Freemasonry

The pedigree is written out by Crisp on one side of a 37 x 95 cm piece of paper, folded twice into a 37 x 23.5 cm packet, printed on the front of which is: 'Visitation of England and Wales. | DRAFT PEDIGREE. | Please return to Frederick Arthur Crisp, F.S.A., "Grove Park Press," 270 Walworth Road, London, S.E.' The same address is embossed at the head. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. 'Barnard, B.' in manuscript in top right-hand corner of cover, underlined in red. Dated on cover '1905', but with latest entry for 1918.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'Dear Sir and Brother'. He apologises for 'having inflicted pain' on the recipient, but reminds him that 'imperative duty towards my office, no less than the security of Francis and myself required my insisting on the possession of the Books'. Even in the 'usual circumstances of the Province' he should have been 'most reluctant to remain in a position which, to say the least of it, would have betrayed carelessness on my part', but 'in the divided and almost hostile relation in which we (more particularly G.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'E. Draper Esq'. He asks him to send 'the page of Freeman's [altered from 'Freemason's'] Journal mentioned in your Note to the Editor', and undertakes to return it safely, 'after inspection of the contents'.

2pp., folio. On two leaves of yellow paper, with 'PATENT' lion and unicorn watermark. Text enclosed within faint blue vertical lines. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper. No record found of the publication of this item, the first page of which is headed 'Opening: -', with the last section ending two thirds down the page, suggesting that it is complete. A rhymed poem of 36 lines: the first section consisting of 10 lines, the second of 16 lines, and the third of 10 lines.

From the papers of the Honorary Secretary of Finsbury Habitation 596, Mrs L. Vernon Sparrow, 20 Wharton Street, WC1, who has annotated the mimeographed circular relating to her branch, and jotted a few notes on the back of the third booklet. The four booklets are all scarce, with no copies of any of them on COPAC. They are printed on aged high-acidity paper, with light creasing and wear; the mimeographed circular is on aged and lightly-worn paper. First booklet: 'Are you a Patriot?' 4pp., 16mo. Bifolium.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed in another hand on reverse of second leaf to 'Monsieur le Doctor Brown | Medicin de la Majesté la Reine | regnante de Prusse | Berlin', and docketed (presumably by Brown) 'J. Randall Coachmaker | 1789 | London June 30 | recd. July 13 - | with a Receipt in full inclosed -' (the receipt is not present). Brown begins: 'I have sent you enclos'd a receipt in full for what you was Indebted to me'. He would have answered Brown's letter before, but has been 'very Ill for these six weeks past & oblig'd to be by the Sea side'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good on lightly-aged paper. In original envelope, with stamp and postmarks, addressed by Morris to Baron at 18 Griffin Street, Witton, Blackburn. Morris begins by giving details of the availability of his 'Etymology of Local Names' and 'Historical Outlines', before informing Baron (a brazen autograph hunter) that he does not know 'Wm. Morris' Address, but a letter addressed to him & sent to his publisher would be forwarded'.

Printed source: History of Lodge Dramatic and Arts No. 757, 1888-1938, Prepared in celebration of the Jubilee of the Lodge by Brother J. Hamilton Birrell, Past Master, Grand Bard (Published by Andersons Edinburgh Limited, [1938]). Contains biographical entries on the thirty founders and 'outstanding brethren'.[Hereafter 'Birrell'] The items in this collection date from the period covered in the first five chapters, pp.9-60.Seventy-one items, dating from between 1888 and 1909, concerning the Freemasons' Lodge Dramatic and Arts No.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with damage to second leaf, which carries the address to 'Messrs Carey & Hart'. Reads 'Gentln | Will you oblige me by an account Sales on the one hundred copies of the Gazetteer of New York, delivered to you in October last. | Very respectfully &c | [signed] Thos F Gordon | 2 May 1837 | Mess. Carey & Hart.'

4to, 4 pp. Printed on thin paper. Text clear and complete. Originally a bifolium, but the pages had been separated and the margins trimmed. Repaired with archival paper. With a list of members of the 'Restoration Committee'. Scarce: no copy in the British Library, and the only copies on COPAC at King's College London and the Guildhall.

