Music and Theatre

Cut from a letter. On small rectangle of light-grey paper, roughly 2 x 4 cm. Fair, on aged paper with thin light strip of glue staining along top edge. Neat firm signature, underlined and overlined, reading 'John Hullah'.

On a piece of paper 6 x 14 cm. Laid down on part of leaf from autograph album. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Evidently in response to a request for an autograph. Good firm signature, with looped underlining. Reads: ' "We take the compositions as they are" | "Our Bazaar" | [signed] Albert Chevalier'. Chevalier's song 'Our Bazaar' was hugely popular. The published version (1894) gives the authors as Chevalier and Brian Daley, but the British Library ascribes it to John Charles Bond Andrews.

4to, 8 pp. Stitched pamphlet on grey paper. Text clear and complete. Good, though somewhat creased, and a little stained. In small type. Divided into two sections: 'Selections from the opinions of the London press' and 'Selections from the opinions of the provincial press'. In a long quotation on the front page: 'Charles Dickens made the practice famous, and Mr. Joseph Hatton has begun his platform career in the same modest, careful, and unpretentious way [...]'. (p.1, 'From General Press Notices').

On fifty-seven pages, in a notebook of forty leaves (eighty pages). Dimensions: 20 x 16 cm. In red card covers with 'THEATRES' in manuscript on front. Pages aged and ruckled, with a little damp staining at rear (not affecting any of the ephemera) and a small amount of loss to a corner of the rear cover, but in fair condition overall. The first page, signed 'R. J. Olive', with title 'London Theatres'.

The six items good, on aged paper, with the copies of Luckhurst's letters lightly creased. Item One: Copy of Luckhurst to Wilson. 5 October 1948. 4to, 1 p. Asking whether Wilson 'would honour the Society by consenting to deliver the third [Cantor] lecture for which the title "Music - and the Audience" is suggested. [...] the first lecture in the series will be given on March 22nd by Mr. Benjamin Britten, and the second on March 29th by Sir Malcolm Sargent.' Gives details of arrangements and fee. Item Two: Wilson to Luckhurst. Typed Leter Signed. 8 October 1948. 12mo, 1 p.

12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. On grey paper. Text clear and complete. Good, with one minor stain not affecting text. Two punch holes at head through both leaves. He congratulates her 'on the success of yr. most clever little play!', and wishes she 'had been there to see it, we had to add a little here and there to fill it out for a big stage [...] it went wonderfully well and the notices are fine!' Proposes, with her permission, to do it again 'at a Lyceum matinee Joe Hurst'. Ends by informing her that 'Mr. Mellish was simply fine.'

Two good pieces of jazz ephemera. Both items on shiny art paper and very lightly aged, but in excellent condition overall. The programme: 4to, 12 pp. Stapled pamphlet. Covers in orange and black. An attractive item, with a striking cover entirely consisting of Basie's head, printed in black, floating in a sea of orange colour. Full-page photographs of Basie (at the piano) and Joe Williams (singing at the microphone). Apart from the programme itself, covering a page, the text comprises: a two-page biography of Basie; a one-page feature on Williams; an full-page advertisement by E.M.I.

4to, 1 p. Fair, on aged paper, with a couple of closed tears neatly repaired on reverse with archival tape. Letterhead ('Importers of Violin, Violoncello and Harp Strings'), with decorative device of two violins, gives the 'Proprietors' as 'S. Bernard Withers, Douglas S. Withers', but with the first name crossed out. Withers writes that 'In this sad time of the loss of my Brother Bernard' Miss Gunn's 'condolences are sincerely appreciated'.

12mo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Punch-hole in top left-hand corner. Replying to an autograph hunter, she states that she has 'signed the programme' and has 'much pleasure in returning it with every good wish'. Good, firm signature.

12mo, 1 p. The purple ink of the letter has bled, otherwise in good condition. He does not 'think it likely that we shall soon see this neighbourhood again'. They have had 'frequent bad weather, constant illness, & general discomfort'. The Yateses 'hope to meet you at Hamburg, where we expect to arrive on Wednesday 5th. August. So be it!' Mrs Perkins was the wife of the wealthy brewer Augustus Frederick Perkins.

