VICTORIAN

Four pages, 12mo. Very good, on lightly aged paper, with minor traces of two mounts adhering to verso of second leaf of bifolium. Praises 'the excellent Sermon'. 'You will doubtless have a difficult work at Rossall, but every term will render it less difficult' [...] One can't ask for a greater blessing than difficult work when it is also - as yours is & will be - entirely hopeful & immensely useful.

Irregularly-cut piece of paper, roughly 2 x 9 cms. Good, strong signature on very good, lightly aged paper. In purple ink. Reads 'Every sympathe | =tically V. Ouida'. Minor traces of previous brown-paper mount on reverse.

Roughly twelve and half inches by nine and a quarter. Neatly mounted on piece of cream paper, with surrounding ink rules. Good, with some ruckling and wear to corners. Characteristically arresting arrangement of type. Reads: 'CAUTION. | THE ONLY CORRECT COPY | OF DONIZETTI'S OPERA | THE FAVOURITE | AS PERFORMED IN ENGLISH AT THE | THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE, | IS PUBLISHED BY | JEFFERYS AND CO.

On wove paper roughly eleven inches by seven and three-quarters; dimensions of print roughly seven inches by four and a half. Image clear and unaffected, on paper aged and creased, with some staining to extremities. Smith's monogram in bottom left-hand corner. The figure is formally dressed, in frock-coat and stockings, with his hat tucked under his left arm. Clearly a portrait, but of whom is uncertain: it is not among the six works by Smith catalogued by the National Portrait Gallery. A charming evocation of print culture in the early part of the nineteenth century.

One page. Dimensions of illustration roughly seven and a half inches by five and a half wide. A frail survival, aged and creased, but with illustration clear and complete. Glue stains from previous mounting on rear. Unusual and striking illustration, consisting of grotesque caricatures of two men - the first tall and thin and in tartan trousers, carrying the letter I, and the second a dwarf in riding boots and cap, carrying the letter T.

all octavo, in worn nineteenth-century binding, with front hinge loose. New endpapers. All items good, on aged paper with occasional foxing. An invaluable collection, providing a snapshot of secondhand bookselling in provincial Victorian England within an extremely short timescale. Several of the booksellers are not represented in the British Library collection, and others are only represented by catalogues of a later date. Of note are the two catalogues published by Sotheran's Manchester arm, the existence of which is not mentioned in Andrew Block's 'Short History' (1933).

Paper dimensions roughly fifteen inches by ten and a half wide; print dimensions twelve inches by seven and a quarter wide. Good clear image with border a little dusty and aged. Full-length image of a dour Panizzi standing at a desk holding a book. Page of letterpress on separate leaf of same dimensions, containing spirited account ['he sought refuge in Switzerland, but he was expelled discreditably from that country, [...] Keeper of the Printed Books [...] the man in all Europe most competent to fill it.

One page, large octavo. Aged and with light staining. Docketed on second leaf of bifolium: 'Requesting Consuls not to receive Copies of books as presents to Her Majesty'.

Clowes is an eminent firm of English printers, founded in London in 1803, and still thriving in Suffolk. The twelve typed letters are each one page, quarto, on the firm's Duke Street letterhead. The autograph letter is one page, 12mo, with mourning border. The collection in good condition overall, with a few items aged and lightly creased. Most items docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. All items except the circular signed by 'W A Clowes', who (he informs Wood in his first letter) has taken over from his cousin, Captain W. C.

The collection as a whole is in good condition, although lightly creased in places and somewhat dusty and aged. All items have unobtrusive pinholes, and Item Seven has fraying and closed tears to extremities. An interesting correspondence casting light on publishing practices at the turn of the nineteenth century. ITEMS ONE TO FIVE: 12mo letters from Lucas's solicitors Field, Roscoe & Co., each on the firm's letterhead, to the 'Receiver and Manager appointed to carry on [Richards'] business', H. C. K. Stileman, dated 9, 11, 18 and 21 March, and 1 April 1905.

On good thick wove paper, roughly six and a quarter inches by four and three-quarters wide. Dimensions of plate indentation five inches by three wide. Good, on aged and lightly-foxed paper, left edge irregular indicating extraction. A very attractive card, carrying an engraving of a sylvan scene giving a very good idea of Sandon's qualities. Reads, in a variety of hands, 'EVERY | Description | OF | ENGRAVING & PRINTING | Neatly executed. | [vignette] | HENRY SANDON, | 60, Wellington Street, Goswell Street, | London.' Sandon does not feature in BBTI. is he real?

Dimensions of paper roughly eight inches by five; dimensions of print four and a quarter inches by three and a half. Good clean image, on paper aged and creased at extremities only. A wild-haired octogenarian Gent leans on a pile of books in a stone archway, holding open a copy of his History of Rippon (1733). Taken from Thorpe's edition of Gent's 'Life', published in 1832.

Forty-four pages, octavo, with two-page leaf of addenda loosely inserted. Four pages illustrating seventeen pictorial covers on art paper. In printed card wraps. A worn and creased copy of an influential catalogue, issued at a time when, as the introduction points out 'catalogues devoted to detective fiction [were] something of a rarity in the book trade'.

Printed in red and black on one side of a piece of paper roughly fifteen inches by nineteen wide. Good on aged paper with some offsetting. A few closed tears skillfully repaired on blank reverse with archival tape. Striking and attractive production with ornate thick decorative border and printer's slug in red ink, enclosing text in a variety of types in black, with 'ORDERS RECEIVED WITHIN' at foot. Two dates neatly corrected in a contemporary hand.

