Christie

33pp., 8vo. In brown printed wraps. Disbound from a collection of pamphlets, and with library stitching on spine. Aged and worn, with stamp of the Free Public Library, Wigan, to damaged front cover. Covers and last leaf loose. 82 lots with unusually detailed descriptions. Mostly devoted to British artists, the collection included a Constable, couple of Turners, three Gainsboroughs and four by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Scarce: the only copy on COPAC or WorldCat at Oxford.

20pp., 8vo. In lilac wraps, printed in black. Disbound from a collection of pamphlets, and with library stitching on spine. Aged and worn, with stamp of the Free Public Library, Wigan, to damaged front cover. (The collection had been amassed by the cotton manufacturer Thomas Taylor, Mayor of Wigan, 1854-55, and was housed in his country house at Aston Rowant.) Around half the 94 lots priced in guineas and pounds in red ink. Includes work by John Linnell, J. W. Waterhouse, Luke Fildes, Marcus Stone, W. P. Frith and G. F. Watts.

Both items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Item One: Pencil inventory of 'RB | Select Books' - i.e. volumes of drawings by Richard Batty, dated June 1919. 3pp., 8vo, with separate inventory on last page headed 'Book of Engravings | In Drawing Room'. Bifolium. The first item in the list of 'Select Books' reads 'no Cover 1817 April Lyons Genoa Florence Rome (May) to 24 June'. Last entry on p.3: '1832 IV, thick 26 Decr Dawlish & 23 Jany | Coaxden [sic] Hall May 23 | Chard Torquay (July) Plymouth Falmouth | Lands End St Michaels M[oun]t 15 July 1833'.

8pp., 12mo. Stabbed, unstitched booklet. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Under the heading on the first page is a nine-line list of publishers of Christie's book, followed by a two-page account, with reports of meetings on 24 June and 28 November 1840, signed in type 'By Order of the Committee, | J. G. COCHRANE, | Secretary and Librarian.' Pp.4-8 carry an alphabetical list of subscribers, in small type, under the heading 'THE FOLLOWING ARE THE NAMES ALREADY ENTERED:'. Beginning with 'W. Ainslie, Esq., Ripley, Surrey' and ending with 'Col. Young, Ealing', it includes 'T. Carlyle, Esq.', 'C.

Letter: 6pp., 12mo, on bifolium and single leaf. An vivid and entertaining letter, shedding light on Victorian valuation and auctioneering practices. Barling wastes no time in passing on the bad news. 'I am very glad you have written to me about the B[awdeswe]ll. pictures & I can tell you [last world underlined] plainly what the 2 Christie's opinion was which I cd. not do to poor old C[larke]. S[toughto]n. The inspection in issue was a grievous disappointment. So far worse than I cd. have possibly believed, and then coming the question cd. two such Men as the Christies be wrong?

8vo., 69pp. Unbound as issued. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with worn and chipped printed front wrap still present, with ownership inscription at head (''). 482 lots, with several of the books ticked in pencil. Included, as lots 95 to 112A, are 'specially printed copies of the various Lyceum Plays, as arranged for the Stage by SIR HENRY IRVING; they contain numerous manuscript alterations in the text in the handwriting of the great Actor, and are in consequence of very great interest'.

4pp., 12mo. Thirty lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount at head of second page. Steell is enclosing 'a catalogue of the most recent works of the kind you desire', and points out that 'the short biographical sketches of deceased Scottish artists, in connection with our catalogue, was only printed [last word underlined] by Messrs. Constable'. He ends by offering his 'warmest wishes for the married couple' - in 1881 Christie's seventeen-year-old daughter Alice married Robert King Stewart, KBE, of Murdostoun Castle, Lanarkshire.

1 p, 4to. On a bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf: 'Thursday at 11 O'Clock | Chas. Westmacott, Esqr., | 5, Clements Inn.' Fair, on creased and aged paper. Christie's note reads 'Mr Christie presents his Compts. to Mr. Westmacott. | with Mr. Westmacott's permission, the bearer of this Mr. Christie's warehouseman, will remove the Pictures to King St. | King St, | Monday Feb. 14 | 1825.' Beneath this, in another hand, Recd 69 Pictures | [signed] John Biddle'. Above Biddle's receipt, in a third hand, are the word 'Received' and 'Recd 69 [i.e. Christie & Manson?]' in pencil.

Cheque, printed in blue. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Written out for ten pounds and signed 'Ella R. Christie'. With various stamps and perforations, not affecting Topelius's signature. Christie's translation from Topelius, 'Fairy Tales from Finland', was published by T. Fisher Unwin in 1896.

Each drawing 22 x 16 cm, and each neatly mounted on card 31.5 x 22 cm. In good condition, in slightly discoloured mounts and folder. The mounts numbered in pencil in top left-hand corner. In cream folder, with blue cloth spine. Title in blue pencil on front of folder, together with image of hand holding glasses. Illustration of hand painting with brush, surrounded by ink pots, on back of folder. First illustration signed 'GZ | 5.3.66' and last 'GZ 7.4.66' Folder dated 'GZ. | 20.7.66'. Pleasant compositions, with something of an Edward Ardizzone feel about them.

The recipient, who died in 1898, was the possessor of a celebrated library (see Seymour de Ricci, English Collectors, p.109). 3 pages, 12mo. In good condition, with edge of blank verso of second leaf of bifoliate adhering to remains of stub. She apologises for the delay in replying and regrets that they cannot 'avail ourselves of yr. kind invitation to pay you a visit as my husband is engaged to dine out on Saturday the 31st.' He is 'hard at work again' and they have had 'a delightful holiday in Somersetshire'.

Agreement "to be associated in the exploitation of the said Play", 4pp., folio, manuscript correctionsand additions initialled throughout by the above parties, and finally signed by both. WITH: Typed copy of the agreemen,t5 May 1944, between Agatha Mallowan (Christie) and Bertie Alexander Meyer for the rights to produce a play, 4pp., folio, NOT signed; AND: Typed copy of agreement, 30 Sept. 1942, between the same parties for the rights to "Ten Little Niggers", 4pp., folio, some pencilled annotation, NOT signed; AND: Typed copy agreement, 9 Sept.