Autograph Letters

Three pages, 12mo, bifolium, two pages browned, not affecting text, mainly good condition. "Concluding from the tenor of your note, that you desire to have my autograph, in compliance with the implied wish I have annexed my signature on the other side & Mrs Liston has subjoined hers.| Very truly yours | J.L."

Two fragments: ONE: Half of a letter, 11 x 10cm, tipped onto album page, fair conditionn, text as follows: "PS | We expected some difficulty in carrying out the Telegraph between Europe and America - but are notr at all disappointed with the present stoppage - Bruce's spider made many swings beforee he fatened his liune to the other side. - Weshall make anther swing next May or JUne - then [underlined] I think we shall get over [small loss her?] In the meantime we are busy in the Mediterranean and towards the East.

Card, 11.5 x 9cm, vestiges of laying down in corners of verso, good condition. "J'ai été obligé de changer mes petits places de voyage. Voulez-vous aussi chamger les votres et venir mercredi au lieu de Vendredi. |Amitié[ ...]"Note in another hand on verso: "Autograph of Pierre Loti, Académician, officier in the French Navy (real name Viaud) author of Pecheur d'Islande, Fantomes d'Orient, etc. | Given me by M. Arthur Chasserian to whom it was addressed, Decr/92."

A collection of 26 items, consisting of 12 letters from Piccard to Bourne, copies of 9 of Bourne's replies, a copy of a letter from Piccard to D. F. Horrobin, an offprint article, a transcript of a speech by Piccard in 1972, a booklet on the 'Ben Franklin' and an undated publicity photograph. The first of Piccard's letters (5 November 1970) is repaired with tape, the other items in the collection are in good condition, lightly-aged, with a few staple and punch holes, and some of Piccard's letters carrying notes in pen and pencil by Bourne.

The bulk of Ross's papers is deposited in the Rhodes House Library at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. The present collection derives from Ross's sister, Mrs Paterson.

Piece of paper, 12 x 8cm, with message "Florence Just | with all good wishes, | Aldous Huxley | 1955", essentially framed by sellotape (with staining), c.7mm, stain extruding once into white space, sellotape and staining covering without concealing the "ey" of Huxley and the tail of the "9". Image available.

Blackburne's note is 1p., landscape 12mo. The leaf on which it is written has a central vertical fold, with the reverse carrying the itemised account to the left, and the anonymous note to Blackburne to the right. On aged and damp-stained paper. Blackburne's note is blunt and to the point: 'Orford May 28. 1746 | John Percival | I expect that you pay me in a weeks time ye Money you collected from my tenants in Risley on acct. of the Militia or I shall order Mr Lancaster to sue you for it, without further notice | from | Your friend | J: Blackburne'.

For biographical information about Commander Plowden, see the Times obituary quoted at the end of this description. All five items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Item One: Typed copy of letter from 'Trevor' to 'Mother and Pater'. 2pp., 4to. Headed 'Copy'. With envelope addressed to Miss Martin Wood, c/o Lt. Gen Phelps, Woodbourne Grange, Edgbaston. (As Item Three shows, this copy was made by Plowden's mother for his aunt.) 'I told you we expected to go to the Black Sea from here and we did very shortly afterwards, to Odessa.

1p., 4to. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. A letter of recommendation for 'Mr Svederus, Chapellain du Roy de Suede, qui va a Paris pour quelques mois, et qui est recommandé au Ministre Suedois'. Woide explains that he became acquainted with Svederus during his stay in London, which lasted almost a whole year. He concludes by sending his regards to six individuals, beginning with 'Mr de Guines'.

'Here was I about 4 miles over Hunland, battling against a strong wind, fighting 7 Bosche scouts who were much smaller & faster than our old slow two seater. We were absolutely "cold meat" & they knew it.'A correspondence of exceptional interest and importance, in which Reader describes, in a series of 68 letters to his family, written over a period of sixteen months, his entire flying career, from the passing of his medical at Farnborough to his return from the Western Front.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with strip from mount adhering at head of blank reverse. He thanks Sawyer for his letter: 'I am obliged to you for sending me the front page of the United States Tariff Act'. 'The Americans are out for their own prosperity all the time. I only wish our own Government would show the same propensity.' He addresses the letter to 'Chas. J. Sawyer, Esq., 12 & 13, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, W.1.

2pp., foolscap 8vo. 54 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Addressed to 'The Hon. T. L. Graham, M.L.C., Prime Minister's Office, Cape Town.' Taylor begins by thanking Graham for his 'courteous letter' and is pleased to find that he has not been misunderstood. 'While siding with Dr. Smart it was on purely personal grounds that I wrote you. I cannot say that a number of your constituents differ from you; I do not know.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, tipped in onto a card mount. He explains that he is 'obliged to return to London immediately after the delivery of my Lecture in Glasgow', and so will not be able 'to address the audience you bring together'. If he is 'asked to take part in the Glasgow Science Lectures' the following year, he will bear Hopps's wish in mind. Hopps was both an evolutionist and spiritualist, while Carpenter considered the claims of spiritualism 'epidemic delusions'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The name of the addressee is indistinct, and appears to be 'S. Algernon'. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | I regret that I am unable to give the Lecture you ask for. I really have no business to undertake any kind of public speaking & except in very special circumstances, I keep out of it'.

1p., 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter is on the recto of the first leaf, with the address - 'John Spottiswoode Esq. | Sackville St' - on the reverse of the second, which is also docketed 'Sir John Sinclair | Whitehall May 1790'. The letter reads: 'Sir John Sinclair presents his Comps. to Mr Spottiswoode - He has examined the Letter sent to Mr Grant and thinks that the objections mentioned in it, do not require any delay in drawing up the Claim.

