SILK

Printed in black ink on one side of a 23.5 x 17.5 cm piece of pink silk. An interesting piece of American nineteenth-century printing, with only the printer's details giving a clue to the occasion of the dinner. Within a decorative border, and with Maleville's slug in bottom left-hand corner. A sumptuous 'service à la russe', with potages, hors d'oeuvre, poisson, relevé, entrées roti, entremets and dessert.

Four pages, 4to, unbound as issued, two small closed tears, fold marks, grubby at fold marks, text clear and complete. Information given of meetings, objectives, etc, list of members (including mainly French but Englishmen like Palmerston, Macaulay and Lord Melville; American like Malthus A. Ward; Humboldt, etc., etc.), Statutes, But, etc. Directeur Président du Conseil, César Moreau.

23pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly-aged, no wraps, disbound. Three copies on COPAC, but none at the BL.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Having just received Buckingham's letter, he writes that he 'cannot but feel much gratified that my letter to Mr Raikes Currie should have in any way attracted the notice of a Gentleman like yourself whose name is so well known in connexion with our literature and our social progress.' He concludes by expressing an interest in the 'undertakings which have engaged, and now engage' Buckingham's attention, and by wishing him every success.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Want of health induced me to retire from Parliament in opposition to the wishes of my kind constituents and hurrying me from Town as soon as my votes had been given for the Liberal candidates at the Kent Surrey Essex and Middlesex Elections - unavoidably deprived me of the interesting though mournful pleasure of attending your final lecture at Finsbury Chapel.

53pp., 8vo. Stitched. In grey printed wraps. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Stamps, shelfmark and labels of the Board of Education library to wraps. Scarce: no copy in the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at Oxford.

3pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He has been reading Wortham's biography ('Gordon: An Intimate Portrait', published in the same year) and asks whether he might be interested in 'a book which was published in 1885 by my mother's uncle, a Mr. Samuel Mossman. I believe he died about forty years ago, and lived in Liverpool.

Silk & Sons of Long Acre were one of the leading Victorian coach builders, Robert Silk (born c.1797, fl.1871) already being established in Long Acre by 1851. In due course Robert was succeeded by his son William (born 1824), who in his turn took his sons William junior (1853-1911) and Robert John (1858-1934) into the business. The firm continued to trade at least until 1907, when the Long Acre premises were sold. The present collection of eleven items derives from the firm's archive.

2pp., 12mo. Printed on facing pages on one side of a landscape 8vo leaf, with blank reverse. In fair condition, on aged paper, laid down on part of a leaf removed from an album. The left-hand page carries three items: 'The Confidence Trick. A scene in Oxford Street.' (a series of puns with a purpose now lost, beginning 'A stout "Nave," | Met a green "Felloe"'), 'Anecdotes of the old Coaching Days' (beginning 'Talleyrand bought a new coach, but did not pay for it.') and 'Lord Lyndhurst'. The last reads in full: 'Ordered Robert Peake to build him a Chariot. It was finished and approved of.

Silk & Sons were one of the leading coach builders of Victorian London, Robert Silk (born c.1797, fl.1871) already being established in Long Acre by 1851. Robert Silk was succeeded by his son William (born 1824), who in his turn took his sons William junior (1853-1911) and Robert John (1858-1934) into the business. The firm continued to trade at least until 1907, when the Long Acre premises were sold.The present collection, mainly compiled by the elder William Silk, contains around 350 items relating to carriages, coaches, coaching and coach building, dating from between 1750 and 1893.

2pp., 12mo. 29 lines of neatly-written text. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressing his letter to 'J: S: Buckingham Esqre.', Pollock writes that Buckingham's letter, 'enclosing the Rules &c. of the British and Foreign Institute', has been forwarded to him in Monmouth, where he is 'engaged on a long Circuit professionally, which comprehends all South Wales, and the West and South of England'. He is 'on the move continually', without 'time or opportunity to give sufficient consideration to the subject'.

