THEATRE

2pp., on both sides of the lower half of a 4to leaf. The recto is numbered by Reade '2', indicating that the two pages constitute the second leaf of a letter. The text reads: '[...] therefore you will consent to do me a bare act of justice viz not to let that gentleman be my public critic in "the World." Of course I should be still more pleased if you would do me the honor to see the play yourself and pronounce upon it. However half a loaf is better than no bread.

2pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. In worn envelope, with stamp and postmark, addressed by Martin to 'John T. Baron Esq | 48 Griffin Street | Witton | Blackburn'. He begins by explaining that he has 'had every minute so fully occupied of late', that he has not been able to comply with Baron's request. 'Lady Martin has done what she is now most reluctant to do - written the name she once bore with a few lines from Cymbeline. I have copied the verse you wish from the little Bon Gaultier Poem'.

Six addressed to 'Edward'; five to 'Teddy'; one to 'Eddy; one to 'Edouard'; one to 'Cher amis' and one to 'Dear Roger'. Totalling 22pp., 4to; 11pp., 8vo; 2pp., 12mo. Ten of the fifteen letters are dated, the other six having only month and year. With copies of two typed letters to Ceccaldi from Edward, one from 1973 in English (1p., 4to), and the other from 1980 in French (2pp., 8vo), the latter accompanied by a synopsis of Ceccaldi's 'The Flight of Icarus', with a foreword by him, and a biography (the three items totalling 4pp., 8vo); also manuscript notes (1p, 8vo; 3pp., 12mo).

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Barrett writes: 'Dear Hall Caine/ | The scheme promises well. I have made an arrangement for eight weeks at the Princess's. I thought it better to fight for the play there. Will certainly have a fair chance, although there can be no <?>.' According to Barrett's entry in the Oxford DNB, he returned from the Globe Theatre 'to the Princess's, where he began work with Hall Caine on adapting The Deemster, renamed Ben-my-chree (17 May 1888).

[1] + 10pp., 4to. Printed on rectos only, and stapled into blue printed card wraps. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, in creased and stained wraps with rust to staples.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Waylett on reverse of second leaf 'To/ | J. M. Donnell Esq | Theatre Royal | Cork', with oval postmark in red, in two parts: 'MIDDAY MAIL | 20 AP | 1829'. According to Waylett's entry in the Oxford DNB, 'On 12 May 1825 she made, as Zephyrina in The Lady and the Devil, her first appearance at the Haymarket, under D. E. Morris. It was a successful début, but she was not encouraged by the managers, and after playing many different parts, some original, she went to Dublin.

1p., landscape 12mo. Good, on aged paper, laid down on fly-leaf of book. Bold signature, written in response to a request for an autograph: 'To/ | Miss Micheline Keating | With affectionate good wishes. | David Belasco. | 1924.'

The first four letters are each 1p., 12mo; and the fifth letter is 1p., 4to. The price list, which accompanies the last letter, is 2pp., 4to. All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. In the first letter (4 May 1980) he replies to his correspondent, thanking him for a letter 'concernant la representation d'Orphée aux Enfers que vous avez vu à Oxford en 1977'.

Letter One: 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With decorative letterhead in red. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Old DD' and 'E. D. Davis'. He realises that Davis is in 'a precious state of mind', and will only send 'a few lines to exchange domestic greetings of kindliness & good fellowship from the circle of Balham to the Square in N'Castle - the waters of the Thames mingle with those of the Tyne'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with small hole through both leaves. He will be too busy over the following days to visit Clark in person, 'and so I send you the first act of the MSS I talked to you about - I may say I read the 1st. act one afternoon to Miss Terry who wanted to take it to Webster - but I was disinclined'. If Clark 'had anything to do with it - the Blacksmith would be the [last word underlined] part'. He asks Clark to return it as soon as he can: 'as this is the American copy - and they expect it (but of course won't get it) by next mail'.

