Printing History

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.

Director of the Imprimerie Royale, Paris, and later met his end on an "echafaud revolutionnaire" (1794). One page, 8vo, good condiiton "M. Anisson Duperon, Directeur de l'Imprimerie Royale, a l'honneur de presenter son respect a Monsieur le President de l'Assemblee Nationale"; il a celui de les prevenir qu'en vertu du Decret de l'Assemblee il a fait remettre au M. Baudouin son [to the Assemblee] Imprimeur Douze cents Soixante Exemplaires de cinq nouvelles Lois, dont il [joint..?] Deux Exempls de chacune pour la disposition particulaiere de Monsieur le President."

One page, folio, good condition. In a copperplate hand (ecriture moulee) Vinchon (or a professional) has written an appeal for a job to the Director of the Imprimerie Imperiale. He says: Compositeur, typographer, ayant fait des etudes assez suivis, bien appris mon etat, et desireux de reussis, je viens solliciter de votre bonte mon admission a l'Imprimerie Imperial. J'ai servi, ai fait honorablement la campagne de Rome, suis grave [accent acu], et ai un conge temporaire illimite appuye d'un certificat de bonne conduite, sans punition durant les 3 ans de mon service.

Printing family (famille des imprimeirs) and eminent collector. One page, 4to, chipped with small loss of text., torn along a fold mark, fragile. The printed form is headed as above with further details of the Society ("Maison de Retraite et de Sante en faveur des Artistes, des Hommes de Lettres et de Science") Firmin Didot has signed a declaration ("Adhesion aux Statuts") that he will adhere to the "Statuts de la dite Societe . . .

Proof with manuscript changes in pencil and printed additions pasted onto p.viii. 14 pages, folio. Five plates and five illustrations in text. In original green printed wraps. In good condition: paper discoloured and with some creasing at head; wraps grubby, creased and worn, with small closed tear along top end of spine. An attractive production, 'reprinted from J. & J. Leighton's illustrated catalogue of early-printed books, manuscripts, &c. part xiv.' Describes the edition of the Golden Legend published by Caxton in 1483, and a block-book published in Germany around 1470.

British businessman (1872-1955), chairman of the Medici Society Ltd, chairman and managing director of Henry Stone & Son Ltd, printers. Very good. Mostly octavo, with a few quarto and 12mo. Some bearing the Society's stamp and others docketed. Occasional rust marks from paperclips. Mainly concerned with the day-to-day activities of the Royal Society of Arts, of which Milne was a prominent member, around the time of the Second World War. On 7 September 1939: 'I hardly anticipate that you are likely to have trouble in regard to occupation of the premises.

Printer and antiquary (1779-1863), editor and owner of Notes and Queries, also published ‘Anecdotes of William Hogarth,’ 1833, with forty-eight plates, a compilation from his father's ‘Biographical Anecdotes of Mr. Hogarth’ (see Notes and Queries, 4th ser. i. 97). Autograph note signed, 2pp., 8vo, trimmed without loss of text, to T.C. Croker, folklorist and antiquary, at the Admiralty, 15 April (no year). He has received "the Vols of Hogarth" safely, and asks to borrow "the Volume of W.

Printer ("electrotype"). Four pages, 8vo, a few letters masked by a strip of brown paper on the last page, mainly good condition. A stamp (timbre) is stuck top left of page 1, with the image of an electrotype machine surrounded by the name "Victor Coblence" and the word "electrotypie". The contents of the letter indicate a close business relationship and contain many technical (printing) terms. In the first paragraph he discusses Sutton & Co and "la caisse renfermant la forme [a?] la cliche".

Three pages, 12mo. On aged paper, with a few closed tears and rust marking to blank verso of second leaf of bifolium. He thanks him for sending the books for examination. 'Mrs. Sotheby will take a photograph of the phiz of Peter Schoeffer, But as to the woodcut being of that I do not at present believe it - | The letters & papers are not of the time.' He asks him to translate a passage, comments further on Schoeffer, and asks if his correspondent has 'any new of Paper Factory for me.' Concludes 'Write me the full particulars of what Dutch Collection in the library of Sir Ths.

