THEATRICAL

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.

The fifteen items are in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Totalling 19pp., 12mo; 4pp., 8vo; 1p., 4to. Eleven signed 'Rudge', three 'J. Rudge Harding', and one 'J. Rudge H.' Ten addressed to 'My dear Alderson', four to 'My dear Horne', and one to 'My dear Alderson Horne'. A friendly, chatty correspondence.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. Contract, signed on Tree's behalf by Henry Dana. A printed form, completed in a second hand, headed 'HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE', and dated 14 March 1908. Signed by Dana: 'pp H Beerbohm Tree | Henry Dana'. Engaging 'Miss Sylvia Dryhurst' for 'The run of "The Merchant of Venice", at the salary of one guinea per week of six performances. 'This engagement is terminable by two weeks' notice on either side'. Not signed by SL. The second page carries the fifteen 'Rules and Regulations' of 'His Majesty's Theatre. | Proprietor and Manager - Mr. TREE.'

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He found Wheeler's letter on his return from a trip abroad, and is 'most interested to hear that there is a scheme on foot for another theatre'. As far as 'financiers who are likely to be theatrical patrons', those known to him will probably already know any Baring might suggest. He concludes: 'Personally I believe the old Court Theatre plan was the best & in fact the only possible way of getting those kind plays done.'

On both sides of an 8.5 x 11 cm card. The item has been soaked in order to remove it from backing, and this has resulted in fading of the ink and slight ruckling. She explains that she would have been pleased to accept the recipient's offer 'under usual circumstances', but that 'firms are volunteering to let me have their articles at wholesale prices', so she is 'bound in the interest of Boys and Girls to accept their more favorable terms'.?>

1p., 16mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with slight rust spotting at head and trimmed margins. Concerning 'quattro versi di numero, i quali dicono soltanto un idea che mi venne spontanea'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'Dear Sir and Brother'. He apologises for 'having inflicted pain' on the recipient, but reminds him that 'imperative duty towards my office, no less than the security of Francis and myself required my insisting on the possession of the Books'. Even in the 'usual circumstances of the Province' he should have been 'most reluctant to remain in a position which, to say the least of it, would have betrayed carelessness on my part', but 'in the divided and almost hostile relation in which we (more particularly G.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, creased and lightly-aged. The letter begins: 'My dear Lord Errington, | You know the difficulties I had to run through because of my loss of money. The rest of my present fortune I am not allowed to withdraw without, for one sum, a years notice, the other, 18 months, the whole sum being 5 or £6,000.' He proceeds explains the particulars of his proposal to 'deposite [sic] with A. B. [i.e. Alexander Baring] two bills of exhcange each of half the sum above mentioned'.

Helpmann's ebullient signature ('Robert Helpmann') written diagonally across a piece of 7.5 x 11 cm thin card. Lightly aged.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'My dear Young | Jack Calthorpe-Clayton is in the country: and I don't know when he will be home. He will be much grieved, I know, not to be here to welcome you back to our dingy old capital, when he knows of your apparition here | Yours very truly | J Palgrave Simpson'. The identity of 'Jack Calthorpe-Clayton' is uncertain. The name is certainly spelt thus, but may be a mistake for 'Colthorpe-Clayton'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, but with loss at foot and traces of mount on reverse. The letter is addressed to 'Mrs Ashurst Morris | Victoria Hotel | ' (the last word damaged at the foot of the page). It reads: 'Dear Madam, | Thanks for your letter. Pardon my delay in answering, but our plans have been a little uncertain. We shall not be staying in London after the date mentioned, otherwise, we should have been very glad to continue our present sojourn at your comfortable flat.

Unattributed, but in Wheatley's hand. The 'List of Plays seen by Pepys from 1660 to 1669' is 5pp., foolscap 8vo, on loose leaves of unwatermarked ruled paper. In fair condition, aged and worn. It is neatly written out in ink, with occasional pencil emendations, giving dates, theatres and titles. A few comments on the theatres are included, for example on 'Davenant's New Theatre in Lincolns Inn Fields'.

Each of the twelve designs is on a piece of card, ranging in size from 21.5 x 14 cm to 14.5 x 9 cm. In fair condition, aged and worn, with occasional loss to extremities. Little is known about Crage, but he does have 26 watercolour designs in the Victoria & Albert Museum, and one item in the National Portrait Gallery ('Henry Relph as Little Tich'). All twelve in the present collection show women wearing Crage's designs, and the three largest (all signed 'Basil Crage 94'), are part of the same series as two of those held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.

On one side of a piece of 2.5 x 8 cm thin card. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight creasing (not affecting text). Possibly in response to a request for an autograph. Reads: 'Nigel Playfair'.

16pp., 8vo. Stapled. Printed in brown on white. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. One correction in manuscript: on p.5 'Peter O'Toole' replaces the subject of the sentence 'Miss Jean Simmons carries the script used in the film Hamlet.' Other worthies involved in the service are: Douglas Fairbanks, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Paul Scofield, Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellen, Dorothy Tutin, Frank Finlay, Albert Finney, Sir John Mills, Peggy Ashcroft, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Alec Guinness. Uncommon: the only copies on COPAC at the British Library and London Library. The ticket ('No.

The two items are both on both sides of 8.5 x 11cm grey cards (the first gilt-edged). In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of mount adhering to one edge of each. ONE: From Redlands (of Rolling Stones fame). He begins: 'My dear Seymour | I enormously enjoyed your book [presumably 'If I were your Father' (1919): I've read it thrice! It's great fun, with an immense amount of real good sense: & it sparkles, Seymour, almost as much as you do when you stand on the <?> at the Garrick & let go at us!' He thanks him for sending the book, and hopes to see him at 'the Club' the following week.

