FASCIST

There can be few greater falls from grace than Petain's in the whole of human history. A 10 x 6.25 calling card. In good condition, lightly aged and ruckled, with glue and traces of paper mount on the blank reverse. The engraved text ('LE MARECHAL PETAIN / Ministre de la Guerre') is centred, with the top line in shaded block capitals and the bottom in copperplate. Beneath this Petain writes: 'avec ses remer'. See Image.

Anne Williamson, author of two books on Henry Williamson and of his entry in the Oxford DNB, was married to his youngest son Richard (1935-2022). The present typewritten material (88pp, 8vo) consists of several drafts and duplicates of material intended for circulation to production companies she hoped to interest in a television documentary on Williamson. It is in good condition, with each page printed on a separate leaf of A4 cartridge paper.

ONE: ‘The National Front and the Jews / A briefing document by the Anti Nazi League / March 1978’. Stapled pamphlet of 8pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Striking cover with title in large letters printed in black onto strips of green. Two-page introduction followed by two pages of illustrations (‘merely intended as a sample of the National Front’s continual argument by innuendo. All are taken from the National Front monthly, Spearhead’); page headed ‘Before the National Front / 1959-67’, followed by two pages titled ‘The National Front / 1967-’.

Asee image of[339]See Williamson’s entry by his daughter-in-law Anne Williamson in the Oxford DNB, together with her 1995 biography of him. The present tranche of material gives a marvellous insight into the working processes of a fine - perhaps even a great - English writer, in addition to showing the gestation of one of the finest novels of the First World War.

115pp., 8vo. In red cloth binding. No dustwrapper. Aged, with back hinge sprung and one bumped corner at the back. Excellent inscription by Spender on the front free endpaper, in which he describes the history of the composition of the play: 'To And | with love from | Stephen. | March 16 1938. | This play begun January 1933, at Barcelona, partly written in January 1937 in Madrid & Albacete, and finished January 1938 in London, is almost a record of our friendships through five years.'

6pp., foolscap 8vo. Paginated 1-6 at the head of the page, and 867-872 in the corners. On three leaves stapled together. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper.

2pp., 4to. 41 lines. In fair condition, on aged paper. He begins by stating that 'Yellow Sands' 'only touches social questions by the accident of the plot. Socialism is a word the definition of which no two people appear to agree about. Ask a dozen Socialists what they understand by their faith & they will each tell you something different.' The opinions depicted in the play are both 'clear' and 'foggy', 'but it is [in] no sense propagandist - I hate propaganda in art.' He goes on to discuss his own views: 'I am not a socialist.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly-aged and creased. Beneath the cover on the front page are four quotations: 'I don't know what astonishes me most about you British - your kindness and your courage, or your blindness.'; 'Not one in ten of you knows what a German victory would mean to you.'; 'Wake up.

Ten items, in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: Typescript titled 'THE CASTLE | A play in three acts (nine scenes) based on Franz Kafka's novel THE CASTLE | by MAX BROD | translated by James Clark | All rights reserved | 1963'. [viii] + 98 + [i] pp., 8vo. With two-hole metal punchbinding; in original blue wraps. Prepared by 'Scripts Limited' of Wardour St. With a few minor emendations in pencil. TWO: Two copies (typescript and carbon) of a paper entitled 'On Dramatizing Kafka's "The Castle" | by Max Brod' (3pp., folio).

The spelling (e.g. 'honor') is American, the latest date mentioned is in 1942, and there is no indication that the document has ever been published. 58 pages, on one side each of fifty-eight A4 leaves (each roughly 26 x 20 cm), paginated 26 to 83. Punch holes for a binder at the head of each leaf.

One page, folio. Very good on lightly creased paper. Headed 'FIGHTING FUND' and listing the members of the 'PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE' (including Lampson as Honorary Secretary, and the Duke of Westminster and Earl of Malmesbury). Communication of twenty-seven lines, with decided proto-fascistic overtones.