MUSEUM

[ Anthony Panizzi; British ] Autograph Note Signed A Panizzi to unnamed correspondent, explaining that he can't meet up.

Author: 
Antonio Panizzi [Sir Antonio Genesio Maria Panizzi (1797 -1879), Anthony Panizzi, librarian of Italian birth and an Italian patriot, Principal Librarian of the British Museum from 1856 to 1866.]
Publication details: 
British Museum, Dec13 . night,
£35.00

Two page, 12mo, fold marks, good condition. Text: I thank you by post [underlined] for you invitation, in order you may get my answer sooned. | I am in town & not likely to go out of it any more than the monument. I have not been well & have been obliged to shut & live by rule. I suppose that owing to that I am better, but I must not presume too much, and, with great reluctance, I must beg to be excused from being with you on Monday next. With many thanks believe me [...].

[Martin Hardie, artist, engraver, art historian, and a Victoria & Albert Museum Keeper.] Autograph Card Signed to C. H. Whitby, regarding an engraving by the disciple of William Blake, Samuel Palmer.

Author: 
Martin Hardie (1875-1952), artist, engraver, art historian and Keeper of Painting, Engraving, Illustration, and Design at the Victoria and Albert Musem, London [Samuel Palmer; William Blake]
Publication details: 
4 June 1925; with London postmark of the same date.
£35.00

See Hardie's entry in the Oxford DNB. 11.5 x 9 cm card. Printed with penny stamp in red; no illustration. In fair condition, discoloured and a little worn. Addressed by Hardie to 'C. H. Whitby | 82, Crofton Park | Yeovil.' (Whitby is the author of a handful of books of reglious poetry.) Whitby would appear to be offering for sale, or at least asking for advice about, an impression of Palmer's celebrated engraving 'The Bellman'.

[Angus Wilson, novelist, as British Museum librarian.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Angus Wilson.') to 'Rylands', regarding his letter to 'Noel', which he has asked 'Mr Greene' to show him.

Author: 
Angus Wilson [Sir Angus Frank Johnstone-Wilson] (1913-1991), novelist [British Museum, Department of Printed Books]
Publication details: 
12 October 1950; on letterhead of the Reading Room, British Museum, London, W.C.1.
£30.00

1p, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Folded twice, resulting in offset ink smudging. Reads: 'Dear Rylands, | I am writing to you in case Noel is away. I have asked Mr Greene to show you my letter to Noel, if this is should [sic] be so. Anything you could do to help, would be kind and good, I think.

[Bellevue Hospital, New York, Wood Museum.] Printed item: 'Catalogue of the "Wood" Museum of Bellevue Hospital, New York City, comprising a descriptive and classified list of Anatomical and Pathological Specimens.'

Author: 
Bellevue Hospital, New York, Wood Museum [James Rushmore Wood (1816-1882), surgeon, 'Anatomical and Pathological Specimens']
Publication details: 
[Bellevue Hospital, New York.] Department Press. 1880.
£150.00

vi + 257pp, 8vo. In good condition, tight and clean, on lightly-aged paper. In good modern binding of grey card, with new endpapers, and the title-page reproduced on the front cover.

[John George Jackson, Leamington architect.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J G Jackson') to William Hookham Carpenter, regarding payment to his father the bookseller James Carpenter, the building of a villa for 'Mr Woolryche', and a bust of Shakespeare.

Author: 
John George Jackson, Leamington architect [William Hookham Carpenter, Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, son of London bookseller James Carpenter]
Publication details: 
3 May 1834; Newbold Lodge [Leamington].
£56.00

For John George Jackson (c.1798-c.1851), architect of Leamington Priors, pupil of P. F. Robinson, see Lyndon F. Cave's 'Royal Leamington Spa' (1988). He erected Newbold Lodge on the site of Strawberry Cottage in the early 1830s. See the entry for the recipient William Hookham Carpenter (1792-1866), later Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, in the Oxford DNB. At the time of the present letter Carpenter was working for his father the Old Bond Street bookseller James Carpenter (c.1768-1852). 2pp, 8vo. Bifolium.

[Frederick Burnaby, British traveller and national hero.] Engraving by Elizabeth Adela Forbes, of a drawing of Burnaby by Mary Blanchard Reed, signed by both women ('Mary B Reed' and 'Elizabeth A. Armstrong').