Folio, 3 pp. Bifolium. On watermarked laid paper. Headed 'A La Gloire du Grand architecte de L'univers sous Les auspices et au Nom du Serenissime G M | Le Grand orient de france a tous les Maçons reguliers, | union force salut'. Apparently regarding relations 'Entre Nous & Les directoires

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Minimal damage has been caused to the second leaf (affecting two or three unimportant words of text) by the breaking of the red wax seal. Addressed by Guthrie 'To Charles Sharpe of Hoddam Esqr [Hoddam Castle] | Provenance Grand Master for Dumfries Shire'. Small circular red ink postmark. Docketed. Guthrie's letter, in a secretarial hand but signed and with an initialed postscript by him, covers the two centre pages. He writes that 'a great proportion' of the lodges are in arrears, 'some of them 20 years and upwards'.

Stapled pamphlet. 8vo, 27 pp, including full-page photograph of Mussolini embracing a man in Nazi uniform (Himmler?). Fair: internally clean and tight; some marking and wear to covers. Inscribed on title-page to 'Eric Underwood Esq with the sincere regards of Perry Belmont'. (Underwood is perhaps the English-born Australian nutritionist, 1905-1980.) Curious, digressive, energetic attack on fascism, with sections on the Teutonic Order, 'Oath-bound organisations' (Freemasonry) and 'Gangsters'.

Printed on one side of wove paper roughly 41.5 x 17 cm. Text clear and complete. On aged, creased and grubby paper. In two columns, headed by the title and royal crest. Begins 'Bannatyne's Key to the Almanack gives the following account of Sts Crispin and Crispianus, brothers, [...]'. Concludes: 'In a short time Crispin ascended the throne, [...] he was sainted and the Shoemakers, through gratitude for the privileges conferred on them, made him their tutelar saint'.

4to, 2 pp. Thirty-six lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Rylands thanks Conder for the trouble he has taken 'about this plate of the Temple'. Discusses an edition of Josephus, and a possible painting by Parmentier of 'the building of the Temple and not the Temple built'. Discusses the origin of the plate Conder has sketched, with architectural references. 'Schott's engraving was often copied, [...] Fergusson, with all his study, did not come to anything better'. Rylands was initiated in the Lodge of Faith and Unanimity No.

The notes, on three 12mo bifoliums, cover three pages, with a few lines on a couple of others. In excess of eighty lines. Very good. Brief chronology and list of notable residents, presumably an outline for the description of the district in Besant's 'London' (1892) or another of his many writings on the city.

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.

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'.

Two pages, irregular shapes (section missing - not affecting text), fold marks, some soiling and chipping. Text of summ ons as follows (manuscript in square brackets): "BROTHER, / You are requested to attend the Duties of the United City Lodge, at the Sign of the East-India Warehouse, Fenchurch-Street, on Monday next, the [27th. Inst.] at [7] o'Clock precisely. / By Order of the R.W. MASTER. / London, [Nov. 24th. 1786 / Raising] / Yours affectionately, [D.J.

First Chief Justice of Nova Scotia (1710-76). Flyleaf detached from octavo volume and neatly mounted on piece of white card, itself mounted on larger piece of grey card. While the mounts are in good condition the leaf itself is poor, discoloured and stained. Reads in top left-hand corner 'Jonathn Belcher | August. 1754.' Also present are signatures of 'Hawkins | London' and 'Jn L. Lee | 1870'.

Indian administrator, politician and author (1876-1961). 3 pages, 16mo. Grubby, but in good condition overall. Signed 'Ronaldshay'. He has received the letter and is in London 'for the Compulsory Service bill at the H of C.' He asks that he be not recommended for the 'Grand Superintendantship of the Royal Arch'. 'It would bore me to tears! But in addition to this I have as much future work to discharge as I can manage.' He is sorry to learn that his uncle's eyes have been troubling him, and hopes 'that there is nothing seriously wrong'.

4to. 36 leaves and 18 engravings. Bound in plain and worn black cloth, with remains of two ribbon strips on back board. Some of the plates are heavily foxed, but otherwise the volume is in very good condition. Examples of the two attractive alternative decorated bindings are attached to the front and rear endpapers. Over the front pastedown is laid an example of the front board of the dark blue cloth binding of the six-volume edition, heavily decorated in gilt with masonic insignia (all-seeing eye, chain of office, dividers, etc.) inside a decorative gilt border containing other insignia.