TRADE

For more about Joseph Wilson, ARIBA, FRIAS, see his entry in the Dictionary of Scottish Architects. From the familiar tone of his letters (Items Seven, Ten and Eleven below), there is every indication that he was closely related to his client, J. G. Wilson, proprietor of the prestigious firm of J. & E. Bumpus Ltd, and a man described by Sir Basil Blackwell (in his DNB entry on Wilson) as 'the most famous English [sic] bookseller of his time'. Eleven items, in good condition, lightly aged and worn.

On the 8 x 13cm cover of the envelope. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with loss at head and to top right-hand corner from removal from an album, traces of which adhere to the reverse. Playfair's signature ('Lyon Playfair') in the bottom left-hand corner is unnaffected, and the address, also in his hand, reads: 'Messrs George Routledge & Son | Broadway | Ludgate Hill | E.C.' The orange circular franking postmark is incomplete, and reads: 'LON | OFF | PAID | B | 9 FE 86'.

Three pages, cr.8vo, bifolium, fold marks, small closed tear on fold, some staining, but text clear and complete. Text in William Boobyer's hand, by comparison with signatures. There are twelve numbered clauses in the Agreement. 1. That Adam Boobyer should conduct the business at 6 Seymour Row for them both. 2. All "monies" "be accounted for to Adam Boobyer". 3. William Boobyer shall receive 30s from the profits. 4. Independently of clause 3, William to receive a "fair share of the increase of profits" and "five percent upon all cash above eighty pounds per month which is taken". 5.

Letter written across two pages, 8vo, small tear with no loss of text, small hole at fold, mainly good, address on verso counter-signed (Free Post) "H.Gally Knight", M.P., traveller and writer. Notation top left corner "F.66.Cole. CR". Text as follows: "The enclosed will prove to you that you are not forgotten. I am but just recovered from a dreadful illness, which has shared one half of my person and two thirds of my purse: but the Tour [Northern Counties and Scotland [see full details below] has been triumphant - and will, I trust, be profitable.

Both items are laid down on a 12mo leaf extracted from an album. All in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Laid down on the reverse of the leaf is an early eighteenth-century engraving of a man (William Hutton?) holding a book. The explanatory note, on one side of the leaf from the album, reads: 'This Leaf, given to me by Mr. Samuel Hutton, High Street, is taken from a Volume of unpublished poems, composed by, and in the Autograph of, William Hutton. | That below which I received from Mr.

All three items in good condition, on lightly aged paper. ONE: 4 December 1821. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. The letter, which concerns her plans for a book, begins: 'My dear Sir | In consequence of your opinion, I send a prospectus for Mr. Dawes [the critic Manassah Dawes (d.1829)?], which you will have the goodness to forward at a proper opportunity. But for this opinion, I should not have had the courage to apply to him, though the refusal of two persons ought not to prevent the application to a third. Nothing in my opinion could have been more certain than the subscriptions of Mr.

Full title: 'Comparative Statement of the Imports into Bristol from the West Indies of Sugar, Rum & Coffee, together with Sugar from the East Indies and Mauritius from the 1st. January to the 30th. Septr in the Years 1839 & 1840 shewing the Stocks remaining under Bond at the latter date.' 3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Addressed (with two postmarks, one of them from Bristol) on reverse of second leaf: 'P.P. | Messrs. Hankey Wilson & Co | London', and docketed by the recipients: '496 | Ariel & Beloe | 30 Sept 1840 | recd 2 Oct [1840] | no answer'.

4pp., 8vo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. The first page carries the 'pitch', beginning: 'AN HISTORICAL MAGAZINE has long been the great desideratum of our literature.' The author proceeds to claim that 'THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE has stepped forward to occupy this vacant post.' The page ends: 'Five numbers of the new undertaking are before the public, and present a fair example of what the work will henceforth be. The following important subjects have been treated of in some of the recent articles: -'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter reads: 'I beg to re-enclose for the excerpt from your publication "Men & Women of the Time," of my biography which I have revised, making a very few alterations, & adding a few lines which I write on the other sheet of this note: [not present] my permanent address now is the above'. The note relates to the fifteenth edition of the work, published by G. Routledge & Sons in 1899.

