CO.

See his entry and that of the Duke of Sussex in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo, on first leaf of bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with strip of tape from mount adhering to blank second leaf. With two folds. The recipient is not named; signed ‘Thomas Coutts’. Twenth-two lines of text, neatly written and sloping upwards. Begins: ‘My Dear Sir / I send for your personal attn from The Duke of Sussex by which you will see he has promised to attend The Subscription Dinner for the benefit of decayd artists & cannot dine with me but says he will call before a day with Mrs Coutts’.

From the papers of Sylvia and Robert Lynd. A scarce piece of Pearse ephemera: no other copy traced. 1p, 12mo. On a piece of discoloured laid paper, worn, with crease to one corner. The full title of the book, which was edited by Desmond Ryan, was ‘The story of a success, being a record of St. Enda's College, September 1908 to Easter 1916’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with a crease, dogeared corner and small nick. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘Michael Sadleir’. He is grateful to Collins ‘for pointing out the careless grammatical mistake of mine in the SUNDAY TIMES review. It is only too easy to slip into a conversational style (for I think that what I meant was perfectly clear) when writing rapid condensations for a newspaper.

Two Manuscript Letters from the London banking house Robert Herries & Co. to the former Governor of West Florida George Johnstone, the first ‘with Account Current’ and the second regarding delivery of ‘the plate to Mr Maxwell. Both items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: 2pp, 8vo. On the inner sides of a bifolium, with the reverse of the second leaf bearing the address (with postmark) ‘Commodore Johnstone / M. P. / Portsmouth’, and endorsement ‘Sir Robert Harries [sic] & Co. / 19th Feby. 1781. / with Account Current. / Balance due the Governor / £697 .. 18/3’.

The University of Wyoming American Heritage Center has mounted a ‘traveling exhibit’ of watercolours and diaries from Kennet Were’s 1868-9 journey across the United States, a long account of which he published in the Gazette (‘Nine Months in the United States’) on his return. Were’s obituary in the Transactions of the Devonshire Association, vol. 48, (1916), p. 54, describes him as one of Sidmouth’s ‘most respected inhabitants’ and ‘the prime mover in movements for the improvement of the resort and a supporter of all good causes’, but does not refer to his artistic activities.

See his entry, and those of his siblings, in the Oxford DNB. A 15.5 x 20 cm black and white print, on glossy paper. Worn at edges, and with staining to blank area at top left. Stamped by the publishers on the reverse with ‘Sir Osbert Sitwell. Bt. / 25. 8. 49.’ There is a possibility that this is a signature by Sitwell, but the letter ‘O’ and other features are not quite right.

Two pieces of uncommon Edwardian bibliographical ephemera. Both items worn and aged, and the catalogue somewhat dogeared. Both with some pencil marking. ONE (1909 catalogue): 32pp, 12mo. Drophead title on first page: ‘Macmillan’s Three-and-Sixpenny Library of Books by Popular Authors / Crown 8vo.’ The first two pages carry a description of the series, which ‘comprises over four hundred volumes in various departments of Literature. Prominent among them is a new and attractive edition of The Works of Thackeray, issued under the editorship of Mr. Lewis Melville.

This is a document which would certainly repay investigation. No record of this firm of merchants has been discovered, or even of where they traded. Robison is a Scottish name, and there is an undated reference to a ‘James Robison, merchant in Dumfries’; most Shuttleworth’s hail from the north-east of England, and there is mention of a John Shuttleworth in Manchester in 1820. Other clues in the document suggest a London location: in 1793 Napper and Co.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with one dog-eared corner. He writes that he has ‘had the engraving photographed’, and can ‘return it together with the casting’, with ‘very many thanks to you for being so kind as to lend it to me’.

Now scarce. Among the six copies listed on JISC, only three (BL, Cambridge, NLW) are in the deposit libraries. Unpaginated 12mo pamphlet, w Iith page of contents, four pages of ‘Explanatory Note’ and three pages of facsimiles, on six leaves of shiny art paper, stitched into grey printed wraps with title on cover and two pages of advertisements at rear. In fair condition, lightly aged, in grubby wraps with tiny nick lost from bottom corner of front wrap.

Publishing history does not get more vivid than this. See Flower’s obituary in The Times, and Wells’s in the New York Times. The three items in good condition, lightly aged. All three folded once and signed ‘Newman Flower’. First TLS (3 January 1928): 1p, 12mo. He writes that although ‘a very apologetic letter from Mr. Wells of Harpers’ has ‘cleared the air entirely’, ‘a reply from Holt’ received at the same time is not very satisfactory’, and ‘in view of the fact that Cassell’s and Harpers will be coming together again, it would, perhaps, be as well not to do anything at present’.

For the context see Halliwell-Phillipps's entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that in 1852 he 'offered by subscription the most elaborate Works [of Shakespeare] ever attempted: published between 1853 and 1865 in sixteen thick folio volumes, lavishly illustrated by F. W. Fairholt and limited to 150 copies, it was initially priced 2 guineas a volume.

[16]pp, 16mo (11.5 x 7.5 cm). Stitched unpaginated pamphlet, tastefully printed with decorative headpiece to title, and the Press's celebrated device to the colophon. A frail survival, aged, worn and spotted, with one corner of last leaf dogeared. At foot of title-page: 'Any volume will be sent on receipt of Postal Order in advance.' Following the title-page are two pages with a history of 'The Chiswick Press. | Founded 1789.' Then a full-page advertisement for 'A Practical Treatise on the Art of Typography', with a full page containing 'Some Press Opinions'.

