WADE

For more information on the squadron see Charles Dickon's 'Americans at War in Foreign Forces: A History, 1914-1945' (2014). After some difficulties over its status and that of its members, and with the disapproval of American Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, the unit was formed in London in June 1940, with Brigadier-General Wade Hampton Hayes (1879-1956) as commanding officer. After some string-pulling by Charles Sweeny, the Thompson Company in America contributed 100 Tommy Guns and 100,000 rounds of ammunition, and members contributed their cars, painted in camouflage at their own expense.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Neatly placed in a paper windowpane mount. As Wade will 'probably be engaged' the following day, Lardner will not trouble him to send the ticket to him. He requests instead that Wade will 'Leave the ticket if you get one enclosed for me at your lodgings and I will call for it in the course of the day.' He concludes: 'Mention in your note at what hour I shall take the gig for you on Sunday'.

Unbound, 4-16pp, 8vo and 4to, minor damage to two, mainly good condition. Articles, reviews, programmes, information, advertisements. In the first number, for example, there is an introductory, anticipations of Gorki's "Lower Depths", a Brieuz, and Shaw's "Caesar and Cleopatra", "New Members Elected" (inc. Mrs Pethwick-Lawrence), events, former productions, "Managing Committee", "Rules for 1903-1904", "Bye_law (e.g. removal of hats by Ladies), and advertisements.

On one side of page removed from autograph album, roughly 14 x 18 cm. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. An accomplished head-and-shoulders self-caricature, with Robey directly facing the viewer, his eyes to his right, a smile on his face, a red nose, the customary tiny hat perched on his head with tufts of hair sticking out over the ears, long neck and collarless shirt. Good, firm signature in bottom left-hand corner: 'Geo. Robey.' Also included is a newspaper cutting of a photograph of Robey. The National Portrait Gallery owns five of Robey's self-caricatures.

On a leaf of cream paper, 8.5 x 12 cm, part of a bifolium taken from an autograph album. Very good.

Dimensions of paper roughly four and a quarter inches by three and a quarter wide; dimensions of print roughly three inches by two and a half wide. Heavily browned and foxed with age, with wear and loss to corners. Mounted on a larger piece of laid paper with glue and paper stains to reverse. Attractive head and tailpieces (with damage to bottom right-hand corner of tailpiece). An elegant production, reading 'William Wade, | Picture Frame Maker, Carver, Gilder, | & PRINTSELLER, | No. 86, Leadenhall Street, | - LONDON. - | (late Apprentice to Mr.