HOROLOGY

[The horologist who designed the Big Ben clock: Sir Edmund Beckett Denison (latterly Lord Grimthorpe).] Three Autograph Letters Signed to Edward Hayes Plumptre, regarding the business of Westminster girls’ school Queen’s College.

Author: 
Sir Edmund Beckett Denison [afterwards Edmund Beckett, Lord Grimthorpe] (1816-1905), lawyer, architect and horologist who designed the Big Ben clock [Edward Hayes Plumptre (1821-91); Queen’s College]
Publication details: 
ONE: 14 January 1856; Queen’s College. TWO: ‘Valentines Day’ [14 February] 1870; 33 Queen Anne Street W. [London] THREE: 3 April 1870; Doncaster.
£220.00

The third of these letters in particular gives a good indication of his Yorkshire bluntness (his entry in the Oxford DNB describes him as ‘a man of arrogance and bile, [...] capable of generosity, strong friendships, and kindness towards people in need of help’). The three items are in good condition, lightly aged; the third with slight wear along one edge. All three are signed ‘E B Denison’ and the second and third are addressed to ‘My dear Plumptre’. ONE (14 January 1856): 3pp, 4to.

[ Ciro of Bond Street, London jewellers. ] Four 1930s trade catalogues: 'A Treasury of Pearls & Jewels', 'A Book of New and Exclusive Jewels', 'Exclusive Watches' and 'A Book of New and Exclusive Watches by Ciro - Part 2 - Jewelled Watches'.

Author: 
Ciro of Bond Street, London jewellers, founded in 1917
Publication details: 
'Ciro of Bond Street' [ Ciro, 48 Old Bond Street, London, W.1. ] None of the four dated, but all from the 1930s.
£500.00

The four items date from around the same period, all printed in black and white on shiny art paper, stapled in cream card wraps with simple and elegant titles printed in gold on the front covers. All four are profusely illustrated, with accompanying effusive text. Two have price lists printed in red tipped-in at the end. All four are in fair condition, with pages of text in a good state, and light signs of age and wear to the covers, the two larger items exhibiting slight rolled creasing, and one of them with wear at foot of spine.

[ Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Edm Beckett'), inviting 'Dr Griffith' to dinner.

Author: 
Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe [ previously Sir Edmund Beckett, 5th Baronet and Edmund Beckett Denison ] (1816-1905), lawyer, horologist and architect
Publication details: 
No place. 1 September 1879.
£90.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On aged paper, with minor damp staining. If the recipient has 'come home' he invites him to dine. 'We have already such a preponderance of the female sex, from ladies staying here, that I am sorry we cannot ask any more.' If his son is 'still at Sandridge instead of you we shall be glad to have him as your locum tenertem here also'. He is directing the letter 'accordingly', 'but out of the multitude of your name in Crockford [the clerical directory] I dare not make a shot at his Christian name'.

Autograph Letter Signed from the Welsh antiquary Octavius Morgan, discussing in detail a watch by Johann Sayller of Ulm in the possession of the unnamed recipient of the letter, and the evils of modern restoration of clocks and watches.

Author: 
Octavius Morgan [Charles Octavius Swinnerton Morgan] (1803-1888), Welsh antiquary and Conservative Member of Parliament for Monmouth [Johann Sayller of Ulm; clocks and watches; watchmaking]
Publication details: 
9 Pall Mall [London]. 21 June 1861.
£120.00

3pp., 12mo. 52 lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for sending for his 'inspection the old watch which is a nice specimen', but would have been of more interest had it been left in its original condition'. He describes the alterations, and his reasons for believing that they were 'done by a French man, & I should think prior to the time of your late Brother'. Morgan possesses a watch by Sayller, and he 'once saw an extremely curious & beautiful clock of his in a case of silver'.

Autograph Letter Signed from the bluestocking sculptor and author Anne Seymour Damer to an unnamed male correspondent, concerning a 'favourite old Clock;'.

Author: 
Anne Seymour Damer (1749-1828), sculptor and author, member of the 'Bluestocking Circle' [horology; clocks]
 ALS from the bluestocking sculptor and author Anne Seymour Damer
Publication details: 
1 April 1824; Upper Brook Street.
£350.00
 ALS from the bluestocking sculptor and author Anne Seymour Damer

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. 28 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a trace of the mount adhering to the reverse of the second leaf, which is docketed by the recipient. The letter concerns her 'favourite old Clock', about which she expresses anxiety: 'the Man you now send to wind up the Clock is, I dare say, very clever in his Business, but as he almost constantly leaves it with somethig not right in Motion, striking &c I must therefore think that he is not accustomed to direct all the movements of such a Clock'.

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