bookselling

On 7 x 13.5cm piece of watermarked laid paper, cut from the head of a 12mo leaf. Tastefully printed in red and brown, in gothic type with rubricated capital. Reads: 'MEMORANDUM | from | James Wilson, | Dealer in Ancient and Modern Books and Manuscripts; rare | and valuable County Histories, Old Poetry, Theology, costly | Works on the Fine Arts, Illuminated Missals, and other | Ancient MSS. on vellum, and Literary Curiosities and Rarities | in general. Catalogues issued Monthly, gratis andn post free. | 35, Bull Street, Birmingham,'. The date 'Jan 30th 86' in bottom right-hand corner of slip.

A short-lived periodical, of interest as a forerunner of the ISBN system: the Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature states that it ran from September 1895 to August 1898, and gives Armistead Cay as joint-editor. The eight numbers are as follows: Vol. 1 No. 2 (March 1896); Vol. 1 No. 7 (August 1896); Vol. 1 No. 8 (September 1896); Vol. 1 No. 9 (October 1896); Vol. 1 No. 11 (December 1896); Vol.1 No. 12 (January 1897); Vol. 2 No. 4 (May 1897); Vol. 2 No. 9 (October 1897). The eight 8vo pamphlets are stapled into printed wraps, and are uniform in design.

Four 8vo volumes, uniform in design and layout. Vol. I: xvi + 646pp. Vol.II: xii + [1] + 813pp. Vol.III: xiii + [1] + 774pp. Vol.IV: xi + [1] + 830pp. In fair overall condition, lightly aged and worn. Titles in white and yellow on blue cloth bindings. Unlike the other three volumes, the first volume is bound in unwaxed rough cloth, which has faded and worn, that volume also having bumped corners. Noet: post will be expensive!

On one side of 7 x 11 cm piece of card. In good condition, lightly-aged. An unusual and attractive piece of London booktrade ephemera. The whole design, including the text, is engraved, and is in the style of a children's book illustration. With the text represented on a piece of board placed on an easel, around which three children crowd. On the left is a girl in a red dress, with yellow bonnet and umbrella, beside her is a louche individual in a yellow and orange checked suit, and to the right is a zouave, with red hat, holding a paintbrush and palette.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, lightly-aged and somewhat creased at extremities. He explains that he has sent 'the Van Gogh material' to Feisenberger, whose address he gives.

The collection is in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Of Foyle's 77 letters, 63 are signed 'Christina Foyle' and 14 'Christina'. Almost all 1p., 4to. Foyle's character shines through, an extraordinary mixture of steely determination, frankness and snobbish hauteur (for a good assessment, see her obituary in The Independent, 10 June 1999). Topics include: literary luncheons for Diana Mosley, Dirk Bogarde ('He is so very appealing. My friend Vivian Ellis thinks he is greater than Shakespeare.

Ranging in size from a 7 x 11mm yellow hexagon to a 2.5 x 5 cm blue oval. Printed in a range of colours and cut in a variety of shapes. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with 98 of 152 items laid down on a piece of card. The dating in the following description is from the British Book Trade Index (BBTI). An interesting collection of labels, mostly nineteenth-century and mainly relating to the British booktrade, ranging from 'BRO: R. SPENCER, | MASONIC BOOKSELLER' of 314 High Holborn (Robert Spencer, 1831-1846), to 'J. B. BROWN. | Bookbinder to | HIS MAJESTY.

1p., 4to. In good condition. The large and unusual letterhead is the point of interest: it is roughly 17 x 11.5 cm, and mostly taken up with an illustration, printed in red, yellow, green, blue, orange and black, depicting an idealised scene in a Victorian bookseller's shop, with a young lady with bonnet and parasol, two schoolboys in top hats with Eton collars and a bespectackled master in mortar board and robes, the last of whom is examining a book shown to him by an elderly bookseller.

1p., 4to. In fair condtion, lightly aged and creased. With a few autograph corrections by Roberts. Having been unsuccessful in placing an individual with Wilson, Roberts writes: 'Of course forty years ago the advent of a bookshop like yours was a tremendous event, and we all flocked to it as something new and wonderful, as indeed it was.

66 + 2pp., 12mo. Stitched pamphlet. With printed front cover. In poor condition, aged and worn, with damage to top-edge. 774 lots with prices. Notes in English and French. Among the more expensive items is 228, a collection of material relating to the Chevalier d'Eon, for £12. In poor condition, but a scarce item.

18 + [1]pp., 8vo. In red cloth half-binding, with brown marbled boards. Stamp of the Royal Historical Society on endpaper, and pencil shelfmarks. In fair condition, aged and worn. A curious production. The intent of the author (certainly Stevens) is to facilitate 'definite and permanent organisation', by his 'preparation of an Index of all the documents of American concern in private or public Archives of Great Britain, Holland, France and Spain that accumulated between the years 1763 and 1783'.

