Autograph Letters

12mo, 3 pp, 28 lines. Good, on lightly creased and aged paper. Difficult hand. References to a 'cher Docteur ' and a 'Mr. John '. Docketed in pencil, and with a biography of the archaeologist Léon de Laborde (1807-1869) in pencil in another hand on the reverse of the second leaf of the bifolium.

On a piece of wove paper roughly 4.5 x 9 cm. Good, clear signature on lightly aged paper. Reads 'my dear Sir, | Yrs always truly | [signed] P. Hoare'. Reverse reads '<...> am at a loss how to answe<...> | <...>ing the progress of the Anna<...> | <...>- opportunity of asking "Ho<...> | <...>t of the Elgin Marbels, whic<...>'.

12mo, 2 pp, 20 lines. Bifolium with mourning border. Text clear and entire, on lightly aged paper with a few stains. He is enclosing 'Mr. Gladstone's answer on the subject of the inscriptions [not present]' which he asks to be returned to him. 'I had no opportunity of submitting it to him till Sunday last, and as you see I lose no time in passing on his answer to you [...] I drew his attention specially to the question of the two languages as you desired me to do'. Asks to be remembered to 'Miss Hawtrey'.

4to, 1 p, 22 lines. On aged paper, with chipping at extremities neatly repaired with archival tape. Text clear and entire. He thanks him for his 'interesting paper', commenting on the 'Lucretian passage'. Postgate's 're-arrangement [...] is undoubtedly more attractive & logical than the ordinary arrangment, and as such I welcome it: but must we suppose always that artists do as well instinctively as they might if they had taken counsel?' 'Ex silentio I judge that all is well with you, as far as anything can be well for any of us these terrible times.

Six of the letters are 4to, 1 p; the other is 12mo, 1 p. All good, on lightly aged paper. All bearing the Society's stamp and most docketed. On a variety of subjects: a proposed paper by 'Herr Frahm', the use by the Institution of the Royal Society's library for a council meeting, the delivery to the Society of a 'model tank that is coming from Germany' ('the reader of the paper is sending his representative over from Germany to superintend matters'), and a 'Proposed Memorial to the late Sir William White' ('with reference to Mr. Bailey Saunders and Mr. C. R. Graves.

12mo, 1 p, 10 lines. On worn, discoloured paper, with slight loss due to the breaking of two seals. Text clear and entire. The letter has been readdressed in another hand (hence the two seals) to 'Mr Price, Crease & Sons, Smithfield'. Harrison quotes his 'friend of the L. G. [i.e. the Literary Gazette]' as follows: 'Your D'Israeli paper may be useful as there is a new Edition. May I do as I like with its matter?' He asks for 'an answer as soon as possible'.

All items 4to, 1 p. All on aged paper: the first and last good; the second lightly creased and with the ink having eaten away at a few words, and some chipping at foot, affecting signature (partially repaired with archival tape), but with text clear and entire. All three bearing the Society's stamp and the first two docketed. Concerning his desire to become a member of the Society. In the second (autograph) letter he inquires whether 'any one from Bombay may be nominated for Membership of your Society by the Council in case he has no friends of his who are Members of your Society'.

12mo, 1 p, 12 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper. Drawing the recipient's attention to 'une demande qui a été adressée a M. le Prefet de la Seine, par M. Burnet [an inhabitant of Neuilly], homme infiniment estimable qui sollicite un emploi dans l'administration des pompes funèbres'. Giraud knows Burnet very well, 'et je lui porte un interet particulier'.

12mo, 4 pp, 38 lines. He is sorry to have forgotten to return 'the works you most kindly lent me in respect to the early Brussels wood-engraving'. They had been 'taken into town' to be sent to Carpenter, but 'in the turning out of all my books from the counting house at the time of the alterations, these were with my other matters taken into a room in Lancaster Place'. He apologises for his 'apparent negligence', but until he puts his 'new room' in order he cannot 'get at these said Pamphlets'.

12mo, 1 p. Good. On grey laid-paper bifolium. Requesting an audience.

12mo, 1 p, 11 lines. Very good. He begins by giving R. J. Smith's Brompton address. He was 'delighted to hear of Lord Powis' and hopes 'there is no mistake about it'. 'Remember in printing his Title he is a Knight of the Garter. - On the back of our 2nd. No. I see Lord Southampton printed as "the Earl of Southampton"!' Asks the recipient's view of the previous day's 'Times': 'And look at the Morning Post to day.'

Two pages, 8vo, good condition. "I send you the Franks of the Dukes of Yorn a& Clarence - & beg your acceptance of the others enclosed if they are of any use to you ---| The value of a holograph [underlined] letter of [Pope Gregory 16 would be about £1 but if merely copied about one half." He apologises for the delay in replying and would be happy to send some franks on approval.

12mo, 2 pp, 23 lines. The second leaf of a bifolium. Good, on lightly aged paper, with three small tissue mounts still adhering to a margin. Commenting on a legal matter relating to the recipient: '[...] there is the further difficulty tht except where the family so desire and a special case is made for it, the County Chancery will not generally speaking allow any of its wards to be taken out of its jurisdiction. [...] I wd.

The first and second letters are both 12mo, 2 pp; the third is 12mo, 1 p. The first and third are good, on lightly aged paper; the second has some smoke staining to top and bottom outside corners. All text clear and entire. The letters concern Farquhar's efforts, as a 'friendly service' on Lockyer's behalf, to get a room in Harrogate. References to the Majestic and Prince of Wales hotels, and to 'Oliver' (perhaps J. A. W. Oliver?).

12mo, 1 p. Good, on aged paper with a couple of small stains to the left of the signature. Accepting a dinner invitation.