3pp. folio. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn wove paper watermarked 'RUSE & TURNERS | 1834', with a few short closed tears to crease lines.. The first page is headed 'Porto em 31st. December 1844', and the other two 'Porto the 31st. December 1844'. The account shows substantial sums paid in by various English wine merchants, and a final balance of 428,504 Reis 355 Dinheiro. Begins with 'Profit & Loss Dn. to Sundries' of 3887R 467D. Entries include: Brandy Account; Wines on Consignment; Casks Account; Bills Payable; Warehouse Utensils.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. For further information about Williamson and his publications, see his entry in 'Who Was Who'; see also Marillier's entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

Two pages, 12mo, bifolium, good condition. As follows: " I wish to apologise for having spoken to you in the way I did here today in the presence of several people [...] I had no knowledge of the matter in question until my Father appealed to me for my opinion, and I gave my opinion [excision] viz. that we should have been referred to at an earlier period, & if the leather was actually in stock & not promised to anypne else when the order was received. that it should have been used for those books.

ONE: Invoice headed 'To Account delivered 1839.40'. 1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Addressed to 'Rutherford Alcock Esqre. | (for W Williamson)' and listing four titles including 'Wilsons Anatomy' (12s 6d) and 'Alison's Physiology' (12s), totalling £10 15s 0d. Beneath the four entries the bookseller has writen 'Settled | J. Churchill | 24th. April 1841', and beneath this Williamson has added 'The above is quite correct | J Williamson | 9July 4th 1842'. TWO: Receipt on one side of 8 x 18.5 cm slip of paper, with embossed 6d stamp. Reads: 'London 24th April 1841.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by stating that his book 'contains the details' his correspondent requires, and continues: 'I am sorry to say that I made a little mistake when I was talking to you over the telephone about "Pulcinella". I think I said there was a long description of that ballet in my "Diaghilev Ballet in London", but of course it is the "Complete Book of Ballets".

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In something of a hard sell he begins by stating that 'the "Sir Philip Sidney" letter, of which I showed you a facsimile the other day, [...] seems to me peculiarly suitable for your collection'. In support of the letter's 'exceptional rarity' he cites 'a letter of Thorpe's (the expert of autographs of his day) dated 1839 accompanying the autograph & giving its pedigree, in which he says "I never saw a letter of Sidney's for sale except the present"', adding that 'no other autograph of his has occurred since'.

The two items relate to the book 'An Old Coachman's Chatter with Some Practical Remarks on Driving. By a Semi-Professional. Edward Corbett, Colonel late Shropshire Militia.'(London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1890). Both the letter and the proofs are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. LETTER: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 34 lines of text in a particularly difficult hand. He will endeavour to 'throw all the light' he can on the subjects mentioned in his correspondent's letter, beginning:: 'I think the time between Cape Curig & Holyhead must be correct.

One one side of 16 x 11 cm piece of ruled paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The invoice is for six books totalling £3 17s 0d, the first three purchased in 1814 and the others in 1818: 'Abernethy's Works', '[Abernethy's] Lectures', 'Hey's Lectures', 'Adam's life of Hunter', 'Scudamore on Gout', 'Reid on Insanity'. Barklimore's receipt reads: 'Resd. [sic] 25th. April 1818 from Mr Dunlop | Archd. Barklimore'. Docketted on reverse: Mem[orandu]m of Disbursements on acct Dr. McWhirter by Dr. Barklimore.' Macwhirter does not feature in BBTI.

Note that Varenne's Christian name is spelled with one 't' on the bookplate, and generally with two 't's by later sources. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, tipped in onto a grey paper mount. Engraved on a 12 x 8 cm piece of wove paper, with no margin.

In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, tipped in onto a grey paper mount. Engraved on 13 x 8 cm piece of wove paper, with no margin. The firm's shop was at the sign of Horace's head in the Strand, and the engraving depicts a lapidary carving off the head and shoulders of the poet, with laurel leaf above, in an oval frame, around which are 'carved' decorations (including lyre and grapes).

Gladys Jones ('Gwen John') lived with her sister the suffragette Winifred Jones in Lincoln's Inn. Her play 'The Prince' - three corrected copies of which are in the present collection as Items Three to Five - was retitled 'Gloriana' [= Elizabeth I] when performed at the Adelphi Theatre in London in December 1925, with a youthful John Gielgud in the role of Sir John Harrington. Items One, Six and Seven below relate to the volume 'Plays of Innocence' by 'Gwen John', published in 1925 by Ernest Benn (by whom Victor Gollancz was then employed).

