lawson [ Andrew Cowper Lawson ] (1861-1952), Professor of Geology, University of California; E. F. Davis [ Elmer Fred Davis ] (1887-1974); A. R. Whitman [ Alfred Russell Whitman ] (1881-1940)
Publication details: 
Mostly relating to the San Francisco Bay Area of California, but also to other parts of the state. Between 1912 and 1950.
£1,500.00

The two volumes contain a total of 239pp., 12mo, in ink and pencil, with entries dating from between 29 November 1912 and 28 March 1950. In fair overall condition, with light signs of age and wear. In two Keuffel & Esser notebooks, each in remains of brown calf binding, the first with 'MINING | TRANSIT BOOK | 363' stamped on front cover, and the second with 'Cross Section Book | 375 S'. In manuscript on cover of first volume: '19<...> Dec. | The Psilomelane D | of the Francis <....> | by | Don <...> | Under Prof. A. C. L <...>'.

[Griller String Quartet.] Autograph Signatures of the four members (Sidney Griller, Jack O’Brien, Philip Burton, Colin Hampton), for an autograph collector.

Author: 
Griller String Quartet [Sidney Griller (1911-1993), violinist; Jack O’Brien, violinist; Philip Burton, viola player; Colin Hampton, violoncello player], [University of California at Berkeley]
Griller
Publication details: 
22 October 1934. No place.
£38.00
Griller

The present autographs were taken within a few years of the quartet’s formation in 1931. Accompanying the item is an 11 x 9 cm newspaper cutting of a photograph of the youthful members of ‘THE FAMOUS GRILLER QUARTET - often heard over the wireless - which created a very favourable impression last night at the first concert for the season of the Aberdeen Chamber Music Club.’ The autographs are on one side of a 16 x 11 cm leaf with rounded edges, extracted from an autograph album. The signatures are one above the other, with Sidney Griller’s large and bold.

[Valentín Gómez Farías; Mexico] Signature with final flourish only. See image.

Author: 
Valentin Gomez Farias [(1781 – 1858), President of Mexico twice.].
Mexico
Publication details: 
No place or date.
£350.00
Mexico

Piece of paper 9 x 2.5cm, laid down on slightly larger card, with docketing President 1835, sl. grubby but clear and bold. Notes (from Wikipedia): A. President of Mexico during two main periods: one in the early 1830s and one in the late 1840s, when he served as president during the Mexican-American War. In his first term, he enacted significant liberal reforms that were aimed at undermining the power of the Roman Catholic Church and the army in Mexico ; The Mexican Cession consisted of present-day U.S.

[Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley.] Mimeographed Typescripts of fourteen unpublished lectures by physicists including Nobel Prize winners Luis Alvarez, Edwin McMillan, Emilio Segrê, forming syllabus 'Physics 290(f)'.

Author: 
Luis Alvarez, Edwin McMillan, Emilio Segrê: Nobel Prize winning physicists; Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley; Burton J. Moyer; Herbert Frank York [Manhatten Project]
Publication details: 
[Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley.] Circa 1950 [with last dated reference November 1949].
£1,200.00

Mimeographed typescripts of fourteen unpublished lectures forming the syllabus for the Berkeley course in experimental physics 'Physics 290(f)'. Undated, but delivered circa 1950 (the latest date among the bibliographical references to the lectures being November 1949). Details of the lectures are given below.

[Chico Marx of the Marx Brothers, and his father Samuel Marx.] Autograph Signatures and Beverly Hills addresses, cut from an autograph album.

Author: 
Chico Marx [real name Leonard Marx (1887-1961)] of the Marx Brothers, American Vaudeville comedian, musician, actor and Hollywood star; his father Sam Marx [Samuel Marx [born Simon Marx] (1859-1933)]
Publication details: 
Without date or place. [Both men giving addresses in Beverly Hills, California.]
£100.00

2 x 20 cm slip of paper, cut from an autograph album (written on reverse: 'Prince & Princess Fleming of Denmark.'). In good condition, lightly aged. The two entries written neatly one above the other: 'Chico Marx 9654 [Joadene?] dr. Beverly Hills. | Sam Marx 927 N. Rexford Dr., Beverly Hills, Cal.'

