AUTOGRAPH

Both items on 'Bebe' letterheads, and both with signature 'Bebe' incorporating a drawing of a stick figure with hat. Letter One: 12mo, 1 p. Twelve lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. With addressed envelope. She is sorry they missed one another 'at the station, especially after all the trouble you went through to get there'. Gives news of show: 'Boy, it will be good to get back to town again. | I have enjoyed the tour but as you know travelling nowadays isn't what it used to be, by a long shot.' Letter Two: 8vo, 1 p. 21 lines.

Text on 87 pp of a 8vo 1944 'Surrey Desk Diary' (Mitcham: Surrey Manufacturing Co.). Text clear and complete. Volume in good condition on aged paper. While the author's ownership signature at the front of the volume ('', ', '') is not decipherable, there are clues to his identity: his birthday is on 24 June, he states on 5 October that he is in the 23rd Armoured Brigade, and on 19 August he gives his Identity Card No. as 116941. He begins as a sergeant, and by 13 January is 'H.Q. Troop commander, which, out of action, no schemes, no censoring, doesn't amount to much'.

This small archive casts invaluable light on British labour relations at a local level during a turbulent economic period in postwar British history, with specific day-to-day information about persons and events. The two minute books, 1943-1980, are both 4to, with the first of around 200 pp and the second of around 150 pp. Both texts clear and complete, and some matter loosely inserted (including a letter from an individual pursuing a complaint against the branch). In worn bindings, with the boards of the second volume detached.

Letter: 4to, 1 p. Twenty-six lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and worn paper, with a couple of holes, light staining and indentations. Addressed to 'Jon', whose book, with a 'chapter pertaining to the Taylor case' Long 'would like very much to see'. Long encloses the copy of 'Taylorology', of which he writes, 'Despite my intentions, there was only one issue due to very poor response -- only a dozen subscribers.' He boasts that his 'collected material on this case', 'primarily newspaper clippings', 'weighs over 30 lbs., with more information coming in every week'.

4to, 4 pp. Bifolium. 105 lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Black wax seal with impression of 'D L' adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is postmarked 'LOUGHBOROUGH | 109' and franked '1817 | Loughborough March Eight | S. Pipe Wolferston [sic] Esqr | Stotfold Hall | Tamworth | [signed] P. Gell'. Begins 'I have recd. your obliging communication of the 22d.

Small 4to, 140 pp. Paginated by Whelen. Notebook of good laid paper, in boards covered in patterned paper, with the word 'BIOGRAPHICAL' in faded red manuscript at head of front cover. Text neatly written and clear and complete. Good: internally sound and tight on lightly-aged paper; in worn and chipped boards. The flyleaf is dated 1939, with Whelen's addresses given as the Royal Societies Club, St James's St, and 5 Place de la Taconnerie, Geneva.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Twenty-one lines. Text clear and complete. On discoloured paper. Begins 'I think if you go into The Park at Hampton Court you will easily satisfy yourself that I am justified in withholding my consent to its being stript of its turf'. He considers that 'positive injury [will be] done to the Pasture', and as 'it is expected that we should maintain Deer to the number of 500. or more & that we endeavour to obtain from the feeding of Cattle some portion of the rent payable to Lady Bloomfield', consent cannot be given 'to diminish the food in the Park'.

16mo, 1 p. Bifolium. Remains of small red wax seal adhering to second leaf, which is addressed to 'A. G. Potter Esqr | 25. Royal Terrace [Edinburgh]'. On worn, discoloured paper. Reads 'Dear Sir - | I have appointed with Dr Hamilton to visit Mrs Potter and he & I will have the pleasure of waiting upon her to-morrow at 12.' Docketed in pencil at head: 'The celebrated Doctor'.

8vo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Thirty-five lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Second leaf addressed, with postmarks, to 'Dr. Pultenely | Blandford | Dorset', and docketed by Pulteney. Signed 'John Aikin'. He thanks him for 'the offer of assistance'. He only has 'one of the three books you mentioned, & should be very glad of the perusal of Anthony's apology, & Jones on Buxton baths'. The books willl be 'carefully returned, with my best acknowledgments to the gentleman who favours me with the loand of them'.

On one side of a piece of landscape 8vo grey wove paper. Clear and complete. Discoloured and worn, with spike hole at centre. Printed part of receipt reads 'London, ..........18..... | 49, Friday Strt. Cheapside. | M............ | Bought of Joseph Webb, | Importer of Cigars.' The bill is for '2lbs. Bengal Cheroots - 9/- | 18/-', with the receipt reading '1852 | Aug 4th. paid [signed] Jo: Webb'. Docketed on reverse 'Webb | 18/'. Webb does not appear to have traded from the site for very long, and little is to be discovered about him.

