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SAMGRAHANI SUTRA, MEWAR OR MARWAR, LATE 18TH CENTURY ink with gouache and gold on paper, fifty four double sided folios of from a dispersed manuscript, devanagari text, thin red borders, the text interspersed with full and part page illuminations, 11 x 25.5cm (each folio)Provenance: Private collection, London. Acquired by the vendor in 1971.A Sa?grahani-S?tra or “Book of Compilations” is a generic name defining a body of texts delineating Jain cosmology, an important topic for the community. Cosmological texts had a didactic purpose, and in some cases, such as the present manuscript, they were also intended to be pleasing to the eye.Sa?grahani-S?tras provide long descriptions and vivid illustrations of the Jain universe, such as the continents, the oceans, and their inhabitants. The present manuscript contains many of the typical canonical depictions found in such manuscripts, including several diagrams, maps, and cosmological measurement charts, including the image of the cosmos in the form of a gigantic man, the lokapuru?a (see inside front cover), the twelve animals symbolizing the lower heavens, different hells with scenes of tortures inflicted upon sinners, planetary deities such as the Sun and the Moon with their directional animals, schematic representations of Mount Meru – a sacred mountain that serves as the axis mundi, and a representation of the six spiritual taints (le?y?s) in which six male figures display different colour complexions, indicating the respective states of their souls, determined by karma accumulation. An unusual illustration depicts the God ?akra (Indra) receiving his envoy and army commander, the goat-headed Hari?aigame?i, and eight women (see illustration above). The story refers to ?akra learning about the conception of Mah?v?ra in the womb of a woman of the priestly caste. Since all Jinas had to be born in families of the warrior caste, ?akra sends his envoy to remove the embryo and implant it in the womb of Queen Tri?al?. This iconography is rarely found in Jain cosmological texts (for another image, see Granoff 2009, pp. 250–251). For further reading, see Granoff 2009, Del Bonta 2013, Caillat 1981 & Van Alphen 2000. (We are indebted to Isabella Nardi for her assistance with cataloguing this lot).

ABD AL-RAHMAN JAMI (D. 1492 AD): SILSILAT AL-DHAHAB, SAFAVID PERSIA, DATED AH 962/1555-56 AD Persian manuscript on gold-speckled paper, 237 folios, each folio with 14 lines of elegant black nasta'liq script arranged in two columns with double black-ruled gold vertical divisions, some text in blue, red and gold script within an illuminated ground arranged within cartouches, text within gold and polychrome rules, the opening bifolio with very fine gold and polychrome illumination framing two panels of text, each with 6 lines of white nasta'liq script outlined in black on gold ground, manuscript with two finely illuminated headpieces, catchwords, colophon dated, in restored Safavid gilt and stamped brown morocco binding, the doublures with découpé decoration, folio 25.4 by 15.2 cm.Provenance: Sotheby's, 18 April 1984, lot 90, The Saeed Motamed Collection, Christie's, 7 October 2013, lot 92Abd al-Rahman Jami (d.1492) was a prolific Persian scholar writing in a number of disciplines but mostly remembered as a poet. His most noted epic was the Haft Awrang comprising seven poems of which the largest is the Silsilat al-Dhahab (The Chain of Gold).

Great Britain 'Free Frank' Postal History Collection of ten entire covers written-up in great detail on pages, with another cover and many fronts loose and on old autograph album pages cut-down. Also the literature including J. W. Lovegrove 'Herewith My Frank...' hardcover. The main collection includes 1804 'apple' Free strike with manuscript 'OHMS' and intact seal of the Land Tax Register Office, 1807 'apple' with internal crown on letter from Duke of Beaufort, 1813 cover to Sir James Graham with manuscript 11d crossed out and Crown Free added on arrival, 1825 cover signed George Canning as Foreign Secretary (subsequently Prime Minister), 1826 'Newcastle - 5th Clause Post' mark in red, 1833 cover showing abuse of the privilege, etc. Many fascinating details, very nicely presented, see photos online.

Italy, 15th century A.D. Vellum manuscript (psalter) section with versal 'N' in red with blue inked foliage and scrolls surrounding. 0.8 grams, 82 x 45 mm (3 1/4 x 1 3/4 in.). Private collection, USA, formed in the 1980s. [No Reserve] (For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price.)

