LANE

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight creasing to bottom outer corner of both leaves. Bishop begins by asking Gye to confirm 'the excuse which Mr Barton has given for his absence the whole of Friday Evening last: & which having being [sic] noticed to me officially, I am obliged to enquire particularly into: - He says that he was at the Old Bailey Trial in consequence of your invitation that day!

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of unobtrusive creases. 'We shall be very pleased to come to tea with you on Sunday - I hope you will not mind if we are a little late - I shall be so glad to see Mrs. Arkwright also. With kind regards and many thanks | Believe me | Yours very sincerely | [signed] Emma Albani Gye'.

1p., 4to. 31 lines. Fair, on aged paper. On paper with watermarked date of 1814. Initialled 'G. C.'; with the words 'Copy to Morris' in the top left-hand corner. Docketed on reverse 'Copy to Morris March 1815'. Colman writes that is is now his intention, 'as it ever has been, to use every effort in my power for the interest of the Theatre, by carrying on the business in the best manner that the continual obstacles opposed to my plans will permit'. He states that he is 'in treaty with various Performers for the approaching Summer'.

2pp., 16mo. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. After presenting his respects, Lane states that he'regrets that he is so engaged for three or four months that he must not undertake any more - / He has found the copying miniatures so injurious to his eyes and the drawings so unsatisfactory in the printing that he is at all times unwilling to engage in very small Drawings -'. He concludes by thanking her for 'her most kind & gratifying note'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium, addressed, with postmark, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Revd Dr Elliston | Sidney College | Cambridge'. Fair, on aged and worn paper. An interesting, informative letter, written to one of the two uncles who had acted as Elliston's childhood guardians. At the time of writing, Elliston, having thrived at the Theatre Royal, Bath, had moved to London, replacing Kemble on 20 September 1804 as leading actor at Drury Lane. The present letter shows Elliston's plans to branch out into management.

2pp., 12mo. The letter is on the recto of the first leaf of the bifolium, with the list, in three columns, on the recto of the second. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Dibdin reminds Davidge that at his 'first Anniversary Dinner' he expressed a great wish to serve Dibdin by his patronage, but that 'absence from Town' prevented him. 'The Company were so well pleas'd that each present sign'd a Paper to come again - it is now fix'd for my Birthday (the 21st. Inst) and I take the freedom of enclosing you a List of the Patrons in the Hope I may be allow'd to add yours and enclose you a Ticket'.

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Divided into eight four-line stanzas, each with the same two-line refrain. The first stanza: 'Fashion was formed when the World began, | And Adam I am told was a very smart man, | As for Eve I shall say nothing more or less. | |But that Ladies of Fashion now copy her dress. | Yet barring all pother of this that & tother we all bow to Fashion in turn'. Containing witty references to the fashion for hunting boots and crops, New Bond Street, Tudor and Stuart clothing, Whigs and Tories.

3pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Blanchard and his wife 'very seldom go out of a Sunday but should the weather be at all favourable' they will 'make a vigorous effort to avail ourselves of the strong temptation you have so kindly thrown in our way'. They will be 'quite content with an afternoon ramble in your beautiful garden and a chat with dear Mrs. Keeley'. He is sending 'impromptu lines written by my father nearly a Century ago' (not present) that he believes ought to be in Burgess's possession 'as a double ancestral inheritance'.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on aged paper. He writes to decline Carpenter's 'flattering' offer: 'I now find my acceptance of an office in your Society though purely honorary, would be apt to be misinterpreted [...] I have another reason - that I am taking some part in endeavouring to form a great Author's Society of another kind, and it would look rather <?> and impudent to be playing the fiddle in all parts of the orchestra.'

Albumen print, 14.5 x 19.5 cm, with arched top, laid down on original cream backing paper, 18.5 x 24.5 cm, with border to photograph and company details all printed in gold. A good photograph, showing Buckstone staring at the viewer, while seated in a plush chair at a writing table with tablecloth, his right hand holding a pen over a piece of writing paper. The print is in good condition, on slightly grubby backing. Buckstone has signed 'John Baldwin-Buckstone', in black ink at the foot of the mount.

3pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper. Mathews begins by quoting contradictory passages from letters of Charles Mathews, one from Mrs Mathews' 'Memoirs of Charles Mathews, Comedian' (1839) and the other from Bunn's 'The Stage: Both before and behind the Curtain' (1840).

3pp., 12mo. 37 lines. Fair, on worn and discoloured paper. An interesting letter, casting light on the relationship between two great actors who, according to the Oxford DNB, 'disliked but respected each other'. Macready is not named, but Young ends by sending his 'Kind Comts to Mrs Macready'. Macready had taken over at Drury Lane on 4 October 1841, but the season would not begin until 27 December. The letter begins 'My dear Sir!

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Docketed by Blanchard in top left-hand corner: 'Sent to Sat.

Landscape card, 7.5 x 11.5 cm. Designed to show off the firm's capabilities, and printed on one side in purple, green, light brown and gold, with fancy lettering within florally-decorated body and border, around a small central illustration of three men working a press. Printers' details in small letters at foot, reading 'F. Bentley & Co. Lth' and 'Shoe Lane, London.' The almanac on the reverse is a more restrained affair, stylishly printed in purple and gold. Fair: lightly-aged, with small closed hole to one corner, and slight wear at foot of almanac.

16pp., 8vo, blue printed wraps, some staining, cobver and contents slightly askew, mainly good condition. Someone has added "First" before the word "Judgment" on wraps as well as the title-page. The writer gives a history of Drury Lane to explain the fact that Daunay was a "new renter" (subscriber) asserting privileges, Chatterton being the Theatre Manager.

58pp., 12mo, beige printed wraps, spine nicked, small amount of staining and other wear and tear, mainly good condition. The suggestion by Chaterton to Kenney was "to publish a pamphlet containing an account of the pecuniary successs and losses which attended the different plays I have produced during my management of Drury Lane". COPAC records only one real copy (at BL) others being electronic resources.

4to, 1 p. On laid paper. Forty-nine lines, in a variety of point sizes. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with remains of mount adhering to blank reverse. After printer's details: 'Vivat Rex et Regina!' At foot of play bill: 'Ladies and Gentlemen are respectfully requested to give peremptory orders to their Servants to set down with their Horses Heads towards Drury-Lane, and to take up with the Horses Heads towards Covent-Garden. - No Carriage can be permitted to stop the way after proper Notice given to the Company.' No copy of this playbill on COPAC.

4to, 1 p. Ten lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with some creasing at head. The delay in replying is due to 'a rather severe attack of influenza'. She has no photograph to send ('I have been meaning to have some new ones taken, but never seem to get time'), but is 'so glad that my books give you pleasure, & I hope that I shall be able to continue to entertain you with them'.

12mo, 2 pp. On bifolium. 12 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Part of the leaf to which the item was attached in an autograph album adhering to blank part of reverse of second leaf. 'Miss Cross' has written to him again, 'desiring me to use my influence in obtaining an engagement for her. - She states she is "quite disengaged now" '. Sothern states that when she made a similar request on a previous occasion 'there was some little misunderstanding', so he considers it best to 'drop you a line'.

12mo, 2 pp. Fifteen lines of text. Clear and complete. On aged and stained paper, with 3.5 cm closed tear in gutter, corner torn with no loss of text. Addressed, with postmark and remains of red wax seal, on reverse of second leaf. Docketed 'Lady Mary Ross | Park Lane 31 March 1830 | ans. 17 Apl'. Her neighbour 'Mr Wyndham Lewis' is 'In a fidget, as to Insurance'. She hopes it has been regularly paid, and 'must trust to yr not allowg it to be neglected'. She believes the insurance is 'for the House only & that I did not wish furniture'. According to the 'Survey of London', No.

12mo, 1 p. Bifolium. Very good. On lightly-aged paper. She ends 'Excuse haste & incoherence' and the letter is certainly difficult to decipher. The recipient is 'right', and Mrs Clifford will be 'ready for a talk' any time after her return on Saturday.