2pp., 4to. 20 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Signed 'Geoffrey de Bellaigue'. He writes that he has had a reply to a letter (he has written to the Queen) 'concerning the miniature book entitled "Statesmen" which you purchased at the sale at Sothebys on 17 July 1972 (Lot 636)'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of glue from mount on blank reverse. He informs Walford that he is returning 'the notes of my career having made some slight alterations'. He suggests that it would be 'well for me to compare the proof with the drafts'.

1p., 12mo. On light-blue paper. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He thanks Sawyer for his letter and enclosure, found on his return and read 'with the greatest interest'. 'It was extremely kind of you to come and look at my botanical drawings and I am most grateful for the information you have been able to give me. It was marvellous to be able to have the opinion of a real expert.'

1p., 12mo. Air mail letter on blue paper, addressed to Arthur Bourne, Academic Press Inc. (London) Ltd, 24-28 Oval Road, London, NW1 7DX, England. In good condition, lightly aged and creased. Clarke begins by thanking Bourne for his letter, and informing him that he has 'sent a card of thank [sic] to Dr. Allan Cottey'. 'I am now happily retired with the completion of my last and best novel "The Fountains of Paradise" (Playboy January and February - HBJ; Gollancz, January). I expect to be back in England in August to attend the World S. F.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper with loss to corners caused by removal from mount. Glencairn writes that with Eglinton's 'approbation' he offers 'to raise for His Majesties Service an Independant [sic] or Volunteer Company in the Parish of Kilbride Ayrshire Consisting of Sixty Men inclusive of non comissioned [sic] Officers Drums & Fifes or otherways as shall be deem'd most proper - upon the Same Footing and Regulations as other Independant [sic] or Volunteer Companys - and to serve within the District'.

Both items in fair condition, lightly-aged and worn. Severin Wielobycki's letter is 1p., 12mo. On the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium. It reads: 'Dear Madam. | I am much delighted that you take interest in my brother; all friends of his are of the same opinion tat he has been treated very unjustly. I hope your influence will if not relieve him, at any rate shorten his horrible sentence. | I beg to enclose two copies of the document according to your request' (only one copy present). The report of 'Dr Wielobycki's Trial' is 1p., 4to, on grey paper, in two columns of small print.

3pp., 12mo. With mourning border. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. The lower part of the second leaf has been cut away, not affecting the text. He begins by stating that he has received the recipient's 'last telegram announcing that you had postponed till to morrow your visit to London'. He has in turn telegraphed 'Mr. Benzon to propose to him to come to the Charing Cross Hotel at 11 or 12. In that case I would offer to yourself & Mr. Benson [sic] a breakfast at the Hotel'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of mount adhering to the reverse. The note reads: 'My dear Murray, | I hope you have not forgotten your promise to dine with me this evening, at Willis' Rooms, at 7 o'clock precisely. | Yours very truly | P. B. Du Chaillu'. Murray's published du Chaillu's books from 1861 to 1903.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper, with loss to the two upper corners. Addressed on the reverse, with red circular 'PD' postmark: 'Au Citoyen Mandar architecte | Cour Mandar No. 3. | Mairie de Paris'. The note reads: 'Citoyen, j'ai reçu ta lettre du 18 de ce mois, qui a pour objet de m'informer que tu as ouvert un cours de fortification qui se tiendra a cinq heures du Soir, les premidi, tridi, Septidi et nonidi de chaque décade.'

1p., 4to. Addressed on reverse to 'Thos Roden'. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper, with Parry's seal (monogram 'P') in red wax. The letter reads: 'Mr Parry's compliments & encloses a couple of Tickets for a private performance on the 20th Inst - Mr P. will feel greatly obliged by the insertion of the enclosed account off the Richmond Concert in the Morning Herald | Dec: 8. 1831'.

4pp., 12mo. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The last page docketed in pencil: 'Animal Painter | To D. Colnaghi'. He apologises for the fact that 'the portrait of Sam Darling that I have begun with a view of sending it up to you is but scarcely indicated and I amsure would rather lead you wrong than otherwise. He gave me but a short squint at his mug and went away with a promise to return but did not do so.

The three items in fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Ordway's two letters each 1p., 4to, and each addressed to Bourne as editor of Spectrum magazine, Central Office of Information, Hercules Road, Westminster Bridge Road, London. In Ordway's first letter, 9 May 1969, he expresses pleasure at hearing from Bourne again, and the knowledge that he is 'still very active in the spreading of science information all over the world'. He has instructed his publisher to send Bourne a copy of the 'forthcoming second revision edition' of his 'History of Rocketry and Space Travel'.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He is reluctant to refuse Baddeley's request, but he knows 'from old experience how impossible it is to pay consistent attention to anything else while one is editing The Times. When I was originally approached in the matter of the Oxford House, I was, to a great extent, my own master.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. 'Lord Bingham presents his compliments to Sir Francis Freeling & will feel much obliged to him if he will be good enough to have the accompanying letter opened & returned to him free of postage as Ld. B. knows it to be a Petition to the House of Commons | Ld. B.

1p., 12mo. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper with spike hole, and parts of the second leaf (addressed by Douce to 'S. Turner Esq') torn away. The letter begins: 'My dear Sir | I hope that you will have the goodness to write to Walker, unless otherwised arranged with Derby, on the subject of dispensing with his attendance, so as to prevent the business from going on till after Xmas as his letter indicated in case Thursday were not