209pp., 8vo. In printed wraps, with contents page on inner front cover. Aged and with worn spine, on browned high-acidity paper. The catalogue contains 4510 items, with around 10% (472 items, numbered 2041-2513) under the headings 'Shakespeare' (2041-2208) and 'Shakespeariana' (2209-2513), and including sections of 'Separate Plays' (2082-2137) and 'Translations' (2143-2208). The catalogue also contains sections on other notable authors, including Ossian, Bulwer-Lytton, Macaulay, Thomas Moore and Ruskin. No other copy traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

Printed in black on circle of white paper, approximately 4.5 cm in diameter. In good condition, lightly-aged. Tastefully designed, in turn of the century style, with two decorative borders enclosing the text 'Engraving & Printing neatly executed. Books elegantly bound. News Papers sent (Post free) to all parts of Gt. Britain'. The main text, enclosed by both borders, reads: 'R. H. Westley, | Bookseller & Stationer, | No. 159, | opposite the New Church, Strand | Magazines & all periodical | Publications | regularly delivered'.

Printed in black on white within oval border, roughly 5.5 cm high and 8.5 cm wide. In good condition, laid down on a piece of brown card. Tastefully presented in a style characteristic of the period, and employing the long s. Reads: 'Jas. Kerby, | BOOKSELLER & STATIONER, | NO. 190 | Oxford-Street, near Grosvenor-Square. | Sells all kinds of Papers, Writing & Account Books, | Pamphlets, Magazines, a large Assortment of | Gentlemens & Ladies Pocket-Books, Inks, Quills, | Pens, & every other Article of Stationery. | N.B. News-Papers served at any Part of | Town or Country.

16pp., 4to. Stitched pamphlet. Aged and worn. The lay-out is staid and old-fashioned, reminsicent of the 1880s. Very much geared to the St James's Palace market, with such titles as 'Bicycle Gymkhana and Musical Rides' by Major Walter Wingfield, 'No Army, No Empire' by the Earl of Dunraven, and 'Roulette: The Winning Rules' by 'Sperienza'. Includes various of Sir Bernard Burke's publications, and Hertslet's Treaties, as well as 'Dress Worn by Gentlemen at His Majesty's Court. The latest date within the catalogue is 1903. No other copy traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

The collection is in fair overall condition, on aged and worn paper. Not all from the same source (includes stamps of W. H. Smith & Son, Bromley; the Pioneer Bookshop, Woolwich; and Ascroft and Daw of the Charing Cross Road). ONE: 'November Penguins | published 29 October 1954'. Illustrated fold-out pamphlet. TWO: 3 issues of 'Penguin Books | Order Form', December 1954, August 1958, and October 1958. Fold-out leaflets. The December 1954 issue (creased, as is one other) features a full-page illustrated Christmas message. THREE: 'The New Penguins | ready 27 October 1955'.

584pp., 8vo, utilitarian cloth binding, sl. hinge strain, for the sections as they were published (A-Calvin, Calvin-Fulke,Fulke-Zaccaria), with original wraps of the three original parts bound in, in good+ condition. Small stamp on spine "Trin.Coll. Camb.."His stock has a theological bent, for example the section on BIBLES runs from pp.106 -165, nos.1312-1912, Biblio polyglotta (1586) to Biblia Maxima Versionum ex Linguis Orientalibus (1660).

[6], 166 pp. , 8vo, many blank pages interspersed for notes (unused), catalogue crudely bound into beige boards, title handwritten on spine, damaged at spine and grubby, contents preserving the front paper wrap only, pages sl. soiled, annotated throughout with prices (many items, not all by any means) and (reflecting a MS. note in the front, "Those mrked BM were bought by the British Museum"), the initials "BM" appear beside many items. Note: No plates. With note about collation inside back cover, " Complete [pp?] Bernard Quaritch [P[...?]]

The collection in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. The eleven items range in size from 38 x 26 cm to 22.5 x 21.5 cm. Six with the stamp of the firm's London distributor, A. R. Ware of 35 Paternoster Row. Three circulars (totalling 4pp., 4to), all on the firm's green letterhead, include one duplicated letter, with the cyclostyled signature of Robert Hill, all headed 'Picture Boards, Toy Books and Annuals'.

36pp., 4to. With numerous illustrations of covers. Unbound and stapled. In fair condition, lightly-aged with rusted staples. Addendum, dated 2 July 1917, in red ink on label tipped-in onto front cover. Series include: 'Cecil Aldin's Fine Art Animal Books', 'E. J. Detmold's Colour Books', 'Herbert Strang's Empire Library', 'Mrs. Strang's Annual for Baby' and 'The Something to Do Series'.

