CHARLES

Charles Harry Lawrence (hereafter CHL) was perhaps the finest gunmaker of the twentieth century. At the age of 14 he joined James Purdey & Sons as an actioner's apprentice, and he remained with the firm for the rest of his life. For fifteen years, ending in 1970, he was the firm's managing director. He was twice (1954 and 1962) Master of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, and was Chairman of the Proof House Committee for 27 years from 1954. Having previously received an MBE for his war work, he was awarded an OBE in 1978.

The three items in fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. All three addressed to 'My dear George' and one with valediction from 'your affectionate Father'. The letters are described below in reverse chronological order. ONE: AL. 3 October 1822. 8pp., folio.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Clearly referring to his edition of Charles Lamb's letters, he begins by explaining that the 'trouble is that the size of the books will be conditioned by the circumstance that ultimately they are to go into Everyman's Library'. Even before his 'visit to America', he had assembled 'more than 250 in excess of any current edition'.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. Unbound. In fair condition, aged and with wear to extremities. He considers one of the 'principaux devoirs de notre ministère [...] de veiller à ce que le service divin soit célébré avec cette décence et cette majesté qui conviennent au Dieu suprême auqel il se rapporte', and concludes by describing changes to vestments and ceremonial in four numbered sections. Ends: 'Donné à Bayeux, en notre palais épiscopal, sous notre seing, le sceau de nos armes et le contre-seing du Secrétaire de notre Diocèse, le 20 Fevrier 1819. | + CHARLES, Evêque de Bayeux.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Thanking him for 'the Photograph of Folkestone harbour, & the volumes you have sent on the subjects of Malta, & the Order of St. John. [by Major-General Whitworth Porter (1827-1892) of the Royal Engineers]'. Prince Albert had intended to buy the book, but will take pleasure in accepting the copy the recipient of the letter has 'had so handsomely bound'.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Johns's book 'Mind You, or, Lewys Lad and his Friend Shadrach' was published in 1922, and he writes to thank Cuming Walters for his 'appreciative review of "Mind-You" - of which you so kindly send me an advance proof'. Walters' praise has given him 'wonderful encouragement', and he hopes it is 'thoroughly deserved'. 'Robert Lynd was most kind in the "Daily News", giving me a full column - mostly praise.

The calling card is 5.5 x 9.5 cm, with 'Alfred Grandidier, | Membre de l'Institut.' in copperplate in the centre and his address '6, Rond-Point des Champs Elysées' in the bottom right-hand corner. In good condition, lightly-aged, with remains of stub adhering to the reverse. Grandidier has written across the bottom of the card: 'Very grateful to Dr. Forsyth Major for having sent him two so interesting pamphlets, sends him his best thanks and renews his heartfelt compliments for his important discoveries at Malay.'

Papert has been described by by Marvin Minsky as 'the greatest living mathematics educator'. At the time of this paper he was studying for a PhD at Cambridge University and living in London, where he was a leading figure in the revolutionary socialist circle centred on the magazine 'Socialist Review'. 9pp., 8vo. On nine leaves stapled together. In fair condition, aged and worn, with creasing to last couple of leaves. Divided into three parts: '1. Propriétés des treillis des ouverts et représentation des treillis comme treillis d'ouverts; | 2.

1p., on 11 x 9 cm card. Addressed on reverse 'To the Editor of The Book Buyer | c/o Messrs. C. Scribner's Sons | New York City | U.S.A.' With two postmarks. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, and postage stamp removed. Since posting a letter on the previous day, he has 'discovered another article satirising the Bacon-Shakespeare theory', as with the one 'in Macmillan', anonymous. It is titled 'Who wrote Dickens's Novels?', and appeared in the Cornhill Magazine, August 1888. 'The author humorously endeavours to prove that Gladstone wrote them!!'

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'.

1p., narrow 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He explains that he has 'not written since my Vol in 1920 any Book on Le Blond except the one just published of which I enclose the Prospectus & do not contemplate any other'. He points out the differences between the two volumes and ends with an offer of help.

22 + [1]pp, 8vo. Unbound, and stabbed as issued. Last page carries an advertisement for five books 'Just publish'd in Octavo'. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with wear to fore-edge, and loss to bottom outer corner. Text entirely undamaged, apart from a tear through two words on the last page. The dialogue between the well-spoken curate and the dialect-spouting cobbler, on the subject of 'the Election-Business', takes place at 'the Cobler's Shop'. Seven copies on COPAC, but now uncommon.

1p., 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and smudged paper. Engraved copperplate certificate. Signed 'Francis Campbell Bayard' and 'Hugh Robert Mill'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With mourning border. In fair condition, on lightly aged and ruckled paper. Declining a dinner invitation and expressing regret at not being able to call, being 'very much occupied'.

For more on Voysey, father of the architect of the same name, see his entry in the Oxford DNB. Denouncing the doctrine of eternal punishment, he was deprived of his living on 11 February 1871. ONE: 'Doctrine on Rationalism' (1871). 34pp., 8vo. Stitched and stabbed as issued. No covers. Aged and worn, with ownership inscription in pencil at head of title-page, on which the author is described as 'REV. CHARLES VOYSEY, B.A., | LATE VICAR OF HEALAUGH.' (thus indicating that the pamphlet appeared immediately after his explusion from the Church of England).

Pp.[3 title]-27[1 blank], 8vo, disbound, presumably missing hf-title, title and final blank dingy, small hole on p.27 with loss of part of page number and a couple of letters. ESTC R205565. Multiple copies in British and US libraries. No copy currently on the market.

