WHISTLER

[Laurence Whistler, engraver etc] Five black and white photographs numbered L.W. 30 to L.W.34 on reverse of a glass goblet ornately etched by Whistler for Mark Bonham Carter.

Author: 
Laurence Whistler, [Sir Alan Charles Laurence Whistler CBE (21 January 1912 – 19 December 2000) British glass engraver and poet.]
whistler
Publication details: 
Without date or place, but 1946-7.
£175.00
whistler

Dimensions six inches by eight. Four of the photographs very good, the other good, but with staining in one corner (capable of professional cleaning). Good, clear, professional images against a black background. The goblet was commissioned by Bonham Carter from Whistler as a wedding present to the present queen of England on her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh. The body is etched with intricate images and the words 'Elizabeth | so be it ever, joy and peace. | And mutual love give you increase, | That your posterity may grow | In fame, as long as seas do flow.

[St James’s Theatre, London: 1936 centenary production of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, designed by Rex Whistler, and starring Celia Johnson and Hugh Williams.] Manuscript ‘Treasury Sheets’ of itemized accounts for 9 weeks of performances.

Author: 
St James’s Theatre, London: 1936 centenary production of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, designed by Rex Whistler (1905-1944) and starring Celia Johnson (1908-1982) and Hugh Williams (1904-1969) [Jane Austen]
Publication details: 
On nine weekly sheets, each with eight performances. Weeks ending 12 September 1936, and 26 September to 14 November 1936. St James's Theatre, London.
£650.00

The Gilbert Miller production of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, designed by Rex Whistler, and starring Celia Johnson as Elizabeth Bennet and Hugh Williams as Mr Darcy, was a great success. It opened at the St James's Theatre, London, on 27 February 1936, and closed on 21 November 1936; with a Christmas revival between 26 December 1936 and 16 January 1937. There was a royal performance before Queen Mary on 15 February 1937, and the production went on tour for the rest of the year.

[Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquis of Anglesey, soldier and courtier.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Anglesey’), thanking A. C. Cox for offering ‘the Commissions in the name of the Marquess of Anglesey’.

Author: 
Marquis of Anglesey [Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquis of Anglesey (1885-1947)], Lord Chamberlain to Queen Mary, soldier with Royal Horse Guards, courtier and landowner, patron of Rex Whistle
Publication details: 
26 January 1937; on letterhead of Plas Newydd, Llanfairpwll, Isle of Anglesey, with stamp ‘GUARDS 2 / RECEIVED’.
£38.00

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, folded once. Headed by him ‘Guards & Cavalry’. He is obliged to Cox for his ‘courtesy in offering me the Commissions in the name of the Marquess of Anglesey’, and will be ‘very grateful for them and they will be with all the family papers of which there are a great many & well cared for & catalogued’.

[Laurence Whistler, poet, artist and glass engraver.] Two Autograph Letters Signed ('Laurence Whistler' and 'Laurence') to playwright Christopher Fry, one expressing admiration of his work, the other a moving tribute to his friend Christopher Hassall

Author: 
Laurence Whistler [Sir Alan Charles Laurence Whistler] (1912-2000), poet, artist and glass engraver [Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright; Christopher Hassall (1912-1963), actor, poet and author]
Publication details: 
Both on letterhead of Little Place, Lyme Regis, Dorset. 13 December 1961 and 21 August 1963.
£180.00

Both 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in Whistler's calligraphic hand. ONE: 13 December 1961. He will be 'so pleased' if Fry will accept a copy of his poems, 'which I like to send you because of my admiration for your work, and sense of sympathy with what you express, or create'. TWO: 21 August 1963. 33 lines of text, written following the death of his friend Christopher Hassall.

[ Nancy R. E. Bell, author and wife of artist Arthur George Bell. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Nancy Bell') to unnamed 'Gentlemen', praising a book on Japan which (as the publishers) they have sent her, and expressing desire to review it.

Author: 
Nancy Bell { Nancy R. E. Bell, born Nancy Regina Emily Meugen ] (1844-1933), American art critic and travel writer, wife of Arthur George Bell (1849-1916), English genre and landscape painter
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Restgarth, Southbourne, Christchurch. 8 December [ no year ].
£45.00

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The 'Gentlemen' are clearly the publishers of a book which they wish Bell to review. She writes that she is greatly obliged to them for offering her 'a copy of your beautiful book on Japan', and has written 'to 4 editors to ask for space for early notices of it'. The book is 'indeed a marvel of technical skill in reproduction & it would be a pleasure to me to speak as highly of it as it deserves'.

[ Lady Elizabeth Romilly; Minto] Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'Elizth. Romilly') to her father the Earl of Minto, on topics including 'Charley' and 'the China news', Lord John Russell and the Cagliari outrage in Sardinia, and the Swiss Alps.

Author: 
Lady Elizabeth Romilly [ Lady Elizabeth Amelia Jane Romilly ] (1820-1892), daughter of Gilbert, 2nd Earl of Minto, wife of Col. Frederick Romilly, son of Sir Samuel Romilly [ James McNeill Whistler ]
Publication details: 
ONE: Porthkerry [ Wales ], 6 August [ 1857 ]. TWO: Eaton Terrace [ London ], 13 February 1858. THREE: Wildbad [ Germany ], 8 July 1869.
£120.00

Three interesting letters, intelligent, well-informed and affectionate, by a member of a leading Liberal family.