8pp., 4to. With illustrations of some covers. Unbound. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Begins with L. Leslie Brooke's 'Nursery Rhymes', 'The daintiest edition of the classic rhymes of childhood' ('This line will prove the exceptional merit of the higher-class books for children of entirely British production now being issued. ver 20,000 volumes have been subscribed on publication.' Two pages advertise 'Lawson Wood's Picture Books'.

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged. A long list, giving titles and published price. In columns headed 'ALL BOOKS are supplied on usual Trade Terms, as per our Wholesale Catalogue'. Includes two series of 'The Peter Rabbit Books', and 'PETER RABBIT'S SHOW CASE. Only supplied fitted with 49 1/2 net Books, and 1 2/6 net book. Trade Price with Contents, £2 7s. 3d.' Also 'The "Mr" Books' in four 'Styles', and works by Greenaway, Caldecott and Walter Crane.

Printed in black on one side of an 8.5 x 13.5 cm piece of blue paper. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with minor creasing to corners. Formerly an insert into a book, a nice piece of ephemera relating to one of the greatest English novels of the nineteenth century. 'Middlemarch' was first published in eight installments between 1871 and 1873, before its first complete publication in book form in 1874. No other copy of this item traced on either OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

24pp., 12mo. Yapp-bound in brown-paper printed wraps. Stapled. Very good. Printed in brown ink on glossy paper, with one book per page, each with an illustration of the cover. Begins with 'The Wonder Book | (Fourteenth Year of Issue.)' and ends with 'Animals All | By Ellen Velvin'. Includes four works illustrated by Margaret W. Tarrant, including 'Alices Adventures in Wonderland'. Scarce: no copies traced, either on COPAC or on OCLC WorldCat.

8pp., 4to. Illustrations of covers on every page. Stapled. In good condition, on aged paper, with rusted staples. The cover (with a central photograph depicting the covers of eight titles) is headed: 'Order Form. | A New Series of Children's Toy Books. | The Publishers offer in this new series one of the most striking and original Coloured Toy Books ever published. They will please little children. | These Toy Books will command an immediate sale in any part of the country. They are not expensive.' In right-hand margin of cover: 'A Selection of 49 Titles'.

75pp., thin 8vo (24.5 x 12 cm). Stapled, with red addendum label dated 'July, 1919' tipped in onto front cover. At head of cover: 'Over 100 new titles'. Extensive and businesslike catalogue, with illustrations of some front covers. Begins with series of eight 'Fine Art Editions', including A. E. Jackson's illustrations to 'Alice in Wonderland'. Ends with 'Picture Post Cards for the Little Ones' and 'Puzzle Boxes'. Scarce: no copy of this item on COPAC, and the only entry for any year a copy of the 1925 issue, at the British Library.

72pp., thin 8vo (24.5 x 12 cm). Stapled, with red addendum label dated 'July, 1918' tipped in onto front cover. Extensive and businesslike catalogue, with illustrations of some front covers. Begins with series of eight 'Fine Art Editions', including A. E. Jackson's illustrations to 'Alice in Wonderland'. Ends with 'Picture Post Cards for the Little Ones', 'Puzzle Boxes' and 'Scripture Jigsaw Puzzles'. Scarce: no copy of this item on COPAC, and the only entry for any year a copy of the 1925 issue, at the British Library.

The two letters each 1p., 4to. Both on aged paper, with wear to left hand margin causing loss to text. In the first letter Lent gives details of 8 of his 17 purchases on that day, adding that 'The Lots sold quite well, a good many co are here, also Bowes, Blackwell, Mc Leis Taylor (Scheurer). Edwards, Pickering & E. Mathews, have marks.' In the second letter he gives details of 5 of his 10 purchases, one of them for 'Mr Butterwick'. He gives details of three commissions which Butterwick left with him, only one of which was successful. Catalogue: 31 + [1]pp., 4to.?>,>?>

Around 190 items, fifteen of them loosely inserted. (The firm was already a century old at the time this material was assembled, boasting that it was 'established the year after Waterloo', 1816.) Contained within a sturdy album of grey paper (dimensions 48.5 x 33.5 cm.), stitched with string into covers with brown cloth spine. Label on front cover: 'ADVERTISEMENT FILE. | CHAS. THURNAM & SONS.' In manuscript on label: 'OLD MATTER | NOT TO BE DESTROYED'.

16pp., 8vo. Printed in black and red. In card wraps, with title on front cover also in black and red stylised lettering on front, and an advertisement on the inside back cover ('This is the first of a series of three informative pieces of literature which are to be issued and presented by the printers of the country to users of printing. [...]'). Saddle-stitched with brown thread. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn.