FRENCH

A. Décret de la Convention Nationale du Août 1793 . . . Relatif aux Créanciers de la Liste civile, & aux Dettes contractées par Louis Capet No.1410/No.1220, 2; [2 blank], bifolium, edges frayed, some staining, text clear and complete. B. Décret de la Convention Nationale du 19e. jour de Brumaire an second de la Republique Francaise . . .

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Neatly and closely written. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Evaluations of the conduct of more than thirty families, from a staunchly Bourbon point of view. First entry: 'Lorraine. Des sentiments trés pur. Ils quitterent ce Pais et furent trouver l'Empereur, qui les Emploie dans ses Armées.' Some families come in for criticism: 'Bethune. Cette maison si illustre s'est couverte d'ignomenie, un seul Bethune d'Artois a Emigrée.' Longest entry (twenty lines) on the Durfort Boissier family.

12mo, 8 pp. Fair, on aged laid paper. On four leaves removed from a pocket book, with two leaves numbered in manuscript '41' and '42'. Apparently a first-person draft of information for an appeal by the oldest surviving member (from the inception of the group) for a stipend. Begins 'Depuis le commencement de l'an 1760 que j'ai ete recu a la Musique du Roi, j'ai été en exercice jusqu'en 1792, avec 222. sujets qui s'y sous dont 40 vivant encore au 18 Janvier 1815. [...]'.

4to album of 33 leaves, with the 112 illustrations each on a separate piece of paper, and all laid down on 59 of the album's 66 leaves (the blank leaves of the album bearing traces of other illustrations having been removed). The illustrations range in size from 19 x 15.5 cm to 6 x 3 cm, with the average around 15 x 11 cm. The album's brown cloth covers are faded and worn, but internally the album is sound, with the illustrations themselves in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Around twenty are signed, half with the spelling 'Duchene' and the other half 'Du Chene'.

4to, 2 pp. Bifolium, with first page on verso of second leaf, and second on recto of first. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged semi-opaque paper. The 'Prix et Programme de quelques Feux d'Artifices' follow a short introduction by Dresse. Prices range from 'Feux de 100 francs' to 'Feux de 500 francs', the latter including 'Moulin de Don Quichotte' and 'Chutes de Niagara, en feux au magnésium, 6 forts jets donnant une clarté ébloussante avec une pluie blanche merveilleuse.' Final sections headed 'Articles divers' and 'Conditions et Observations Generales'.

12mo, 6 pp. Bifolium and single leaf. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Closely and neatly written. An important and revealing letter, written while Belloc was still at school.

Small 4to, [vi] + 135 pp. Frontispiece and three plates, with illustrations and cartouches in text. Internally tight and sound, on aged paper, in worn and stained brown-cloth half-binding, decorative endpapers, sprung hinges. Number 43 of 400 copies. Scarce: no copy in the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at the University of London SOAS.

Two pages, 12mo, to "Mrs Chapman". She explains that she has had to give up her role in "Dear Charles" because she us "over-tired". Sir Horace Evans has ordered "complete rest for a month, the two more months recuperation". She is "sad and upset about it". She hopes her correspondent willl still enjoy her work when it resumes.

12mo, 1 p. Twelve lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and creased paper. 'No cheque from the Bystander, [...] my new novel will be out in two months or so. I intend to shock you with that.' Perhaps referring to George's 'Blind Alley', or 'Eddies of the Day', both published in 1919.

8vo, 6 pp. Stitched. In light-green printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Fair, on chipping high-acidity paper. Ownership inscription at head of front wrap. Described in footnote on first page as 'Communication au Congrès International d'Hydrologie (IVe session - Clermont-Ferrand 1896).'

The financial diaries of a Frenchman (rentier) living in England, possibly displaced by the French Revolution. Diaries in French, covers in poor condition, contents good. Comprising: The Kentish Companion: or, useful Memorandum and Accompt Book, 1773 [1794]; Kearsley's Gentleman and Tradesman's Pocket Ledger, 1797; and The Daily Journal; or, Gentleman's, Merchant's and Tradesman's Complete Annual Accompt Book. Address entered in first volume: Hereford Street, London. Contents: record of income and expenditure with information about investments.

Both items fair, on lightly-aged paper. Both with list of Champion's publications down the left-hand margin, and with the list continuing in the letter to the blank second page. Letter: 4to, 1 p. He is sending 'a few documents which I have so far collected' relating to the Marquis de Chamilly. 'It is a long time since I last heard from the ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION, and am always at your entire disposal.' Invoice: Landscape 8vo. 12mo, 1 p. Containing five Chamilly letters, totalling 268 francs.

Two pages, 8vo, bifolium, blank second leaf laid don on stiff paper, c.21 x 27cm, good condition.. He asks Disderi de lui envoyer deux collections des huit vues de Claremont [an earlier refuge in England] & Weybridge qu'il a fait en avril dernier, et un exemplaire du groupe general sur la pelouse de Claremont." He doesn't want the latter mounted but "l'autre collection doit etre montee sur carton." He asks for a "note au compte" made out to him. Note@ Apparently Disderi pioneered the carte de visite.

In pencil, on strip of paper roughly 2.5 x 13 cm. Laid down on piece of card. On lightly-aged and creased paper, with small tear close to the right of the signature.

8vo, 1 pp. A long document, closely written in a clerical hand. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with slight loss to one corner. Stamped for tax. Signed twice by both parties, and initialled by them on a couple of occasions. Following the defeat of Napoleon, the broken state of the French economy allowed many wealthy Britains to live there. Drummond is described as 'Mr. Jacques Drummond Ecossais Logé ce jour à Paris, Rue St. Honoré No., hôtel Meurice'.