One page, 12mo, bifolium, sl crumpled and stained, small closed tear in middle, text clear and complete. "Gentn.| Please to send me the Cash for the last Number (£5..00) and also a copy on octavo." Clint was obviously contributing to something (perhaps a periodical) but I don't know what.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with cropped margins. He begins by explaining that O'Donnell's letter has been sent to him 'from Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on the staff of which I am and whose whose [sic] historian I am too'. He continues: 'I fear a night vigil would be of little use so far as the Ghost is concerned. He is a day time visitant. Never yet has he been seen before 9 a.m. or after six p.m. Between those hours - frequently.' He refers O'Donnell to the 'full account' in his book 'Theatre Royal'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He thanks her 'for giving me the wrongly addressed envelope'. He has tried ringing her 'a dozen times' and gives her number for checking. He ends by inviting her to dinner.

2pp., 8vo. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. The letter has been marked up in manuscript for publication, with the heading: 'Mr. Clement Scott: A Contradiction.' [last two words amended from 'An Explanation'] The letter begins: 'My Solicitors who advised me that the paragraph in your last issue connecting my name directly with a slanderous rumour to the effect that a well know dramatic critic had been bribed by a theatrical manager has handed me your letter of <?> date.

[2] + 30pp., 4to. Text paginated 1-30. With an additional nine pages of diagrams, numbered 1 to 10, and including one double-page fold-out (Diagram 8). Stapled duplicated typescript. Ink manuscript note (by Pask?) on back cover: 'MARVIN MINSKY [cognitive scientist in the field of artificial intelligence, b.1927] | SEYMOUR PAPERT [mathematician, b.1928] | WARREN MACULLOGH' [neurophysiologist and cybernetician, 1898-1969].

Thirteen of the fourteen photographs are in black and white, with the largest 21.5 x 15.5 cm (with slight paint staining at edge), another 17.5 x 12.5 cm, and the other nine roughly 12.5 x 9 cm. The other print is a colour polaroid, with paint smudges from Sonnabend's portrait on the white mount. Other than the paint marks to three of the prints, in good condition, although six of the smaller ones have aged due to acid in the paper stock.

Both items bound together in nineteenth-century worn brown-cloth 8vo binding, with 'THE JUBILEE 1827' in gilt on the spine. Ownership inscription on front pastedown of the actor and theatrical writer Hallam Fordham, dated Oxford 1942. ONE: Full title: 'Correct Detail of the Ceremonies attending the Shakspearean Gala, celebrated at Stratford-upon-Avon, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, April 23, 24, and 25, 1827; Together with some Account of "Garrick's Jubilee," in 1769; By J.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by stating that his book 'contains the details' his correspondent requires, and continues: 'I am sorry to say that I made a little mistake when I was talking to you over the telephone about "Pulcinella". I think I said there was a long description of that ballet in my "Diaghilev Ballet in London", but of course it is the "Complete Book of Ballets".

Gladys Jones ('Gwen John') lived with her sister the suffragette Winifred Jones in Lincoln's Inn. Her play 'The Prince' - three corrected copies of which are in the present collection as Items Three to Five - was retitled 'Gloriana' [= Elizabeth I] when performed at the Adelphi Theatre in London in December 1925, with a youthful John Gielgud in the role of Sir John Harrington. Items One, Six and Seven below relate to the volume 'Plays of Innocence' by 'Gwen John', published in 1925 by Ernest Benn (by whom Victor Gollancz was then employed).

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight loss at the head of the second leaf affecting a couple of words of text. The letter begins: My dear Sir, | I have on different occasions interfered to prevent gross abuses at the Theatre to which you call my attention, and have I believe to a certain degree procured their correction. But thhere is great reason to fear that by attempting too much more may be lost than gained.

All three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All signed 'Ralph Straus'. ONE: TLS. 6 January 1939. 1p., 8vo. After expressing his willingness to have 'the programme of Wat Tyler and the Bil of Madame Sala for 1827', he expresses his desire to acquire playbills 'of Sala's grandfather, in a King's Theatre ballet 1776 onwards - particularly if it gives his Christian name of Claudio. I know of one in Jan. 1788.

2pp., 12mo. Written lengthwise across the paper, so that the letterhead runs up the left-hand margin of the first page. She thanks him for his letter and 'the Cocteau profile (most interesting and infuriating - splendid misunderstanding - written down with such authority.)', as well as '"The Holy Terrors" notices'. She has been delayed in sending him the script of 'The Confidential Clerk' as she had to go to King's Lynn. She is sending the script now, and asks for it to be returned 'fairly soon, as it is Henry Sherek's and he may suddenly scream for it!' (Sherek was the play's producer.)

Good was educated at the Royal Academical Institution and Queen's College, Belfast. He was a reporter on the Northern Whig before moving to Dublin where he became leader-writer for the Freeman's Journal. He then became assistant editor of the Irish Statesman, and later joined the staff of the Irish Independent. Good and Riddall were part of a circle that included the essayist Robert Lynd and painter Paul Henry, and the present five items, written in an entertaining and friendly stye, cast light on the theatrical and cultural worlds shortly before the Easter Rising.

In pencil on one side of a 6 x 9 cm white card, laid down on a 10.5 x 13.5 cm leaf of grey paper, removed from an album, with the date 'December 1944'. Lohr's note reads: 'with all good | wishes dear | Miss Stone | Marie Löhr'.