OPERA

1p., 12mo. Bifolium, addressed by Peake, with broken seal in black wax, to 'Mr Gardner | Globe & Traveller Office | Strand'.

Bold Signatures of Nicolas Orloff and Mary Jarred on detached album leaf, c.17 x 11cm, good condition.

Detached album leaf, 17.5 x 11.5, good condition, headed "The Royal Carl Rosa Opera Co. | Aberdeen- April, 1934. Names : Eric Warr ("Conductor"); Kingsley Lark; Mabel Baker; Redvers LLewellyn; Betty Thompson; Ivor John; Ronald Stear; Helen Ogilvie; Leyland White ("Figaro"); Howell Glynne; Godfrey Stirling ("Almaviva"); John Wright; Gladys Parker; Charles Draper; Pauline Maunder.

158pp., 4to. Typed text on rectos only. With manuscript emendations (possibly in the hand of Judith Spearman, stage manager) throughout, including deletions and a few short additional passages, as well as stage directions. Makeshift thumb index at head. In fair condition, with moderate signs of age and wear, bound with pink ribbon into buff card covers. Typed label on front cover, together with 'Judith Spearman' and 'Effects' in pencil.

One page, 4to, pasted to card frame, grubby and stained but text readable and complete. "I confess your offer to be liberal in the extreme - and if [excision] I possibly can,will be with you about the second week in January - I am now interestingly engaged being on the point of marriage with a young lady of this place (Manchester) therefore the excuse of 'being married and can't come' (at least these 2 months) must in this case be valid - Have the goodness to send the agreeement [...] to me at T. Wilson Esq.

1p., 12mo. On aged and worn paper. Expansive signature. Reads: '"Where ever "Paul Jones" is - I shall be!" | Act III | Agnes Huntington | London | 1890.' Huntington was a great success in this 'trouser role'. In 1892 Huntington married Paul Drennan Cravath (1861-1940); they were divorced in 1926.

1p., 12mo. In very good condition, lightly-aged, with parts of red wax wafer at each corner. Reads 'En route | Royal Hotel Cardiff | Sir | Here is my autograph according to your wish. | Yours faithfully | J. Sims Reeves | April 21st. 1876.' Good, strong signature, with a final flourish continuing in a circle, and enclosign the whole of it.

2pp., 8vo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. She begins by asking whether the recipient is 'the same gentleman who wrote to me from Bournemouth', and to whom she replied that she was 'unable to give the information required, for many years before my husband's death we were seperated [sic]'. She explains that when Fisher was not 'travelling about in the Country he lived with his Father I believe, who has now been dead some years. The whole thing was very tragic and painful, & I shall feel obliged to you not writing to me again on the subject'.

Dibdin's letter: 1p., 12mo. On bifolium, with the Signed Autograph Copy of Chapple's reply (also 1p., 12mo) on the reverse of the same leaf. Reverse of second leaf addressed to 'C. Chapple Esq', with a nineteenth-century shelfmark at the foot of the page: 'C.68.Coll.CR.' In fair condtion, on aged paper.

1p., 16mo. In fair condition, creased and lightly-aged, and laid down on a leaf removed from an album. In a close tiny hand, the note reads: 'Dear Mr. Mellon | can you oblige me with a private box for Monday evening next? The largest you can afford. | You are a naughty man. | Your's most truly | Erminia Rudersdorff'.

2pp., 12mo. On aged paper, with creasing and short closed tear at foot of leaf (affecting first letter of signature). The letter reads: 'My dear Sir | So many thanks for your most beautiful lines. I should be grateful if you would dedicate them to me | Yrs Truly | Henry A. Lytton'. Lytton gives his Chiswick home address on the reverse.

2pp., 8vo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. She apologises for not being able to be 'helpful on any of your questions'. She does not even possess a copy of her own 'Designing and Making Stage Costume'. 'I have no Motley designs at all, as every one which was in my possession has been sold to the University of Illinois, who have taken the whole collection of about 3000 swatches.' She is glad to hear that he has some of them, 'as it means that there are a few still in this country'.

SCORE: [4] + 75pp., 4to. In printed wraps with decorative cover and advertisements. A fair copy, on aged paper, in worn and chipped wraps repaired at the spine. Unusually positive and forward-looking for its period, on the subject of women in the workplace. Note on reverse of title: 'The writer of the Libretto wishes to acknowledge his obligations to "Work and how to do it," by Mrs.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He thanks him 'for the valuable additions to our theatrical wardrobe which you have been so kind as to send us this morning', adding that he can assure Guy 'that we shall make good use of them and will remember with gratitude the source from which they came, for Madame Albani was one of the best beloved friends of the College since its earliest days'.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He writes that he is sorry that he could not sing the song 'Nancy's Hair' at Preston. He had not brought it: '(I only got your letter on arrival at the concert hall.) Funnily enough I picked it up before leaving home to put in my case as a possible encore & then put it back.' He is 'delighted to know that your mother liked my singing of it, I most certainly enjoy singing it & I hope to be able to help it along'.

35 items, in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Ellerman's fifteen letters, all signed 'John Ellerman.', total: 10pp., 4to; 1p., 8vo; 7pp., 12mo. Rollins was co-author with R. John Witts of 'The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas' (1962), and Ellerman's good-natured correspondence is entirely devoted to the same subject, with references to singers, current productions, historical information and Rollins's 'great book'. Two examples will indicate the tone. On 5 January 1968 he writes: 'I am indeed glad to get a little news of the G. & S. front; Mr.