[George du Maurier's 'Trilby'.] The original version, as published in eight parts in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, containing the characterisation of 'Joe Sibley', revised on publication in book form following complaints from the artist Whistler.

Author: 
George du Maurier [James Abbott McNeill Whistler; Harper & Brothers, New York and London]
Publication details: 
The eight parts extracted from Harper's New Monthly Magazine (Harper & Brothers, New York and London), January to August 1894.
£250.00

[179]pp., 8vo, paginated 167-189 (and magazine frontispiece); 329-350; 567-[587]; 721-741; 825-[847] [the last five from vol.88]; 67-87; 261-284; 351-374 [the last three from vol.89]. In a contemporary binding, with ticket of Goulden & Curry, The Royal Library, Tunbridge Wells. Very good, lightly aged and worn, in black leather half-binding with black cloth boards and gilt tooling. Ownership inscription on front free endpaper: 'Weldon | Didmarton | Janry. 1900 -'.

Autograph Letter Signed from the English playwright and comic author Tom Taylor to 'Col: Cunningham' [later Sir Alexander Cunningham], regarding a painting of the Countess of Pembroke, and Cunningham's collection of pictures.

Author: 
Tom Taylor (1817-1880), English playwright and art critic at The Times, whose play 'Our American Cousin' was being performed when Lincoln was assassinated [Sir Alexander Cunningham (1814-1893)]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Local Government Act Office, 8 Richmond Terrace, Whitehall. 24 November [no year].
£95.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Untidily-written by Taylor, with several ink smudges. The letter begins: 'Dear Col: Cunningham | I find recorded, in my catalogues, no other portrait of Eliz: Countess of Pembroke & her son, except the one in the Earl of Pembroke's possession at Wilton House. There is a repetition of the group of mother & son in that picture, with the Earl in it, in Wilton House. Lord Normanton has a head of the Lady, painted at the same time, apparently'.

Autograph Signature, in roman script ('A. N. Roussoff').

Author: 
Alexandre Nicolaievich Roussoff [Alexandre Nicolaïevitch Roussoff or Volkoff-Muromsoff] (1844-1928), Russian artist and rival of Whistler
Publication details: 
Dated 'Cairo 1892'. On letterhead of the Cairo Continental Hotel.
£56.00

On piece of watermarked laid paper 12.5 x 13.5 cm. In fair condition: lightly-aged and creased. Clearly in response to a request for an autograph. Firmly written, with the signature 5.5 cm long. Reads 'A. N. Roussoff | Cairo 1892'. Roussoff famously wagered that he could produce a dozen pastels indistinguishable from those of Whistler. He lost the bet, and was 'obliged to take a course of mud baths after his defeat'.

Autograph Letter Signed to Mrs Chapman.

Author: 
William Agnew (1825-1910), English art dealer, director of the magazine 'Punch' from 1872
Publication details: 
8 October 1865; on monogrammed letterhead.
£60.00

Three pages, 12mo. Very good on lightly aged paper with slightest trace of previous mount adhering to blank verso of second leaf of bifolium. He has 'looked out' and is sending 'a few interesting Autographs', and would have sent them before, had he not been 'a great invalid all summer'. 'I will get Miss Chapman a good collection of the autographs of literary men. I am now very closely connected with Punch & other publications and shall have frequent opportunities.' Agnew's family, as partners in Bradbury & Agnew, were for many years the publishers of 'Punch'.

Five Typed Letters, one signed by Unwin himself, the others pp. "T. Fisher Unwin" to Menzies, the Secretary of the Royal Society of Arts..

Author: 
T. Fisher Unwin
Publication details: 
1 Adelphi Terrace, London, WC, 8 June 1914-18 Sept. 1914.
£200.00

Publishers. Total five pages, 4to, one torn without loss of text, fold marks, creasing, otherwise good condition. (8 June) "I should be pleased to lend you the blocks from Mr. Pennell's 'Lithography', of which you left a list for a fee of 5/- each. The frontispiece of Mr. Pennell by Whistler is a lithograph, but I have a similar half tone block which I could lend you2. He has to charge. (11 June) They have ordered the blocks to go to Messrs Clowes from two firms. (13 July) One firm failed to send a block and they return money. They request return now they are finished with.

Signed bookplate (one of edition of fifty), 'EX LIBRIS | Attilae Secundi'.

Author: 
George Algernon Fothergill [BOOKPLATES]
Publication details: 
1914
£56.00

Paper dimensions roughly five inches by seven. Dimensions of illustration four and a half inches by five. Very good. Dated '1914' within body of illustration above the word 'Frightfulness' in gothic. With 'GAF' beneath body of illustration, above 'EX LIBRIS | Attilae Secundi | The Nook | St Helena'. Signed in pencil, next to 'GAF', '(one of fifty) G A Fothergill'. The "Second Attila" is obvioulsly Wilhelm II.

Autograph Note Signed to [?] Locker [Arthur Locker or Frederick Locker-Lampson]

Author: 
Charles Hamilton Aidé [Aide, Aïdé]
Publication details: 
Without date; on letterhead 'Aston Clinton, | Tring.'
£25.00

Author and musician (1826-1906), described by Louise Jopling as 'a rich bachelor' and 'a noted figure in the seventies'. 1 page, 16mo. In good condition despite slight creasing and discoloration. Letterhead in green and black ink. Reads 'My dear Locker, | Many thanks - I will meet you at the Athenaeum at 3 o'Ck. on Tuesday - I have done, & shall do nothing till then. | Every yrs. | Hamilton Aïdé'.

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