1ST

On a leaf of pink paper (roughly 16 x 20 cm) removed from an autograph album. Firm signature, 6 cm long, with the initial 'R' blotted by Keyes. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The page bearing the signature is headed, in another hand, 'Famous Men Military and Naval'.

Hope had returned to the Foreign Office from Tehran in May 1907, but had moved to the Washington Embassy, as second secretary, that October. The recipient is presumably one of the ten children of the Tory politician A. J. B. Beresford Hope (1820-1887). Letter One: 12mo, 8 pp. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Beresford Hope'. A teasing, friendly letter, intresting for the information it provides on the situation of a minor attaché in Edwardian Washington.

On piece of laid paper (roughly 8.5 x 17 cm) cut from letter. Aged and discoloured, with one 3 cm vertical closed tear (not affecting text). Slight loss to final flourish underneath signature. The text and signature are in different hands. Reads '<...> our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty, in the first year of Our reig | By His Majesty's Command, | [signed] Ellenborough'. On the reverse: '<...> the Faith, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting.

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. He would have answered Sedgwick's letter punctually, had he been able to help him. 'But I have not only no notes for the Walton Convalescent Institution of my own available, but I have been (before your application) desirous of obtaining one for a young man known to me personally, and have not (as yet) succeeded in the object.' He hopes to send him 'a letter about hymns in the course of this autumn'. [Palmer edited a selection.]

On a piece of card roughly 9 x 11.5 cm. With embossed government crest of the Board of Education in the top left-hand corner. In fair condition, lightly-aged and with small triangular areas of discoloration to two opposing corners caused by previous mounting. Good bold signature, presumably sent in response to a request for an autograph. Reads '[signed] Walter Runciman. | 6 March | 1911.'

National Portrait Gallery no: NPG D913 (only acquired in 1966). Dimensions of paper roughly nineteen and a half inches by fourteen wide. Dimensions of print roughly seventeen and a half inches by thirteen and three-quarters wide. Backed by a piece of cream card. Heavily aged and spotted, and with one small worm hole. Slight loss to lower right-hand corner, not affecting print. Closed tears to mount. Apparently printed before the name, and very likely a proof.

12mo: 1 p. Seven lines of text. On creased and lightly-aged watermarked wove paper. Regarding Sir Henry Bate Dudley's farce 'At Home', performed 'with universal approbation' at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1813. 'Should the Box of the Prince Regent be disengaged on Monday next at Covent Garden Lady Landsdowne [sic] (the Dow-) is anxious to see "At Home" Could she have it?'

8vo: xxiv + 248 pp. At rear is 32-page 'Mr. Murray's General List of Works', dated 'Albemarle Street, London, August, 1896.' In original blue cloth, with illustration of a long ship stamped in gilt on front board. Good tight copy in lightly-worn binding. Inscribed on half-title 'Dufferin and Ava | Clandeboye, Ireland, Nov 22nd., 1897' and 'Lauchlan MacLean Watt | In Iceland with King of Denmark 1907'.

12mo, 2 pp. Good, with minor staining and head, and traces of previous mount to blank second leaf of bifolium. He is sorry to learn that the 'Private Secretary, Mr. Harold Roberts' has rheumatic fever, 'a most painful disease' which 'usually lasts some time'. 'The poor lad will get over it, and ere long be quite himself again'. Lady Roberts is sending the boy 'some flowers'. When he is 'stronger, and would care to read', Roberts will send him 'a copy of my "Forty-one years in India".'

12mo, 3 pp. Good. Folded twice and with the blank verso of the second leaf of the bifolium a little grubby. A formal letter in the third person, declining to present a petition to the House of Lords, on the grounds that 'The Duke has no relation whatever with [Honiton]'. The date, and the words 'Mr Aberdein', 'Honiton', ', which he retains' and 'Robert Aberdein Esq' are in Wellington's hand.

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.