17th-18th century A.D. Framed and glazed with polychrome embellishment; from a Diwan by Hafez, comprising two vertical columns of handwritten script, panels of floral ornament and concentric borders; explanatory label to reverse. 293 grams, 22.3 x 17.4 cm (8 3/4 x 6 3/4 in.). Acquired by the vendor's father on the UK art market, before 1990.Hafez was the most famous of the Islamic Sufi poets. This manuscript was evidently owned by a distinguished and affluent individual. [No Reserve]

Southern Germany, circa 1300 A.D. Disc with beaded border, repoussé scene with lancet-arch arcade, nimbate Mary in bed with infant Jesus in a crib beside her; attachment holes to the rim. Cf. Seyderhelm, B., Goldschmiedekunst des Mittelalters. Im Gebrauch der Gemeinden über Jahrhunderte bewahrt, Maagdeburg, 2001, cat.7, for a silver goblet decorated with similar medallions. Fogg., S., Treasury Objects of the Middle Ages, London, 2021, p.29. 3.28 grams, 37 mm (1 1/2 in.). Ex Peter Szuhay, 2005. Ex private collection, Suffolk, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12054-217467These silver-gilt medallions with scenes of the Christ's life in repoussé, show Gothic architectural features characteristic of the 14th century A.D., which are often represented in artworks of the late Medieval period including manuscript illuminations and stained glass. Interestingly, Saint Joseph is represented with the typical cap worn in Medieval Germany by the Jews of the same period. [No Reserve]

Southern Germany, circa 1300 A.D. Disc with beaded border, repoussé scene with lancet-arch arcade, nimbate Christ being beaten by two tunicked soldiers with flails; attachment holes to the rim. Cf. Seyderhelm, B., Goldschmiedekunst des Mittelalters. Im Gebrauch der Gemeinden über Jahrhunderte bewahrt, Maagdeburg, 2001, cat.7, for almost identical medallion. Fogg., S., Treasury Objects of the Middle Ages, London, 2021, p.29. 2.63 grams, 37 mm (1 1/2 in.). Ex Peter Szuhay, 2005. Ex private collection, Suffolk, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12053-217472.These silver-gilt medallions with scenes of the Christ's life (here the Flagellation) in repoussé, are showing Gothic architectural features characteristic of the 14th century A.D., which are often represented in artworks of the late Medieval Age including manuscript illuminations and stained glass. Interestingly, the two executioners are represented with the typical caps worn in Medieval Germany by the Jews of the same period. [No Reserve]

Southern Germany, circa 1300 A.D. Discoid with beaded border, repoussé scene with lancet-arch arcade, nimbate Christ seated on a throne in majesty with orb and sceptre in his hands, in front of him Mary Magdalene, behind and below him the sleeping guards of the Holy Sepulchre; attachment holes to the rim. Cf. Seyderhelm, B., Goldschmiedekunst des Mittelalters. Im Gebrauch der Gemeinden über Jahrhunderte bewahrt, Maagdeburg, 2001, cat.7, for a silver goblet decorated by similar medallions. Fogg, S., Treasury Objects of the Middle Ages, London, 2021, p.29. 2.90 grams, 37 mm (1 1/2 in.). Ex Peter Szuhay, 2005. Ex private collection, Suffolk, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12055-217473.These silver-gilt medallions with scenes of the Christ's life (here the Anastasis) in repoussé, are showing Gothic architectural features characteristic of the 14th century A.D., which are often represented in artworks of the late Medieval age including manuscript illuminations and stained glass. Interestingly, the representation of the guards show a typical military costume of Medieval Germany of the same period, with chapel-de-fer and triangular shield. [No Reserve]

15th century A.D. Rectangular vellum panel, hand-coloured initial 'D' from a manuscript page; to the left edge, a bearded male face in profile wearing a red cap; around the capital, four coral-pink dragons with head in profile; within the loop of the 'D' a scene depicting an old man with long white hair and beard kneeling before a table, above him Christ in 'Salvator Mundi' guise nimbate and holding an orb; in an old glazed wooden frame with cartapesta panel to the reverse. Cf. miniature of God blessing David, in the Graduale G 73, Museum of Bargello, Firenze, folio 2r, early 15th century, for similar. 347 grams, 18 x 18.7 cm (7 x 7 3/8 in.). Private collection, Tuscany, inherited, 1969. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12060-217464.The illumination is from a cutting of dismembered Code, likely representing a book of the ancient Testament. It is difficult to say who is the character to which God is appearing, although his costume betrays the intention to represent a grieving man, in Jewish garb. This points to a possible individuation of the man as David (an interpretation supported by the letter D), who, penitent in front of God for the sin he committed by killing Uriah, receives the blessing and forgiveness of God, whose hand is depicted in the blessing gesture. [No Reserve]

Tuscany, Italy, circa 1450 A.D. Vellum manuscript page with hand-coloured large initial 'S' in a square frame and miniature painting of Christ emerging resurrected from the tomb and Mary kneeling before him; lateral band with acanthus-leaf scrolls and asterisks; mounted in a glazed wooden frame with a reveal. 1.06 kg total, 37.5 x 33.5 cm (14 3/4 x 13 1/4 in.). Private collection, Barcelona, 2022. Ex central London gallery. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12151-217463. [No Reserve]

