LONDON

The documents include a printed 'Certificate of Thanks' from the RLSS, with facsimile signature of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, made out to 'Captain G. P. Rimington | Nyeri', and dated 1963; 1p., foolscap 8vo. Also present are five Typed Letters Signed from Alwyn E. Biscoe, Chief Secretary, to Rimington in Kenya. All on RLSS London letterhead, 2 May and 21 July 1950, and 16 February, 4 May and 19 June 1951. All 1p., 4to. The first two discussing 'the appointment of Mr. Tattersall as Hon. Representative for the Kisumu district' and Rimington's resignation as 'Hon.

30pp., 8vo. Stitched and unbound. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper, with a few closed tears. Full title: 'Catalogue of a Collection of Works on the Fine Arts, comprising Books of Prints, Picture Galleries, Treatises on Painting, Sculpture and Engraving, Lives of Artists, &c. Forming a Portion of the Library of that well-known Amateur Henry G. Bohn, Esq., Deceased, Late of North End House, Twickenham'. 395 lots. A few items priced in pencil, some with name of purchaser.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, roughly 31 x 20 cm. 30 lines. Tipped in along one edge inside modern folder with grey paper boards. Good, on paper lightly creased at foot. Addessed 'To Dawson Turner Esqre' by 'Custom House | Yarmouth | 11 December 1826 | [signed]

2pp., 12mo. Printed on facing pages on one side of a landscape 8vo leaf, with blank reverse. In fair condition, on aged paper, laid down on part of a leaf removed from an album. The left-hand page carries three items: 'The Confidence Trick. A scene in Oxford Street.' (a series of puns with a purpose now lost, beginning 'A stout "Nave," | Met a green "Felloe"'), 'Anecdotes of the old Coaching Days' (beginning 'Talleyrand bought a new coach, but did not pay for it.') and 'Lord Lyndhurst'. The last reads in full: 'Ordered Robert Peake to build him a Chariot. It was finished and approved of.

The circular on 1p., 4to, on recto of first leaf of bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. It reads: 'MY LORD, | The House-Committee and Stewards for conducting the Anniversary Dinner of the Governors of this Charity, present their compliments with the enclosed Card of Invitation for THURSDAY, the 22nd of APRIL, and request to be favored with your Lordship's [corrected in manuscript to 'Grace's'] Company on that day.

The Oxford DNB entry on Sir Walter Besant states that, 'Concerned to cultivate better understanding with North America, Besant worked in the last two years of his life for the Atlantic Union.' In fact it was Besant who founded the club in 1900, with Conan Doyle and others, with the object, according to The Times, 22 February 1900, 'of drawing together the various English-speaking peoples and strengthening the bonds of union by the formation of ties of personal friendship among individual members'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of glue from mount on reverse, which is docketed 'Phillips the Portrait Painter'. The note reads: 'Dear Sir | Your Picture is now varnished & ready to be sent away. Pray be so good as to favour me with the Direction for the Case'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on aged paper, with traces of grey paper mount adhering to the reverse. Reads: 'Gentlemen | I shall be much obliged by your forwarding the wine to me immediately with an account of your expences - | Your obedt servt | Tho Denman | 50 Russell Square | March 17. 1831'.

2pp., 12mo. In envelope addressed by Stirling to 'C Lonsdale Esqre. | Bond Street'. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. 'Mrs. Stirling does not know how to thank Mr. Londsdale for his great kindness - not only now but always shewn to her by him. Mrs. Stirling remembers that she has the full store of the Midsummer Nights' [sic] Dream belonging to Mr. Lonsdale but she is warned by Mr. Lonsdale's Messenger that she must not now stop to thank Mr. Lonsdale fully, as she would wish.'

The six illustrations and seven pages of text totalling 13pp., 4to (22.5 x 18cm), on seven leaves of laid paper removed from an album. On aged brittle paper, with chipping and slight loss to the edges. The illustrations are simple sketches, indicating the layout of the page, with titles and occasional words of text by Sullivan. Five of the six designs are for the Pall Mall Budget: 'The Thumbmark by H. G. Wells' (28 June 1894), thumbmarks around title and a newspaper seller with headline reading 'Anarchist Outrage'; 'The Stolen Bacillus by H. G.

