Music and Theatre

Small 4to, 140 pp. Paginated by Whelen. Notebook of good laid paper, in boards covered in patterned paper, with the word 'BIOGRAPHICAL' in faded red manuscript at head of front cover. Text neatly written and clear and complete. Good: internally sound and tight on lightly-aged paper; in worn and chipped boards. The flyleaf is dated 1939, with Whelen's addresses given as the Royal Societies Club, St James's St, and 5 Place de la Taconnerie, Geneva.

Five of the items are 8vo, with the other on a 12mo slip. All texts clear and complete. Fair, on slightly-aged and worn paper. A total of five typed 8vo pages, and two autograph 8vo and two autograph 12mo pages. Four of the lettters have 'The Fol-de-Rols' printed on the letterhead. Dealing with practical everyday theatre matters, with Newman writing, for example, on 19 November 1955: 'I have bought a few costume from the Punch Revue which died an early death at the Duke of York's theatre last Saturday.

12mo, 7 pp. Text clear and complete. On aged discoloured paper, with rusting staple having been removed. The last page carries a 'List of Characters' played by Gatty, from the 'First Gravedigger' in 'Hamlet' in 1866 to 'Tony Lumpkin' in 'She Stoops to Conquer' in 1882. The reviews, in small type over the previous six pages, are highly favourable, from a range of papers from the Guardian to the Sheffield Daily Telegraph. The last set of reviews relates to the 'Harmonomaniac Concerts, Oxford'. From the residue of Sir Stephen H. Gatty's papers.

Two pages, 12mo, to "Mrs Chapman". She explains that she has had to give up her role in "Dear Charles" because she us "over-tired". Sir Horace Evans has ordered "complete rest for a month, the two more months recuperation". She is "sad and upset about it". She hopes her correspondent willl still enjoy her work when it resumes.

4to, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper. He is returning the score, and asks Hedgely to 'copy the three voice parts of the two canons Criste Eleison & Crucifixus & the Voice part of the Soprano Song, Gratias Agimus', and to send the whole back 'as soon as you can finish them'.

4to, 1 p. Trimming at head has resulted in loss to the first line of Disher's address; otherwise text clear and complete. On lightly-aged and creased paper, with jagged trimming at head and in bottom right-hand corner, and three punch holes to margin. Bearing the stamp of the Secretary's Office, Clarendon Press, Oxford. He is returning the 'corrected typescript' and is setting out his qualfications. The bottom section to the letter contain eight lines of these. Disher describes himself as 'contributor to leading journals on the subject of public entertainments in general'.

Both letters are tipped in on a captioned sheet removed from an autograph album. Both items lightly-aged, but good. Item One: 12mo, 1 p. Inviting him to 'a small dance for Hubie' at a location 'lent by Miss Constable'. 'You need not dance!' Item two: 12mo, 1 p. Asking him to 'come fairly early' the next day, and to 'stay on after the children have gone & have supper - of a sort'. Refers to 'H's party'.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Fifty lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. He is willing 'to become a Patronizer' of the 'Society', and gives directions regarding shares. Suggests that 'the Committee should be a little more dovetailed with men of Rank & M.P.s as People always look at the Names in a Committee [...] I trust the Theatre will be West of Regent Street if Possible or of the Pantheon, & that the Committee Room may likewise be in the West'.

12mo, 2 pp. Thirteen lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with small hole to one margin. The stub of the second leaf of the original bifolium attached to a leaf removed from an album, docketed in a contemporary hand 'Autograph of Lady Becher - formerly Miss O'Neill'. Suggesting that she direct her 'Concordance to Shakespeare' to 'Messrs. Dowbiggin & Co. Upholsterers, Mount St. Grosvenor Sqre., to be sent over with the Furniture for Sir Wm. Becher', in which case it will be examined 'in due time'.

12mo, 2pp. On bifolium. Aged and grubby. Testimony to the popularity of the black and white minstrel genre, at an early date. The drawing, beside the letterhead, is approximately 3.5 x 5 cm, in black and red. On the soles of the banjo-player's shoes is 'S M | 1908', and beneath it the caption 'Lessons'. Gives dates and times of lessons to 'Rackham', 'Miss Tipper', 'Matthias', 'Clayson', 'Mauchel' and others.

