GAINSBOROUGH

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, but with damage at head of outer sides caused by removal from grey paper mount. While Seammen worked for him he found him to be 'good tempered, obliging & trustworthy - He left me last year owing to an illness which, at the time, precluded his having the same efficient control over the Household that he had hitherto exercised'. He explains the reason for making 'a change', and is sending 'an excellent Character with him, of 14 years, from Lord Ravensworth'.

Black and white studio photograph, postcard format (14 x 9 cm). Laid down on leaf removed from autograph album. Good, on shiny photographic paper, with margin making dimensions of image 12.5 x 8 cm, captioned at foot 'JOHN STUART' and, in smaller type, 'PHOTO BY | L. PROTHEROE'. Stuart's inscription, in bottom right-hand corner, reads 'Best wishes | Sincerely yours | John Stuart'. Stuart's two Hitchcock films were the director's debut 'The Pleasure Gardens' (1925), and 'Number Seventeen' (1932).