Author: 
Frederick Burnaby [Frederick Gustavus Burnaby] (1842-1885), soldier, traveller and balloonist; Elizabeth Adela Forbes [née Armstrong] (1859-1912), Canadian artist; Mary Blanchard Reed; Sidney Redrup
Publication details: 
'London Published July 8th. 1885 by Sidney Redrup. 175. New Bond Street. Copyright Registered.'
£1,500.00

See the Oxford DNB entry on Burnaby ('He was commemorated in verse, song, and Staffordshire pottery').

[Sir Richard Owen, palaeontologist.] Autograph Letter Signed to Lady Cullum, enclosing a long translation by Samuel Birch of inscriptions on an Egyptian statue in the British Museum, annotated by Owen and with transcription of letter to him by Birch.

Author: 
Sir Richard Owen (1804-1892), palaeontologist, first Director of Natural History Museum, opponent of the theory of evolution [Samuel Birch (1813-1885), Egyptologist; Lady Ann Cullum of Hardwick House]
Publication details: 
Owen's letter to Lady Cullum dated from Sheen Lodge, Richmond Park, 5 May 1867. Transcription of Birch's letter to Owen dated from British Museum [London], 9 July 1860.
£850.00

An interesting item in the field of Victorian Egyptology. The subject is what Owen describes here as 'one of the oldest Statues of an Egyptian Notable in the British Museum'. Its current Museum Number is EA103, and it has been in the Museum since 1835, but the details of its acquisition are unclear. In his translation Birch calls the sitter 'the Royal Scribe, Amenhelp', but the current BM description begins: 'Scribal statue of Amenhotep son of Hapu: of black grano-diorite. Hieroglyphic texts are inscribed on the papyrus unrolled on his lap and on the statue plinth.

[John Lee, astronomer and mathematician.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. Lee.') to George Ransome of Ipswich, urging him or 'some delegate' to attend 'our peaceful congress', 'the Hartwell Peace Festival'.

Author: 
John Lee [born John Fiott] (1783-1866), astronomer and philanthropist [George Ransome (1811-1876), Secretary of the Ipswich Museum; Hartwell Festival of Peace and Temperance]
Publication details: 
'Hartwell [i.e. Hartwell House] near Aylesbury'. 4 August 1851.
£56.00

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Lee and his wife held regular festivals of 'Peace and Temperance' in the grounds at Hartwell, and he writes that he hopes Ransome has received the prospectus of the festival which he sent him. He and his wife would be pleased were Ransome to attend, and he offers him 'a Bed in our house, or to secure one for you in Aylesbury'. In a postscript he states: 'If you cannot come or your Brother; I hope that you will send some delegate, or MP. to represent Ipswich at our peaceful Congress'.

[John Lee, astronomer and mathematician.] Autograph Letter Signed ('John Lee.') to 'Miss May' [daughter of astronomer Charles May], regarding the procurement of lodgings for a meeting of the British Association of Science at Ipswich.

Author: 
John Lee [born John Fiott] (1783-1866), astronomer, mathematician, antiquarian, barrister, numismatist and physicist [Charles May (1800-1860) of Ipswich, astronomer]
Publication details: 
On embossed letterhead of Totteridge Park School, Hertfordshire. No date. [1840s?]
£56.00

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Neatly and closely written. At the end of the letter Lee names the recipient as 'Miss May | Carr Street | Ipswich'. (She was the daughter of Quaker astronomer Charles May, a partner in the firm of civil engineers Ransomes and May.) Lee begins by stating that he and his wife 'are anxious to come to Ipswich on tuesday the first of July in order to attend the meeting of the British Association of Science'.

[Marinus Campbell, Dutch bibliographer.] Autograph Letter Signed ('M. F. A. G Campbell') in French [to Basil Montagu Pickering], describing the response of William Blades to his discovery in Ghent of 'un Caxton inconnu'.

Author: 
Marinus Fredrik Andries Gerardus Campbell (1819-1890), Dutch bibliographer, [Basil Montagu Pickering (1835-1878) William Blades (1824-1890); William Caxton]
Publication details: 
'La Haye [The Hague, Holland] 18 Septembre 1875.'
£450.00

Campbell was Librarian of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, and Chief Director of the Museum Meermanno-Westreenianum. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Neatly and closely written. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient ('Cher Monsieur') is not named, but the context of the letter identifies him the London publisher and bookseller Basil Montagu Pickering, who in 1874 published 'Calcoen, A Dutch narrative of the Second Voyage of Vasco da Gama to Calicut, Printed at Antwerp circa 1504', edited by Jean Philibert Berjeau (1809-1891).