17th century A.D. Rectangular vellum leaf with hand-coloured composite scene: top left, Mary in blue mantle holding infant Jesus on her knee, addressing a standing robed figure, red Coptic text above 'How the man with a club foot prayed to Our Lady Mary that she might heal him when he saw the bishop's chastisement'; below left, six standing male figures in colourful robes looking left and a seventh turned to the right with an oversized shoe, red Coptic text above the group 'these are the congregation and this is how he hid his foot with his clothing' and the rightmost figure 'this also is the man with the club foot'; right, seated cleric wearing a mitre beneath a canopy, addressing a group of five followers and pointing to a standing man raising his robe to show his leg, red Coptic text in three panels 'Here is the bishop who asked the Frank that his foot might be healed', 'These are the congregation' and ' How he was healed and how the stone fell from his foot'; mounted in a glazed wooden frame with reveal. Cf. similar manuscript of first Gonderine Period in the Art Institute of Chicago, Bound Manuscript: The Miracles of Mary (Te'amire Maryam), 1667-1706, reference no.2002.4, folio 110; Wallis, Budge, E.A.W., The miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and The life of Hannâ (Saint Anne), and The magical prayers of ?Ah?ta Mîkâêl, London, 1900, pls.LXVII-LXVIII; Berzock, K.B., The Miracles of Mary: A Seventeenth Century Manuscript, Chicago, 2000; Mercier et al., L'Arche éthiopienne: Art Chrétien d;Ethiopie, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 2000, pp.129-130. 1.88 kg total, 47.2 x 44 cm (18 5/8 x 17 1/4 in.). Collection of David Buxton (1913-2003), author of 'Travels in Ethiopia', 1949.The image refers to the 'Miracle of the Lame Man' in which a man, who had been born lame, prayed before the shrine of the Virgin Mary and was healed. Here, the lame man shows the Archbishop his leg, and explains how he had been healed. [No Reserve]

17th century A.D. Leaf from a vellum manuscript with hand-coloured image: Mary, right, nimbate in red floor-length robe and blue mantle holding aloft a soul in yellow kilt, its neck seized by two crouching winged dark-skinned demons; a third demon, left, with protruding tongue seizing the upper body of another soul; foreground: two male figures seated on low stools, each with vellum page in one hand and quill in the other; panels of red Coptic text above the scribes, beside their souls; the right edge damaged, left edge folded and pierced for binding. Cf. Wallis, Budge, E.A.W., The miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and The life of Hannâ (Saint Anne), and the magical prayers of ?Ah?ta Mîkâêl, London, 1900, pp.55ff., pls.LV-LVII. 40 grams, 29.5 x 26 cm (11 5/8 x 10 1/4 in.). Collection of David Buxton (1913-2003), author of 'Travels in Ethiopia', 1949.The image is related to the tale of Virgin Mary and the two brothers who were scribes. In this tale, Mary rescues the souls of the scribes who had committed sins whilst they were engaged in writing a copy of the Book of the Miracles of the Virgin Mary. [No Reserve]

Fitzgerald, Edward (trans.) "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" Introduction by A.C. Benson, Fellow of Magdalene College Cambridge, Siegle, Hill & Co. (1911) Reproduced from a manuscript written and illuminated by F. Sangorski & G. Sutcliffe, engraved and printed by Andre & Sleigh Ltd, Bushey, Herts, col plates illuminated in gold, slight foxing, pictorial endpapers, original publisher's cloth with gilt ills and decorations, glassine cover

Bennett, Kirsty "The Cardew-Rendle Roll: A Biographical Directory of The Honourable Artillery Company c. 1537-1908" The Honourable Artillery Company 2013 , two vols, red cloth, with gilt armorial and titles, dustwrappers, both vols within fitted slipcase, with a typed manuscript "The Manual of the Pike and Musket" Armoury House, November 1966 in a alphabet coded file (1 box) 

A moulded and figural pottery tile,  Qajar Iran, late 19th / early 20th century, Perhaps Rustam on Rakhsh or Bahram Gur, a mounted knight brandishing a khanjar fights a dragon within an aubergine lobed medallion and geometric margins, each spandrel with a floral cluster, 21.5cm square  Footnotes: Note: In various illustrations found on detached folios of the Shanamah both Rustam Barham Gur encounter a dragon (The British Museum, inv.1975,0523,0.5 ; The Walters Art Museum, inv. W.608.174A; the Aga Khan Museum inv. AKM100 and 80). Rustam is often depicted fighting it on foot and helped by Rakhsh, his trusted steed such as on an illustration of Safavid Shirazi manuscript, dated circa 1430, at the Bodleian Library ( MS Ouseley add. 176, f.68v) while Bahram Gur is often seen engaging it with his bow and sometimes mounted as seen on a folios kept at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (inv. 1963/1.70) and at the British Library ( Add. 25900, f.161) attributed to Behzad, Herat,1492-3 AD.A similar tile of the same dimensions as this lot is published in de Guise L. (ed.), Qajar Ceramics, Bridging Tradition and Modernity, IAMM Publications, 2019.    Condition Report: The actual right hand side upper and lower corner of this tile is repaired and restored form a breaks. The actual upper left corner is repaired from a break. The break lines are filled in with a grey paste. Some tarnished areas van be seen right under the lobed medallion. As expected on later Qajar ceramics the glaze shows craquelures overall.