An abridged abstract of this item, by 'Mr. Tallack', appeared in the Social Science Review, N.S. Vol.2 (July-December 1864), pp.421-422, but the present full version of the address, as delivered, is unpublished. 3pp., foolscap 8vo. On three leaves of laid Britannia paper by Conqueror of London. Held together with a brass stud, and with the last leaf laid down on a page removed from an album. With a few manuscript corrections. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The address is written in a vivid but not entirely coherent style, and begins: 'I have been invited by the Secretary, G. H.

3pp., 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed at head of first page. She begins by explaining that at her 'interview with Mr. Bell on the 8th. he suggested an alteration in an important sentence, giving me the alternative of taking the MS. home with me or of correcting the sentence in the proofs. At the time I thought the latter course would be the best, but it occurs to me that it would save expence if the correction was made now.' She asks Cazenove to 'ask Mr. O'Connor if he would kindly alter the words in accordance with the enclosed [not present]'.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, on aged paper. She begins by explaining the reasons for her silence, and apologising if she has 'seemed neglectful': 'the truth is that I quitted Chester Squr on Monday, for Miss Squire's of Blackheath [...] I return to London to morrow mg, to spend a few days with Mr. Murray's [publisher] family in Albemarle St. & then think of takg the railroad to Derby [opened in 1844] to fulfil a long promised visit.' The letter continues with references to 'Mrs Reese Sr.' of Chester Square, 'dear Kath:' and 'dear Matty'.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium on wove paper. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper. 114 newspapers are listed, each with the 'Day Published', from 'Ayrshire Express | Saturday' to 'Yarmouth Independent | Saturday.' One title is added in manuscript, at the foot of the first page: 'Nottingham & Midland Counties Daily Express.' At the foot of the last page: 'Intimations of Alterations and Additions will from time to time be given. | 5.69.' Scarce: no copies on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.

The notable London firm of P. S. King & Son, 'Publishers, Parliamentary and General Booksellers, Bookbinders and Printers', was in existence for more than a hundred years, having been established, according to its own account, in Parliament Street in 1819, and still active until 1941, when it became P. S. King and Staples, under which name it traded for around six years. (An advertisement for the Staples Press Limited in The Times, 14 February 1946, lists, among incorporated companies: 'P. S.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged paper, with slight wear to one corner. Signed 'H. Cernuschi'. He begins by stating that from King's 'première lettre' he had recognised his handwriting. He apologises for not being able to comply with a request of King's: 'Je possédais une importante collection d'autographes - mais elle m'a été volee toute entière'. He concludes by instructing King to send to Westminster '600 copies de Bimetalism in England aand Abroad et 50 copies de mon Speech a Paris 1889'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Not having had 'la facilté de profiter de la bonne recommendation de Miss Louisa Hardy', she writes a letter of recommendation for her son, who will be passing through London for a few days: 'c'est lui qui vous portera nos compliments et vous remercira des articles des journaux que vous m'avez fait parvenir et qu'il m'a traduit'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Tasteful letterhead including the firm's device within an oval, printed in sepia. In good condition: on aged and lightly-worn paper. King was the leading London parliamentary bookseller, and it is interesting to see him apparently offering a work of his own to other publishers. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | We beg to acknowledge with thanks your offer of a translation of Herculano's "O Monge de Cister," which we much regret our inability to accept - our hands being very full just now, & all our arrangements for some time to come made.

The three items are all in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight marking from rusty paperclips. Manuscript: 13pp., 4to. On 13 leaves, paginated 1-13. With a few emendations and corrections. The two typescripts, both well typed, have different layouts to one another. First (smaller) Typescript: 9pp., 4to. Second (larger) Typescript: Carbon copy. 9pp., 4to. The article begins: '"The iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy . . .

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight rust spotting. Manuscript: 12pp, 4to. On twelve leaves, paginated 1-12. With emendations and corrections. Note at head of page: 'Dates & title meant to be typical only: subject to revision from collection catalogue etc & to fit later details of book.' Also at head of page, in red pencil: 'Aquatint collection draft first chapter'. Manuscript: 9pp., 4to. On nine leaves attached with stud (last leaf loose).