4to, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On creased, aged paper. He will not be able to visit Margate that season, as he is 'entirely occupied with private business', and is 'as much "nail'd to the Counter" as if I had to act every Night at Cov[en]t. Garden'.

The original metal plates for 102 engravings by Thomas Downey, caricatures of leading English theatrical figures, including Mrs Patrick Campbell, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, George Robey, George Alexander and Marie Tempest, in performances on the London stage between 1913 and 1917.A friend of the artist Alfred Bryan (1852-1899), Downey was active from the late 1890s (when he contributed to J. K. Jerome's Idler magazine) to the 1930s.

Photocopy of word processor typed print-out. 8vo, [ii] + 53 pp. Good. In plastic binder. Title carries Dee's address. Second page lists the twelve sections of the play. Loosely inserted is a photocopy of a long review, with photograph, from the East Hampton Star, 26 March 1992, of 'a dramatic reading' of the play at Canio's Books, Sag Harbor. The play was not published, and there are no copies of this item on WorldCat or COPAC.

For more information relating to this influential series of concerts, see 'Pursuit: The Uncensored Memoirs of John Calder' (2001). Seven items, including two duplicates. Text of all items clear and complete. In fair condition, but with one side of a duplicate advertisement heavily sunned (see below). ONE: Typed Letter Signed ('Ian Hamilton') from Hamilton to Conn (husband of the poet Jeanne Conn), 12 February 1960. 4to, 1 p. Eighteen lines. Responding to Conn's criticisms, explaining reasons for cutting short discussion and cancelling part of the programme, and giving future plans.

On one side of a piece of wove paper, roughly 400 x 250 mm. Dimensions of engraving roughly 130 x 180 mm. Good, on heavily-foxed and lightly-creased paper. The sketch shows a well-dressed flautist playing his instrument in a market square, with money, clothes and food drawn to him from onlookers as if by magnetism. Beneath the print, in a variety of types and point sizes: 'Speedily will be Published, Inscribed to all Lovers of Tweedledum Tweedle, The Art of Playing upon People: or, Memoirs of the German Flute. Interspersed with The Character of Baron Steeple; [...]'.

4to, 2 pp. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. The play 'is a great success in London and is likely to have a long run there, yet at the same time we are all looking forward to coming back to Manchester, where the play started and everybody was so kind to us'. She concludes with some graceful compliments to Bass, and encloses her portrait (not present).

4to, 2 pp. Text clear and complete. On aged and lightly-creased paper. 'The nature of my business is a desire to become a tenant of the Prince of Wales Theatre, for a long or short time, and entirely subject to existing arrangements in order to produce a play which good judges (as well as myself) regard as one (if not the) play of the present generation'. The name of the play is not given. Barnes states that 'if Mr Harvey is your permanent tenant it would quite suit me to do the play at any time <?> another provincial Town'. He offers 'a short or long lease [...] with unimpeachable security'.

Following the singer's death in 1959 Johnny C. Beecher relaunched Holly's official English fan club, helping to keep his reputation alive at a time when he was practically forgotten in America. As Beecher stated in an interview, he kept 'in touch with Buddy's parents, Ella and L.O., and I can say that without them it wouldn't have been possible, as they sent us all sorts of information and photographs that kept up our enthusiasm. The Crickets also helped out and were pretty nice considering all we ever asked 'em was, "What was Buddy really like." Despite that, we became pals.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with minor evidence of the letter having been laid down on the blank reverse of the second leaf. Thirty names, with sums subscribed. The list is headed 'The Lord Mayor (Salomons) 5. - [five pounds]'. (David Salomons was Lord Mayor of London in 1855.] Several of the names are ticked in pencil, with another noted as 'Not paid' and another as 'Dead'. Among the subscribers is the poet Martin Farquhar Tupper (one pound). Jenny Lind had raised money for the "[Florence] Nightingale Fund".

4to, 1 p. Twenty lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and lightly-creased paper. Responding to 'the kind note of his esteemed Country woman Mrs. Wallack'. He is 'gratified to learn, that Mr. Wallack will present to the Parisian public representations in the English language, of the best of our Tragedies & Comedies'. He wishes the Wallacks 'the most complete success, and will with pleasure attend the performances, when his health will permit him & his family to do so'. Two of Mason's family will take up Wallack's offer of tickets for the opening.