[Sir Frederic George Kenyon, Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum.] Autograph Letter Signed ('F. G. Kenyon') to 'Mr Frewen', writing in wartime to thank him for offering 'duplicates to help in the restoration of destroyed libraries'

Author: 
Sir Frederic George Kenyon [Sir F. G. Kenyon] (1863-1952), palaeographer, biblical and classical scholar, Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum, President of the British Academy
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Friends of the National Libraries, c/o The British Museum, London, WC1. 1 September 1941.
£56.00

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. He is 'very much obliged' to Frewen for the offer 'of duplicates to help in the restoration of destroyed libraries', and notes that 'it is impossible to forecast the needs that will exist at the end of the war'. In the meantime he has 'marked with the initials F. [L. S.?] a number of volumes in your list which I think are sure to be useful for our purpose.

[Sir Arthur Bryant defends himself against an attack by fellow Pepys scholar Edwin Chappell.] Eight Autograph Letters Signed and one Typed Letter Signed (all 'Arthur Bryant') to Chappell, on questions of Pepys scholarship.

Author: 
Sir Arthur Bryant [Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant] (1899-1985), historian and biographer of Samuel Pepys [Edwin Chappell (1883-1938), Pepys scholar and maritime historian; Samuel Pepys]
Publication details: 
From: The White House, East Claydon, Bucks (3); 97 Swan Court, Manor Street, London (3); Portmeirion and Madeira. Between 6 January 1932 and 22 November 1933.
£350.00

Nine letters (eight ALsS and one TLS) totalling 16pp, 12mo, in close and neat autograph; and 2pp, 4to, typed. One from 1932 and the other eight from 1933. All signed 'Arthur Bryant'. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight rust-staining from paperclips to a couple of the letters. An interesting correspondence, in which Bryant gives an assessment of Pepys, and describes his approach to writing his biography. In one long letter (5 May 1933) Bryant describes his wider approach to the writing of history.

[Sir Henry Ellis, Principal Secretary at the British Museum.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Henry Ellis') to the numismatist John Yonge Akerman, regarding the 'Certificate' of 'M. Meryon du Marsan' [i.e.Théophile Marion Dumersan].

Author: 
Sir Henry Ellis (1777-1869), Principal Librarian at the British Museum, 1827-1856 [John Yonge Akerman (1806-1873), numismatist and antiquary; Théophile Marion Dumersan (1780-1849), French author]
Publication details: 
79 Great Russell Street [London]. 2 March 1845.
£35.00

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. He states that the 'Certificate' of 'M. Meryon [sic] du Mersan' has been 'signed by Lord Aberdeen', and that he wishes to 'get the signatures of Mr. Gurney and Mr. Hamilton to it'. If he does not – 'or rather cannot' – send it to Akerman beforehand, he asks him if 'you can add your signature before it is read on Thursday Evening'. In addition to his literary works, Dumersan was a numismatist and Curator attached to the Cabinet des Médailles et Antiques of the Bibliothèque Royale.

[ J.G. Pfister; Numismatics ] Autograph Letter Signed "J.G. Pfister" to C. Roach Smith, fellow-numismatist, on an abstruse "coin" issue., a "fibula" (broach or clasp)

Author: 
J.G. Pfister, Numismatist, author of "Stray Leaves from the Journal of a Traveller in Search of Ancient Coins".
Publication details: 
British Museum, 18 January 1856.
£220.00

One page, 12mo, fold marks, grubby but text clear and complete. "It appears to me that the fibula [broach or clasp] in question is of the XIthe century, and represents a still ruder imitation of the rude Munus Divinus of Louis-Le-Debonaire. It was for several centuries the custom in France, that all sort of coins or imitations of coins in all the different metals, bearing portraitrs with names, or religious legends & were given as mariage presents. And of course such gifts served also for other sacred and religious ceremonies. And afterwards formed into fibulae [an addition in smaller hand].

[Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel, and Michael Ayrton.] Duplicated Typescript of 'Minutes of the Sixth Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Friends of the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art', London, including four-page list of art library of David Leder.

Author: 
Friends of the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, London [Michael Ayrton (1921-1975), artist and author; David Leder, German textile manufacturer, and his wife Lola Leder, art patrons; Haim Gamzu (1910-1982)]
Publication details: 
'held on the 13th April 1948 at the House of Commons.' [London]
£280.00

An interesting document, produced on the eve of the establishment of the State of Israel. Full heading on first page: 'Minutes of the Sixth Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Friends of the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art held on the 13th April 1948 at the House of Commons.' 5pp, foolscap 8vo, on five stapled leaves. Paginated and complete. In fair condition, aged and worn, with first leaf detached. Recorded as present are: 'Mrs Barbara Ayrton-Gould [Michael Ayrton's mother and a Member of Parliament] (Sitting-in for the Chairman) | Mr. J. Isaacs | Mr. Michael Ayrton | Mr.

[Thomas Davidson, Scottish palaeontologist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Thos Davidson') to S. P. Woodward of the British Museum Department of Geology, notifying him of various developments in the field.

Author: 
Thomas Davidson (1817-1885), Scottish palaeontologist, author of monumental 'Monograph of British Fossil Brachiopoda' [Samuel Pickworth Woodward (1821-1865) of British Museum Department of Geology]
Publication details: 
2 Grosvenor Place, Brixton. 5 May 1852.
£180.00

A good letter, breathing enthusiasm for his field of study. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. He begins by stating that he will not be calling at the Museum that week, but writes to 'drop you a line to say that I have received a very long letter from Mr [Suett?] full of details regarding Ilrigocephalus etc and in which he mentions that he can drown you with notes on Rudists'. He also refers to 'a good paper by V. Hauren on the Structure etc of Caprina Partschi' ('a synonym of Cap. Paradoxa Matheron').

[Richard Garnett, biographer and poet.] Autograph Letter Signed ('R. Garnett') to 'Mrs. Epps', regarding the forthcoming visit of her party to the British Museum.

Author: 
Richard Garnett (1835-1906), biographer and poet, Assistant Keeper of Printed Books in the British Museum
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the British Museum [London]. 'Saturday' [no date].
£56.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and spotted. Reads: 'Dear Mrs. Epps, | I shall be very glad to see you and your party this afternoon; or, if I am not able to be with you, an assistant shall meet you in the hall at 3.'

[John Moore of Tewkesbury, writer, naturalist and conservationist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('John C Moore') to Edward Thomas's friend R. N. Green-Armytage, asking for personal recollections of Thomas, and the loan of letters, for his biography.

Author: 
John Moore [John Cecil Moore] (1907-1967) of Tewkesbury, author and conservationist [Robert North Green-Armytage, friend of Edward Thomas]
Publication details: 
On his letterhead, 11, The Gastons, Gloucester Road, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. 17 January 1936.
£100.00

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Addressed to 'Dear Mr Green-Armytage', corrected from 'Armitage'. The letter begins: 'You may have heard that a Committee, of which Walter De la Mare is chairman, is considering the question of putting up some sort of memorial to Edward Thomas. At the same time I am beginning work on a Life and Letters of Edward Thomas, which has Mrs Thomas' approval, and is intended to be something in the nature of a memorial edition.' He will 'shortly be issuing an appeal in the press for the loan of letters etc in the possession of E.

[ Sir Henry Ellis, Principal Secretary of the British Museum. ] Autograph Note Signed ('Henry Ellis'), regarding the 'recommendation to our Reading Room' of 'Mr Justice Norton'.

Author: 
Sir Henry Ellis (1777-1869), Principal Librarian of the British Museum, 1827-1856; Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries of London
Publication details: 
British Museum [ London ]. 12 September 1842.
£35.00

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with closed tear and tape stain at head. Reads: 'British Museum | Sept. 12. 1842 | My dear Sir | I was not at home when Mr Justice Norton presented your Note of recommendation to our Reading Room. I lose no time in enclosing a Card for him, with our Regulations. | Yours very truly | Henry Ellis'.

[ Pollock's Toy Museum, London. ] Three letters from Benjamin Pollock's daughter Louisa (Miss E. L. Pollock), as manager, to W. H. Prince, including list of books and itemised receipt. With price list and engraving of the front of the original shop.

Author: 
Pollock's Toy Museum, London [ Miss E. L. Pollock [Louisa Pollock ]; Benjamin Pollock's Toy Shop; founded by John Redington (1819–1876), and continued by his son-in-law Benjamin Pollock (1856-1937)]
Publication details: 
[ Pollock's Toy Museum. ] The three letters (all 1944) dated from 73 Hoxton Street, London, N1. The price list and illustration of the Hoxton shop front undated.
£320.00

Five items. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'E. L. Pollock') to W. H. Prince. A total of 6pp. The writer, 'Miss E. L. Pollock', is Benjamin Pollock's daughter Louise, who with her sister Selina managed the shop after his death. All three letters are written in 1944, the year in which the sisters sold the stock to the bookseller Alan Keen. The letters respond to enquiries regarding the stock, and one (12 May 1944) includes an itemised bill of twelve items 'Bought of Pollock's late B Pollock | 73. Hoxton St. London.

[ William Hayman Cummings, Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, to musicologist R. A. Streatfield. ] Six Autograph Letters Signed (all 'William H. Cummings') regarding Handel and a controversy in the Morning Post on 'Cannons' and Duke of Chandos.

Author: 
William Hayman Cummings (1831-1915), Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, tenor, organist at Waltham Abbey [ Richard Alexander Streatfeild (1866-1919) of the British Museum, musicologist ]
Publication details: 
All from Sydcote, Dulwich, S.E. [ London ] Between 25 September 1913 and 20 February 1914.
£120.00

The six letters in good condition, lightly aged and worn. The first five on grey paper, the sixth on white paper with mourning border. The first letter (25 September 1913) reads: 'Your letter in yesterday's "Morning Post" reminded me of your fine book on Handel. I read it on its publication, and it is always close at hand as I write in my study. But, alas, I am in my 83rd year and my memory is not what it was. I ought to have looked at what you said before writing to the M. P. In any case, I thank you for taking part in the fray, which I think is not being quite fairly fought.

[ Alfred Waterhouse, Victorian Gothic Revival architect. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('A Waterhouse') to the physician W. H. Allchin, asking him to call to see his son, 'who has a swelled face'.

Author: 
Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905), RA, Victorian Gothic Revival architect who designed Manchester Town Hall and the Natural History Museum, London [ Sir William Henry Allchin (1846-1912), physician ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 20 New Cavendish Street, Portland Place, W. [ London ] 5 May 1889.
£50.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to Allchin at 5 Chandos Street, W. He asks him whether it would be 'convenient to you to come across today to see my Son who has a swelled face, & whose mother thinks he is not in a condition to go outside the house'.

[ Charles Schreiber, connoisseur and Conservative Party politician. ] Autograph Letter Signed

Author: 
Charles Schreiber (1826-1884), academic, connoisseur and Conservative Party politician, husband of Lady Charlotte Guest
Publication details: 
On his monogrammed letterhead. From the Queen's Hotel, Ventnor, Isle of Wight. 12 October 1883.
£35.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. He wishes to explain the '2. things' he forgot in closing his letter of the day before: '1st. to mention that I enclosed a Cheque for £10 . 10s . 0d. in aid of yr. Fund for sending Poole Fishermen to see the Fisheries' Exhibition in London - & next that at the above Address I shd. be glad to receive the acknowledgment of my Cheque.' Pencil note in a contemporary hand at foot of last page: '2nd. Husband of Sir John Guests widow. (Sir J. G.

[ John Winter Jones, Principal Librarian of the British Museum. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. Winter Jones.') to 'Mr. Jefferies', regarding his 'New Testament of 1538'.

Author: 
John Winter Jones (1805-1881), Principal Librarian of the British Museum, 1866–1873, and first President of the Library Association
Publication details: 
British Museum [ London ]. 11 March 1864.
£56.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, lightly aged, but with central spike hole through both leaves, from which a horizontal closed tear has been made through the fore-edges (not affecting signature or its immediate surrounds). The note is hurried, and reads: 'I find that we have the New Testament of 1538. I will therefore return your copies at once if you will be so good as to say by what mode they shall be forwarded to you.'

[ John Weale, writer on architecture, and London bookseller and publisher. ] Autograph Letter Signed to the architect Samuel Huggins, regarding stocktaking, Huggins's 'advertisement' and 'the Soane Museum'.

Author: 
John Weale (1791-1862), writer on architecture, and London bookseller and publisher, initially with George Priestley [ Samuel Huggins (1811-1885), Liverpool architect and writer ]
Publication details: 
59 High Holborn, London. 13 December 1861.
£80.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with the blank second leaf tipped-in onto a leaf from an album. His only excuse for 'the long delay' is 'that all my time has been occupied in taking stock, which necessarily has been a most irksome job'. It will be the following month before he can 'put forth an appendix to my Catalogue, as it will be necessary for me to wait the coming event of something, that I may, or may not be engaged in.' He will have time 'to consider & reconsider' Huggins's 'advertisement'.