2pp, folio. On a single leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to inner edge of first page. Folded twice. Good firm signature of the king ('George R.') at top left of first page, which has a thin mourning border. Left hand margin of first page with embossed £1 10s tax stamp. Written out ('By His Majesty's Command') in a secretarial hand, and addressed 'To The Husband for taking up all Goods consigned from Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands on Account of the Duties of Four Pounds and one Half Pounds per Centum'.

The four letters are in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Written in Payne's neat and mannered hand, and all four signed 'J Bertrand Payne'. For the background to the correspondence see Jim Cheshire's article 'The Fall of the House of Moxon', Victorian Poetry, Spring 2012. Payne was manager of the London publishing house Edward Moxon & Co., celebrated for their association with poets.

The three letters are in good condition, lightly aged. All three signerd 'J Bertrand Payne'. The first has a letterhead in red, the other two have a different letterhead in blue. Both designs feature exuberant monograms and lettering in Victorian Gothic type, which, together with Payne's exuberant handwriting (the last letter also being written in purple ink), accurately reflect the character of the man Tennyson angrily dismissed as 'peacock Payne'. Three excellent letters, the background to which is of interest.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. He acknowledges Wilson's 'kind letter regarding Dalglish', who 'suffered a good deal during the latter weeks of his life, but I am glad to say that even then he still retained that brightness of disposition of which you speak'.

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.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with the two leaves pinned together. Referring to his wife Emilie, Harmsworth has written in red pencil at the head of the letter 'Em to see'. Physick begins by thanking Harmsworth and his wife for their 'most generous appreciation of our efforts'.

On the back of a printed 'Ceylon | Post Card | For use to British countries'. With Galle postmark of 18 May 1939. Pannasara signs 'D. Pannasara' and gives his details as: 'Bhikku [sic], D. Pannasara Thero | Jayawardhanarama | Dangedara, Galle | Ceylon'. An enquiry in English regarding the 'Milinda Panha – translated from Pali by J. W. Rhys Davids Vol. I-ii'. Annotations in pencil and ink by the recipients.

Five maps, four of them fold-outs, together with duplicated text on two leaves, stapled into 8vo pamphlet of buff printed wraps with 'PORT OF MANCHESTER' and logo on the front, and printers' slug on back. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The five maps include three fold-outs: the first, coloured in blue and light and dark green, titled 'Principal oil docks and installations with their road connections' ('For particulars of sites on the Company's Estate application should be made to the Company's Land Agents | Dunlop, Heywood & Co.

2pp., 12mo. In envelope, with stamp and postmark, addressed to Walters at his London publishers Hodder & Stoughton. In good condition, lightly aged. On reading Walters' 'Romantic Cheshire' he notes that he refers to '"Lewis Carroll" as "whilom Vicar of Daresbury"'. He points out that this is not the case, and that '"Lewis Carroll" was the son of the once Vicar of Daresbury. | My father was Vicar of Daresbury from 1884 to 1896 and I remember the old Vicarage where Mr. Dodgson resided very well. It was demolished about the time my father was appointed Vicar.' The family firm of J. J.

See William Johnstone's obituary in the Illustrated Tasmanian News, May 1874. He was born in England and left Somerset for Van Diemen's Land in 1841. He set up in business the following year in Launceston, which had been founded in 1806, and is said to be the third oldest colonial settlement in Australia, after Sydney and Hobart..As the years proceeded he prospered spectacularly, and by the time of his death he was so highly esteemed, that 'many places of business had the front windows partially closed while the shipping in port and the Town Hall had the Union Jack hoisted at half mast'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He is obliged for Brown's letter, 'pointing out misprints in my father's works. | Such communications are always valuable.' He is happy to say that 'young Bliss is working very well, & we shall make a good business man of him'.

The two items on aged and worn paper. ONE: Printed circular letter, printed in blue on firm's letterhead, with royal warrant in red at head. 1p., 4to. After boasting of the firm's prices compared with those of other firms, the letter boasts: 'We are the only firm in the world engaged in making bottled Cider and Perry on a large scale by the same processes in all respects as are employed in the production of the Sparkling Wines of Rheims and Epernay.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and rather dusty, with small closed tear at head. He begins by explaining that he has been 'prevented by ill health from finishing the plate confided to my care, & of waiting upon you to make you acquainted with the cause of the delay. The engraving is 'in a state of forwardness', and he is willing to let 'Mr Satchwell' give his opinion of it before he sends it to them. 'I shall prove the plate again next week, after which I shall be enabled to state the time of its completion'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Heavily creased and worn. A large number of Norton's productions are listed on the front and back pages. Eleven eight-line stanzas. The poem, which does not mention Bradford once, begins: 'On the 21st of August, | In the year nineteen-sixteen, | A great munition works in Yorkshire | Was a busy, lively scene.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Seventy-five lines of small type. The first page is headed: 'IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. | Messrs. Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co. beg to announce that THE NEW WEEKLY PAPER FOR BOYS, which they have been for so long a time and in so many influential quarters urged to undertake, is now in course of preparation, and will be published on the 15th of September under the title of | The Boys' Newspaper. | WEEKLY, Price ONE PENNY. | No. 1 Ready SEPT.

A total of 50 items, all but the three earliest of Strong's letters held together with a brass stud. The collection in good overall condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Strong's 24 letters total 37pp., with the early letters signed 'L A G Strong' and the later ones 'Leonard', and occasional variant signatures in between ('Leonard Strong', 'LAGS'). The copies of Greenwood's 26 letters (two in autograph, the rest typed) total 32pp. An interesting correspondence, in which Strong responds with tact and patience to his inexperienced correspondent's proposals and actions.

On forms printed in red and black, totalling 1p., folio; 40pp., landscape 8vo; 6pp. (of which four in landscape), 12mo. The seven accounts from Messrs. Macmillan & Co., all relating to 'The Ring of Amasis', are on seven sheets, landscape 8vo, dating from between 1889 and 1900.