AUSTIN

126pp., 4to. (Act 1 has 55pp. and Act 3 has 71pp.) Each act bound in grey card covers. Worn and aged, with the remains of the purple ribbon used to bind the leaves into their covers. A heavily reworked typescript. As is customary, the typed text of the play is on the rectos only, but leaves with additional typed and manuscript (presumably autograph) text have been inserted. Numerous manuscript additions and deletions to the text on the rectos, with additional typed passages on pieces of paper laid down onto the facing versos, which also carry further manuscript changes.

Austin (1895-1973) was a British etcher, engraver and watercolourist. R.A. Walker (born 1886), whose bookplate is on the front pastedown, was a connoisseur and Aubrey Beardsley scholar. Quarto, twenty-six leaves. Internally tight, clean and sound, in worn and stained half-leather binding, with 'ROBERT AUSTIN' in gilt on spine. The item contains a total of forty-seven reproductions of Austin's works, many gleaned from magazines, etc, and tipped in throughout.

1p., 8vo. On bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. The reverse of the second leaf carries part of a red wa seal, and is addressed to 'Wadeson esqr: | austin fryors [sic]'. He describes a transfer of Bank stocks he has authorised, and asks the recipient to check whether it has been done, and let him know 'in two lines directed to Hide Heath [Hyde Heath, Bucks?]'.

2pp., 8vo. In fair conditon, on lightly aged paper. 'For some reason or other which I cannot understand a number of people have got into the literary world who have no literary ability or genuine interest in writing [...] Recently I gave a poem to a very young literary editor as a result of requests from him extending over a year. The poem had taken me months of hard work and I sent it with some hesitation as the youngster works in the Eliot interest. I got it back with a very smart and very rude note.

4pp., 12mo. Paginated to 4. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. On laid paper watermarked 'A PIRIE & SONS | 1883'. Tastefully printed.

2pp., 16mo. 17 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by thanking him for 'the History of the Flitch of Bacon Custom at Dunnow. I well remember reading in the papers of 55 the celebration of the fete at which you & poor Made. de Chatelain were the hero & heroine'. He has called on de Chatelain to thank him for the 'Fleurs et Fruits' which he sent him, but did not find him at home. He will try again before leaving town for the autumn, 'which I shall do in a few days'.

The three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper; the essay and first letter having punch-holes in the margin. The essay is 3pp., foolscap 8vo. The title, corrections and emendations are all in van der Post's hand. 'To someone like myself who believes that coincidence is the manifestation of a great law of which we are not yet properly aware, this timing of the birth of Christ is not accidental.

[1] + 24pp., 8vo. Stitched. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-spotted paper, with slight wear to edges of covers. A notice at the front reads: 'The Name following the title of a Book is that of the Donor. Where no Name is given, the Book has been obtained by purchase or by exchange.' The first two entries read: 'Ainsworth, William. Account of the Caves of Ballybunian. 1834. Henry Harris. | Airy's Lectures on Astronomy. 1849. F. F. Tuckett.' Loosely inserted are the replacement chart and a slip of paper carrying the note: 'BRISTOL NATURALISTS' SOCIETY.

On one side of a piece of wove paper, roughly 400 x 250 mm. Dimensions of engraving roughly 130 x 180 mm. Good, on heavily-foxed and lightly-creased paper. The sketch shows a well-dressed flautist playing his instrument in a market square, with money, clothes and food drawn to him from onlookers as if by magnetism. Beneath the print, in a variety of types and point sizes: 'Speedily will be Published, Inscribed to all Lovers of Tweedledum Tweedle, The Art of Playing upon People: or, Memoirs of the German Flute. Interspersed with The Character of Baron Steeple; [...]'.

On one side of a piece of wove paper, roughly 400 x 250 mm. Dimensions of engraving roughly 130 x 180 mm. Good, on heavily-foxed and lightly-creased paper. The sketch shows a well-dressed flautist playing his instrument in a market square, with money, clothes and food drawn to him from onlookers as if by magnetism. Beneath the print, in a variety of types and point sizes: 'Speedily will be Published, Inscribed to all Lovers of Tweedledum Tweedle, The Art of Playing upon People: or, Memoirs of the German Flute. Interspersed with The Character of Baron Steeple; [...]'.

4to, 1 p. Twenty-six lines of text. Clear and complete. Very good, on aged paper. Minor traces of mount adhering to reverse. Vignette of riverboat beneath heading. Signed by Handly and five others, ending with 'Chauncey H. Castle, Of the Comstock-Castle Stove Co.' Begins 'The division of the Mississippi river between the mouths of the Des Moines and Illinois rivers having been in a notoriously unfavorable condition for the purpose of navigation for the past two years, it has been deemed advisable to call a River Convention'.

12mo bifolium: 2 pp. Text clear and complete. On aged, spotted and lightly-creased paper. Relates to the Lancaster landmark the Storey Institute, designed by Paley and his partner Hubert James Austin (1841-1915) for Sir Thomas Storey, built on the site of the old Mechanics' Institute, and opened in 1891. It now houses the Storey Art Gallery. Paley states that his firm 'will put the work in hand for the completion of niche of the Storey Institute & when this is finished in, say, a month we shall be glad to have the marble group down'.

Very good, c.9 x 16cms, neatly mounted on larger piece of card. Full length drawing of 'Squeak', holding a letter, with the envelope on the floor, and shouting to Payne's baby rabbit 'WILFRED! - WHERE ARE YOU? MR J. H. ROBERTS WANTS YOUR AUTOGRAPH!' Signed beneath the speech bubble 'A B Payne - | 26'. According to one authority 'Fans of 'the pets' included Prince Charles, Spike Milligan, Peter Cushing and Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond'.

Good, on lightly aged paper. Rust stains from paperclips on one leaf. Five pages of typescripts on five quarto leaves. The first page gives the contents, and the rest are covering pages with a few words of instructions (e.g. 'PREFACE | (To be prepared after revising first proofs)' and 'APPENDIX --- Authenticity........ | To follow with Bibliography and Indexes.' The proof slip, printed and with pencil insertions, is one page, on a leaf roughly eight inches by four and a half.

Eighteen pages, octavo, with four plates on art paper. In original grey printed wraps. Some light staining, creasing and wear. One of 600 copies. Lists seventy-seven items, with addenda of a further eleven. This milestone catalogue was published, according to Sims (A Life in Catalogues, 1994), in May 1949. At foot of title-page: 'N.B. This collection, with the exception of the Addenda of Books, has been sold.'