8vo (23.5 x 18.5), 2 pp. Signature cut away, resulting in loss of 3.5 x 10 cm rectangle from corner at bottom and affecting four lines of text on recto. Otherwise good, on lightly aged paper with thin strip from brown paper mount adhering to inner margin on reverse. 37 lines of text (four with loss). An interesting letter written during his final illness. He begins by confirming the report which has reached the recipient of Gardner's 'having been very seriously indisposed'.

12mo: 2 pp. Eleven lines of text. Very good. Having just received it from London, Rodd is sending Crawford the book he could not get in Rome which he wanted to send him as a birthday present. 'It is written by a great friend of mine who knows better than any one the history of the first voyages to America and the discovery of the Great Southern Sea. I think you will like it.' In an envelope, on aged paper, with postmarks and Italian postage stamp. Addressed to 'Harold Crawford, Villa Crawford, St Agnello di Sorrento'.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, with pot watermark, 26 x 20 cm. On sound, crisp paper, heavily foxed, and with slight wear to extremities, and remains of previous mounting at corners of reverse. Two small oval stains beneath text, and small clipping from autograph dealer's catalogue laid down in bottom left-hand corner. Firm signature. Fifteen lines of text beneath two-line date in Latin.

On piece of paper, 11 x 17.5 cm. Lightly creased, and with a little spotting at head. Reads 'Autograph | of | Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe | given to Mr J. H. Hall | at his request.' It is curious that Canning should have thought it necessary to emphasize that the autograph was not unsolicited.

General (c.1656-1730) and Governor of Gibraltar, married to Catherine Sedley, mistress of James II (see item# ). One leaf, dimensions roughly seven inches by ten and a half. Printed text with manuscript additions on recto; docketed on verso. Good, but grubby, and with slight repair to head. Receipt 'of the Honourable [Lord ffitzharding]' (corrected from 'James Vernon Esq'); One of the Four Tellers of the Receipt of Her Majesty's Exchequer', of eighty pounds for twenty-four months interest on £500 lent by Portmore and 'My Ld Kent' on 14 August 1704. Signed 'Portmore'.

Two pages, 12mo. On aged and somewhat grubby paper, with a few closed tears to extremities. Text clear and entire. The recipients 'account for clubs' supplied to Samuel in June 1896 'has not been presented between that date and now'. Samuel thinks he paid the amount at the time'. '[O]n my return to town I will look through my receipts and communicate with you further.'

Arranging the three in what appears to be chronological order, the first (good, roughly four inches by two and three-quarters wide) has 'Josiah C. Wedgwood' in copperplate beneath a straightforward Victorian armorial design, with shield, coronet and motto 'OBSTANTIA DISCINDO'. The second (three and a half inches by three wide) dates from after Wedgwood's election as a Member of Parliament in 1906, having 'EX-LIBRIS JOSIAH C. WEDGWOOD, M.P.' on a scroll beneath a more modern armorial design, with helmet and leaves. It has slight damage to the bottom right-hand corner.

One page, 12mo. Very good. Unobtrusive trace of previous mount adhering to blank reverse. He is engaged to dine with Sir Alexander Grant [Sir Alexander Cray Grant, 1782-1854] on the day in question and 'cannot, therefore, have the Pleasure of dining with you & Lady Holland, to whom present my Respects, and Regret. | I fear before that day the Constitution in Church & State will be in a bad way - if I could have waited upon you, I am sure my Constitution & Spirits would have been much improved during my Visit.'

One page, octavo. Good, on aged paper with slight fraying and a few small closed tears at extremities. 'Received by me [Adelaide Dutchess Dowager of Shrewsbury Ass[ign]ee of Wm. Harvey] of the Honourable George Parker Esq; One of the Four Tellers of His Majesty's Receipt of Exchequer, the Sum of [Twenty five pounds] [...]'. Signed 'Adelaide Shrewsbury' and witnessed by 'Hen: Gardie'. Adelaide was (according to the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica) married to Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury (1660-1718) in 1705.

