ANTIQUITIES

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He informs him that 'the Duchess will be obliged to postpone her visit to The British Museum till next week', and asks what day would be convenient.

On 18 x 8 cm piece of paper, tipped-in on a leaf removed from an album. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: '24.1.06. | Dear Sir; | We have no mummies to sell. You should apply to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. | Ys faithfully | E A Wallis Budge. | C. D. Sherborn, Esq.' Budge had been Keeper since 1894. Sherborn is best-remembered for his 'Index Animalium', 'an 11 volume, 9,000 page work that catalogued the 444,000 names of every living and extinct animal discovered between 1758 and 1850'.

The letters total 104pp., mainly 12mo. In fair overall condition, with light aging and wear. Seventeen are signed 'H. H.', three 'Harry Hall', one 'H. R. Hall', three 'H.', one unsigned. Most addressed to 'Frank', others, in playful style, to 'Ryzt Worchypfull & very dere ffrend', 'Respected Friend and most admir'd Poet!' and 'the Scribe of the Admiral's | Yamen, Fa-erh-an-ki'. Also present is an Autograph Card Signed.

The letters total 104pp., mainly 12mo. In fair overall condition, with light aging and wear. Seventeen are signed 'H. H.', three 'Harry Hall', one 'H. R. Hall', three 'H.', one unsigned. Most addressed to 'Frank', others, in playful style, to 'Ryzt Worchypfull & very dere ffrend', 'Respected Friend and most admir'd Poet!' and 'the Scribe of the Admiral's | Yamen, Fa-erh-an-ki'. Also present is an Autograph Card Signed.

Both parts in fair condition, with light signs of age; the second part with creased corner causing damage to the last couple of leaves and back cover. Two stapled pamphlets, uniform in grey printed wraps. PART I. 'Stone Age to 8th Century A.D. | Illustrated.' [4] + 13pp., 4to. Frontispiece and two full-page illustrations, with two more illustrations in text. Inscribed on front cover 'With the author's best wishes | Xmas 1921'. PART II. '10th to 14th Centuries A.D., etc. | Illustrated with Photographs by the Author.' 19pp., 4to (paginated to 32).

Seal on stone oval just over 1cm wide; in brass mount just over 3cm high, with handle in shape of a pillar topped with a ring (presumably for attaching to a chain or necklace). Wrapped in a 5.5 x 11 cm packet, made from folding a piece of 17 x 21.5 cm paper (with watermark of R. Turner of Kent), with the following written on it in a Victorian hand (presumably that of Eleanor Avena Blackburne, to whom the item was presented): 'Part of the Ocean Monarch burnt off the coast of Wales | August 1848 | Presented by Mr John Neilson'.

5cm. etched clear cut-glass figurine of the god Vishnu, for domestic worship. Wrapped in a 4 x 8.5 cm packet, made from a folded piece of 10.5 x 18.5 cm Whatman paper, with 'Penates' written on it in a Victorian hand (presumably that of Eleanor Avena Blackburne, see below). Both figurine and packet are in very good condition. On the inside of the unfolded packet, in the same hand: 'Penates from Nepaul | Mrs Legh of High Legh gave it to me who received 3 from Capt Everest on his return from thence'.

A native of Scotland, Burton set up a china business in Falmouth in 1862, but soon turned to the sale of unusual items from around the world, purchased from sailors, his shop acquiring an international reputation and royal patronage. Printed on one side of a piece of pink paper, 38 x 25.5cm. A frail survival, on aged and worn high-acidity paper, with loss and chipping to the margins, and a few closed tears, but with the text complete.

12pp., 8vo, fdg frontis, some foxing, left edge slightly wragged, mainly good condition. Scarce. COPAC lists five copies.

4to: 1 p. Thirteen lines of text. Text clear and entire on aged and creased paper. Remains of stub from previous mounting adhering to reverse, and short printed biography tipped in along margin. A formal letter in the third person. Galway is 'extremely [underlined] sorry that he shold have given Mr. Neale so much trouble respecting the eighth Part of Westminster Abbey', which the peer had assumed was missing, but 'finds upon farther examination that it is with the other numbers'.

12mo: 1 p. Dimensions of leaf 11 x 9 cm. Twelve lines of text, headed 'P. 320'. In poor condition: grubby and aged. Laid down on piece of grey paper removed from autograph book. 2 cm closed tear in bottom left-hand corner affecting a couple of words of text. Difficult hand. Criticising a note, giving references to three works. Ends 'I don't see any use in printing this letter - but Sir F. Madden will tell you better. | JM -'.

4to: 1 p. 22 lines. Text clear and entire on lightly aged and creased paper, with one 1.5 cm closed tear (not affecting text). Congratulating Place on her 'Assistant Principalship'. He considers she was 'very wise to take the opportunity'. He has discussed 'the house-key question with the Keeper [T. D. Kendrick]', who regards Saturday afternoons 'as a sacred time reserved for peaceful work, undisturbed by ones colleagues'. Consequently 'it would be rather difficult to accommodate you as a helper on Saturdays and after your week's work at the ministry'.

Octavo: [vi] + 24 pp. Stapled and unbound. Detached from original blue and pink printed wraps (advertising W. S. Lincoln & Son, coin and medal dealers of New Oxford Street, London). Several illustrations and tables. Good, though lightly aged, and with some wear and creasing to the wraps, which are blue on the outside and pink internally. Several other items by Ratcliff are recorded, but this item is rare, with no copy listed on COPAC.

Two pages, 12mo. Good, on aged and creased paper. Engraving of ancient medallion as letterhead. He takes 'the opportunity of a friend going over' to send Smith 'a parcel which I have just received from Monsr De la Plane, Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of the <?> & the Bulletin of the Society, for the Royal [sic] Society of Antiquaries, the British Archaeological Association [founded 1843], the Numismatic Society, and Smith himself. He is also sending a letter for J[ohn]. Y[onge]. Ackerman (1806-73).

British Assyriologist (1845-1933). Paper dimensions roughly four inches by three inches. Very good. From autograph album. Mounted on larger piece of pink paper. Reads '[...] 1.30. I shall be here till the middle of next week, but my afternoons are being terribly wasted by the meetings of w[hic]h. the good people here seem to be so fond. | Yours sincerely | A. H. Sayce.' Docketed at foot in pencil.

English writer (1866-1945). The letter is 2 pages, 8vo, and the notes are 9 pages octavo. Neatly written on one side each of eleven matching leaves, all ruled with blue lines. In good condition overall, but with the paper somewhat discoloured, creased and ruckled, and with some rust stains from a paper clip and closed tears. He is sending as promised 'the evidence of the bishop's mitre having come down to us from very ancient times'.

Both 1 page, 12mo. Both in good condition, although the first creased in two corners. It is unlikely that House held a senior position in his department as neither letter bears testimony to a good education. In the first letter he says he will be away from the Museum on a certain date, and suggests another day when, if convenient, he will 'bring the two ushabti figures from home and perhaps may be able to find others'. He saw Mr Epps on the previous day but 'we were too busy to talk'.