BRITISH

One page, on paper roughly seven inches by eight wide. Good, on lightly creased paper. Stamped with date. He thanks his correspondent for 'the typed list'. Headed 'Memorandum from | GEORGE GREGORY, Book Merchant, Library Buyer and Exporter, | The Imperial Book Store, | 5 and 5a ARGYLE STREET, BATH. | Out-of-Print and Rare, or Out-of-the-Way Books sought for and reported promptly, with option of purchase. Send me your List of Wants. | Licensed Valuer. Stock well classified in Thirty Rooms. Libraries Purchased. | Bankers: UNION OF LONDON & SMITHS BANK, LTD., BATH.

On thin laid paper roughly two and three-quarter inches by three and three-quarter inches wide. Good clean image, on aged paper with slight wear in bottom left-hand corner. Enclosed by a border. Reads, in a variety of hands, 'Thomas Payne | BOOKSELLER, | Near the South Sea House | BISHOPSGATE-STREET | LONDON. | Sells all Sorts of Stationary [sic] Wares.' According to BBTI the Thomas Payne who was at this address in 1750 may possibly be the eminent bookseller Thomas Payne I (1719-99) of the Mews Gate.

One page, large octavo. Aged and with light staining. Docketed on second leaf of bifolium: 'Requesting Consuls not to receive Copies of books as presents to Her Majesty'.

On wove paper roughly eleven inches by seven and three-quarters; dimensions of print roughly seven inches by four and a half. Image clear and unaffected, on paper aged and creased, with some staining to extremities. Smith's monogram in bottom left-hand corner. The figure is formally dressed, in frock-coat and stockings, with his hat tucked under his left arm. Clearly a portrait, but of whom is uncertain: it is not among the six works by Smith catalogued by the National Portrait Gallery. A charming evocation of print culture in the early part of the nineteenth century.

Roughly twelve and half inches by nine and a quarter. Neatly mounted on piece of cream paper, with surrounding ink rules. Good, with some ruckling and wear to corners. Characteristically arresting arrangement of type. Reads: 'CAUTION. | THE ONLY CORRECT COPY | OF DONIZETTI'S OPERA | THE FAVOURITE | AS PERFORMED IN ENGLISH AT THE | THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE, | IS PUBLISHED BY | JEFFERYS AND CO.

Dimensions of paper roughly twelve inches by ten; dimensions of print roughly nine and a half inches by seven and a half. A good clear impression, on aged, creased paper, of a striking illustration showing a portly and sleek Asperne, beautifully turned out in Freemason's robes and paraphernalia, holding a leather-bound book, and seated in an ornately carved wooden chair with the Freemasons' eye in a triangle at its head. Captioned 'Mr James Asperne | BOOKSELLER, CORNHILL, | Past Master of the FOUNDATION LODGE NO. 96 And St. Peter's No.. 249 | P.S.D. of the LODGE of Antiquity No.

Forty-four pages, octavo, with two-page leaf of addenda loosely inserted. Four pages illustrating seventeen pictorial covers on art paper. In printed card wraps. A worn and creased copy of an influential catalogue, issued at a time when, as the introduction points out 'catalogues devoted to detective fiction [were] something of a rarity in the book trade'.

Paper dimensions roughly fifteen inches by ten and a half wide; print dimensions twelve inches by seven and a quarter wide. Good clear image with border a little dusty and aged. Full-length image of a dour Panizzi standing at a desk holding a book. Page of letterpress on separate leaf of same dimensions, containing spirited account ['he sought refuge in Switzerland, but he was expelled discreditably from that country, [...] Keeper of the Printed Books [...] the man in all Europe most competent to fill it.

Two pages, quarto. Very good. 'It is great pleasure that I sit down to write to any one of my brother clergy of the diocese, as it seems an approach to that acquaintance with them which I hope before long to have an opportunity of making personally'. '[P]ressure of business' makes impossible 'any very specific answer' to the contents of his correspondent's letter, 'But they shall not be forgotten'. He will 'speak to the Military board as to the Bungalow appointed for public worship'. He laments that the 'situation with regard to the military' has not been adequately defined.