One page. Dimensions of paper roughly thirteen inches by eight. Very good on aged paper, with slight loss at head and small closed tear (neither affecting text). Headed 'Annuity for Life, 1746.' '[...] Received the [19] Day of [July] 17[70] by me [William Earl of Radnor Asse. to Robert Lord Romney] Of George Grenville, junr. Esq; One of the Four Tellers of His Majesty's Receipt of Exchequer, the Sum of [Three hundred pounds] in full for [Six] Months Annuity, due the [fifth] Day of [July] last past, of [£600] per Annum, during the Life of [me William Earl of Radnor] [...]'.

One page, quarto. Aged, trimmed at head and with fraying at foot. 'Received by me the Right Honble. Lewis Lord Rockingham Assignee of Thomas Wentworth'. Witnessed by and with the signatures of George Cradock and Edward Vincent. Signed 'Rockingham'.

One page, folio. Aged and with fraying to extremities and some repair to blank verso. Text clear and complete, except for a couple of letters shaved in right-hand margin. With signatures of witnesses William Digby and Daniel Cummine. Signed 'Digby'.

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1811-85). Two pages, octavo. Good, on slightly discoloured paper, with some staining to corners from previous mounting. An amusing example of its type, casting a glimmer of light on the Abercorn papers now in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. 'My dear Hardwicke | This is to introduce George Knox to you, who is this moment summon'd from the Priory to Dublin to resist very active & insidious machinations against his next Election to the College. | I recommend him to you as a perfectly amiable & kind hearted Man.

British Liberal politician (1873-1954). Written while Chamberlain's Chancellor of the Exchequer. The recipient, Sir Arthur Beverley Baxter (1891-1964), was a Conservative Member of Parliament, author and editor of the Daily Express. One page, quarto. Lightly creased and grubby, with some wear at head. An amusing, chatty letter, beginning 'My dear B. B. | You were not among the faithful in the House last night when I wound up with a bee---autiful speech, which naturally was too late for a full report.

General and courtier (1767-1845). Three pages, 12mo. Folded twice. Good, but on discoloured, lightly creased paper. Difficult hand. Regarding the 'Talents & Acquirements' of a certain 'Captain Spiller'. 'I am much obliged to you for your kind Enquiries after Lady Howard, she is now on her Road to Yorkshire from Bath, where she has recently been.' Signed 'Howard'. Postscript: 'I only came to Town on Tuesday Evening. I will mention Captain Spiller to Lord Morpeth in the hopes that it may be of some avail.'

Lawyer and Member of Parliament (1802-74), Master of the Rolls, 1851-73. On scrap of paper roughly three and a half inches square. Grubby and stained. Reads '<...> In Chancery | F. 131 <...> | L. C. 13 Ap. 1839 | Will [last word deleted] see minutes of judgment back of pp. 3 & 4. Will give final judgment on Monday. next, 15 Ap./ | John Romilly. | 10/- | <...> In the Matter of the <...>'

English aristocrat and Whig politician (1721-1803). One page, quarto. In poor condition: grubby, discoloured and creased. Reads 'My Lord | Mr: Boothby of Ashbourne (who yr: Lordship may possibly know something of from his living in the neighbourhood of <?> forest has sollicited me much to apply to yr: Lordship for leave of Absence for his son who is a lieutenant in Ld: Drogheda's regiment to settle some family affairs, the time he wishes to have him with him [sic] is a month or two, if not unreasonable.

Politician and children's writer (1829-1893). Paper dimensions roughly four and a half inches by two and a half. Very good. From autograph album. Mounted on larger piece of blue paper. Reads '[...] himself, & the flatterers to whose advice he has listened rather than to those who have not feared to tell him the truth - | Vy truly | Brabourne'. Docketed in pencil.

English lawyer (1802-74) and Master of the Rolls, 1851-73. The recipient (1817-80) was a noted chemist. Two pages, 16mo. Very good, but sumwhat dusty and grubby. Reads 'My dear Sir Benjamin | I am much oblig'd to you for your kind. [sic] I am not aware of the circumstance, or rather the rule you mention or I should not have committed thte 'indiscretion' of asking you to sign my sons recommendation'. Signed 'John Romilly'.