Autograph Letters

The seven signatures are each cut from a letter. They are mounted in two columns on a page of grey paper, roughly 22.5 x 27.5 cm, removed from an autograph album. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper with occasional light spotting. At the head of the page is the word 'Horseman', with each individuals occupation in the same hand on the mount beneath his autograph. One (2.5 x 11 cm): '<...> delivery? | Yrs truly | Roderic Owen' ['Gentleman rider']. Two (5.5 x 11.5 cm): '<...> Yrs truly | Sam Darling' ['trainer']. Three (3.5 x 12 cm): '<...> Yours very sincerely | C. Morton' ['Trainer'].

4to: 1 p. 10 lines of text. Good, on lightly aged paper. Text clear and entire. Docketed on the reverse of the otherwise-blank second leaf of the bifolium. See preceding letter on same subject (#8136). He hoped to have met his correspondent "ar WestWycombe" to discuss the cottage occupied by a "poor man" which may be on a neighbour's land. A "trifling affair". "I did nequire about it last summer, and was told that it was built on the waste by some poor man and I suppose some small fine might have been set on it by the Jury at my Court as a trespass on the waste.

Autograph Note initialled written by Hughes in the space above the beginning of another's letter to him (the reverse mentions a Mrs Morland, suggesting the correspondent is a Mr Morland), slightly grubby and signs of wear,c.6 x 1". An autograph collector has snipped the Hughes note off the letter (rest now lost) and stuck it in an album from which I have removed it. A date has been added in a different hand (1826) and the note runs as follows: "Be good enough to pay £5 for me to the Vaudois or Waldenses, at Hoare's [Bank]. They were the first germ of Protestantism.

4to bifolium. Very good on aged paper. The letter covers the whole of the recto of the second leaf, the reverse of which carries the address and docketing: '6th. April 1805 | John Trotter - with List of payments to Sir Wm. Forbes & Co. on acct. of the whale fishing Cy.' Trotter quotes at length from a 'paragraph' in a letter he has received from William Forbes & Co, explaining why a credit 'does not appear in the annexed statement, as the receipt has not been delivered up to us'.

Total 9pp., 8vo, good condition. The note is an acceptance of an invitation. In one letter he is enlisting Hope's help in finding a "John Mitchell" (formerly known as Mirko Tranovitch)in Alberta (finding out also if he exists). Two men are enquiring so that they can join him(!). He hopes they become "good settlers". In the other letter, he says he had thought the "two men" wouldn't come back but they did. They wonder if an advertisement in an Alberta paper would help (with a reward of $5) - to find "John Mitchell". The "applicant" is willing to deposit $10 for expenses.

The three letters are addressed to the translator of Forel's book, the surgeon and free-thinker Percival Macleod Yearsley (1867-1951). Forel's letter: 4to, 1 p. Twenty lines. In French. Text clear and complete. On browned and chipped high-acidity paper. Laid down on the front pastedown. In the first paragraph he thanks the translator, Macleod Yearsley, for the book, which he praises in fulsome terms. He is sending a copy of his 'Question Sexuelle'.

All items good, on aged paper, with Lady Rose-Innes' letter in its envelope. Bower and Rose-Innes had worked together when the former was Imperial secretary to the High Commissioners for Southern Africa at the time of the Jameson Raid. Rose-Innes three letters are dated 17 October 1935 (12mo, 4 pp), 9 July 1936 (12mo, 4 pp) and 13 April 1939 (12mo, 4 pp). All are closely and neatly written. In the first letter Rose-Innes describes a journey 'through the S.

All four items good, on lightly aged paper. Two of the five leaves have small dog-ears to corners. Goodman has done his accounts on the blank reverse of one leaf. An important collection, in which the most important British post-war play agent reveals, in entertaining and increasingly-brusque terms, the criteria by which she judges scripts. Goodman was hailed by Jacques Barzun as 'the greatest living master of true-crime literature', but his first love was, as his obituary in the Daily Telegraph (16 January 2008) states, the theatre.