LETTER: Two pages, 12mo. Very good. Addressed on verso of second leaf of bifolium. Three postmarks (two in red and one in black ink) and red wax seal. Written after Wilson's appointment as Bishop, but before his departure from Islington, where he was Vicar of St Mary's. Addressing his 'dear friend' he excuses his silence, which is 'merely for the physical impossibility of answering a tenth part of the letters I receive'. His 'house has been over-full - IS now - I have not a bed free | At any time, however, I am to be found at Breakfast at 9 - & shall rejoice to see you'.

Dimensions of paper approximately 36 x 25 cms. Good, though lightly foxed and with corners a little dog-eared. His Lordship, in full-sleeved clericals, is seated, and bare-headed, looking to his right with a piercing stare. Dated 1815 by the National Portrait Gallery.

12mo: xxxv + 177 pp + three pages of advertisements. Portrait frontispiece. Good, on aged paper. In remains of contemporary calf binding, rebacked with new spine label. Bookplate of Ralph Lindsay, with his signature, dated 15 July 1811, on title-page. Modern ownership inscription on reverse of frontispiece. The first advertisement is for 'Buckingham Boarding School for Young Gentlemen' ('The Rev. G. G. SCRAGGS takes Boarders at Eighteen Guineas per Annum, (Washing excluded) [...] Mr. SCRAGGS has been above 16 years engaged in teaching youth. [...]').

Three pages, 12mo. On aged and lightly spotted paper, with loss at head of crease (not affecting text) resulting from removal from spike. Letter of introduction for 'Mr Davison', [William Davison, discoverer of the Andaman Pale Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela davisoni)] 'who is on a visit to explore for its birds. He has been working with Mr. A. O.?>

Seven pages, octavo. Disbound, and with the four leaves detached from one another and neatly laid down on a paper mount. Very good. From (according to the title-page) the edition in 'LONDON. Printed for EDW. NICKSON. Januar. 24. 1643.' Republished as a supplement to the 'British Stage'. Only two copies on COPAC, at Bristol and in the British Library.

12mo, two pages. Printed on one side of a piece of paper roughly nine inches by seven, folded one to make a bifolium. Lists the Orchestra's officers (conductor; committee - the Hon. Mrs. Noel Farrer, Miss Olive Macleod and Miss Stack (Hon. Librarian); and hon. treasurer Hon. Noel M. Farrer) before setting out its rules over fifty lines, beginning 'The object of this Orchestra is to meet weekly or fortnightly to play good music well and efficiently.' A websearch for the Orchestra (which was perhaps exclusively for women) and for members of the Farrer family yields no results.

Eight 16mo leaves ['A4' at foot of recto of first leaf]. Sixteen unpaginated pages. Unbound, in contemporary marble wraps. Aged and slightly stained, but good overall. Dramatic fold-out handcoloured engraving of distressed men in rowboat in turbulent sea, roughly four and a half inches by five wide, captioned 'CENTAU. | Situation of part of the Crew who are leaveing [sic] the Wreck in a Boat.' Closed tear in engraving unobtrusively repaired on reverse with archival tape. Small stamp of the Webster Collection, with manuscript date 1924, on reverse of print.

Octavo, 16 pages. In original cream wraps, tied with blue ribbon, and with the insignia of the Lodge printed on the front. Good, if a little aged. Creased where folded in half. With the signatures of seven of the Lodge's members in pencil on front wrap (Bob Bradley, P. H. Crozier, Herbert L. Hawkes and others). From the collection of the pamphlet's printer Robert W. Bradley, who is listed among the Lodge's Officers as 'Organist', and who signs 'Bob Bradley'.

Dimensions roughly four and a quarter inches by eight wide. Good on lightly aged paper, and with traces of previous grey-paper mount adhering to reverse, which is docketed, in a nineteenth-century hand, 'Handwriting of the Author of Lorenzo de Medici'. Also docketed in left-hand margin of recto. Begins 'One of the most fatal enemies to the tranquility & happiness of human life is that jealous & timid apprehension which foresees evils at too great a distance, & often imagines them when they do not exist'. Initialled in top left-hand corner.

