ENGLISH

[1] + 30pp., folio. In brown printed wraps. Worn and aged, with some damp staining to the first dozen leaves. Printed on art paper, and with the thirty pages of the catalogue filled with illustrations of every aspect of the firm's stock, from 'Composition enriched pine panel mouldings' to 'Fibrous plaster cornices'. The price list is printed on 4pp., folio, in a bifolium, as is one supplement of 'Additional fibrous plaster cornices & bands and composition ornaments'. The other supplement is a fold out poster (44 x 28.5 cm) carrying illustrations of 'Cast lead word'.

1p., 16mo. In good condition, on aged paper, neatly laid down on a paper mount. Written in a bold hand with an attractive signature. The note reads: 'Woodbridge | 2/6/1847 | My dear Sir | I scribble this to accompany the two copies of the Memorial referr'd to in my other note of this date. | Thine in haste | [signed] B Barton'.

1p., 4to. Addressed on reverse, with red wax seal, to 'C. W. Dilke Esq:'. Hayward writes that he is enclosing a note (not present), which was sent to him 'in one to me received only today though apparently written on Wednesday last. A d - d foreigner kept it in his pocket in the interim.' Clearly referring to a fee for an article, he continues: 'The lady will be quite satisfied with what you name, but I suppose it may stand over till she does something else'.

The 'Ape' cartoon: 21.5 x 32.5 cm. In good condition, on aged paper, with a neat horizontal fold 4 cm up from the bottom. Hayward's autograph note: 1p., 32mo. In good condition, on aged paper. It reads: 'Mr Heywood presents his compliments to Viscountess Combermere and has much pleasure in accepting her invitation to luncheon on Wednesday 21 June. | 8 St. James St | June 9'.

A notable man by any measure, Walters is a puzzling omission from the Oxford DNB. For many years a central figure in the literary life of the north-west of England, he was an authority on Shakespeare (his extensive papers on whom are now in the Folger), Tennyson and Dickens. Walters was the author of 'about 20 books and [...] 250 lectures', and an 'actual or corresponding member of close upon fifty' literary societies, in addition to his professional work as editor of the Manchester City News (for twenty-five years), and the Manchester Evening Chronicle.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On wove paper watermarked 'R TASSELL | 1831'. 56 lines, arranged in seven eight-line stanzas. Presentable, despite wear and age, closed tears along crease lines, and traces of yellow-paper mount on blank reverse of second leaf. There is no sign that this item was ever published, which is surprising, as it is a superior effort, written with some conviction, the subject being one on which Hollings was regarded as an authority.

Engrossed on both sides of a long strip of vellum, 18.5 x 76 cm. Written in a neat clerk's hand. The vellum is worn, with slight damage at the head, and some passages, particularly at the start, are illegible. The heading appears to be 'Court Leet Charge', and the sub-heading 'Charge in the Court Baron' appears twice. The text is strongly reminiscent to the relevant sections in Giles Jacob's 'Complete Court-Keeper, or, Land-Steward's Assistant'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 28 lines of text. In fair condition: aged and a little ruckled. Docketed 'The Woodcutters' (a theme around which Linnell produced several paintings). Linnell writes that he has just received Lawrie's 'half note for £5 - and will not fail to attend to your wishes about The Verification'. He explains that he usually requires, in addition to the fee, 'an assurance that I shall not be called upon personally to give evidence respecting the work said to be mine.

31pp., 12mo. Stitched and unbound. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Comprising a series of transcriptions in a contemporary hand - from the annotations and emendations clearly that of the original author, an anonymous middleclass Englishman with Radical and Communist sympathies. Neatly and closely written at around 34 lines to a page - from thirteen letters, dated (with interrogation marks as given in the text): '? May, 1869', 'Paris, June 1869', 'Monastery of La Grande Chartreuse, Alps Dauphiny, Feast of S.

Three pages, 12mo, bifolium, sl. staining ( remnants of laying down process on album leaf), good condition. He has sent a copy of his latest book to Gurney ("A Salad of Stray Leaves" (pub. 1882), with illustrations by his friend Phiz, Hablot K. Browne, who died in the year of publication). It's "to be published on Monday. | I find so little todo with the chisel that I am fain to employ my pen." The family is holidaying in Margate, and the air is having a beneficial effect on his son's health.

Two pages, 12mo, bifolium, ford marks, good condition. "I have at last done what you wished to the picture & hope you will like it. I have directed it to be packed & sent to you at once, & shall be glad to have a line from you to say it is all right. [...]" Note: George Gurney's art collection was auctioned in 1903. It contained two pictures by Vicat Cole, including a "View of the Thames".

2pp., 12mo. In a windowpane mount on a leaf removed from an album. The letter itself very good, on aged paper; the mount worn at extremities. He begins by informing the recipient that his 'last Letter has made ample atonement for the provocation of the preceding', and he has 'ever been the foremost, both in word & deed, to keep my wings in motion. I speak this seriously: my former note was only a temporary petulance'. The second paragraph begins: 'I must positively have another Paper for my Orators'. He has 'run to a fearful length, & yet have cramped myself all the way.

1p., 4to. Fair, on aged, worn and creased paper. Seventeen lines in phonetic spelling, with printed key at foot, headed: 'NOTE - Members of the Phonetic League are pledged to use this Alphabet and spelling in correspondence.' Disregarding the use of the diaersis, the letter begins: 'Mi der Bryn, | Zis is only a not ov enqwiri tu asertan wezer yu ar stil aliv.