Four pages, 8vo, grubby and with fold marks but text clear and complete. Weiss is writing about an untimate contribution to "The Radical" and another article. "I don't know that it is a matter of much consequence, but I rather want to have my "Dangers" [Dangers of Our Political Machinery, published in "The Radical", No.III, Feb. 1866, p.208ff] in hand, that I may put it in print in some form - newspaper perhaps - beause it explains and fills out my sermon, especially on that delicate point of suffrage.

The author identified as the 'Margravine of Anspach' beneath the signature in a contemporary pencil hand. 8vo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Fifty-five lines of text. Clear and complete. Fair, on aged and spotted paper, with remains of stub adhering to the reverse of the second leaf, which is addressed to 'Mrs. Jones'. A characteristic and energetic letter, reminiscent in tone of Jane Austen, showing why the Margravine was held in such high regard by Horace Walpole.

12mo, 1 p. Thirteen lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and foxed paper with some fraying to edges (not affecting text). He would like to show Taylor 'something of interest with reference to Sir Herbert Taylor [sometime soldier and Private Secretary to teh KIng]' and suggests meeting that night. 'It seems rather late, but I shall be at von Herkomer's till then'.

8vo, 1 p. Eleven lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of spots from the leaf to which it was attached adhering to the blank reverse. Docketed at head in ink: 'Mem I know not to what application this refers.'; and at foot in pencil: 'Mem I was not the writer of the Letter referr'd to! | R T'. Eldon has received the recipient's letter, 'with a paper inserted from Mrs <?> Campbell or Clark. This paper is addressed to me under a very common Misapprehension of the Chancellors powers & duties'.

Three pages, 4to, but cross-written, making six pages of writing, sometimes hard to read, small piece of letter with a few words detached but present. Mrs Hughes is her usual informative, authoritative, lively and intelligent self, initially discussing the British disaster at Buenos Ayres. being unable to think of "a worse planned or more ill-fated expedition" in which the dead were "sacrificed". She attacks the commander, the Duke of York, in no uncertain terms: she hopes it's not a crime to wish him out of a world to which he he'd done so little good.

One page and two pages, both 8vo, bifolia, some staining but text clear and complete. In the first letter to which (as he explains in the second letter) he didn't add his name, he says that he visited "your Bovey Coal Pits" as a geologist (!), made observations and concluded that it was a "real Coal district, the current coal mined [an internet site informs me of poor quality] being of a "comparatively recent formation". Real coal was produced in an earlier period.

Total 5pp., 8vo, one sl.marked but mainly good condition. [March 23] He commiserates on "domestic troubles" and says what a disaster it would have been if the completion of a picture had been delayed. "You will be sorry to hear that I am confiend to the house with varicose veins in the leg. The trouble has arisen through bicycling, a maniac of the wheel having induced me to scorch over half a county with him. I am consequently obliged to give up the treat I promised myself in seeing your pivture at your studio but I mean to ahe- honour the Academy with a visit . . .

8vo, 1 p. Nine lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and lightly-spotted paper, lightly-creased and with small closed tears at edges of central crease. From the context of other items in the same collection, this letter relates to an 'Artists general Benevolent Banquet' (for which Dollman was acting as steward). Hassall writes that the previous year he 'got into trouble through giving subscriptions to stewards of other society's than the R[oyal]. I[nstitution].', so that 'if there's to be an R. I. table this year I must support it for all I'm worth'.

12mo, 1 p. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. From the context of other items in the same collection, this letter relates to an 'Artists general Benevolent Banquet' (for which Dollman was acting as steward). Blomfield would be pleased to join Dollman, but has 'already promised my subscription to Pomeroy' (presumably acting as steward for a rival dinner). Addressed to Dollman at Hove House, Newton Grove, Bedford Park.