12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium, with mourning border. Thirty-eight lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and worn paper. The context of the letter is explained by a report in The Times of 2 May 1814, which states that, following Napoleon's abdication, 'The Royal Sovereign and Royal Charlotte yachts are to remain in the Downs, to be ready to sail for Calais for the reception of the Emperor ALEXANDER and the other illustrious personages who will shortly visit this country.

Both items in good condition on lightly-aged paper. Both 1 p, on 12mo landscape slips. John Catnach's bill and receipt: 'The Honb. Coast Comit. | April 12 1795. | To J. Catnach | Printing 200 Signal for the Coast 7s .. 0 | 5 qrs. Best Wove foolscap for Do. 1s..2d Per qr 5 .. 10 | £0 .. 12 .. 10 | Recd the above from Thos. Adams Esqr. | [signed] Jno. Catnach | June 29th. 1796.' Docketed on reverse with calculation. Mary Catnach's bill and receipt: 'The Honble Coast Committee | 1795 To J Catnach Dr. | March 10th. 3 Quarto Copy Books at 1/6 - 0 . 4 . 6 | Same time recd. Paymt of Jas.

On one side of a slip of laid paper, roughly 21 x 8 cm. Printed form for burial in the 'SECOND GROUND.' (amended in manuscript to 'Third'). Gardiner is said to be 'Above [amended from 'Under'] the Age of 10 Years.' Printed charges are for Ground and Bell, Rector, Clerk, Sexton, and Registrar'; with 'Extra Digging' added in manuscript, with '4 OClock Precisely'. Printed note at foot: 'N.B. The Sexton is directed not to enter an Order for any funeral until the Fees are paid.' St.

4to, 3 pp. In a bifolium. 52 lines of neatly-written text. Clear and complete. Very good on lightly-aged and creased paper. Part of the second leaf has been cut away on the breaking open of the letter, and is now under the seal, with no loss of text. The seal is cracked, with a light imprint of Boucher's monogram beneath a jester's head. The letter concerns the enclosure of the Langtoft Estate and 'Mr. Bankes', who 'never had any Legal Right to interfere in the Business'.

Small 4to, 61 pp, with the first four pages unpaginated and the last ones paginated 1-57. In notebook of good laid paper, in decorative boards. Text clear and complete. Very good, on lightly-aged paper; in worn and chipped wraps, with 'U.S.S.R.' on spine and front board. Various addresses by Whelan inside the front cover, with the date 1936 amended to 1945 and 1950. Pages of slogans and abbreviations are followed by the notebook itself. The volume intersperses notes on the visit (ending at p.31) with extracts of quotations, statistics and other matter about the Soviet Union.

4to, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On lightly-aged paper, with traces of previous mount at four corners of blank reverse. Florid signature (possibly cyclostyled). Concerning the return of cards, and 'enclosing the two reserved seats which you desire'.

12mo, iv + 8 pp. Stitched. In original blue printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with minor foxing. In original worn blue wraps, with closed tear to the spinal crease. Title leaf followed by printed limitation leaf: 'No. 4a | This Copy is Inscribed to Prof John Tyndall'. On the inside of the back wrap is a manuscript list headed 'Memo from Mailing account Book', numbered 1 ('Mr Carlyle') to 12 ('Rev H. W. Beecher'). Included are 'R W Emerson', 'H W Longfellow', and at 4, 'Prof Tyndall, Huxley, Proctor, & Mr Spencer' (the last three being 4b, 4c and 4d).

8vo, 3 pp. Bifolium. The letter, on both sides of the first leaf, runs to thirty-seven lines, with nine lines in Icelandic (in another hand?) on the recto of the second page. Fair, on aged paper, and laid down onto a mount by the reverse of the second leaf. The mount is captioned in a contemporary hand. The first part of the letter refers to a facsimile which Ellis has 'caused to be executed and transmitted hither'. Rafn has already received this 'from Mr. Worsaae'. It contains 'an extract possessing interest for us of Ottar's and Ulfstein's account of travels in the North'.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Minimal damage has been caused to the second leaf (affecting two or three unimportant words of text) by the breaking of the red wax seal. Addressed by Guthrie 'To Charles Sharpe of Hoddam Esqr [Hoddam Castle] | Provenance Grand Master for Dumfries Shire'. Small circular red ink postmark. Docketed. Guthrie's letter, in a secretarial hand but signed and with an initialed postscript by him, covers the two centre pages. He writes that 'a great proportion' of the lodges are in arrears, 'some of them 20 years and upwards'.

