KAYE

[Elsa Shelley, American dramatist and actress.] Two Typed Letters Signed to theatre historian W. J. Macqueen-Pope, giving and asking for news, and announcing her approaching arrival in England.

Author: 
Elsa Shelley (c.1903-c.1971), Russian-born American dramatist and actress, wife of producer Irving Kaye Davis (1900-1965) [W. J. Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960), theatre historian]
shelley
Publication details: 
ONE: 7 December 1951; 685 West End Avenue, New York, on her letterhead. TWO: 15 December [1946?]; on Cunard Line letterhead of R.M.S. Mauretania.
£120.00
shelley

See the recipient's entry in the Oxford DNB. Both letters signed ‘Elsa’. ONE (7 December 1951): 1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded three times. Thirty-eight lines of text. She received his letter while wishing to contact him, and wonders if this is a coincidence. ‘And my wanting to write you grew out of an intense yearning to be in London again’.

[Sir Rupert Hart-Davis, publisher.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Rupert') to antiquarian bookseller Percy Muir, praising his catalogues as his 'favourite reading', and ordering items while 'saving up' for his daughter's wedding.

Author: 
Rupert Hart-Davis [Sir Rupert Charles Hart-Davis] (1907-1999), publisher, editor and letter-writer [Percy Muir [Percy H. Muir] (1894-1979), leading bookseller with firm Elkin Mathews]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Bromsden Farm, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. 20 April 1963.
£90.00

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with three punch holes to margin, and endorsement of number in a circle. The letter begins: 'My dear Percy | Your catalogues – especially the literary parts of them – are my favourite reading. You find such unusual books, and describe them with such care and skill.' He asks him to send him, 'to Soho Square', the two Rothenstein items nos 260 and 260 a'. He explains that while he longs 'for some of the Blunts', his daughter is getting married that June, and he is 'saving up for that'.

[T. E. B. Clarke, Oscar-winning screenwriter and crime writer.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Tibby') to the novelist Barbara Kaye, discussing common acquaintances after the episode of the TV programme 'This Is Your Life' devoted to him.

Author: 
T. E. B. Clarke [Thomas Ernest Bennett 'Tibby' Clarke] (1907-1989), screenwriter who won an Oscar for 'The Lavender Hill Mob', and crime writer [Ealing Comedies; Barbara Kaye, novelist]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Tanners Mead, Oxted, Surrey. 10 November 1960.
£45.00

Other than 'The Lavender Hill Mob', for which he won an Oscar, Clarke's screenplays include 'The Blue Lamp' and 'The Titchfield Thunderbolt'. For the recipient Barbara Kaye [Barbara Kenrick Gowing] (1908-1998), writer, bookseller and wife of Percy Muir, see her obituary by Nicolas Barker in the Independent, 12 March 1998. The present letter was written a few days after Clarke's appearance on 31 October on the television programme 'This Is Your Life'. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, aged and worn. Folded once. The letter begins: 'Dear Barbara, | Many thanks for your kind letter.

[Edgar Jepson, popular novelist; .] Autograph Letter Signed ('Edgar Jepson'), replying to a fan letter from 'Miss Gowing' [novelist Barbara Kaye] by suggesting that they meet to prevent him from injuring his constitution by 'industrious excess'

Author: 
Edgar Jepson [Edgar Alfred Jepson, pseudonym 'R. Edison Page'] (1863-1938), popular author of adventure, detective, supernatural and fantasy fiction [Barbara Kaye [Barbara Kenrick Gowing] (1908-1998)]
Publication details: 
120 Adelaide Road, Chalk Farm, London NW3. 8 July 1920.
£120.00

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Folded once.

[Sir John William Kaye, military historian and civil servant.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. W. Kaye') to 'Mr. King'.

Author: 
Sir John William Kaye (1814-1876), British soldier, military historian and civil servant
Publication details: 
On India Office letterhead. 3 July 1863.
£25.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He has heard that King is 'to preside at the dinner tomorrow' and so is writing to him 'what I wrote to Smith that I am very sorry I can not "support the Chair", as I had a previous inviitation - our friends gave me this time only a few day's notice'. In any case, he has 'such a miserable cold' and is 'so incapable' that he will be 'no loss to your party'. It is with difficulty that he has 'got through my numerous mail duties'.

[Sir John William Kaye, military historian and civil servant.] Autograph Note Signed ('J. W. Kaye') to an unnamed recipient, inviting him to 'have some talk'.

Author: 
Sir John William Kaye (1814-1876), British soldier, military historian and civil servant
Publication details: 
On India Office letterhead. 22 March 1870.
£25.00

1p., 12mo. In poor condition, aged and worn, with rust marks to margin and corners. 'My dear Sir | If you could conveniently look in upon me tomorrow (Wednesday) about 2 OC'K I should be glad to have some talk with you'.

Autograph Signatures ('Laurence Olivier' and 'Gladys Cooper').

Author: 
Laurence Olivier (1907-1989), English stage and film actor; Gladys Cooper (1888-1971), English actress
Publication details: 
Dates and places not stated.
£48.00

On piece of cream paper, roughly 8.5 x 12 cm, removed from an autograph album. Good, on paper with a few light marks. Bold, firm signatures in pencil, one on each side of the leaf. Two signatures,

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