[Stevengraph] Piece of silk, 7 x 11 cm, woven in red, white, blue, black and gold. Portrait of a bespectacled Thiers in an oval, draped with two French flags, with decorations including a quill and a book, and topped by castellated coronet and banner reading 'A. THIERS'. Woven beneath the portrait is 'LIBERATEUR DU TERRITOIRE | 1ER PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE'. Laid down on original printed bookmark, reading 'EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE | 1878 | GALERIE DU TRAVAIL | METIERS POUR RUBANS | PORTRAITS ET CRAVATES EN SOIE | J.-B. CHAMPRONY | FABRICANT A SAINT-ÉTIENNE'.

In excellent condition. Pinned to grey printed backing label, headed with engravings of a row of 'the highest prize medals & diplomas' awarded to Stevens, and of the 'Stevengraph Works' in Coventry, and Stevens' trade mark. Folded horizontally three times. The bookmark is headed 'A BLESSING' and carries a picture of Jesus with arms outstretched, ascending over Holy Land rooftops. A scriptural passage follows (Matt. 28.5-6), with 'IHS' within a decorative pattern at the foot, which carries a yellow tassel. In rich colours: purple, lilac, green, blue and yellow.

Goodyer has long been recognised as a significant figure in the arts and crafts movement (see Adburgham's 'Shops and Shopping' and Aslin's 'Aesthetic Movement, Prelude to Art Nouveau'), but surprisingly little is known about him. A former partner in the firm of Liberty's, he founded his Aesthetic Gallery at 55 Bond Street in 1889. It specialized in 'English silks, cashmeres, velveteens, fans, cushions, handkerchiefs, table covers, and other dainty manufactures', and numbered Voysey among its suppliers.

Items relating to Mary Hawkes (d.1834) of East Close House, Christchurch, Hampshire, including an auction catalogue of the sale of the textile stock of a member of the Levett family of mercers, a poster for the same auction, and a copy of Mrs Hawkes's willAn interesting collection of material. Catalogues of textiles auctions are extremely uncommon for this period, and a significant one, priced in manuscript like Item Two, with associated material placing it in context, must be all but unique.

Two programmes, one made of silk or satin (1832), the other paper (1834), former worn at blue edges (main body cream, discoloured to yellowish, fold marks, 2 pinholes and one small hole, c.20.5 x 24cm, latter in good condition, fold marks, c.18 x 22cm. The former announces a production of "The Popular Farce of THE LIAR!" and "the Afterpiece of The Day after the Wedding, or, on 9 January 1832, the cats mixing professionals (Mr Abbott, Mr. Mildmay, Mr Balfour) and amateur (members of the Russell Family). The "Manager" adds a few words, including a special mention for Mr Balfour.

Authority on textiles (died 1964) and writer of several works on the subject. One page, quarto. Good, on discoloured paper with one small closed tear at foot. Docketed and bearing the R.S.A. stamp. The subject of the first part of the letter would appear to be the New York 'Pool Room King', owner of the Yankees baseball team and a 'big Tammany man'. Begins 'I have read with much interest the cuttings, etc., forwarded, especially the letter of Mr. Frank J. Farrell to the "Textile Mercury". When a man starts to try and floor one as being 'academic' I have no use for him.

One page. Roughly 13 inches by 8 inches. In good condition, although slightly discoloured, creased from folding and with one very small closed tear. Reports the resolution of a meeting held at the Town Hall in Leek on 30 December 1901, that beginning on 1 January 1902 'the operatives shall give up the five minutes grace now allowed on entering Mills at 6.30 and after dinner'. Also states the working hours for week-days and Saturdays.

Wilshere (1804-67) was M.P. for Great Yarmouth William, MP for Great Yarmouth between 1837 and 1846). The notice: 2 pages, 4to. In very good condition despite minor spotting and two closed tears caused by folding. The letter: 1 page, 8vo. In very good condition. The envelope (addressed to 'W. Wilshere Esqr. M. P. | 12 Stratton Street | Piccadilly | London') in very good condition with red wax lion seal and postmarks. Postage stamps removed. The letter urges Wilshere to 'support the view of the Case of of [sic] the Silk trade taken by the writer Mr Ambrose Moore'.