8vo, 52 pp. In original black and white printed wraps, with solarized face on cover. On aged paper, with rusted staples and wear to wraps, which have minor damp staining at head causing sligh bloom to first three leaves. One of 750 copies: 'Number 9 of the "OUTCAST" Series of Chapbooks issued by Oscar Bardinsky at the Alicat Book Shop'. A scarce item by influential American avant-garde filmmaker and theorist.

12mo, 2 pp. On bifolium. 12 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Part of the leaf to which the item was attached in an autograph album adhering to blank part of reverse of second leaf. 'Miss Cross' has written to him again, 'desiring me to use my influence in obtaining an engagement for her. - She states she is "quite disengaged now" '. Sothern states that when she made a similar request on a previous occasion 'there was some little misunderstanding', so he considers it best to 'drop you a line'.

Dimensions 25 x 20 cm: [ii] + 87 pp, all on rectos. Bound in stained yellow wraps, with black tape spine. Well-thumbed, but in fair condition internally, tight, clear and complete. The names of the eight actors are added in pencil in the list of characters. In the first six cases only the christian names are given ('Dracula' is given as 'Alan'), but 'Professor Abraham van Helsing' is played by Andrew Turner, and 'Lucy Westenra' by Jannina Tredwell (who featured in a 1974 revival of the musical 'Hair').

All four items good, on lightly aged paper. Two of the five leaves have small dog-ears to corners. Goodman has done his accounts on the blank reverse of one leaf. An important collection, in which the most important British post-war play agent reveals, in entertaining and increasingly-brusque terms, the criteria by which she judges scripts. Goodman was hailed by Jacques Barzun as 'the greatest living master of true-crime literature', but his first love was, as his obituary in the Daily Telegraph (16 January 2008) states, the theatre.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, 25 x 17.5 cm. Text clear and complete. Aged, foxed and creased. Giving casts of the two plays (the first headed by 'Mr. Waddy' as 'Twineall'; and the second by 'Mr. Inchbald' as 'Don Antonio'. After the first cast list: 'End of the PLay, an Address in the Character of The Genius of Charity. To be spoken by Mrs. Sharpe.' At foot: 'Tickets too be had at W. Keymer's Printing-Office; and Places for the Boxes may be taken at the Theatre from Ten to Twelve o'Clock each Day.

12mo (leaf dimensions 19 x 12 cm), 3 pp. Bifolium. Printed on pink paper. Text clear and complete. Creased, and with the blank reverse of the second leaf adhering to a leaf from a contemporary album. The first page is headed 'Clifton College. Choir Concert, Wednesday evening, December 20, 1865.' It gives the names of the stewards, organist, conductor and members of the choir (divided into 'Treble, 1mo', 'Treble, 2do', alto, tenor and bass). The programme, in two parts, covers the central two pages, with music by Mendelssohn, Rossini, Handel, Spohr and others. From the album of Rev.

Around 140 items, laid down on 53 pp of a contemporary 37 x 25 cm stapled scrapbook. In original red and orange wraps, with 'Edinburgh Festival 1958' in manuscript on front cover. The collection is in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with occasional items a little discoloured from mounting. The scrapbook itself is slightly grubby and ruckled. Collected by Victor Conn of Eltham, London, who was presumably responsible for the neat captions to some newspaper cuttings and other items.

Dimensions roughly two and a half inches by four and a half wide. Clear, bold signature on aged paper. Reads '<...> believe me Gill's friend as well as your own | [signature] Charlotte H Dolby'. Reverse reads '<...> says, because I get mixed up with such a lot of people, and lose my individuality in the <...>'.

On page extracted from an album of inscriptions with photographs by composers, actors, etc. Good condition. Inscribed by Strauss as follows: "Herr?] Harry Woord Wolling / Richard Strauss / Wien 15.12.23". The signature is bold. Scan provided on request.

Photograph (upper body, seated and besuited), c.8 x 13cms, characteristic signature beneath with place and dat, all in Lehar's hand, on page extracted from an album of autographs accumulated by Harry Woord Wolling, BBC producer (?). Suitable for framing.