[Francis G. Pease's photographs of space, used by Edwin Hubble to identify new galaxies.] Five framed photographic astronomical prints of images by Pease, taken from Mount Vernon. Owned by Charles Chilton ('Journey into Space').

Author: 
Francis G. Pease [Francis Gladheim Pease] (1881-1938), American astronomer at the Mount Wilson Observatory, California [Edwin Hubble [Edwin Powell Hubble] (1889-1953); Charles Chilton (1917-2013)]
Publication details: 
Mount Wilson Observatory, Los Angeles County, California, USA. None of the prints dated (1940s?). Two of the five photographic images dated 1919.
£4,500.00

Five black and white prints, all laid down on mount and in glass frame. Later prints (1940s) rather than the early silver gelatin ones. Each with manuscript caption at foot of mount, and Negative Number written in manuscript on reverse of frame. Each print in excellent condition. All five behind glass in worn plain black frames. From the papers of Charles Chilton, the creator and producer of the influential BBC Radio series 'Journey into Space' (1953-1958), which numbered among its admirers Stephen Hawking and Colin Pillinger.

[ Bret Harte, American author. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Bret Harte') to 'Colonel Colville' [ Col. W. J. Colville ], concerning an 'Inspection' at Clarence House, and 'a sentimental pilgrimage' of 'old London'.

Author: 
Bret Harte [ Francis Bret Harte ] (1836-1902), American short story writer and poet [ Col. William James Colville (1827-1903), Comptroller of the Household of the Duke of Edinburgh ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 15 Upper Hamilton Terrace, N.W. [ London ] 12 June 1890.
£150.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of glue on reverse of blank second leaf. He thanks him for his 'kind remembrance', and undertakes to 'come with much pleasure to Clarence House, a little before the time of Inspection and bring two friends'. The letter concludes: 'Meantime we must not forget that you and I are going to set apart some afternoon to make a sentimental pilgrimage into the Past in some corner of old London!'

[ John Harmon Charles Bonté, Professor of Legal Ethics at the Hastings College of the Law. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('J H C Bonté') to Alexander Ramsay, praising his periodical 'The Scientific Roll', and offering to contribute to it.

Author: 
J. H. C. Bonté [ John Harmon Charles Bonté ] (1831-1896), Professor of Legal Ethics at the Hastings College of the Law, Secretary of the Board of Regents of the University of California
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the University of California, Berkeley. 12 November 1882.
£65.00

1p., 4to. Aged and worn, with tear along fold line repaired on reverse with archival tape. He lists the numbers of the Scientific Roll he has just received through the Smithsonian Institution, and has spent the last hour looking them over. 'The idea of the work is superb. - Just what is needed. The execution is fine, and I shall enjoy and profit by your work.' Ramsay has done him 'a great favor which will be reciprocated as soon as possible'. He is 'making original researches' which he believes 'will be of value', and will write to Ramsay again.

Remembering Henry Miller: A Collage. A Henry Miller Centenary Celebration. Script compiled and arranged by Francine Parker.

Author: 
Francine Parker, editor [Henry Miller]
Publication details: 
October 26, 1991. Lenart Auditorium, Fowler Museum of Cultural History, UCLA. A program of UCLA Extension's Department of Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences.
£200.00

Jackson/Ashley A272. Unpublished. 43 pages in A4 (unpaginated title and pages 1-42). Perfect bound with black cloth spine in light-green wraps with title duplicated on front wrap. Very good, with top corner of front wrap slightly dogeared. With four photocopied A4 pages of typescript loosely inserted: the first carrying 'The Naked Tongue' by Diane Miller; the second 'Religious Views of Life'; the third, headed 'Remembering Henry Miller: A Collage', giving details of cast and crew; the fourth headed 'Celebrating Henry Miller: A Collage includes selections from the following:'. Scarce.

[ Bookseller's catalogue. ] First Editions of Jack London, Thorne Smith, Erskine Caldwell, William Saroyan, John Steinbeck, Illustrated.

