PRINTS

The 40 items range in size from 25 x 19cm to 5 x 4.5cm. All in good condition, lightly-aged, and all but five laid down on the grey paper leaves of a heavily-worn album, with back cover loose, and with ownership signature of Sir Michael's wife Elisabeth Clapham at head of first page. The couple married in 1935, and one of the 40 items is a card with text in red featuring Elisabeth's maiden name. It conveys 'Good wishes for Christmas & the New Year from Elisabeth Rea | 6 Barton Street, S.W.1'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He writes 'My dear Sir | I have the pleasure to accept your kind Invitation to Dine with you on the 4th March [amended from '28 Inst'] to meet the President and Council of the Royal Academy.' For more information about both men, see their entries in the Oxford DNB.

One: Holograph poem by Gere in red ink on slip of paper. Apparently unpublished, it reads: 'I.M. E.HWM | buried Hampstead 18. 9. '52 | Grave scholar of a Grays Inn cell, | Gay naturalist of Norfolk fen, | Divion [sic, corrected in pencil to 'Division'] now ordains farewell. | I shall not see your like again. | JG'. Items Two to Seventeen: Sixteen transcriptions of letters and notes from Meyerstein to John Gere (as 'J G'). Each on a separate piece or slip of paper, and all written out in red ink.

1p., 4to. In very good condition, neatly placed within a windowpane mount. Addressed at head to 'Mr. John Martin'. Laying out, in detail, the 'Terms on which I agree to engrave the Game Keeper after W. Hunt'. The terms are described over twelve lines, beginning: 'The Engraving to be 7 by 5 inches in my best manner, the charge to be seventy Guineas, one third to be paid on the Etching, the remainder on delivery of the work, which I undertake to do in about four months.'

1p., 4to. In good condition, on aged paper, laid down on a grey-paper mount. The letter is addressed 'Gentlemen'. In the first paragraph he explains that having received their letter, he sent 'Dr Clarkes Plates [...] to the Writing Engravers but have not as yet received them back'. He has sent the bearer of the present letter to find out when they will be done, and he has been told to tell them the answer he receives. The second paragraph reveals that the bearer of the letter is himself an engraver: 'I understand that he applied to you for the engraving of one of your Portrait Plates.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with damp stain along one edge. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Scott'. He is sending 'by Bearer 4 sorts of french paper, 2 sheets of each, which you will be so good as to see that it is properly prepared before it is used - The grand Eagle with the watermarks will require a great deal of brushing with a hard brush as I think that many of the specks will brush off they being chiefly superficial'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He apologises for the 'very short letter' and 'long delay in answering'. He reports that 'the rings came in your order but I have not had a chance to use them and will not have now until next Spring or Summer'. He is sending money as requested. 'My three plates of the trees came very nicely - one has just gone to the "Studio" so you may see it there later on.' He will write again when he has time for 'a rational note'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-stained paper. The note reads: 'Dr Sir, | I shall do myself the pleasure of waiting upon you the beginning of the week, when I hope to have something interesting to shew you for Mr Boydell - believe me | Dr Sir | Yrs truly | J Hassell'.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight creasing and chipping at head. In answer to an enquiry, he states regarding 'the Portrait of the Marchioness of Abercorn' that 'though Mr Moon & I have not yet completed our arrangements I consider that the Plate is his property & not mine as you appear to have been informed'. He concludes by thanking him 'for the favorable opinion you are pleased to express both of the plate in question & the engraving'.

1p., 4to. Good, on aged paper. The letter begins: 'Sir | I shew to you my last little effort which is a Copy from Vertues large Print after the Picture by Holbein now hanging in the Council Chamber of Bridewell Hospital'.( A note at the foot of the page reads: 'The above was engraved for the Purpose of Illustrating Pennant Walpole &c'. He notes that the print (not present) was 'engraved as the companion to the last Print I sent you.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with traces of mount adhering to the blank reverse. In an apparent attempt to drum up business, Skelton writes:: 'In consequence of your suggestion I presume to request the favor of you to receive a few of my engraved Portraits, to present to the Noblemen & Gentlemen, Members of the Athenaeum Club, and shall be gratified if the enclosed may prove acceptable.'

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Casting an interesting light on the practicalities of Victorian engraving. Roden begins: 'I have had an answer from Mr. Frith who is willing that I should engrave his picture[,] he cannot however get it me for 3 years, the time I mentioned.' Frith has mentioned a copy to Roden, which will cost him sixty guineas, 'and the purchaser consents to me having the original "now and then"'. He ends with an appeal for the recipient's advice.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. An excellent and surprising letter. Lupton begins by saying that he is happy to comply with Mrs Osbornes request for 'two of my Cartes, one for yourself, the other for your Boy! My God Son: who I am glad to know is so well placed in the world. O!

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. 'Allow me to thank you and through you the members of the Hertfordshire Arts Society for your kind congratulations upon the honour the King confers upon me and upon the Gallery in the work of which I am privileged to assist'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On aged paper, with a patch of damp staining across both leaves. He should be happy to accept the 'kind invitation', 'if it were not that I believe I am to be the Guest of your Honorary Secretary Dr. Rice Oxley on this occasion'. He hopes that 'Gipsy Hall will be the proper to come to in either case'. He requires 'certain particulars', and will be writing to Oxley regarding 'the ability of the lantern man to obtain fine definition - linear definition I mean'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. She begins: 'I felt much gratified by yr. kind attention to my request, with regard to my lithographs; I should have sent you 2 or 3 more copies immediately, had I had them by me, in the hope that you might be able to part with them, before the season at Southwold was quite over, - I now take the liberty of charging you with 2 more copies'. She invites Mrs Thompson to visit, and states that her husband will return in three weeks from 'a miss[ionar]y. excursion to the islands of Guernsey &c'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He reports that he shared the 'bounty' of the recipient's 'delicious present' with his brother, who has been 'confined to the house for a month'. He reports that 'Mr Watts and family are well', and hopes that 'Mr Stack is so'.