Two pages, 4to, some damage at fold mark, but text clear and complete. The writer identifies the author as Rawdon Brown, "resident at Venice", whose "Translation of the 'Despatches of Sebastian Giustinian" had been reviewed in "The Athenaeum". Brown takes exception to the conclduing sentence, refers to a passage in his own book and outlines the rules by which he is writing (using English "authorities" sparingly, etc., being more interested in what was said of the English abroad). He would welcome useful references for his second edition.

Two pages, 12mo, good condition. He presumes on the acquaintance struck up when Bragge was in Montreal two years previously and knowing your great practical interest in the Bessemer I take the liberty to introduce to you Mr [Barner?] the agent of my friend Mr Holley - the manager of the Troy Steel Works who has introduced some very important improvements in the management of the Bessemer process, now successfully adopted in America & visits England for the purpose of there making them business.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Written out in one hand, and signed 'Bradley & Co' in another. Addressed to 'W. F. Stocks Esqre | Glen Elwy | St Asaph. | Flint[shire]'. Thirteen lines. Text clear and complete. On foxed and lightly-aged paper. Giving the firm's 'charge for receiving unpacking & delivering pictures to the R.A. or other London Exhibitions' and for 'collecting repacking & forwarding', as well as the dimensions of pictures for which these charges apply.

12mo, 1 p. In good condition. Laid down on a page removed from an album. Addressed to 'Rev. and Dear Sir', and calling the recipient's attention to an 'enclosed appeal' (not present), and asking that he 'would kindly put it up in your Church'. 'It speaks for iself and I can only add that the efficiency of the opposition to the disastrous change of law must greatly depend on the means at the disposal of those who are contending for an old domestic purity.'

12mo, 31 pp. Ruled cashbook. Bound in vellum, marbled edges and endpapers, remains of clasps. Text clear and complete, internally sound and tight, on lightly-aged paper. In Stained vellum binding. 'Registration Cash Book' in large manuscript on front cover, and 'Godolphin School Collection | Commencing Xmas 1856.' on back. The first twenty-eight pages of the volume are headed 'Cash Receipts for Fees for Registration'.

Landscape 8vo, 85 pp. Sixty small photographs of boats and crews laid down with other matter (see below). Text clear. Apparently complete, but with two loose leaves at rear. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight wear to photographs and wear to the two loose leaves. Efficiently records dates and times of voyages, together with other relevant details. First six pages consist of the 'LOG OF THE MIGGO II', an 'Outdoor Cabin Cruiser | Built by Dauntless Coy Feb-Apl Leigh-on-Sea 1930. Launched April. Engine - Elto Quad 1929 model'.

12mo, 220 pp. Engraved title and six other plates, each carrying an engraving from Westall. In green calf binding, gilt, with spine in compartments. Marbled edges and endpapers. Internally tight, on lightly-aged paper, with the plates a little foxed. Rebacked and in worn and lightly-stained binding. Tasteful small bookplate, with the single word 'Simpson' in copperplate, an initial 'M.' added in manuscript. Pink ticket on front pastedown: 'GEORGE DAVEY, | Bookseller, Binder, | & STATIONER, | NO. 1 BROAD STREET, | BRISTOL.' An uncommon Chiswick Press item.

Two volumes in one binding. 12mo, vi + 108; iv + 108. Each volume with engraved title (included in pagination) with vignette from Westall, and another plate also carrying an engraving from him. In green calf binding, gilt, with spine in compartments. Marbled edges and endpapers. Internally tight, on lightly-aged paper, with the plates a little foxed. Rebacked and in worn and lightly-stained binding. Tasteful small bookplate, with the single word 'Simpson' in copperplate, an initial 'M.' added in manuscript.

Five of the items are 8vo, with the other on a 12mo slip. All texts clear and complete. Fair, on slightly-aged and worn paper. A total of five typed 8vo pages, and two autograph 8vo and two autograph 12mo pages. Four of the lettters have 'The Fol-de-Rols' printed on the letterhead. Dealing with practical everyday theatre matters, with Newman writing, for example, on 19 November 1955: 'I have bought a few costume from the Punch Revue which died an early death at the Duke of York's theatre last Saturday.

Texts of all items clear and complete. The collection on aged paper, with occasional wear and creasing. Includes Kirwan-Taylor's 'Range Barrier Pass Certificate', his 'Combined Leave Pass and Railway Ticket'; an 'Application for a Game Licence in the British Zone of Germany' by him; his 'Final Clearance Certificate.

Both letters 8vo, 1 p; the first on pink paper. Both texts clear and complete. Both fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Letter One: She was surprised to learn that Lawrence had 'Miss Babbington with you because I did not even know that she was on the stage. I thought she was with a publishing house.' After the 'long and wonderful run' she is sorry that Lawrence's leading lady is leaving. 'Although I never intend to go back to the stage again, I shall always have the same keen interest in matters theatrical [...] the variety profession is my first love'.