Author: 
The El Dorado Bookstore, San Francisco, California [ props Roskie & Wallace of Oakland; Philip M. Roskie (1921-93) ] [ Jack London, Thorne Smith, Erskine Caldwell, William Saroyan, John Steinbeck ]
Publication details: 
Catalogue No. 1, 1948. The El Dorado Bookstore, 309 Kearny Street, San Francisco 8, California.
£120.00

32pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged. A previous owner has thought well enough of this item to have it put in a sturdy binding of black cloth, with title in gilt on spine. The binding is in very good condition, but a bookplate has been removed from the front pastedown. An interesting catalogue (especially when compared with the staid British book catalogues of the period), with each of the 108 items presented, four to a page, each with accompanying photograph of the covers of the book. The most expensive item, at $100, is a 1902 first edition of 'The Cruise of the Dazzler'.

[ Eileen Chandler, artist. ] Personal album relating to her portrait work, mainly in Hollywood, and including photographs of her portraits, and original photographs of children of celebrities.

Author: 
Eileen Chandler [ born Eileen Harris ] (1904-1993), English artist who worked in Los Angeles on portraits of Hollywood children [ Liza Minnelli; Mia Farrow; Deborah Kerr; Maureen O'Sullivan ]
Publication details: 
Undated [ 1950s and 1960s ]. Mainly relating to her time in Los Angeles, California.
£800.00

For more information about Chandler, see the appreciative obituary by Vy Reiners in the Independent, 5 February 1993, which describes how 'An article in the Illustrated London News launched her on a successful career that took her to Hollywood, painting sensitive, charming watercolour portraits of the children of the stars, and many of the stars themselves.' The present item contains 70 photographs in a 24 x 33 cm album. The photographs, ranging in size from 19 x 23 cm. downwards, are in good condition, with light signs of age and wear.

[William W. Clary, Los Angeles book collector.] Typed Letter Signed ('William W Clary') to the wife of London theatrical bookseller Ifan Kyrle Fletcher, regarding 'autographed letters', the publication of a Max Beerbohm item, and the Zamorano Club.

Author: 
William W. Clary (1888-1971), Los Angeles lawyer, book collector and founding member of the Zamorano Club [Ifan Kyrle Fletcher (d.1964), London theatrical historian and bookseller; Max Beerbohm]
Publication details: 
433 South Sprint Street, Los Angeles 5, California. 8 May 1961.
£90.00

1p., 8vo. Air mail letter addressed to Fletcher at 22 Buckingham Gate, London SW1. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He thanks him for his letter 'regarding autographed [sic] letters', explaining that 'we have gone in very little for letters and manuscripts, although we have made a few exceptions where they were in bound volumes or had some very important Oxford interest'. (Clary's Oxford collection is now at the Claremont Colleges Library. Williams's letters do not 'quite fit our program' (the plural presumably referring to Claremont).

[Printed pamphlet.] Suggestions to Teachers of English in the Secondary Schools.

Author: 
C. M. Gayley, Professor of the English Language and Literature, and C. B. Bradley, Associate Professor of the English Language and Literature, University of California, Berkeley
Publication details: 
Berkeley: Published by the University [of California]. 1894.
£30.00

68pp., 12mo. In grey printed wraps. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with shelfmark, stamp and labels of the Education Department Reference Library, London. Scarce.

Autograph Letter from Henry Allen Brainard, editor of 'The Pacific Tree and Vine (And Santa Clara Valley)' to his former colleague in the Union army, Major B. F. Ainger, discussing their colleagues and describing the horticulture of the San Jose area

Author: 
Henry Allen Brainard (1840-1900), Editor, The Pacific Tree and Vine (And Santa Clara Valley)
Publication details: 
The Pacific Tree and Vine (And Santa Clara Valley), 10 Orchard Street, San Jose, California. 10 May 1892.
£90.00

2pp., 12mo. Very good, on two leaves of lightly-aged paper. In a difficult hand. The recipient is addressed as 'B. F. Ainger, Delegate to Editorial Committee, <?> Excursion'. The first two pages of the letter only, hence lacking Brainard's signature. Having seen Ainger's name 'among the delegates from Pennsylvania', he is 'strongly reminded of a Maj B. F. Ainger formerly of the 2nd. <?> Artillery with whom I had the pleasure of an acquaintance long ago when we were watching the Defences of Bermuda Honduras &c.

