BOLTON

Jeffrey Richards, in his 'Imperialism and Music: Britain, 1876-1953' (2001), pp.272-274, discusses this piece at some length, beginning: 'There was a late entry in the imperial cycle, the now-forgotten The Song of The Drum, written by Fred Thompson and Guy Bolton, which opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on 9 January 1931. It starred Derek Oldham as Captain Anthony Darrell, Bobby Howes as comic relief Chips Wilcox, Peter Haddon as silly-ass "Goofy" Topham and Marie Burke as glamorous spy Countess Olga von Haulstein.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly aged paper. The red wax seal has been cut away from the second leaf, with no loss to text. Addressed, on the reverse of the second leaf, to 'Miss Howard | Mr Jackson's | The Pike | Bolton | Favored by Mr. Harrison'. An affectionate letter from father to daughter. He begins by describing the pleasure he has had in reading her letter to her brother, 'and the more when I understood that you had not only written it, but composed it'. He feels she will 'profit every Day by the kind and good Instructions of your Cousin and Tutoress'.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium with mourning border. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. He thanks him for the grouse ('very greatly appreciated') and thinks that 'the show at York went off first class'.

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.

In three columns of small type on one side of a piece of unwatermarked wove paper, dimensions 39.5 x 29 cm. Text clear and complete, on aged and lightly creased paper. Four short closed tears at the extremities of folds. An unusual production, docketed in pencil in a contemporary hand at the head: 'These letters were written by Baker, Consul out in the Principalities & a great protege of Gladstone'. Begins 'We have been favoured with a copy of a remarkable letter addressed to the Premier by an old friend of his father's.

Landscape. Dimensions of paper roughly nine inches by thirteen and a half. Trimmed. Clear image on aged and foxed paper. Captioned 'This ENGRAVING of the BOOKSELLERS' PROVIDENT RETREAT at Abbots Langley, Herts, erected upon ground presented by JOHN DICKINSON, ESQ.

Linguist, writer and traveller (1792-1872). One page, octavo. Lightly creased and with a few closed tears. Reverse adhering to page from autograph album. Reads 'My dear Sir | Herewith the promised letters - | Yours most truly | John Bowring'. Docketed on reverse.