Letter: 12mo, 1 p. On bifolium. Text clear and complete. On aged and ruckled paper. Slight damage to second leaf caused by breaking open of wafer. Addressed to 'Illustrissimo Signore'. Having 'un affare di qualche importanza alle nove', he would like to give Twining his lesson (presumably in Italian) the following morning at 8 o'clock. He hopes that coming half an hour early does not cause any inconvence. Receipt: on one side of a slip of paper, 7 x 19.5 cm. Headed 'Memorandum del Signor Twining'. For '18 Lezioni la prima delle quali fa data li 15 Novembee', and signed 'Galignani'.

12mo, 72 pp. Stapled. In original printed brown wraps. Good, with mimeographed typed pricelist (4to, 2 pp) loosely inserted. With numerous illustrations. Initial note 'A Notre Clientele', stating that the development of athletic sports in France has added a new branch to French industry, and boasting that the major part of the firm's equipment is made there. Full-page engraving of the company's factory at Levallois-Perret (Seine), with two half-page photographs of staff at work there, and full-page photograph of the firm's Paris shop.

4to, 1 p. Twenty lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and lightly-creased paper. Responding to 'the kind note of his esteemed Country woman Mrs. Wallack'. He is 'gratified to learn, that Mr. Wallack will present to the Parisian public representations in the English language, of the best of our Tragedies & Comedies'. He wishes the Wallacks 'the most complete success, and will with pleasure attend the performances, when his health will permit him & his family to do so'. Two of Mason's family will take up Wallack's offer of tickets for the opening.

8vo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In a difficult hand. Apparently relating to a proposed meeting and dinner for 'tous les trois' (including ''). It is curiously difficult to discover anything, either about Würtz or about the Commission.

On one side of a piece of paper, an irregular rectangle cut from the front of a letter (10 cm x 13 cm at head and 16 cm at foot). On aged paper with pinholes from mounting. Small signature boxed in to the bottom left-hand corner by Waddington. Addressed to 'Fritz Cunliffe Owen Esqre | 4 Grafton Street | Piccadilly'. Owen's note, above the address, reads 'Dr. friend Leckie. Your sister may like to have this autogr. of the French ambassador Mr. Waddington as you know, a great French statesman - au revoir a Bologna on Sunday morning. Yours affect. [signed] Fritz Cunliffe Owen'.

Written in a neat, close hand (not Bernard's) on one page (the recto of the first leaf of a 12mo bifolium). Twenty-one lines. Text clear and complete. On aged, grubby and lightly-creased paper.

Good, firm signature, boldly underlined, on piece of paper roughly 4 x 11.5 cm. Thin strip of glue from previous mounting to the right of the signature, and further traces on the reverse. Evidently collected by an autograph hunter. Simply reads 'George Canning.'

On rectangle of paper roughly 9 x 17 cm. Cut from the head of a letter for an autograph hunter. Fair, on aged paper, with traces of previous mount on the reverse. Above the signature a florid five-line valediction in the best courtly style. Date and beginning of letter on reverse.

8vo, 8 pp. Unbound. An unopened leaf, folded twice to make four leaves. Text clear and complete. On aged and worn paper.

All four catalogues are stitched and unbound. All four are 8vo, with nos. 1 and 5 of 32 pp, no. 2 of 64 pp, and no 16 of 40 pp. The last leaf of catalogue 2, carrying advertisements is torn with some loss, otherwise the texts are clear and complete, on aged and spotted paper. Providing valuable bibliographical information, in a specialised scientific field.

Iin French. One page, 8vo. He is sorry that he does not know Gerard (Gerhard) Hauptmann's work well enough to "rendre . . . hommage", pass judgement not sufficiently "motive", "ne serait pas digne du poete dont une sorte de justice litteraire immanente m'a appris a venerer le nous(?)". (Hauptmann received the Nobel Prize for literature in this year, 1912.)

12mo, 1 p. 20 lines of text. Clear and complete. On aged paper and lightly-creased paper. Writing to ask how the recipient wishes to deal with 'traités de Botanique et de Chimie' in his reviews. Written during the first of several incarnations of the 'Revue', this one beginning around 1836.

All the items except the cut-out and the last card (in which he gives the price of a painting) are damp-stained, with part of the text of the letter illegible. One card in French. The first card, from 1982, thanks Ives for payment for 'watercolors'. The cut-out, in red paper, is roughly 10 x 10 cm. Intricately-cut, it depicts a long-leaved plant in a basket on legs. Although found with the other items, there is no indication that it is by Duramel. Ives made the news in 2000, when his extensive collection of paintings by L. S. Lowry was put up for sale.

8vo: 32 pages. Stitched pamphlet. In small type. Good on aged paper with light wear to covers and dog-eared corners. Text clear and complete. A few pencil notes. Prices are given. The last four pages consist of an 'Extrait du Catalogue de Librairie Furne, Jouvet et Cie, éditeurs'. No illustrations. Scarce: not in the Bibliothèque Nationale, which does however contain a copy of an 1871 catalogue by the firm. No copy on COPAC. The British Library has one of the firm's catalogues from 1890.

Paper: 4to, 6 pp. With addendum slip of a third of a page. Text clear and complete. On aged paper and lightly-creased paper. Closely written, with several deletions. This paper held some significance for Bouthors. The 'Bulletins de la Société des antiquaires de Picardie' (1864) quotes an address by him, in which he describes that society as 'la fille de l'association des Congrès scientifiques de France.