The five items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Item One: Autograph Letter Signed (with a crude drawing of Buckle sitting on a rope slung between the printed names of the two magazines). 1p., 4to. On Fleet Street letterhead of 'Ballet Publications Ltd.' Dated by Alport 14 February 1950. The letter concerns an article on the conductor Karl Rankl, and begins: 'Dear Erich | I have just spoken to Harewood [the Earl of Harewood, co-founder with Buckle of 'Opera' magazine].

The first four letters are each 1p., 12mo; and the fifth letter is 1p., 4to. The price list, which accompanies the last letter, is 2pp., 4to. All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. In the first letter (4 May 1980) he replies to his correspondent, thanking him for a letter 'concernant la representation d'Orphée aux Enfers que vous avez vu à Oxford en 1977'.

2pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. 36 lines. Harewood explains that he 'originally asked Mrs Rankl to think of someone who had known her husband for, at any rate, a portion of his continental career who would be prepared to review his career before he came to this country, and also to give some idea of what he had achieved since arriving here [...] when the moment came she had to say that there appeared to be nobody who had known him abroad who had the necessary musical qualifications. When I saw her about 10 days ago I said I would find someone myself.

Circa 78pp., used, some pages added, text worked over, red boards, hinge strain, mainly good condition. Indexes to Acts, lines through manysections. Contents include: questions for Wilfred [Josephs] ("Sets? | Scenes? | Act II???"]; stage directions; suggestions about characters; directions; music ("(5) Mrs v H [van Hopper] tells A. she is hopeless against Rebecca"); "final faults"; sets; dialogue; problems; phone numbers and addresses; more (detailed) points for Wilfred [Josephs]; suggested lines for a duet; characters with actors' names e.g. Mrs v. H[oppen] Nuala Willis (as happened); etc.

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'.

1p., 16mo. On a piece of watermarked laid paper, 17 x 10.5 cm. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with a manuscript correction ('tracts' to 'tracks'). In three numbered stanzas, Farnie's version being in effect an entirely new poem: 'This Fish was indeed Oh! | A Woolwich Torpedo, | But Oh! But Oh! | The big whale did not know.' 'Les noces d'Olivette' was first performed in Paris in 1879; Farnie's English language adaptation starring Florence St. John was performed at the Strand Theatre in London from 1880 to 1881.

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!

On one side of a 14 x 18 cm piece of pink paper removed from autograph album. Lightly-aged, and a little grubby on the reverse. To the left of Chaliapin's bold signature is an oval photographic portrait, with Rabinowitz's signature below.

Scored on two facing pages, on two 25 x 34 cm leaves of music paper attached to one another along one edge with a thin strip of glue. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in red card folder with white label. Scored for voice and piano, with the two verses of libretto by Tom Taylor. Signed at end 'Frederic Clay. / Tenor Ballad from "Court & Cottage".', with ownership inscription alongside: 'Henry Wodehouse / 24 Upp. Brook St.' (According to the Survey of London, Hon.

1p., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with unobtrusive closed tears along crease lines. 'Mr. Ben Fack [Falk?], the photographer, will, I am sure, give you such a photograph of me as you may select from the assortment he has, if you inform him of your business.' She asks him to send her a sample, if 'the tumblers prove a success, as far as my likeness is concerned [...] If I like it I will possibly order a quantity.'

Both items good, on lightly-aged paper. Rosa Hood's sister Adelaide Fanny was the wife of Herbert F. Gye, and letter and reply are written informally. Hood's letter: 3pp., 12mo. She received Mrs Gye's letter that morning, 'and the Queen has read it' and is 'quite pleased with your reply'.

1p., folio. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight staining to blank reverse. Fairly written out on a piece of Britannia laid paper. 'Lord Chamberlain's Office | 10th. November 1849. | The Lord Chamberlain thinks it right to draw the attention of the Manager of the Theatre Royal Covent Garden to The Queen's Proclamation of the 6th. Instant, in which Her Majesty, for the Reasons therein stated, earnestly exhorts that the Public Day of Thanksgiving, the 15th. Instant be reverently and devoutly observed'.

Totalling 5 pp, 4to. All texts clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. He begins the first letter 'I am venturing to address you on the assumption that you are the son of the revered singer DAME EMMA ALBANI, and most sincerely trust that my letter may not come amiss.' Harvey is writing an article for Albani's centenary the following year 'for Sir Compton Mackenzie's magazine The Gramophone - for November, 1952' and is 'very anxious to obtain definite details of the two UNPUBLISHED Records which Madame ALBANI made for The Gramophone Company in 1904', of which he gives the details.

Galitzin's letter: 1 p, 4to. 13 lines. Text clear and complete. On lightly-aged paper with a few pinholes to one corner. Signed 'Georges Galitzin'. He writes regarding the course of action to be taken if, 'par un hasard qelconque ou par conviction M. Tey [i.e. Gye] se refusait a me ceder son theatre pour le concert que je veux donner au profit de la souscription Garibaldi'. The draft of Gye's reply is 1 p, 12mo, docketed on the reverse 'Monsieur le Prince Gaelzin [sic] | 52 Porchester Terrace Bayswater' | June 1 1860'. It is written in French in the third person. 11 lines.