Each item is 1p., 12mo, the note being the last of the three. All written in green ink, the first on green paper, and the other two on pink paper. The three in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Written in an attractive, calligraphic hand. ONE: She writes that she is enclosing 'four rough designs [not present] for the woodcut frontispiece to the "Glade [sic] of Glenbella', and asks to be informed by return of the firm's choice, and she will 'get on with it at once'. She ends with a query about galley sheets. TWO: Docketted with brief pencil accounts.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on aged paper, laid down on a grey-paper mount. The letter is addressed 'Gentlemen'. In the first paragraph he explains that having received their letter, he sent 'Dr Clarkes Plates [...] to the Writing Engravers but have not as yet received them back'. He has sent the bearer of the present letter to find out when they will be done, and he has been told to tell them the answer he receives. The second paragraph reveals that the bearer of the letter is himself an engraver: 'I understand that he applied to you for the engraving of one of your Portrait Plates.

1p., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with damp stain along one edge. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Scott'. He is sending 'by Bearer 4 sorts of french paper, 2 sheets of each, which you will be so good as to see that it is properly prepared before it is used - The grand Eagle with the watermarks will require a great deal of brushing with a hard brush as I think that many of the specks will brush off they being chiefly superficial'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He apologises for the 'very short letter' and 'long delay in answering'. He reports that 'the rings came in your order but I have not had a chance to use them and will not have now until next Spring or Summer'. He is sending money as requested. 'My three plates of the trees came very nicely - one has just gone to the "Studio" so you may see it there later on.' He will write again when he has time for 'a rational note'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-stained paper. The note reads: 'Dr Sir, | I shall do myself the pleasure of waiting upon you the beginning of the week, when I hope to have something interesting to shew you for Mr Boydell - believe me | Dr Sir | Yrs truly | J Hassell'.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight creasing and chipping at head. In answer to an enquiry, he states regarding 'the Portrait of the Marchioness of Abercorn' that 'though Mr Moon & I have not yet completed our arrangements I consider that the Plate is his property & not mine as you appear to have been informed'. He concludes by thanking him 'for the favorable opinion you are pleased to express both of the plate in question & the engraving'.

On piece of 21 x 13 cm India paper, laid down on a piece of thick paper, 33 x 24cm. The engraving is small in comparison, measuring around 8 x 6 cm, and showing a formally dressed and bearded Baxter's head and shoulders, facing to his right. Aged and dusty, with crease line to the mount at the foot. Stodart has signed in pencil in the bottom right-hand corner of the engraving paper, and the crease line bissects the signature and its underlining. At bottom right of mount, in pencil: 'Dr Baxter | Kings College'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'J. Sainsbury Esq'. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | My friend, Mr Charles Smith, is engaged by Mr. Colborn to engrave the portraits of Sir Hudson Lowe, Madame Bertrand and M.

Letter: 2pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in a windowpane mount. Addressed to 'Mr Georges | East Beach St | Hastings'. He begins by explaining that he did not call on Georges while in town as he was indisposed, and goes on: 'with respect to the drawing it is a portrait of a game keeper in the service of Charles Dixon Esqre Stanstead Park the identical drawing was never exhibited but about five years since I had a longer drawing of the same figure with more game dog and other matter, painted for the above gentleman'.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'James Elmes Esqre.' At the head of the letter Elmes has written: 'From J. Raphael Smith the celebrated mezzotinto Engraver | J Elmes', and down the bottom right-hand corner: 'From J. Raphael Smith, Painter in Crayons & Mezzotinto Engraver to Mr Elmes, with 2 proof prints | J. E'. At the foot of the page Elmes has identified 'Mr. Tooke' in the letter as 'Horne Tooke J.E.' Smith writes: 'Sir | I have sent you an impression of Sr.

1p., 4to. Bifolium. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To Mr: Pennant | Downing in Flintshire', with two postmarks, and carrying a fair impression of his seal, cracked but intact. The letter reads: 'Sr | The portrait of ye Admirable Crichton is very near finished - I shall send you a proof in a few Days - Shall be oblig'd to you - for what writing you propose under the Head - that I may get it done in theh neatest manner'.

2pp., 4to. 18 lines of text. In bifolium. Good, on aged and creased paper, with strip of page to which the letter was attached adhering. Addressed, with red wax seal, on reverse of second leaf, to 'R. Balmanno Esqre. | 3 Middle Temple Lane Temple'. He begins: 'Having some communication last week with Mr. Charles Heath in the course of conversation he was regretting that he could not procure any proofs of plates engaraved by Mr. Raimbach - now as your Kindness gained me what I wished of his performance with an obliging offer of something more it occurred to me to solicit fom Mr.

1p., 16mo. In good condition, on aged paper. Addressed to 'David Roberts Esqre. R.A.' The letter reads: 'Sir | I will relinquish all claim on and interest in the plate I am engraving fom your picture of Jerusalem and make it over unconditionally to you on your paying me the sum of Fifty pounds. I hereby bind myself to this offer until tomorrow'.