Two Autograph Letters Signed ("E. Blunden") to "J.S.B." (J.S. Billingham, bookseller. Northampton) and postcards.

Poet, teacher and scholar (1896-1974). Two pages, 4to and one page, 8vo, both with envelopes (from Tokyo). (1924) A substantial letter sent when he was just settling in a his contract to 1927. He covers a number of characteristic topics including his response to Japan, the loss of cricket, a response to Billingham's view of the Book Trade at a low ebb, a poem he published about his dead daughter, Tokyo, the Japanese love of fish, colour prints, taxes on "luxuries", a weakening currency, the supension of his work on Leigh Hunt, his Wants, the unavailability of Chaplin films, and a postscript about the missing Asylum MS of John Clare which might turn upo on Billingham's Northampton doorstep.(1927) He has received a book ("Fables"), giving thanks as "a bookless editor", and anticipating more. He reveals that a card Billingham has sent him was written by a student of his in a pseudo-Blunden hand. The student had told Blunden he wa writing for books which included Blunden's wants. "[You] must have thought me discourteous". He concludes "I groan under many agenda" and "My redemption draweth nigh" - after mentioning the books which were on the way. With: two postcards (Stansfield, 1923 and Tokyo, 1928) on wants, orders and personal. And: a postcard with aa attractive japanese coloured printed (.c3 x 2") underneath which Blunden has written in pencil two lines in pencil, and a postcard with a coloured Hiroshige which Blunden has docketed "Hiroshige pinxit". And:4 Autograph Postcards Signed, 1928-1930, by enthusiastic Japanese students (self-styled "friends" of Edmund Blunden) asking for books from Billingham, and touching on Billingham's interest in John Clare and others. Their English is charming. For example "Your kind help is entreated by me in enabling me to have the happiness of reading among my library the following items from your cat. 135" and "It was very kind of you to part with your favouritr copy of Martin's Clare and let it have an esteemed rank among the books here in my library". They describe the popularity of Blunden (popular also for articles he writes on Literary England). In a card of 1930, the writer says "How we wish to see [Blunden ] once more in Japan". 5 items,