Arranging the three in what appears to be chronological order, the first (good, roughly four inches by two and three-quarters wide) has 'Josiah C. Wedgwood' in copperplate beneath a straightforward Victorian armorial design, with shield, coronet and motto 'OBSTANTIA DISCINDO'. The second (three and a half inches by three wide) dates from after Wedgwood's election as a Member of Parliament in 1906, having 'EX-LIBRIS JOSIAH C. WEDGWOOD, M.P.' on a scroll beneath a more modern armorial design, with helmet and leaves. It has slight damage to the bottom right-hand corner.

Quarto: ix + 21 pages. Stapled. In original cream wraps, with colour cover illustration by Helen Taylor. Full-page reproduction of drawing of Rutherston by his brother Sir William Rothenstein. Introduction places Rutherston in the tradition of Edward Gordon Craig and Claud Lovat Fraser. Copies of the second edition (1992) recorded by COPAC, but not at BL or Bodley.

Chairman of Unwin Brothers (born 1870). One page, quarto. Good, but discoloured and lightly creased, and with staple stain at head. Docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. He is sorry not to have answered sooner, but 'some very important business has engaged my attention during the last few days with the result that I put your letter into my private drawer without acknowledging it.

American-born British journalist (1864-1948), editor of the Daily Express, 1904-32. One page, quarto. Good, but on slightly discoloured paper, with slight staining to the four corners from previous mounting. Reads 'As one printer to another I want to tell you what I think of your magazine "Change". It does you all great credit. It is exceedingly well produced, presented with remarkably good taste, and I am astonished at the knowledge and technique.

12mo, eight pages. Very good, with slight wear to inner margins from removal from stubs (not affecting text). An informative discussion of the commercial prospects in the vilayet of Adana. He has 'been absent a great deal travelling', hence the delay in answering Haynes-Smith's questions. Begins by discussing the 'titles to property &c. here in Cases of improvement schemes &c.' Next comes the 'population of the vilayet' ('about half a million [...] The language generally is Turkish all over').

One page, quarto. Good, on piece of watermarked laid paper, with small closed tear at foot of right-hand margin. He is 'once more' returning the play, 'having made the further omissions which you propose. | With many thanks for your kindness, in the ready attention you give to a matter of infinite moment to me'.

Two pages. On both sides of a piece of paper roughly twelve and a quarter inches by eight inches wide. Illustrated on both sides. An unusual piece of Post Office ephemera, and something of a period piece, on aged paper, with fraying to extremities. Begins 'The object of these instructions is to secure the apprehension of men and women who are negotiating stolen postal order forms and stolen penny stamps, the proceeds of thefts from Post Office. [...]'.

Three pages, octavo. Very good on lightly aged paper. Kenyon's paper was 'much enjoyed' when read on Saturday, and there was 'a good attendance'. '[T]he pleasantries were not missed': '1. the confusion of the inexhaustible emender; 2. the thrift of the canny Odysseus in his role of wooer; 3. Burne Jones's Law.' 'At the end some interesting questiosn were asked', for example, 'why second-rate Greek annalists shd. seemingly have been preferred to Herodotus & Thucydides'.

Two pages, 12mo. Very good, with the merest spotting at head. He 'will be at West Drayton by the train due there nearest to 4 o'clock'. He has no time-table to hand, 'but shall see one at Jermyn St. to-morrow'.

Two pages, octavo. Very good on lightly aged paper. She is sending all her autographs 'and my index for them. I also venture to send my photo: Album hoping that at some leisure moment you wd. kindly have these pasted in for me.'

One page, octavo. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. 'Pray use me as you think fit on Monday March 4th. & I will do what I can | Perhaps you would not mind telling me if it is to be in reply to a toast & if so what & also whether decorations are worn. I imagine it is more or less of a private dinner & therefore they will not be'.

Thirteen pages, octavo, and fold-out 'PLATE XXI' (eight and a half inches by twenty-two and a half wide), with nine illustrations, headed 'THE DRAWING OFFICE BY MR. ARCHIBALD DENNY.', by Robert Gardner & Co., Engineering Lithographers, Glasgow. Unbound and stapled. Good, on aged and lightly foxed paper. Original pink printed wraps detached, chipped and with minor loss. PRESENTATION COPY, with front wrap (which has minor offsetting in ink) headed in pencil 'With the Authors Compts'. Ownership inscription of 'H. J. Young | Nov: '95' at head of first page.