[ John Disney, archaeologist. ] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr. P. Duncan of New Coll:',

Author: 
John Disney (1779-1857), archaeologist [ Philip Bury Duncan (1772-1863) of New College, Oxford, Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum ]
Publication details: 
The Hyde. 27 March 1828.
£220.00

2pp., 4to. He begins by reminding Duncan that he recently wrote to him, 'in reply to your letter on the subject of your book respecting Portugal'. That letter was directed to Oxford, but as Disney has not heard from Duncan since, he wonders whether it might have miscarried. He is now writing to remind Duncan of his 'kind expressions in my behalf as a candidate on the list at the Athenaeum'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Wm. S. W. Vaux') to 'Mrs. Milford', regarding autographs he is sending for her collection.

Author: 
William Sandys Wright Vaux (1818-1885), Keeper of the Department of Coins and Medals in the British Museum, antiquary
Publication details: 
British Museum [ London ]. 25 June 1856.
£35.00

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight creasing along inner edge. As promised he is sending 'Rawlinson's Autograph - I send you also those of Gordon Cumming and of a man who has just been Attorney General at Hong Kong'. He concludes: 'I will look through my papers & and [sic] see if I can discover any other celebrities for you'.

[ Sir Henry Ellis of the British Museum and Leonard Horner of the University of London. ] Autograph Note Signed from Horner to Ellis, requesting a Reading Room ticket for 'Mr Phillips', with Ellis's signed autograph refusal.

Author: 
Sir Henry Ellis (1777-1869), Principal Librarian at the British Museum, 1827-1856; Leonard Horner (1785-1864), Scottish geologist, Warden of the University of London
Publication details: 
Horner's Note from the University of London, 11 February 1830. Ellis's reply without place or date.
£65.00

1p., 12mo. Heavily aged and worn, with closed tear along fold line at head, and remains of mount on reverse. Horner's note, on the upper part of the paper, reads: 'Dear Sir | Be so good as admit Mr Phillips to the privileges of the Reading Room at the British Museum - | Yours faithfully | Leonard Horner | University of London | 11 Feby 1830'. Beneath this Ellis has written: 'My Dear Sir | Mr. Phillips can be admitted at the Age of Eighteen, but is not eligible for our Reading Room at present | Ever faithfully Yours | H. Ellis | L. Horner Esqr'.

[ Sir Anthony Panizzi, Principal Librarian of the British Museum. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('A Panizzi') to 'Delane' [ editor The Times? ], re.Earls of Derby (inc. his acquaintance 'the great cockfighter') and whether a book is by the present Earl.

Author: 
Sir Anthony Panizzi [ Antonio Genesio Maria Panizzi ] (1797-1879), Principal Librarian of the British Museum and Italian patriot
Publication details: 
'British Museum | Thursday mng'.
£56.00

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with unobtrusive traces of stub. The letter begins: 'Vixere fortes antes Agamemnona, all the Earls of Derby have of late been Edwards, in 1828 the Earl of Derby was the grandfather of the present one – I have known him – the great cockfighter – and husband of Miss Farren.' He asks him not to forget to send 'the book of diplomatic sports': he is leaving for the continent the following Saturday, but will not fail to return it.

[ H. Lonsdale Elmes, architect. ] Autograph Note Signed ('H. Lonsdale Elmes') to Henry Howard, Secretary, Royal Academy, giving the name of a drawing for exhibition.

Author: 
H. Lonsdale Elmes [ Harvey Lonsdale Elmes ] (1814-1847), English architect, designer of St George's Hall, Liverpool
Publication details: 
No place or date.
£180.00

On 10 x 11.5 cm piece of paper, cut down from a longer letter. Aged and worn, with traces of glue and grey paper mount adhering to the reverse, which is addressed by Elmes to Howard at the Royal Academy. Reads: 'I send with this one drawing for Exhibition with my name at the back of which the following is the description | "Design for a National Museum comprised in a space of two Acres | H. Lonsdale Hunter | 11 Park Street | Westminster'. Note: Perhaps he was quoting for St George's Hall(?).

Syndicate content