STRAND

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

17.5 x 25 cm. In good condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper. In the bottom left-hand corner, in a close contemporary hand, in ink: 'The site for Hungerford Suspension Bridge. | from J Sachs, 203, Strand'. (203 Strand was the address of Abbott, Barton & Co., advertising agents.) In pencil at bottom left: 'Clifton -', with the word 'River' in lighter pencil towards the centre. The view, in grey pencil wash, shows a pleasing view down the Avon Gorge, with the Bridge's two towers the only part of the structure completed.

ONE (Knighton): 3 x 6 cm. In fair condition, aged and worn, laid down on a small piece of cream paper. A workmanlike production, within a wavy border. Reads: 'KNIGHTON's | Circulating Library, | DAWLISH.' BBTI records Knighton as active between 1828 and 1830. TWO (Crowther): 7 x 9.5 cm. In fair condition, lightly aged. Within decorative border, and reading: 'CIRCULATING LIBRARY, | DAWLISH. | CROWTHER, | BOOK-SELLER, | AND DEALER IN ALL KINDS OF | FANCY STATIONERY, | Toys, Berlin Patterns, German Wools. | Brushes, Fancy Turnery, Cutlery, Perfumery, &c.

On 7 January 1911 Beckles Willson, Honorary Secretary of the Charles Dickens Testimonial, explained the scheme to the readers of the Spectator. Three members of Dickens's family were, Willson explained, 'drawing a niggardly pension of £25 per annum from the British Government', and that 'no volume recently published of Dickens has returned any copyright fee, save those which bear the Dickens copyright stamp'. The stamp was 'on sale for one penny each-in sheets of twelve-at every bookseller's in the land, and at all Messrs. W. H. Smith's and Wyman's news-stalls.

Printed in black on circle of white paper, approximately 4.5 cm in diameter. In good condition, lightly-aged. Tastefully designed, in turn of the century style, with two decorative borders enclosing the text 'Engraving & Printing neatly executed. Books elegantly bound. News Papers sent (Post free) to all parts of Gt. Britain'. The main text, enclosed by both borders, reads: 'R. H. Westley, | Bookseller & Stationer, | No. 159, | opposite the New Church, Strand | Magazines & all periodical | Publications | regularly delivered'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. The letterhead styles the firm: 'Maggs Bros., | Rare Books, Prints & Autographs. | Catalogues issued. | Publishers, Exporters & Shippers.' gives thhe address of the firm's warehouse, telegraphic and cable address, 'Code in Use', and telephone number. With reference to an order, the firm is sending 'a large plate of the "Mistaken Marriage" and another of "The Whiskers" of these latter kindly use the larger of the two but do not inlay'.

The letter is 2pp., 8vo, and the order form 1p., 8vo. In good condition, on aged and worn paper. A skilful facsimile: Bacon has even included an interpolation on the first page to make it look more like an authentic letter.

Note that Varenne's Christian name is spelled with one 't' on the bookplate, and generally with two 't's by later sources. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, tipped in onto a grey paper mount. Engraved on a 12 x 8 cm piece of wove paper, with no margin.

1p., 12mo. Addressed on reverse to 'Messrs: Cadell & Davies | Booksellers, | Strand, | London.', with faint Hadleigh postmark. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Trimmed and repaired, with traces of previous mounting. He writes: 'Gentlemen, | I will thank you to pack up separately two copies of my Literary Hours [published in 1798] & to direct one P. L. Courtier Esqr. [the poet Peter Lionel Courtier (1776-1847)] & the other Mr. Jones. These copies, which you will place to my account, will be sent for by Mr. Sharpe of Piccadilly.

Author not named. The six parts totalling 96pp., 4to. Unbound and stitched together. In poor condition, on aged and worn paper with occasional minor loss. Page 1 carries 'A Few Words to the British Reader', beginning: 'UNCLE TOM'S CABIN is not only the most thrilling Novel ever written in America, but the most interesting and startling work of the age.