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with strip from mount adhering at head of blank reverse. He thanks Sawyer for his letter: 'I am obliged to you for sending me the front page of the United States Tariff Act'. 'The Americans are out for their own prosperity all the time. I only wish our own Government would show the same propensity.' He addresses the letter to 'Chas. J. Sawyer, Esq., 12 & 13, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, W.1.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, tipped in onto a card mount. He explains that he is 'obliged to return to London immediately after the delivery of my Lecture in Glasgow', and so will not be able 'to address the audience you bring together'. If he is 'asked to take part in the Glasgow Science Lectures' the following year, he will bear Hopps's wish in mind. Hopps was both an evolutionist and spiritualist, while Carpenter considered the claims of spiritualism 'epidemic delusions'.

1p., 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter is on the recto of the first leaf, with the address - 'John Spottiswoode Esq. | Sackville St' - on the reverse of the second, which is also docketed 'Sir John Sinclair | Whitehall May 1790'. The letter reads: 'Sir John Sinclair presents his Comps. to Mr Spottiswoode - He has examined the Letter sent to Mr Grant and thinks that the objections mentioned in it, do not require any delay in drawing up the Claim.

1p., 12mo. On light-blue paper. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He thanks Sawyer for his letter and enclosure, found on his return and read 'with the greatest interest'. 'It was extremely kind of you to come and look at my botanical drawings and I am most grateful for the information you have been able to give me. It was marvellous to be able to have the opinion of a real expert.'

Both items in fair condition, lightly-aged and worn. Severin Wielobycki's letter is 1p., 12mo. On the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium. It reads: 'Dear Madam. | I am much delighted that you take interest in my brother; all friends of his are of the same opinion tat he has been treated very unjustly. I hope your influence will if not relieve him, at any rate shorten his horrible sentence. | I beg to enclose two copies of the document according to your request' (only one copy present). The report of 'Dr Wielobycki's Trial' is 1p., 4to, on grey paper, in two columns of small print.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of mount adhering to the reverse. The note reads: 'My dear Murray, | I hope you have not forgotten your promise to dine with me this evening, at Willis' Rooms, at 7 o'clock precisely. | Yours very truly | P. B. Du Chaillu'. Murray's published du Chaillu's books from 1861 to 1903.

Each of the three coloured plates is 19 x 14 cm, and each is laid down on a piece of 31.5 x 20.5 cm cream textured paper, each mount with caption and vignette printed in green. The three are placed in a portfolio, made of the same textured paper as the mount, with the front carrying the title, publishers' details, and an illustration (of underwater baby balancing on a fish). In fair condition, aged and with wear to extremities.

146pp., 12mo, in autograph, almost entirely consisting of poetic compositions, with numerous emendations; with a further 35 cuttings of poems laid down (33 of them by Edwards) and another two cuttings of another two poems loosely inserted. Also loosely inserted are two poems (totalling 7pp., 4to): 'To Ill Health', dated September 1835; and 'The last hope', 28 December 1869. In contemporary dark-green crushed morocco binding, gilt, recently rebacked by Ipsley Bindery with new enpapers. All edges gilt.

49 photographic prints, laid down on 48pp. of a small (16.5 x 13 cm) contemporary 4to album, quarter-bound with brown leather spine and brown cloth boards, with yellow endpapers. No captions: the only manuscript in the volume being the ownership inscription of 'Sybil M. Hubert | 1883' on the front free endpaper. A fragile survival: aged and discoloured, with occasional staining from damp, which also caused some of the photographs to stick to one another, with slight damage occurring on their being detached; binding also in poor condition, with boards detached and leaves loose.

20pp., small 4to (16.5 x 13 cm). Sewn in card wraps, illustrated in colours. In fair condition, lightly and spotted, in worn wraps, with two uncoloured illustrations on the inside wraps coloured in. With ownership inscription on half-title, dated 18 September 1927. Eight attractive full-page colour illustrations (two out of register) in text, in a range of styles, suggesting stock images by different illustrators, and two uncoloured illustrations on the inside wraps, coloured in (by a child?), with another two illustrations on the front and back covers. This item is something of a mystery.