DECADENT

[Sir William Rothenstein, artist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Will Rothenstein'), to 'Horder', i.e. the architect Percy Morley Horder, giving a humorous spoof autobiographical entry, as a jokey suggestion of how Horder should approach the topic.

Author: 
Sir William Rothenstein (1872-1945), painter, printmaker, draughtsman, lecturer, and writer on art [Percy Richard Morley Horder (1870-1944), architect ]
Publication details: 
'Chelsea – Glebe Place | Sunday'. No place.
£220.00

1p, 8vo. Text clear and complete, on heavily chipped and worn thin paper, with loss to extremities. An unusual and revealing letter, in which Rothenstein gives his own jokey suggestion of how Horder should approach a biographical entry he has been asked to write, begins: 'My dear Horder – of course you will do it! “Mr W. R.

[ Algernon Charles Swinburne, poet who scandalised Victorian England. ] Signed Autograph presentation inscription to his sister Isabel, on fly-leaf of William Clarke Russell's book 'Nelson's Words and Deeds'.

Author: 
Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909), English poet who scandalised the Victorians with his decadent verse [ William Clarke Russell; Isabel Swinburne ]
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Publication details: 
Dated in autograph 'November 1890'.
£350.00
Algernon Charles Swinburne

On a single 8vo half-title leaf removed from the William Clarke Russell's 'Nelson's Words and Deeds: A Selection from the Dispatches and Correspondence of Horatio Nelson' (London: Sampson Low, 1890). In fair condition, lightly aged and with a central horizontal crease. Printed at the centre of the page are the words 'NELSON'S WORDS AND DEEDS', and at the head Swinburne writes: 'Isabel Swinburne | from her affectionate brother | Algernon Charles Swinburne | November 1890'.

[ Félicien Rops, Belgian Symbolist engraver. ] Aquatint engraving of a fashionable couple chatting while serenaded by a lutanist, with a Spanish ball behind them around a plinth on which a sphinx sits while being kissed by the winged head Hypnos.

Author: 
[ Félicien Rops (1833-1898), Belgian Symbolist engraver ]
Publication details: 
[ Without place. ] 1876.
£250.00

Printed in black ink on one side of a piece of 26.5 x 19 cm paper wove paper. Unsigned and without caption or text, but unmistakably the work of Rops, and with his name written in light pencil in the margin. Apparently a proof. Dimensions of plate 16 x 9 cm, and of the illustration itself 11 x 6.5 cm. Aged and creased, with spotting at head.

[ Victor Plarr, nineties poet. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Victor G. Plarr') to H. T. Scott, author of "A Guide to the Collector of Historical Documents, etc", describing a selection of autographs he has just purchased for resale.

Author: 
Victor Plarr [ Victor Gustave Plarr; Victor G. Plarr ] (1863-1929), nineties poet, librarian of the Royal College of Surgeons, member of the Rhymers' Club
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 7 Eldon Road, Kensington, W. [ London ] 17 November 1900.
£220.00

3pp., 12mo. In good condition. Plarr's entry in the Oxford English Dictionary does not note that he dealt in autographs, but the present item suggests that he was more than just a collector who dabbled. At the time of writing, and until his death, he was Librarian of the Royal College of Surgeons. The letter is addressed to 'H. T. Scott Esqre., M.D.' and begins: 'Dear Sir | It is long since you have heard from me. | I have just bought several autographs which you may care to know of -'.

[ Algernon Charles Swinburne, poet. ] Envelope, addressed in autograph to 'The Hon. J. Leicester Warren'.

Author: 
Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909), English poet
Publication details: 
With two London postmarks dated 24 July 1875.
£45.00

The envelope is 7 x 12 cm, with penny stamp printed on. In fair condition, lightly-aged, with back flap intact (i.e ungummed rather than cut open). The address - certainly in Swinburne's hand - simply reads: 'The Hon. J. Leicester Warren | 67 Onslow Square | S.W.'

Three Autograph Letters Signed (two 'Eric Broad. | Frederic E Wright.' and one 'Frederic E Wright | Eric Broad.') to W. Kineton Parkes (1865-1938), assistant editor of the journal of the Ruskin Reading Guild, 'Igdrasil'

Author: 
Eric Broad' (Frederic E. Wright), English poet [W. Kineton Parkes; John Ruskin; William Marwick; the Ruskin Reading Guild]
Publication details: 
20 and 22 January and 3 March 1890; all from Scarsdale, Great Malvern.
£100.00

All three items in very good condition. Interesting series of letters by an obscure 1890s poet. Letter One (12mo, 7 pp): Although he realises that some are 'rather poor', he is sending, through his brother (possibly the artist Alan Wright, 1864-1959), 'all the lyrics I have by me': 'I have not had time to "weed" yet, being veryy busily engaged writing lyrics for a Comedy-Opera ['Ethelinda, or a Philanthropic Fad' (1890), on which he collaborated with Hamilton O. Wylde] - & a libretto for Operetta; also been trying my hand at very sensational prose'.

Autograph Note Signed to [?] Locker [Arthur Locker or Frederick Locker-Lampson]

Author: 
Charles Hamilton Aidé [Aide, Aïdé]
Publication details: 
Without date; on letterhead 'Aston Clinton, | Tring.'
£25.00

Author and musician (1826-1906), described by Louise Jopling as 'a rich bachelor' and 'a noted figure in the seventies'. 1 page, 16mo. In good condition despite slight creasing and discoloration. Letterhead in green and black ink. Reads 'My dear Locker, | Many thanks - I will meet you at the Athenaeum at 3 o'Ck. on Tuesday - I have done, & shall do nothing till then. | Every yrs. | Hamilton Aïdé'.

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