Octavo, 216 pages. One of 'only fifty copies printed, on thick paper'. Title-page in red and black. Aged and a little stained, in recent half-leather rebinding. 9670 items listed, 'for the most part second-hand'.

One page. Dimensions of slip roughly four inches by five and a quarter wide. Somewhat aged, but entirely legible. Reads 'British Quarterly Review | Can you tell me what was the last part of this issued, if it is possible to get a title-page and index to vol 83. My last part is 166 April 1886'. Docketed note of reply states that no title was published to the volume containing April 1886.

Two pages, 12mo. Very good. He was absent when the letter to his wife (the English contralto Charlotte Dolby) arrived. He has heard 'the little boy', and thinks that 'with proper care he may turn out a good Violinist, but he hs to undo every thing and to be guided in the right Way. He has undoubtedly great disposition. If he is persevering and hard Worker (the Violin being the most difficult instrument) I believe he can be one day a very good player'. It is however 'impossible for me to forsee in the future before he has a good start in his Studies.'

Two pages, quarto. Very good. 'It is great pleasure that I sit down to write to any one of my brother clergy of the diocese, as it seems an approach to that acquaintance with them which I hope before long to have an opportunity of making personally'. '[P]ressure of business' makes impossible 'any very specific answer' to the contents of his correspondent's letter, 'But they shall not be forgotten'. He will 'speak to the Military board as to the Bungalow appointed for public worship'. He laments that the 'situation with regard to the military' has not been adequately defined.

One page, octavo. On aged, grubby paper with minor staining at foot. He has spent 'all his monney for prints & Books I bought at Sale last Week. I have no balance in my Bank at all. (ganz nichts) if you are not inconvenient [sic] Please bring some L. S. D. on Saturday next'. Postscript: 'My business is Ratton N. B. G.' It is thought that Kato obtained a large portion of the Japanese prints for Sir Edmund Walker's celebrated collection.

Three pages, 12mo. On aged and lightly spotted paper, with loss at head of crease (not affecting text) resulting from removal from spike. Letter of introduction for 'Mr Davison', [William Davison, discoverer of the Andaman Pale Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela davisoni)] 'who is on a visit to explore for its birds. He has been working with Mr. A. O.?>

Three pages, octavo. Very good on lightly aged paper. Interesting communication from one of the nineteenth-century's leading historians to another, with an evaluation of Froude's work by Motley. He is disappointed that Froude's visit to London precedes his own. He has been in Brussels since January, 'occupied with an important <?> correspondence', and is on his way to join his family in Nice. Gives plans for the summer (Switzerland, Germany and London). Thanks the Warrens for their kind remembrance.

On piece of paper roughly three and a half inches by three wide. Good, lightly aged with a little creasing to one corner. Pleasant armorial design within floral arrangement. Motto 'VIGILANS' on scroll above 'Sir Richard Burton' in copperplate at foot. Indentation of plate around edge.

Newman established the Orphans' Printing Press in 1873 to enable orphans to earn money and learn a trade. One page, 8vo. Folded twice. Good only: paper slightly discoloured with some closed tears and creasing. 'Dear Friend/ | We should be much pleased if you will come & lodge with us at our approaching Quarterly M[eetin]g. on the 16th & 17th Instant | I suppose E. L. Squire is off to America & will be unable to come | Your sincere Friend | Henry Stanley Newman'.

Chairman of Unwin Brothers (born 1870). One page, quarto. Good, but discoloured and lightly creased, and with staple stain at head. Docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. He is sorry not to have answered sooner, but 'some very important business has engaged my attention during the last few days with the result that I put your letter into my private drawer without acknowledging it.

12mo, eight pages. Very good, with slight wear to inner margins from removal from stubs (not affecting text). An informative discussion of the commercial prospects in the vilayet of Adana. He has 'been absent a great deal travelling', hence the delay in answering Haynes-Smith's questions. Begins by discussing the 'titles to property &c. here in Cases of improvement schemes &c.' Next comes the 'population of the vilayet' ('about half a million [...] The language generally is Turkish all over').

The studio photograph, with printed label of 'Walter Baker, 159, Mosely Road, Birmingham. Highgate Studios.' on reverse, and the manuscript number '24704 | 98'. is a good clear head and shoulders portrait (dimensions roughly three and a half inches by two and a quarter wide), in very good condition. Although untitled, it seems to be Carl, as represented on the title-page of his book, without the moustache and a little younger. The book is twenty-eight pages, octavo, in original coloured printed boards. Numerous line drawings.

Two pages, 12mo. Very good, with the merest spotting at head. He 'will be at West Drayton by the train due there nearest to 4 o'clock'. He has no time-table to hand, 'but shall see one at Jermyn St. to-morrow'.

One page, on piece of grey card roughly three and a half inches by four and a half wide. Very good. Twelve lines and one-line postscript in Sutro's tiny and difficult hand. Sends his 'sincerest congratulations on the best volume of memoirs I have read this many a day' (Hicks published his autobiography in 1910). 'There isn't a dull line in it from start to finish; I could dine out for a week on the stories'. Reference to Irving and other actors. Ends 'A damned good book, Seymour! Tous mes compliments!' Postscript reads 'This does NOT require an answer!'

Dimensions roughly three inches by four and a half wide. Good, on lightly aged paper with negligible trace of previous mount in one corner. Tick and pencil docketed on reverse. Bold, clear signature. Reads 'Yrs faithfully | [signed] Thomas Lipton'.

One page, 12mo. Good, on grey paper and with the merest trace of cream mount adhering to blank reverse. The previous month he received 'an engraved Circular' from his correspondent, from which he now quotes a passage stating that his subscription of a guinea [to the Church Institution] is due. 'I have no recollection of having ever promised a subscription to the Institution referred to.