Only edition. The dimensions of the volume, which is bound in grey paper printed wraps, are roughly 29.5 x 24 cm. It consists of 25 unpaginated leaves and a frontispiece (sometimes lacking). The other illustrations are eight tipped-in plates and a facsimile of a music score. Some ruckling to the wraps, otherwise a good copy on lightly-aged paper. Striking woodcut on front cover, 13 x 16 cm, showing and old Jew with a boy before a table with two candles. An attractive work, delicately and sensitively illustrated with images of Jews at prayer.

12mo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged and ruckled paper. He explains that the 'remaining dates of the 4tett Class had to be alterered', given the alternatives. 'I hope you will not be inconvenienced by that change and that you kindly will assent to it.' He gives the date of her next lesson, to which he looks forward.

Nachez's letter: 12mo, 3 pp. Good, on aged and lightly-ruckled paper. He is keeping his promise and sending the 'autograph of Lord Randolph Churchill, which I found in Norway during my last journey to the midnight sun'. He explains that 'Lord Randolph must have signed his name by his own hand into the Strangers list', because of the 'different handwriting of his private secretary Mr. Wm. Trafford'. 'The slip of paper is out of a book at the Hotel in Trondjhem.' The slip from the hotel register is roughly 8 x 27 cm, with six signatures on each side, including those of 'Dow.

According to Karl Dallas (Morning Star, 16 November 2007) it was he who 'first mooted the idea' of an anti-Vietnam War 'campaign in the folk scene', with the 'singers' group' being formed by Dallas in conjunction with Ewan MacColl and Gordon McCulloch. The four items are excessively scarce survivals, with no copies of any of them appearing on COPAC. All are printed on one side of a leaf roughly 25 x 20 cm. Each leaf is differently coloured. The items are in fair condition, dogeared and with light creasing and chipping to extremities.

Excessively scarce survivals, with no copies of either item appearing on COPAC or WorldCat. Both are printed on one side of a leaf roughly 25 x 20 cm. In fair condition, with light creasing to extremities. Item One (on grey paper, with illustration by Audrey Seyfang): 'Oh, Brother, did you weep? | words and music by Ewan MacColl'.

The greater part of this collection consists of the responses of the British actor-manager Sir George Alexander (1858-1918) - best known as the first producer of Wilde's 'Importance of being Earnest' and 'Lady Windermere's Fan' - and his representatives to the requests of the scrapbook's compiler, Harry E. King. Twenty-eight leaf quarto scrap book, in which twelve leaves have been used. Items in good condition, with occasional spotting and fading. Album itself, on discoloured, high-acidity paper, in poor condition: binding loose and worn, with damage to spine.

8vo, 72 pp. Stapled and unbound. Complete. On aged paper. The outer leaves are worn and coming apart at the spine. Otherwise the item is sound and tight. 1976 items. Items 783 to 883 concern 'the Bacon-Shakespeare Controversy'. Items 888 to 893 are 'Books from the Library of the late Dame Ellen Terry.' ('Only a few Books from her Library were sold, and Association Books are very difficult to obtain.'). Items 894 to 982 are 'Books on the Drama and Shakespeare, from the library of Henry Arthur Jones'. Items 983 to 1976 are 'Books on the Drama'.

12mo, 1 p. Fair, on aged paper, with traces of previous mount adhering to the corners of the blank reverse. Of course Hollingshead should 'wait till the last night of "used up" ' before writing to Mathews, who has 'hunted up Buckstone - hunted up Turpin - but in vain. Not a box to be had'. He has sent 'the best I could get': '3 Dress Circle to Mrs Smiles with "Mr Hollingshead's best compliments." '. In a postscript states that if Hollingshead wants 'a box for the "Overland Route" before the last night' he will be 'too happy'. 'There is always a run on last nights.'

On one side of a piece of green paper, 8 x 15.5 cm. Aged and spotted, and with traces of glue and paper from mount still adhering. Central closed tear (not affecting text) caused by removal from mount. In Cushman's florid hand, with the signature roughly 3.5 x 9 cm. Reads ' "Oh! I am fortunes fool!" | Charlotte Cushman | Dublin April 4th. 1846.'