On a piece of thin, shiny card, 33 x 20 cm. The text of the two poems is printed in red capitals, in two columns, with the title and border in brown, and a green design surrounding the words 'Wishing you a Happy Xmas and Prosperous New Year' at the foot, together with green leaves to red holly berries surrounding the title.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of mount on reverse. Copperplate letterhead reading: 'Bought of Willm. Wood, | (Successor to Mr. Floyer.) | Bookseller, 428, Strand.' The receipt is headed by Wood '- Aylmer Esqr:' and reads: '1816 | Novr: 5 Turtons Linnaeus 7 Vol: £5 - - | Packing Case 0 3s 0 | [total] £5 3s 0d | Settled Novr: 4. W. Wood'. On reverse, in another hand: 'Paid for Sir R. Kennedy | £5 ..0 .. 0'. BBTI has no record of a William Wood at this address, but does list one later in Tavistock Street, Covent Garden.

The twelve items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. They probably derive from Richard Twining (1807-1906), editor of 'Selections from the Papers of the Twining Family' (1887). ONE: Autograph Letter Signed, in a very shaky hand, from Rev. Thomas Twining, 'ffor Mr. Thomas Twining at the golden Lyon in Davaraux [sic] Court by Temple Barr | London | [signed] Frank Williamson'. [1717.] Postscript: 'I beg you because I have not Leisure now to write to him, to wait on Mr Hen.

Item One (address): 2pp., 4to. Bifolium, printed on the rectos of the two leaves. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight evidence of previous mounting on the reverse of the second leaf. First page headed 'To the Proprietors of East India Stock.' Addressed to 'LADIES AND GENTLEMEN', signed in type 'RICHARD TWINING', and dated 'Strand, December 19, 1809.' Second page carrying a memorandum headed 'AT a very numerous meeting of PROPRIETORS OF EAST INDIA STOCK, at the King's Head Tavern, in the Poultry, on Wednesday, the 20th of December 1809.

1p., 4to. Spike hole. In good condition, on aged dusty paper. The letter reads: 'Dear Sir, I must request, as a particular favour, that you will advertise both the "Reply" and the "Letter on the Charges &c" in all the Morning and Evening papers both on Friday, and on Monday next. | I am | Dear Sir, | Very faithfully yours | L: D: Campbell'.

On one side of a piece of 27 x 19.5 cm. paper. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear to margins. Printed in red, green, yellow, brown and black. The text is crisply printed in red and black, with an engraving of the London skyline around St Paul's beneath the magazine's title. The text begins: 'This journal contains engravings of all the leading events of public interest, from original sketches and photographs.' Subscription details are followed by a short section on 'The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News'.

2pp., 12mo. Stabbed as issued. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with wear to two edges. The first page reads: 'This day is published, price 12s. 6d. in extra boards, | The First Volume of the Athenaeum, A Magazine of Literary and Miscellaneous Information. (Published Monthly) containing, [there follows a list of eighteen topics, in two columns] | Conducted by J. Aikin, M.D. | London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, Paternoster-row; and Cadell and Davies, Strand.' In bottom right-hand corner of page: '(Turn over)'.

28 + [1] pp., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper. P. 1 has the drophead title: 'STRAND UNION WORKHOUSE. | RETURN to an Order of the Honourable The House of Commons, | dated 25 June 1866; - for, | COPY "of the REPORT made by R. B. Crane, Esquire, Poor Law Inspector, to the Poor Law Board, after an Inquiry held by him on the 4th and 6th June 1866, into certain Allegations made by Matilda Beeton, in reference to the Treatment of the Sick in the Strand Union Workhouse." | Poor Law Board, 25 June 1866.

Printed on a piece of 14 x 9.5 cm india paper, laid down on a piece of 17 x 11.5 cm card, with rounded edges. Aged and faded, but nevertheless a nice item of Dickensiana. A sensitive study of Dickens's face, above a heavily-faded facsimile of his signature. Printed at the head of the card is 'R. LEHMANN'S PORTRAIT STUDIES.' And at the foot: 'CHARLES DICKENS | FRED.

Printed on one side of a piece of laid paper 28 x 23.5 cm. The hand-coloured engraving (showing Mathews in riding garb with long whip in foreground, and a coach and four in the background) is 16 x 22.5 cm. Fair, on aged paper, with wear and slight loss to extremities (not affecting the engraving or text), and the reverse showing signs of removal from an album. Above the engraving are the words 'BANG UP - RANDOM, OR TANDEM.' and beneath are the publication details, followed by the full title: Some Push Along With Four In Hand, While Others Drive At Random. Written by J.

3pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. A friend of Lupton's 'has just arrived from Paris with a few choice matters, among others is as I understand an extraordinary Collection of Autographs'. Lupton told his friend that Trench was 'no buyer, but from your knowledge of such matters you could advise him'. The autographs 'consist of official documents connected with the Custom House & Police from the time of the first revolution (1790) to the present date, and about a hundred letters'.

1p., landscape 8vo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with small spike-hole (not affecting text), and minor traces of previous mount on reverse, which is docketed 'J. Nourse to T. Longman, 1770.' The bill lists five items, from 'Johnsons Dicty 2 V. folio' to 'Sherwin's Tables', with the date of purchase and price, coming to a total of £14 8s 4d. The receipt at the foot of the page reads 'April 4. 1771 Received the Contents - | [signed] Thos Longman'.

Irregular (12 x 23.5 cm), 32 pp. In fair condition, aged and lightly worn. In original wraps, with cover design, in a variety of types and point sizes, imitating an early nineteenth-century handbill, stating that 'all Profits for the Benefit of the Deserving Actors' Orphanage. | Free list entirely suspended | Fees payable in advance are 2s. per copy'.

Folio, 110 pp, comprising [i] + 68 + [ii] + 39 pp. Handsome volume in slipcase, tight and internally in very good condition, on lightly-aged thick Whatman paper. Well bound in black leather morocco, all edges gilt. Binding blind-tooled and with 'Early Days' and 'W. V. S.' in gilt on spine and motto on front board: 'Nourish the sentiments thy principles approve and put thy trust and confidence in God.' Binding worn and rebacked, in worn black cloth slipcase.

12mo, 1 p. Ten lines, written lengthwise. Text clear and complete. Addressed on reverse to 'Mr. Cadell, Bookseller, Stran[d]'. Clearly relating to Hallifax's 'Sermon preached before the Lords spiritual and temporal', published by Cadell in 1782. He is sending a 'List of Presents to persons out of London'. Copies for 'the Mansf[iel]d Waggon' are 'to be sent on Sunday evening to Smithfield; the twenty-one copies for 'Dr Jowett of Cambridge need not be wrapped up in separate papers'.

4to, 4 pp. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and grubby paper. Engraving of beehive, with motto, beneath title. Given away 'GRATIS'. Begins with a prospectus for what is described as 'a new medium of communicating with the public', concluding, 'for the inconsiderable sum of 5s. an Advertiser may give publicity to his business in FIVE THOUSAND respectable channels inaccessible to every other advertising medium hitherto established'. The rest of the first page carries 'ADVICE TO A YOUNG TRADESMAN' by 'AN OLD TRADESMAN'.

8vo, 2 pp. Bifolium. Thirty-four lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on aged and lightly-stained paper. An informative letter, casting light on the relation between publisher and author in Georgian England. Gisborne's aim is to give 'information respecting some employment which, if it please God, I shall have for one of your Presses'. He has in mind 'a little Volume [...] in large 8vo. like my works in general [...] such a book as Mr. Coopers letters [...] Its Title is, "The testimony of natural Theology to Christianity'.

Dimensions of print roughly 17.5 x 13.5 cm. On original grey paper windowpane mount (28 x 23 cm). Engraved label (2.5 x 11 cm) beneath the print, with a couple of remarque-style illustrations. The print itself is good, although a little aged and spotted; the margins and mount being rather more heavily affected. Attractive and unusual item, the image changing when held up to the light. Two soldiers are shown dwarfed by the high ceiling of the chapel, which is decked with brightly-coloured flags. When held to the light the chapel is filled with the mourning congregation. Scarce.

In an envelope with label and compliments slip of Hilda Neal, Copying Offices and Secretarial Training School, by whom the article had been typed up for the printers. On one side each of thirty-two A4 leaves (dimensions roughly 25 x 20 cm). The text is complete, although there are wormholes to the latter leaves, and damage and loss at the head of the last leaf.

8vo: xxiv + 120 + viii pp. In original blue printed wraps. Good, in grubby, lightly worn wraps. Thumbprint in margin of one page. Numerous illustrated advertisements at front and rear. Front wrap headed 'TO THE NORTH POLE BY BALLOON! Special Interview with Mr. Andrée.' Many illustrations. Story's piece on Andrée's balloon voyage covers fifteen pages (77-91) and features 25 illustrations and diagrams. Among the other contributions are an installment of Conan Doyle's 'Rodney Stone' and an early illustrated article on X-ray photography, 'The New Photography' by Alfred W. Porter.