The sheet is 38 x 27.5cm; and the dimensions of the plate are34 x 25cm. At foot of plate: 'London, Published by Thos. Mc.Lean, 26 Haymarket, 1824.' The engravings, each 11 x 8cm., are arranged in two rows of two. In good condition, lightly-aged and with a torn pin hole at head, presumably where the print was torn from its string. Moving clockwise from top left, the prints are as follows.

12pp., 12mo. In original printed wraps bearing the title, dramatis personae, printer's slug, and contemporary pencil note: 'Performed at Literary Institute Wednesday June 8th 1898.' On aged and worn paper, with curling to fore-edge, and a cloth strip sewn on to strengthen spine. A comedy in heroic couplets. Excessively scarce: no copies on COPAC or WorldCat OCLC. Kirshaw was active between the 1870s and 1890s.

Both items printed on pink paper, with similar cover designs by Arnold Riches. Both in fair condition, aged and worn. The song sheet is a bifolium, 4pp, 4to, It dates from before 1939, when, following Ridgeway's death, the Player's Theatre moved to the Arts Theatre from King Street. The front page advertises performances 'Every Night (Except Sundays)', with 'THE ARTISTES' listed over twelve lines, and including 'Alec (Laneworthy-Figg) Clunes', Peter Ustinov, Bernard Miles and 'Leonard Sachs (Chairman)'.

The autograph address by Eva Marie Garrick is on a 7.5 x 14.5 piece of paper, laid down on an 8 x 20 cm piece of paper cut from an album. In fair condition, aged. Lightly-scored through by the postal authorities, it reads: 'The Rigt. Honorable | Dowr. Lady Amherst | Leven Grove near | Stokerley | Yorkshire'. Beneath this, in another hand: 'Widow of the celebrated David Garrick Esq', and along one edge, in a third hand (Lady Amherst's?), 'This direction was written by Mrs Garrick in the year 1819 when in her 92d year'.

1p., 16mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, and laid down on a leaf removed from an album. The note reads: 'Sir | can you offer me an engagement on either the 16th., 18th., 20th. or 24th. December, as I am engaged in your neighbourhood about those dates. | Requesting your immediate reply, | I remain, Sir, | yours truly | [signed] Erminia Rudersdorff | J. M. Wiske, Esq.'

1p., 12mo. On aged and ruckled paper, with pinholes to one corner. He is 'in the thick of this "Week in the Country" business'. 'When I come to town I'll come & see you about your proposition of the series for the Grand Magazine, but I'm a rotten short story writer, you know.'

Printed in black on one side of a piece of thick laid paper, 30.5 x 19.5 cm. Aged, and separated into two parts by a neat tear along a vertical fold line 13 cm from bottom (repaired on reverse), and with slight wear at the head. An attractive and characteristically Victorian design, entirely drawn onto the stone (i.e. none of the text set in type). The design displays a quirky and charming amateur energy, with the text within a decorative border incorporating what appears to be 'IOD POONA' at the foot. Headed by the words 'STATION THEATRE .

8vo., 69pp. Unbound as issued. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with worn and chipped printed front wrap still present, with ownership inscription at head (''). 482 lots, with several of the books ticked in pencil. Included, as lots 95 to 112A, are 'specially printed copies of the various Lyceum Plays, as arranged for the Stage by SIR HENRY IRVING; they contain numerous manuscript alterations in the text in the handwriting of the great Actor, and are in consequence of very great interest'.

Mackenzie's letter is 1p., landscape 12mo. 16 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a crease to one corner. He thanks MP for his 'encouraging letter' and discusses his own 'silly slip about the Faery Queen's entrance' in a radio broadcast: 'I was so much concerned with giving listeners the difference between the O.P. and the Prompt side that it became a question of physician heal thyself.' He continues: 'I wasn't sure of the year Mille Le Garde [sic] sang that song. Probably '97. Rose Dering was the Aladdin. She was second boy. Ted Young was the Widow Twankey.

2pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged grey paper, with slight chipping at one corner. The letter accompanies a copy of an unnamed play, which Phillips hopes will interest Greenwood. 'I will stand or fall by it. I have learnt so much from your criticism (more indeed than from any one) that I should hope that you might continue possibly that line of such sane and helpful criticism which I have learned to look for from "the onlooker".' He concludes by declaring that there is no one to whom he is sending the book 'with greater pleasure'.

A good, firm signature, written on one side of a rectangle torn from the base of a letter, roughly 15 x 20cm. Aged and little creased. Written while Kean was on an American theatrical tour, the fragment reads 'I remain, | Yours truly | [signed] Charles Kean | Aster House | 9th. June | 1846.' In pencil on the reverse: 'Presented by A. Bassler'.

Landscape 8vo album with 82pp. on 73 leaves of different coloured paper in original cloth. Aged and loose, in worn binding. The autographs are mainly theatrical, and although lacking any first-rate actors, provide a tantalising glimpse into a lost world. Laid down are signed postcards from.Stella Gastelle, Ethel Ward and Ben Albert ('To Miss Rothsay | Best Wishes from her Dad's Pal Ben').

1p., foolscap 8vo. Stained, worn and creased, but a unique memento of a Newcastle institution and Grade I listed building, founded in 1867 as the Tyne Theatre and Opera House, and now bearing the euphonious name of the Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre.

The letterhead includes a facsimile of Sims's signature. Six lines, on one side of the card. Addressed at foot to 'Thos Hutchinson Esq.' Fair, on aged paper, with strip of gummed paper from mount at head of blank reverse. He sends 'a thousand thanks' for Hutchinson's 'kind letter on Sep 2', which he would have answered earlier, had he not been 'away at Liverpool'. He concludes: 'Your good wishes lay upon my table to welcome me home.'

1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper and worn paper. He is 'exceedingly obliged' to Barnett for 'procuring for me the freedom of Her Majesty's Theatre'. He asks if he will 'receive an official commemoration from Mr. Lumley', or whether he should write and thank Lumley on the strength of Barnett's note.

1p., folio. Fair, on lightly-aged paper; with staple- and punch-holes in left-hand margin. Docketed in pencil, at head 'file Oliver MESSEL', and at foot '2/XII/52'. He thanks him for 'your charming messages [...] about the designs for the Glyndebourne brochure', which were 'given me by Vagn' (Messel's partner Vagn Riis-Hansen). 'For the one design ie.

Letter: 1p., 12mo. On letterhead of 12 Sunderland Terrace, London, printed in orange with orange border. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He states that his daughter Nelly (1904-1975) has given him her bookplate block 'to get printed for you'. He quotes prices for 100 and 300 prints, 'only to old friends so please dont tell anyone else!! If you will just let me have a P.C I will get them done in two days.' Nelly has also told him that Mrs Dryhurst's husband Alfred Robert Dryhurst (1859-1949) 'wanted to know my price for a bookplate (but perhaps she got that wrong) anyhow I generally charge £10.

The production to which the first item relates was Toole's last before being forced by gout to retire from the London stage. Both items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper; the first with short closed tear at head. Both printed on one side only. Item One: 33 x 21 cm. Headed 'Mr. J. L. Toole's Company. | THOROUGH-BRED. | PROPERTY PLOT.' Listing, under 'Stage' and 'Hand', all the props needed for the three acts, the last (and shortest) entry reading '[ACT III.] HAND. | Field glasses, cases. Race cards for all. Letter (WILHELMINA). Set of bones (TOSH). Coins (all). 2 tambourines.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of unobtrusive creases. 'We shall be very pleased to come to tea with you on Sunday - I hope you will not mind if we are a little late - I shall be so glad to see Mrs. Arkwright also. With kind regards and many thanks | Believe me | Yours very sincerely | [signed] Emma Albani Gye'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She writes that she is enclosing a letter, which she would like sent on 'to the Manager of the Bournemouth Little Theatre Club if you will, as I do not know the address'.