12mo, 2 pp. On grey paper. Fourteen lines. Text clear and complete. Lightly aged, and with numerous crease lines from folding. An eloquent letter declining to donate to an educational charity. He has 'large opportunity of giving as much of my funds in that direction as I am desirous of doing'. He confines himself to supporting the British and Foreign School Society. He suggests a renewed application regarding 'those likely to be established in my neighbourhood'.

12mo, 1 p. Eight lines. On lightly-aged paper with creasing to head and part of stub from autograph album adhering to the reverse.

(Wyndham) Statesman and man of letters, at the time of this letter Chief Secretary fo Ireland (see DNB). Three pages, 4to, good condition, draft with much working over. He appreciates being given detailed grounds for a proposal that Sir Anthony Macdonnell [MacDonnell, Antony Patrick, Baron MacDonnell, statesman, of Irish origin] , currently working with Wyndham in Ireland might be made available in the Indian Council, a matter of urgency. He explains at length his high opinion of Macdonnell (energy, ability, distinction, etc.) and his reluctance to part with him.

Archaeological surveyor of India. 2pp., 8vo. He discusses the personnel of the Survey, the senior position to be filled, and what he would do if he were in charge. (He was Director General from 1886 to 1889.)

Two pages (but large handwriting), 8vo, conjoined leaves, good condition. "I write to thank you most sincerely, for your kind letter about my picture. I think it was very kind indeed to trouble to write. I appreciate it very much."

On piece of paper roughly 2.5 x 7.5 cm. Mounted on piece of 7.5 x 13 cm card. In fair condition, with both card and paper aged and slightly discoloured. Good firm underlined signature ('W E Gladstone'). The card carries the following caption, in a contemporary hand: 'Autograph of | The Right Honorable William Ewart Gladstone, M.P., | Premier Minister and | Chancellor of the Exchequer.'

Part of a letter, cut away for an autograph collector, roughly 5.5 x 10.5 cm. The recto carries the franked address, trimmed close, reading 'London July twenty 1835. | Roundell Palmer Esq | Mixbury | Birmingham [corrected in another hand to 'Magdalen Colle | Oxford'], signed in bottom left-hand corner 'W E Gladstone'.

The front cover of the envelope, 9.5 x 12 cm, cut away and laid down on a ruled piece of paper cut from an autograph album. A little grubby, but good. Reads 'L N Guillemard Esq | 11 Downing St. | [signed] W E Gladstone'. Signature approximately 4.5 cm long, and underlined.

4to, 1 p. On cream paper with letterhead printed in green. Fair, on lightly spotted and creased paper. She cannot make an appointment for an interview 'for various reasons [...] The chief reason being that I do not give interviews'. Owston-Booth was a contributor to the Windsor Magazine.

4to, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On aged, sunned paper, with some chipping and closed tears to edges. He may not 'be able to get to the Com[mon] Coun[ci]l' as he is 'engaged on the Rota at the Old Baily this week'. He will be at a Court of Aldermen at the Guildhall at one o'clock, and if the recipient and other members of the Council cannot be there a quarter of an hour before, he will 'come out to you'.

Text of both letters clear and complete, on aged, grubby paper. The 'Diehards' were a group of right-wing Conservative peers who attempted unsuccessfully to thwart Liberal legislation to limit the right of veto of the House of Lords over Commons legislation. (See G. D. Phillips, 'The Diehards: Aristocratic Society and Politics in Edwardian England', Cambridge, Mass., 1979.) TYPED LETTER: 17 December 1913. 4to, 1 p. He is going to try to write the history of the affair '[b]efore things fade altogether from my memory', and asks if OG has 'any papers, or letters, or diaries'.

12mo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Gives the date of a dinner with 'Mr. & Mrs. Thompson & family', to which he invites Dillon and his wife.

12mo, 1 p. On aged and creased paper. He has autographed the picture sent by Livingstone, and is returning it.