astronomer

ONE: Typescripts of 13 radio talks. 65pp., 4to. On loose leaves. Titles: 1, 'Our Earth in Space'; 2, 'Dreams of other Worlds'; 3, 'Rockets into Space'; 4, 'Man-made Moons'; 5, 'Man in Space'; 6, 'Space Research and Ourselves'; 7, 'Contact with the Moon'; 8, '"One small Step . . . ."'; 9, 'Space Stations and Lunar Bases'; 10, 'Mariners to Mars'; 11, 'Into the Hot Regions'; 12, 'The Grand Tour'; 13, 'Flight to the Stars'. TWO: Typed Note, signed on behalf of T. Van Heerden, Head of External Services, SABC. 16 March 1972.

Collection of eleven items. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Typescripts of 13 radio talks. 65pp., 4to. On loose leaves. Titles: 1, 'Our Earth in Space'; 2, 'Dreams of other Worlds'; 3, 'Rockets into Space'; 4, 'Man-made Moons'; 5, 'Man in Space'; 6, 'Space Research and Ourselves'; 7, 'Contact with the Moon'; 8, '"One small Step . . . ."'; 9, 'Space Stations and Lunar Bases'; 10, 'Mariners to Mars'; 11, 'Into the Hot Regions'; 12, 'The Grand Tour'; 13, 'Flight to the Stars'. With a few manuscript emendations by Moore in black felt-tip pen, and other editorial emendations.

For more information on Common, see his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items on aged and worn paper. ONE: Typed Letter Signed. 31 March 1900. 1p., 4to. 'I bought a gross of balls of Hunter and paid for them on the understanding that I should take them as I wanted them'. He has a rough idea how many he has had, and will be 'able to say exactly when I look in my locker'. He ends by asking the firm to refer to Hunter's books regarding the matter. TWO: Typed Receipt, signed by Common over two red Inland Revenue penny stamps. 12 May 1900. 1p., 4to. 'Received of Messrs Emmerson & Co.

The card is 6 x 8 cm, with the engraved image of the Basilica 5 x 7 cm, within a ruled border, with 'Sr. John Goodricke' in copperplate in a cartouche at the foot. In fair condition, aged and lightly ruckled and spotted. In a contemporary hand, on the reverse: 'No 9, Somerset Street. | Portman Square'. An attractive and unusual item. Goodricke's connection with St Peter's is unclear, but a common feature shared with Bramham Park is the presence of an obelisk. Goodricke's son was the noted 'deaf astronomer' John Goodricke (1764-1786).

13 x 8 cm, in black and white. Signed at foot 'Thomas Roseby'. In good condition, lightly aged. Photograph of a bearded and bespectacled Roseby taken from a broken plate. From the papers of the Anglo-American astronomer Mary Proctor, with presentation inscription to her on the reverse. Roseby's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography notes his 'active interest' in astronomy: 'With his observatory at Marrickville and later at Mosman he often gave educational evenings to church groups and students.

25 items. in good condition, lightly aged and worn. A small but evocative collection, ranging from a bill of sale of the family's effects in the year following the death of Mary Proctor's father in 1888, to a letter from her cousin in 1931, reprimanding her for spending too much money on unnecessary tickets. Mary Proctor was born in Dublin to British parents; the early part of her life was spent in the United States, and following the First World War she settled in England.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Begins: 'In January 1957 the British Astronomical Association formed a Radio-Electronics Section. [...] The great stimulus to the Section's activities was the launching of the first Soviet Earth satellite. Its members made both visual and radio observations of Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 which have been reported elsewhere.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Black wax seal adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with postmarks, by Rigaud to 'Revd. W. T. Hopkins / Elmdon House / Coventry'. He explains, with two diagrams, a geometrical mistake by Hopkins, the letter beginning: 'Your difficulty arises entirely from your imagining that the squares of lines are proportionate to the lines themselves - This is by no means the case'.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The paper appears to have an 1890s watermark, and the correspondence may relate to the publication of Huggins's 'Atlas of representative Stellar Spectra', printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney for William Wesley & Son in 1899. Apparently impressed by the speed of Viney's response to his last letter, Huggins begins 'Your lightning is treble-greased.' He is returning the corrected proof, and sent 'a new copy with your name written on, by this morning's post as yr.

On rectangle cut from letter, 7 x 11 cm. On dusty paper. Laid down on page removed from autograph album. Reads 'Wishing you the joys & compliments of the Season, believe me | Your's faithfully, | W. H. Smyth. -' Docketed by Webster at foot: '24/12/56. Admiral Smyth Vice President Royal Society a learned Pundit.' From Webster's autograph collection.

English astronomer (1819-92) whose mathematical prediction of the existence of Neptune anticipated Le Verrier's discovery of that planet. Octavo. Unbound. Ten leaves and one blank. Paginated [35]-53. Very good. Five pages of text (35-9), four tables (pp.40-3) and a set of 'Tables containing the corrections to be applied to the values of the moon's equatorial horizontal parallax given in the nautical almanacs 1840-1855, in order to make them agree with those calculated from Mr. Adams' tables.' (pp.46-53). One small closed tear to antepenultimate leaf.

12mo: 1 p. On first leaf of a bifolium. Very good. Clearly responding to a request for an autograph. Reads 'faithfully yours | [signed] James Glaisher'.

LETTER ONE: One page, 12mo. Good, with several creases from folding. Concerns the repayment of a bond of £2500. 'I shall be glad to receive the money for it through Messrs Barclay & Co who will present the Bond duly receipted on your informing them where the Bond will be paid off.' Signed 'J Gurney Barclay'. Docketed on reverse 'Jos: G Barclay | Bond 58/107 £2500 | to be paid off | June 30: 1857'. LETTER TWO: Two pages, quarto. Good, though creased and with small closed tear repaired with archival tape. A few small pin holes in one corner. 'Referring to your Letter of the 24th. inst.

Signed 'R. A. Gregory'. One page, folio. Good, with one dogeared corner. Bearing the stamp of the Royal Society of Arts. Circular letter referring to an enclosure (not present) relating to an exhibition which 'will shew that by the combination of science and industry we have done nearly as much in four years of war as the Germans did in the preceding forty. More than 250 manufacturers are sending exhibits, and the Air Ministry will make a large display, as well as the Food Production Department.' Asks for 'a sympathetic editorial note or article'.

Gives details of where he is to be found in the coming week ("from 4 to 5 on each of those days at the Athenaeum club, I think at any rate by appointment, or I could call on you at the Temple at 4-15 on one of those days"). With marks and remains of gummed paper on reverse of otherwise-blank second leaf.

Astronomer and meteorologist (1809-1903). One page, 12mo. "The Leicester committee having closed, The London Committee will meet at 3 & 4 Bishopsgate at Mr Silver's on Friday next at 4 o clock Feby 24 / Yours truly / James Glaisher". Glaisher and Henry Tracey Coxwell (1819-1900) made many pioneering ascents by balloon for meteorological purposes. Dusty and with fraying at the head.