Two vols, hf-lea, one 4to the other 8vo, title "Newspaper Cuttings on front of one, "Cuttings" on spine of the other, boards bumped and bent but mainly good condition, 112pp. and [160]pp, vast majority of items, some substantial and folded, laid down and with a neat statement of the newspaper source and the date. The Names "Milner & Storey" and "Dulcie Milner & George Storey" are written attractively at the beginning of the volumes. The record, charting the theatrical careers of the partnership in great detail, was obviously a labour of love (self-love?).

Circa 70 pages, folio, 12 staves to a full page. The complete string parts with the firsdt claribet, first and second bassoon and double bassoon parts ("Fagots"). Printed entry from auction catalogue (prob. Sotheby's) on wrapping, 28 October 1974 (item 99). Although unsuccessful in the theater, Pickwick had the distinction of being the first opera to be shown on television. Several scenes from it were included in the BBC's newly opened service in November 1936, in advance of its stage première." (Wikipedia).

One page, quarto. On paper discoloured with age. Attached along one edge of blank verso to card mount. Reads 'To simply tell you that your work is good would be putting it mildly. Things that I have heard all about me as I sat and watched the performance for the first time, from a loge seat, if you heard them, make [sic] you very very happy. | Your appearance is majestic; your enunciation beautiful; your reading and interpretation a delight. I cannot tell you how proud I am of you.

LETTER: One page, quarto. Somewhat aged and creased. An attractive item in Carter's disciplined calligraphic hand. A damning assessment of Craig's son Edward Anthony Craig ('Edward Carrick', 1905-98). '[...] If you know him, you presumably also know what you are taking on! We had some dealings with Teddy over possibly printing old EGC's engravings of Robinson Crusoe, but Teddy sold them, [...] My impression is that the old rogue manufactured archives in order to sell them to someone - preferably twice.

Photograph, head and shoulders, signed Fayer, c.19 x 23cm, with border and simple black frame. Inscribed below photograph: "To Miss Holden/ Nov: 1941 Sincerely Yours/ Henry J. Wood".

Two pages, 12mo. Good, with minor effects of damp. Text clear and entire. Twenty-five lines. Harraden has found an old acquaintance, Mrs Charles Routledge ('the widow of the son of Colonel Robert Warne Routledge'), in 'very distressing circumstances; she had been very ill from blood poisoning in the leg, had been in hospital, & in the work house'. Mrs Routledge has 'done her very best [...] to fight an adverse fate', working hard 'as a house keeper, maid of all work, servant of lodging house'.

On both sides of a piece of paper, roughly 18 x 23.5 cm, taken from an album. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Thirty-two grand staff bars, in black ink, with title and signature in blue. Signature, following the score, reads 'Douglas Hopkins | September 2nd. 1926'.

On one side of a leaf of green paper, roughly 17.5 x 23.5 cm, removed from an autograph album. Good, on lightly aged paper. Thirteen bars, with staves for soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Covering the greater part of the page, and followed by 'From Mass in C minor. | for five voices. | [signed] Ronald. M. Brunker. | June 28th. 1927'.

On a leaf of pink paper, roughly 18 x 23.5 cm, removed from an album. Good, on lightly aged paper. The score, on the recto, consists of eight grand staff bars, titled 'St. Andrew | A + M 403. | Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult | E. H. Thorne'. The score is folowed by the signature 'A. E. Thorne | 30th. Aug 1929.' The autographs, on the reverse, read 'Yours Very Sincerely | Russell Thorndike. | (Death in Everyman.) | Grey Friars Mar. 1929.' and 'Harry Alfred Harding | June 1. 1929.' Thorne was a leading figure in the late-Victorian Bach revival. Thorndike was the detective novelist.

On a piece of yellow paper, 18 x 23.5 cm, removed from an autograph album. Dimensions of image 12.5 x 17.5 cm, neatly enclosed within a border. Good, on aged paper discoloured at extremities of margin. An accurate and detailed drawing of the organ in its setting on the balcony, with ceiling above and the surrounding steps, columns and alcoves.

On one side of a leaf, roughly 18 x 24 cm, removed from an album. Good, on lightly aged paper. Sixteen grand staff bars, followed by 'from Minueta Trio for pianoforte | [signed] Leslie Regan | 10 July 1919.'