On fifty-seven pages, in a notebook of forty leaves (eighty pages). Dimensions: 20 x 16 cm. In red card covers with 'THEATRES' in manuscript on front. Pages aged and ruckled, with a little damp staining at rear (not affecting any of the ephemera) and a small amount of loss to a corner of the rear cover, but in fair condition overall. The first page, signed 'R. J. Olive', with title 'London Theatres'.

12mo, 1 p. Fair, on aged paper, with traces of previous mount adhering to the corners of the blank reverse. Of course Hollingshead should 'wait till the last night of "used up" ' before writing to Mathews, who has 'hunted up Buckstone - hunted up Turpin - but in vain. Not a box to be had'. He has sent 'the best I could get': '3 Dress Circle to Mrs Smiles with "Mr Hollingshead's best compliments." '. In a postscript states that if Hollingshead wants 'a box for the "Overland Route" before the last night' he will be 'too happy'. 'There is always a run on last nights.'

Printed in black, blue, red, green and gold on one side of a piece of tissue paper roughly 37 cm square. Good, on lightly creased paper with a little wear to extremities. The text, with a woodcut portrait of the king (10 x 8.5 cm) in black at its centre, is enclosed in a coloured border of flags and flowers. The text descibes the 'programme of the first week' of the King's visit, with the 'route to be taken by King Manuel on his visit to the Guildhall', and a list of the 'distinguished guests who have been inivited to the reception and luncheon'.

12mo bifolium: 3 pp. Good on slightly grubby paper. He wishes to be informed 'which branch of the family the enclosed represent'. 'They are part of a large collection of persons connected with the Stock Exchange & mercantile world. The collection - some hundreds - was saved from the wreck of the "Oneida" in 1850', and is the work of August Edouard, 'who served under the first Napoleon'. He has 'the history of them, and a very interesting one it is'.

8vo: 32 pp. Stitched. In original grey wraps. Text, four illustrations and map clear and entire. Printed on discoloured high-acidity paper. Lightly creased with a little wear to corners. Scarce. An attack on 'the Betting-offices that are springing up all over the town', with particular reference to those in the St Martin's Lane area. COPAC only lists four copies: at the British Library, Bodleian, Cambridge and Edinburgh; with two copies of the second edition: British Library and V & A National Art Library.

On both sides of a piece of laid paper roughly 39 x 24 cm. Good, on lightly creased paper with a little chipping and a few closed tears to extremities. Seventy-three items are listed, ranging from 'Proclamation of Election in Counties' to 'Certificate of Appointment', under six headings: 'Under Sheriffs (in Counties)', 'Returning Officers in Cities and Boroughs', 'Election Auditors', 'Election Agents in Counties', 'Election Agents in Cities and Boroughs' and 'Clerks to Justices in Cities and Boroughs'. Reverse gives four 'Specimens of Poll Books'.

Excessively scarce (no copy on COPAC). On one side of a piece of unwatermarked wove paper, 41.5 x 25.5 cm. Text clear and entire, on aged and worn paper, with a couple of closed tears and one small hole (1.5 x 0.5 cm) to the border. Priced at three pence. Addressed on reverse (with postage stamp removed but with two postmarks) to 'Mr Dash, Bookseller, Kettering'. Attractively produced, varying between one and two columns, using a variety of point sizes, within a decorative border.

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and entire, on lightly creased blue paper, with a thin docketed strip neatly cut away at the foot of the letter. Traces of cream paper mount adhering to the blank reverse. Presumably refers to the play 'Alone in London', which debuted at the Olympic Theatre in 1885. Buchanan trusts that Fenn 'will be present in production of my new play & Miss Jay's debut on Wednesday next'. He asks whether to send the stalls, 'or do you get them from the Office? It will be indeed disappointing if you do not come, this time.'

4to, 1 p, 7 lines. Text clear and entire on lightly aged and discoloured paper. Nicely connecting two notable nineteenth-century London architects. I'Anson has 'great pleasure in stating from long and intimate personal acquaintance with Mr Robert Abraham that his experience Talent and integrity qualify him to fill any office connected with his profession creditably to himself and beneficially to his patrons'. Docketed on reverse of second leaf of bifolium 'No 9 | Edwd I'Anson Esq'.