The last eight leaves only of a printed catalogue (no. 260 in M. V. de Chantilly's 'Robert Harding Evans of Pall Mall | auction catalogues 1812-1846 | a provisional list' (2002)). Stitched and unbound. On aged and worn paper, with slight damp staining to margins. Paginated 23-37 + [1], with the final page (i.e. the verso of the last leaf) carrying the advertisement: 'Preparing for Sale by MR. EVANS. | THE VALUABLE LIBRARY of an | EMINENT COLLECTOR.' (in manuscript: 'Mr Rennie'). Slug at foot of p.37: 'London: Printed by W. Nicol, | Cleveland-row, St.

Printed on both sides of a piece of wove paper, 30.5 x 22.5. Text clear and complete, on aged paper with slight wear and a few short closed tears to extremities. The reverse consists of a list of prices for seven types of wine ('Selected from W & A Gilbey's List of 183 varieties.') and six types of spirit ('Selected from W & A Gilbey's List of 72 varieties.'). On the front, beneath the firm's heading (with tiny illustration of the 'Pantheon A.D. 1722') and Mead's details, are the five 'views', ranging in size from 4.5 x 18 cm to 4.5 x 5.6 cm.

The two items in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. ONE: To 'C. Lavers Smith, Esq'. 21 April 1903. 2pp., landscape 8vo. He asks 'whether prints are to be had of Nell Gwynne's reputed birthplace at Hereford'. He made enquiries about the house in Hereford on the previous Saturday. 'It was pulled down in 1861; but in 1858 two photographs of it were taken, and I found an old photographer who had negatives which he promised to lend to me for a small consideration.

1p., 8vo. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To Thomson Hankey Junr.' In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Thomson, | I give to you as a free Gift the Sum of Four Thousand Pounds & authorize you on 30th. of this Month to place that Sum to your Credit with our House by the Debit of my private Account. I also give you the one fourth Share of my two thirds Share of the Ship Elizabeth Capt.

3pp., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Signed 'Isabella Hankey' and witnessed by 'John fforster Carey Street'.

On one side of a 47 x 20 cm piece of paper. Docketted on reverse. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. In part a form, printed in copperplate, with the details completed in manuscript, and signed on behalf of the firm 'Bristol 3rd December 1822 | Errors Excepted | Gibbs Son & Bright'. Included on the debit side are: Duty; Entry Fees, Wharfage, Town & Dock dues; 95 day's Interest; Freight; Warehouse Rent, Porterage, Weighing & Hauling; Insurance from Fire; Brokerage; Commission, leaving 'Nett Proceeds' of £257 18s 10d on £819 5s 0d.

Printed on both sides of a 4to (28 x 22.5cm) leaf of semi-opaque paper. Both sides with oval purple stamp of 'J. Blanch & Son, 29, Gracechurch St., London, Gun Makers'. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with one dog-eared corner, folded three times. An attractively-produced item, with specifications, and text printed in small type. Engraving of a bullet in top right-hand corner of first page, with the Colt prancing horse at top left, also a small engraving of the rifle, with a larger one, by R. M. Smart, showing how 'To Charge the Magazine'.

The two items are in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Accompanying the two items is the envelope in which they were contained, docketted: 'Letters. | Duckinfield [sic] Hall Estate | { | Meylersfield Estate & Friendship Estate Trust'. Both items are signed 'Cyril Gurney | H. A. Trotter | L. M. Harvey'. ONE (Duckenfield Hall Estate letter): 1p., 4to.

The label is printed on one side of a crudely-cut 6 x 8 cm piece of laid paper. In fair condition, aged. The item reads (with manuscript additions in square brackets): 'LEEDS | Circulating Library. | Entered [16 Sept] 180[8] | Allowed for reading the first Year, Weeks [2] Days [-] | - After the first year, Weeks [2] | Forfeiture per Day for keeping it beyond the Time, d. [2]'. At the head in manuscript is the number '1006', crossed out, and '671'.

The three items form a letter of 4pp., foolscap 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf: 'Bill loading | Messrs. Hankeys Plummer & Wilson | Mincing Lane | London | Lady Kathe Barham'. Docketed '97 Robert Locke | 10 | 28 July 1837 | Received 20 September [1837]'. The bill of loading covers the whole of the first page, with two columns of closely written items, ranging from '2300 yds Osnabury 8lbs do thread' to quinine, opium and '1 Box Hydrometer proof Bubbles from 15 to 30'.