Signed Autograph Memorandum ('Ro Greenhow') from the historian Robert Greenhow, produced as part of his duties as librarian at the Department of State in Washington, concerning a correspondence between Madison and Monroe on 'natural improvements'.

Author: 
Robert Greenhow (1800-1854), translator and librarian at the Department of State in Washington, and author of works including 'The History of Oregon and California' (1844)
Publication details: 
24 June [no year].
£60.00

1p., 4to. Ten lines. Fair, on aged paper, with one unobtrusive closed tear. Greenhow describes the surviving correspondence concerning 'natural improvements' between Madison and Monroe, and speculates regarding a discrepancy.

Memorial keepsake obituary of 'Jane Bissell Grabhorn 1911-1973' by David Magee.

Author: 
David Magee (1905-1977), San Francisco bookseller of English extraction [Jane Bissell Grabhorn; Grabhorn Press; Book Club of California; Andrew Hoyem; Frederic W. Goudy; Lawton & Alfred Kennedy]
Publication details: 
November 1973. [California.]
£38.00

8vo bifolium on good wove paper. Leaf dimensions roughly 22.5 x 14.5 cm. Good, on lightly creased paper. Illustration of horse, 7.5 x 9 cm, on recto of first leaf, with 'JANE BISSELL GRABHORN | 1911-1973'. Memorial, with same title, across inner pages, signed in type by Magee. The following on reverse of second leaf: 'This memorial is presented to the members of the Book Club of California by Andrew Hoyem, who composed the text in Friar, a type given to Jane by its designer, Frederic W. Goudy, and by Lawton & Alfred Kennedy, who did the press work, Nov. 1973.'

Legends of the West.

Author: 
James Hall
Publication details: 
Philadelphia: Published by Harrison Hall, 130, Chesnut Street. 1832. [Philadelphia: James Kay, Jun. & Co., Printers, No. 4, Minor Street.]
£150.00

8vo: [viii] + 265 + [ii] pp. Printers slug on page following 265, followed by a full-page advertisement by Harrison Hall, Philadelphia, and Collins & Co., New York, for 'Wilson's Ornithology', dated 'Philadelphia, July 1832'. In original brown paper boards, with brown cloth spine carrying white printed label. Tight, but in poor condition, with light spotting and damp-staining. Unobtrusive repair to closed tear on reverse of title-leaf. Ownership inscription of Joseph Malcomson (mill owner of Portlaw, County Waterford) to rectos of first four leaves, including title.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Louis Havet, professeur au Collège de France, 16 place Vendôme') to 'Monsieur le Directeur du Journal de Bruxelles, Belgique'.

Author: 
Louis Havet (1849-1925), French philologist whose classical library was acquired by the University of California
Publication details: 
14 May 1889; Paris.
£65.00

12mo, 1 p, 14 lines. Good, on light-brown paper, with the address, stamps, and postmarks on the reverse. In French. He sends his thanks to the 'Journal de Bruxelles' for reproducing his 'article sur la réforme de l'orthographe'. He is sending a petition (not present) which 'en ce moment ce couvre de signatures à Paris', and will be personally grateful if his correspondent can see to it that it is reproduced 'avec les indications qui l'accompagnent'. Loose in blue paper folder with catalogue entry for the previous sale of the letter laid down on front.

Typed Invoice (docked in manuscript 'Copy') from Francis Edwards Ltd to Wreden.

Author: 
William P. Wreden; Francis Edwards Ltd, London booksellers
Publication details: 
6 December 1954; on Francis Edwards letterhead ('Booksellers since 1855') in red and black ink.
£30.00

One page. Dimensions of paper roughly six and a half inches by eight wide. Spotted, aged and creased, and with some closed tears. Addressed to Wreden at 'Box 56, Palo Alto, Cal., U.S.A.' For '3 reg'd bookpost parcels', and headed 'Hodgson's Sale 25th Nov. 1954'. Lots 204 and 205 purchased for a total of £27 9s 9d, including an apparent commission of 15% on an item under ten pounds, and 10% on one over that sum. Items ('French Documents & Autograph Letters' and 'Autograph Letters from Lord Brougham and contemporaries') described in nine lines.

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