On piece of paper roughly eleven inches by eight wide. 'Col[oure]d 2/6' engraved in bottom right-hand corner above caption. On aged paper, creased and with two closed tears of one and a half inches apiece, and one of half an inch, none of the three affecting the image. Full-length portrait of a somewhat simian Harrison, in black top hat and brown cut away jacket, clutching his arms in front of his belly with one glove removed, standing on a grassy hill (in front of Chester Castle?]. Two small ink docketings on reverse.

Six pages, 8vo, water-stained but texts clear and complete. Much of the letters are concerned with elements of his executorship of the will of William Morris - (and trusteeship). In the letter to May he begins by expressing relief that "the Horace [book or manusript] was safe", then discussing a payment of £785 due to her (she adds the comment "About £785 due to me" in pencil at the end) and the payment due to Jenny. "When we were at Kelmscott I explained ot her that all claims contracted after Jan.26 would be payable by your father's executors.

Manuscript document, c. 9 x 8", chip from one corner not affecting text, discreet repair to long tear through signature, some soiling and fold marks, text clear as follows: "Bee it knowne unto all men by these presente that William Fyndall Printer in the University of Oxford, in consideration of the summe of five and thirty shillings of lawfull moneys of England to him in hand paid by Wright Croke of the Inner Temple London Esqre.

British naval historian (1856-1905), author of a standard history of the Royal Navy (7 vols, 1897-1903). One page, on piece of stiff paper, roughly four and a half inches by three and a half. In poor condition, discoloured and stained, and with one small hole and some fraying to extremities. Reads 'Thanks for yours of the 8th. | I am afraid that I can only express the hope that you will, in this case, keep the price as low as possible, - as I do not know the business aspects of the question.

Company founded in 1908 by Philip Lee Warner and Eustace Gurney, 'to bring artists' work to the appreciation of a wider public'. One page, quarto. Folded twice. Good, but slightly foxed and lightly creased. The typed message reads ' "The best of Prophets of the future is the Past" | With the best of wishes for future success.' The signatures are arranged in four columns. The inclusion of 'Cobden-Sanderson' is unexplained.

Artist and etcher. See new DNB for substantial entry. Twelve autograph letters and notes signed, all 8vo, total 35+ pages, good condition. Contents: (undated letter) asking Lane to get a "Miss Hester Frow" work as illustrator with a weekly or monthly periodical (19 May 1903) He tells Lane to expect a letter from a Miss White concerning "an interesting matter" which she had already put before another London publisher, but Cameron thought Lane "the real man for the subject". He thinks the projected book would have a large circulation and she is "well known" as is her father, J.

Small 8vo. Pages: viii + 24 + [4 blanks]. Original cream paper wraps: title and price in red and engraving in green on front. Wraps discoloured, rubbed and stained, with covers loosening and loss at foot of spine. Internally sound and tight, but quite heavily foxed. Dated ownership inscription on flyleaf. Titlepage vignette and 15 engravings. Collection of whimsical poems about places like Hampstead Garden Suburb and people like G. K. Chesterton and Bernard Shaw. Taylor & Sewell A125b.

Andrew Spottiswoode ( Boase), of the printers and publishers (BBTI as printers only), proprietor of Hood's Magazine from early 1844 (see Jane Hood #3138). Hewlett has obviously followed Hurst's suggestion (above) that he contact Spottiswoode about the editorship of the Pictorial Times and contributions. The latter here replies that there is no vacancy and comments that it is not desirable "to fill up the Pages of a Newspaper with Novels".

Drinkwater Meadows (DNB), actor, taking up Hewlett's offer of help to get him published in the New Monthly Magazine. (Nothing by Meadows is listed in the Wellesley Index for NMM, but he contributed a series to Ainsworth's Magazine, Oct. 1845-August 1845.) Originally from a larger archive, the residue of which is described in #3157 (Hewlett's papers), this and other items appear in my ABE inventory in book id#s 3124-3156.

Wood-engraver, illustrator, painter. Two pages, 4to, with woodcut of house in heading. He has just returned from a caravan "where I have been painting. April showers may bring forth May flowers but the watercolour painter must be very wary. He had heard that he had two paintings at the RA but had missed the varnishing day "on which artists have the opportunity to meet. Several of our R.W.S. numbers are well-represented. Your letter to Mr Carter has already I am glad to hear borne fruit in the 'Daily Mail'.