37 leaves, paginated on rectos (from 3.), versos (blank) headed "Notes", 8vo, beige printed wraps, spotted, fold mark at middle, back sl. grubby, spine worn at top and bottom, contents good. Shelf-mark apparentlyin manuscript top of front wrap. Also addition ot date spane "?1642". No other copy recorded on COPAC or WorldCat.

An interesting piece of First World War London social history107pp., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, in aged and worn black cloth notebook. On first page: ''Sheena Tennant | 49 Wimpole Street | W. | Concerts, Theatres etc | 1916'. Carefully and neatly compiled, with the date, theatre, production, and often the cast and the names of those she went with.

6pp. by Boulanger, out of 46pp. in a landscape 14.5 x 23 cm notebook of printed staves, stitched within plain white covers. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with five leaves loose and a sixth leaf with loss to one corner. Eleven pages in ink (all by Tennant), the other 35pp. in pencil. In pencil at head of front cover: 'Lundi 4 h.' The initial three leaves (the third of them loose) carry the six pages of musical composition and text by Boulanger; the rest of the volume (40pp.) comprises musical composition by Tennant.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with 'Conversazione' in a contemporary hand at head of first page. Addressing his letter to 'Dear Sir', Haghe begins by acknowledging the receipt of 'a card for the conversasione [sic] of the 5th. of June next', adding that he will be pleased 'to send you a couple of pictures at the appointed time'. He gives the dimensions of the two pictures. He ends by reminding the recipient that 'my brother Charles has not yet received the card you have usualy [sic] been kind enough to send him'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. The letter reads: 'My dear Miss Macirone | Mrs. Cowden has recd. your letter, & forwards the enclosure to Clara [the Countess of Gigliucci, another sister]. | Mrs. C. C's hands are so afflicted that she writes with greatest difficulty; so I write for her. We Villa-ites know no one of the name of "Macirone" excepting your own distinguished family. We rejoice to hear you have regained yr. health, & that sweet Minnie is flourishing. We all send kindest remembrances. Excuse gt. haste'.

Closely and neatly written on five bifoliums. Text totalling 14pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with minor damage at head of third letter, and wear to extremities of the fourth. The first two letters (1856 and 1859) addressed formally, the third to 'Angela & Minnie', and the fourth and fifth to 'Angela'. She writes the first letter (1856) before her sister Clara's 'approaching visit to England', to thank Macirone for writing to express the pleasure she had received from Charles Cowden Clarke's sister's writing.

2pp., cr.8vo (30 x 18.5cm). In fair condition, aged and worn, with slight damage to one corner, resulting in loss of one word of text. 62 lines of text, with deletions and emendations, and the thirteen lines of the conclusion largely rewritten. Headed: 'To the Right Honorable | the Earl of [sic] Bathurst | His Majestys Principal Secretary of State for the Colonial & War Department, | &c &c &c | the Memorial of Major General Charles Viscount Grant de Vaux | Shewest [sic]'.

18pp. (paginated 1-18), 8vo. Printed cover of the magazine loosely inserted. Footnote on first page: 'Read at an Afternoon Meeting, Saturday, January 22nd, 1881.' In good condition, lightly-aged, disbound from collection, with chipped front cover.

34pp., 8vo. Drophead title. Disbound, with front leaf loose, otherwise in good condition, lightly-aged, without wraps. Including a seven-page speech by John Stuart Mill (pp.7-13); a speech of three and a half pages by the Rev. Charles Kingsley (pp.14-17); and others by Mrs Taylor; Thomas Hare; Boyd Kinnear; Lord Houghton; John Morley; Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, P. A. Taylor; Professor Masson; Mr Stansfield. Three copies on COPAC, and none (other than surrogates) on OCLC WorldCat. No other copy curently on the market.

34pp., 8vo. Drophead title. In good condition, lightly-aged, no wraps, disbound. Includes a five-page speech by John Stuart Mill (pp.4-9), and others by Mrs Taylor, Professor Cairnes, Mrs Grote, Sir Robert Anstruther, Mrs Fawcett, Lord Amberley, Miss Helen Taylor, Auberon Herbert, Jacob Bright, Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Miss Hare, Professor Hunter, Sir Wilfred Lawson. Four copies on COPAC, and two (other than surrogates) on OCLC WordCat. No other copy currently on the market.

A substantial run of a historic scientific journal, at a significant period in its history, with the theory of Evolution occasioning an upheaval of received ideas. 153 numbers, dating from the first number of 1 Feb. 1845 to that of 1 Nov. 1901, with a single subsequent number (Feb. 1911). (Numbers were generally arranged in yearly 'Volumes', with occasional additional numbers (for example 120* and 200a and 200b). All issues 8vo, with numbers of pages varying from around 60 to upwards of 20. The full number and date range are as follows: 1-4 [1 Feb. 1845 to 1 Nov. 1845], 9 [1 Feb.

Printed on one side of a piece of 36 x 26 cm wove paper. Aged and lightly creased, with short closed tears at edges, along central fold line. The seventeen line facsimile is under an ornate heading. Scarce: the only copy on OCLC WorldCat and COPAC at the British Library.

2pp., 4to. 51 lines of text. On brittle, discoloured paper, with closed tears and slight loss at foot, including the signature. In September 1826 Hartshorne had returned to England from a tour of the continent with the Earl of Guildford, to find that rumours were circulating that he had been engaged in a homosexual liaison with Richard Heber. In December 1828 he married Frances Margaretta Kerrich.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with closed tear along gutter and traces of mount on black reverse of second leaf. He fears she will think him 'but faithless' when he asks that she does not wait for him that day, 'as if Lord B. comes in to Edinbh. as I expect him to I cannot depend on getting away from home as early as 2'. He suggests that they go to Arthur's Seat the following day, and in a postscript explains that his sons have delivered the present letter 'en passant to school', and that they will wait 'for a verbal answer' on their way home.