8vo, 2 pp. Good. Commercial letterhead spread over ten lines. The next time Martin visits Paris he and Fournier 'pourrions nous entretenir d'une affaire d'un intérêt common'. His approach to Martin is backed by 'M. Maurice Levert et du Captaine Hanoteau'.

Foolscap bifolium (leaf dimensions 30.5 x 19), 1 p. On aged and slightly damp-stained paper, with slight wear to extremities. Text clear and entire. The body of the letter (4 lines) reads: 'Honoble: Prs | This is to humbly to [sic] request of you yt ye Master of ye his name is Charles may be removed to be my Master.' Adressed on reverse of second leaf. The Pembroke (the third ship in the Royal Navy to bear the name) was a fourth rate of 60 guns built in 1694. She was captured by the French in 1709, was recaptured, and foundered in 1711.

8vo, 1 p. On discoloured paper, worn at head and foot. The only merit of the material he is sending is that it has been inspired by 'des sentiments vrais'. He took it to 'S. A. le prince Lieutenant général du royaume', and part of it had 'du prix à ses yeux'.

The sepia photograph, 10 x 7 cm, shows Korff's head and torso. He is dressed in the costume of a flying ace, with leather coat, gloves, googles and scarf, and is striking a match while staring moodily at the viewer. It is mounted on a leaf of cream paper (24 x 20 cm) removed from an album. In very good condition and attractively mounted, with a piece of nicely-patterned paper (12 x 8.5 cm) beneath the photograph acting as a frame. Korff's large, bold signature runs across the page beneath the phtograph, reading 'Arnold Korff | Wien 25. Oct. 1923'.

12mo, 2 pp. On Drummond's embossed crested letterhead. Good: on lightly aged paper with corners a little dogeared and slight discoloration along one margin. Small glue stain from previous mounting at foot of reverse (not affecting text). Headed 'General Memo -'. Instructing Randolph 'to conduct all necessary evolutions relative to the exercise of guns, Sails, Boats - small arm | men landing, & Marines - on acting permission for the same from my Flag as he may find conducive to the instruction of the Ships of the Ships herein named of the squadron [five ships named at end of letter]'.

Irish author and historian (1801-1891). 2pp., 8vo, good. He intended to deliver his book personally as an expression of his feelings of friendship and admiration for his correspondent. He recollects Scott’s “kindness to the family of poor Lemaitre . . .” and to himself. He asks Scott to accept the book which he has obviously sent instead.

Lord Chancellor of Ireland (1796-1871). One page, 8vo, marginal damage. He thanks Streatfield for having his “Patent packed & despatched”,announcing its arrival.

On piece of paper roughly one and a half inches by three wide. Small tear in top left-hand corner not affecting signature. Reads 'Your Obed Hue Servt | [signature] O'Neill | Lieut General'. On reverse '<...> he had his discharge to <...> | <...> allowed something he had <...>'.

See DNB. Two pages, 8vo, sl. stained and with remains of glue for laying down, text clear and complete as follows: "The Att. Gen. of Ireland desires to correct a passage in his answer to Mr J. McCarthys question No. 8[.] Omit 'some time after the Eviction Lord Annaly directed the dwelling h[ou]s[e] to be pulled down & the roof was after[war]ds burned off'- and insert instead - 'Lord Annalys agent states t[ha]t he hasno knowledge of Mrs [M Dermots?] home being [?] burned - and does not believe it was'- Note: The date "June 1881" has been aded in another hand and in pencil.

Poet. Two pages, 8vo, good condition. He gotr the impression from a letter George sent that he and another approved of Monk Gibbon's book. He quotes Flaubert on the idea that an author works hard but cannot expect profit "but to fail to see it even in print would stick in my gizzard." He asks for advice - does he know anybody at Heinemann (he knows someone). "Has Verschoyle money behind him?". He is finding delay and "subsequent disappointments too wearing. And with each one the typescript gets a little more woebegone".

On piece of paper roughly 1.5 x 7.5 cm. Closely cropped underlined signature 'London=Derry:'.

One page, 12mo. Good, with blank second leaf of bifolium mounted on larger piece of card, which is docketed with biographical information. Right-hand side of leaf very slightly cropped, resulting in loss of last digit of year. Bold, clear signature. Reads 'Madam. | According to your request I beg to sign myself | Your obedt Servt | F. Cavendish'.

Erskine, who died in 1806, was the grandson of the 27th Earl of Mar. 3 pages, 8vo. In very good condition. The letter, addressed to 'your Excellency', concerns 'The Honble. Captain Cunningham who had resigned a Troop of Dragoons on the Irish Establishment to go upon Service with the same rank in my unfortunate Regiment of Swiss Chasseurs'.

Irish peer (1903-75) and war correspondent. Two pages, octavo. On blue paper. Very good. Docketed and stamped and with staple holes to one corner. 'In reply to your letter of March 4th. I write to say that Art being one of my chief interests in life. I would appreciate very much being elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society.' Signed 'J. Donegall'. Postscript, on verso of second leaf of bifoliate, explains that the delay in replying is 'owing to absence in America' and ends 'Do you wish me to find any sponsors?'

16mo, 1 p, 5 lines. Gilt-edged bifolium, laid down by small strip of inner margin of verso of second leaf to square of paper cut from autograph album. The mount docketed in a contemporary hand. Good, with remains of red wax seal broken in two and adhering to verso of second leaf, which carries the address to 'Doctor Heffernan | &c &c' (franked 'P'). Reads 'Dear Sir | will you be so good as to call in here at any time this morning most convenient to you | Yours &c | [signed] Plunket'. Small ink smudge by Plunket in right margin.