1p., 16mo. Fair, on aged paper, laid down on piece of card. '1349' in blue pencil at head of page. The letter reads: 'Thank you for the cheque. He ought to have paid for two, as both appeared in November. | - | Yes, I have another copy of . | - | [signed] M. Hewlett'.

On 12 x 21 cm rectangle, cut from the base of a 4to leaf. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with part of the card mount adhering to the reverse. A firm flowing signature which reads: 'Yours sincerely | Gilbert Frankau'.

2pp., 4to. 29 lines of text. Bifolium. In very good condition, on lightly-aged mourning paper, with broken black wax seal. Reverse of second leaf addressed to 'E Magrath Esq | Athenaeum | Pall Mall'. The letter begins: 'Yes, Truth, (as you say) is better than a thousand apologies. | From the Evng I was last in town (when I met your respected & kind friend Mr. J.

1p., 12mo. Very good. Wildeblood writes: 'I would like to thank you for your appreciative reference to my book in Tuesday's debate, and to say how much I admire your efforts to obtain a measure of justice for a section of the community that is necessarily inarticulate. I am proud to be associated with your activities and wish them every possible success.' Rather than homosexuals, the 'section of the community' referred to by Wildeblood was the 'prison population'.

1p., 16mo. 13 lines. In fair condition, lightly-faded on grey paper. 'You are quite welcome to my autograph - as long as you don't ask for it at the front of a cheque.' He apologises for not replying to the 'first letter': 'Let me make amends by sending this by return of post.' Signed 'Autographically Yours, | [signed] Coulson Kernahan'

1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper, with short vertical closed tear at foot through the first name of Pyne's signature, unobtrusively repaired on reverse with archival tape. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | I left a message for you this morning asking for a Box which I am very much surprised at not receiving | Will you kindly send me one by bearer | It is for my Father | In haste | Yours Obediently | [signed] Louisa Pyne'.

On 7 x 11 cm rectangle cut from front of envelope. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with glue from mount adhering to reverse, which is docketed in pencil: 'Serjt Talfourd | Readng | Berks'. The frank reads, with the words in square brackets not in Talfourd's hand, unlike the rest: '[Shrewsbury March] Twenty three | [The Very Revd.] The Dean | Hereford | [signed] T N Talfourd'.

2pp., 4to. 41 lines. In fair condition, on aged paper. He begins by stating that 'Yellow Sands' 'only touches social questions by the accident of the plot. Socialism is a word the definition of which no two people appear to agree about. Ask a dozen Socialists what they understand by their faith & they will each tell you something different.' The opinions depicted in the play are both 'clear' and 'foggy', 'but it is [in] no sense propagandist - I hate propaganda in art.' He goes on to discuss his own views: 'I am not a socialist.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of small spots of glue from mount. Numbered in another hand at the foot of the second page. He writes: 'The Chalcographic Soicety meet at my house on Friday evening next 21st inst | If you can favor me with your company on that evening it will give me great pleasure.' For information about the Chalcographic Society, founded in 1807, see Dennis M. Read's biography of 'R. H. Cromek' (2011).

2pp., 12mo. 29 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting, and the annotation '13/19' in a contemporary hand. A significant letter relating to an important collection. Fielding bequeathed his herbarium and botanical library to the University of Oxford where, as the Oxford DNB explains, they formed for many years 'one of the key resources for the study of botany'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of glue from mount. It would give her 'very much pleasure' to accept the invitation 'to join you & other dear workers in the Temperance Work you are planning for April, but I am sorry to say at present I am quite liad aside from all work'. She describes how she has been ill since the previous October.

2pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged grey paper, with slight chipping at one corner. The letter accompanies a copy of an unnamed play, which Phillips hopes will interest Greenwood. 'I will stand or fall by it. I have learnt so much from your criticism (more indeed than from any one) that I should hope that you might continue possibly that line of such sane and helpful criticism which I have learned to look for from "the onlooker".' He concludes by declaring that there is no one to whom he is sending the book 'with greater pleasure'.

Both essay and letter on aged and brittle paper, with some chipping to extremities (not affecting text). Both are written in a tight, close hand. The letter: 2pp., 12mo.

The three items are stapled to one another, in good condition on lightly-aged paper. The first item is the typescript, which is 1p., 4to. It is addressed to 'Dear Brother Artist,' and begins: 'You will possibly be rather surprised to receive a letter from me, but after having spent most of my life in the Provinces, I now find myself landed in London. I am surprised at the amount of discussion and activity that takes place here regarding the "politics" of the theatre - and realise how you in the Provinces are apt to get left out.

Helm's promotion on 3 September 1940 to the rank of Flying Officer (41020) is recorded in the London Gazette, 15 October 1940. After the war he joined the International Civil Aviation Authority, working in Iran and Zambia, and was elected to the Membership of the Institute of Navigation, Royal Geological Society, in 1971. A total of 59pp., 8vo, of pencil notes and tables by Helm, relating to the RAF in the Second World War, with 6 original photographs.

A good, firm signature, written on one side of a rectangle torn from the base of a letter, roughly 15 x 20cm. Aged and little creased. Written while Kean was on an American theatrical tour, the fragment reads 'I remain, | Yours truly | [signed] Charles Kean | Aster House | 9th. June | 1846.' In pencil on the reverse: 'Presented by A. Bassler'.

1p., 4to. He thanks Stanford for sending 'the carbon' of his 'warm review' of Litvinoff's novel ('A Death out of Season'). He missed the article and the note Stanford wrote 'about my autobiographical sequence' in the Scotsman, but is now iinterested to see from the review that Stanford is 'nursing the idea of a 'Forties memoir. Amazingly, few of us have written about the decade. I shall be getting around to it one day also, I hope.