Fifty-two long lines of text, on one side of a single piece of parchment, roughly inches by. '[...] Between John Guscotte of No. 19 Essex Street Strand [...] and Alexander Brown of No. 342 Strand in the County of Middlesex aforesaid Book Seller'. A ten-year lease for a consideration of sixty pounds and yearly rent of one hundred and four pounds. Includes conditions relating to the upkeep of the premises, whitewashing of the walls, display of advertisements, etc.

Printer. Three pages, 8vo. "I write to tell you that the [memorial] tablet [for Wilkins Updike] is completed and in place at St. Paul's Church, Wickford, and I enclose herwith a small photograph of it which you might like to see (ENCLOSED]. He doesn't feel a memorial service is appropriate, buyt gives notice of what is planned in the Church to commemorate their grandfather (e.g. an essay prize on a point of local history). "As I considered myself simply a treasurer for the fund for the rest of the family.

Traveller in Spain and elsewhere, and author. 2-4pp., 8vo. He discusses extensively his work on "a Handbook on Russia & Great Britain in Central Asia", giving a resume of chapters and asking for copies to be sent to various places. "No question is more important at present". FOUR ITEMS,

Editor and journalist (1785-1870). The recipient (1784?-1874) was a writer on military matters, and editor of the United Services Journal. Two pages, 12mo. Good, though grubby, and with docketing, rust from paperclip and biographical details typed in line at head. A formal letter, unsigned and in the third person. 'Mr Redding presents his Compts. to Sir J. Phillepart with but scanty recollections for it is many years since they met and wishes to remind him of an article sent to the U[nited]. S[ervices]. J[ournal]. thro' Mr Hunt.

English cleric (1781-1861) and Bodley's Librarian, 1813-60. Three pages, 12mo. Good, on slightly grubby paper.

English artist (1890-1978). His wife, Yvonne Kapp, published four novels under the pseudonym Yvonne Cloud. One page, octavo. Very good, though a little creased and with dogeared corners. Reads 'Dear Mr. Wilson, | It is good of you to have taken so much trouble - I am greatly obliged to you. The lists have gone off to Berlin to-day. | All my thanks - & good wishes for a restful holiday'. Signed 'Edmond X. Kapp'.

English engraver (1804-66). One page, octavo. Good, on slightly discoloured paper with spike hole at centre. Addressed to 'Mr. Moon' on verso of second leaf of bifoliate, which has a hole from the breaking of a wafer which still adheres. Reads 'I've taken the liberty of leaving for your inspection a few specimens of my stile of engraving - your brother Mr.

English artist and illustrator (1820-1912). Swain (1820-1909) was a noted wood-engraver, and the letter concerns his possible employment by Macquoid. Two pages, 12mo. Good, but on discoloured paper, heavily sunned along one edge and browning in one corner, with small closed tear at top of fold. Swain's price 'for Blocks will do - £8. 8. 0 for full page & £6. 6. 0 for front page -'. He has seen Williams 'who was very polite & promised me some work'. Williams is 'going to be married soon - wh: he said wd. "come in the way" of drawings at present'. Signed Thos. R. Macquoid'.

Historian (DNB). Total thirty (30) pages, 8vo (10) and 4to (1). The subject is his book "Our Great Naval Commanders" published by his correspondents, Swan Sonnenschein, in 1884, from its inception to the proof stage. He begins (16 Dec. 1882) "It is not quite easy to decide whom it would be best to include in such a volume as you propose - Nelson of course stands at the head of all sailors. Next to him, I think, comes Rodney . . . but there are no materials to be procured for a sketch of Hawke . .

Novelist and dramatist. One page, 8vo, good condition. "I was away yesterday - unwell, & today your Bombshell frightens me. Do spare me if possible [all from "Do" underlined] (& certainly if J.M. v. [John Murray V] is there, for he's the one to speak . ..); but Ican't refuse your request if you really want me. There is nothing new to say on the subject of Scott & Q.R."

Author and journalist (see DNB). Three pages, 8vo, some damage not affecting text. He acknowledges receipt of some proofs and asking him to hold on to the ones he has "until I can make sure of a publisher". He finds the times "bad" and the work would not necessarily be published immediately. They should wait to make their "mark". "I write this in order that you may not let the blocks which you have engaged to [?] for us interfere such pressing & I hope more immediately useful work."