Hardouin, Germain and Gillet, Homo anatomicus or zodiac man from the Book of Hours, in French, an illuminated manuscript page on vellum, Probably 16th century, With a depiction of the 'anatomical man' as a skeleton surrounded by information about the humours, the zodiac, and the best times for bleeding, 17 x 9cm   

Engineers Site Book for Peoria & Oquawka Railroad, c.1850, Undated manuscript note book, c.1850's, ahrd cover with marbled boards 15cm x 18cm, tan cloth spine, inside front cover pasted down is a blue printed paper titled 'Specification for Laying Track on the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad', the first 59 pages contain mainly engineering and surveying notes with some charts, tables and corrections, specific projects are mentioned including Connecticut and Passumpic Rivers Railroad which started in 1840, a private railroad for E. B. Kellog. The Connecticut and Passumpsic Rivers Railroad, commonly known as the Connecticut and Passumpsic, is a vital transportation artery spanning across the picturesque landscape of Vermont. Stretching from White River Junction to the Vermont-Canada border at Beebe Junction, Province of Quebec, Canada, this single-track standard-gauge steam railroad covers a distance of 109.605 miles. In addition to its mainline, the Connecticut and Passumpsic also maintains ownership of 52.006 miles of yard tracks and sidings, resulting in a comprehensive network totaling 161.611 miles of all tracks. Notably, the Connecticut and Passumpsic holds a leasehold interest in the assets of the Massawippi Valley Railway Company, further expanding its operational footprint. The Massawippi Valley Railway, although not included in this report, spans approximately 31.95 miles from Beebe Junction to Lennoxville, Province of Quebec, Canada. Additionally, a branch line extends from Beebe Junction to Stanstead, Province of Quebec, covering a distance of around 3.51 miles. The Connecticut and Passumpsic effectively manages and operates both its owned and leased properties through a leasing arrangement with the Boston and Lowell. This strategic collaboration ensures seamless connectivity and efficient transportation services along the entirety of its route. As a vital link in the region's transportation infrastructure, the Connecticut and Passumpsic Rivers Railroad plays a crucial role in facilitating trade, commerce, and connectivity between Vermont and Canada. With its extensive network and commitment to operational excellence, the Connecticut and Passumpsic continues to serve as a lifeline for communities and industries reliant on reliable rail transportation in the Northeastern United States and beyond.

Sowerby, James, The Mineral Conchology of Great Britain, Sowerby, James, The Mineral Conchology of Great Britain or Coloured Figures and Descriptions of those Remains of Testaceous Animals or Shells which Have Been Preserved at Various Times and Depths in the Earth. London: printed by Benjamin Meradith, Silver Street, Wood Street, Cheapside, Sold by the Author, 1812-1829, 7 volumes, 1st Ed. 8vo, half morocco gilt, spines with raised bands, gilt edges, Vol7, Supplement without title page, all vols with recent owners bookplate, a good complete set (if you include the manuscript pages), with the very rare unfinished seventh volume. there are 648 hand-coloured engraved plates including several folding Note: An Unusual Copy of this rare Book, all the volumes have period pen corrections and additions. Many of the printed specimen titles have been crossed out and corrected. There are additions to some of the text and all page numbers have been altered. There are handwritten index lists throughout, in Vol.IV page 39 & 40 are completely handwritten. All in the same hand writing with other hand written pages and corrections throughout. The later Supplement has no alterations.

Manuscript Book on The Use of the Globes & Astronomy, manuscript text book, dated 1840, inscribed to the inside of the cover Adine Josephine Edlmann 30th March 1840, containing various problems concerning astronomy, 125pp. excluding blanks, slightly browned, hinges weak, original half leather, extensively rubbed, lacks spine, 20cm x 25cm and A Georgian manuscript maths book dated 1797, in beautiful copperplate script 19cm x23cm

VICTORIAN PHOTOCOLLAGE. A young aristocratic woman's photograph album, 1880s, embellished with creative and sometimes whimsical collages of watercolour, ink and albumen prints. Compiled by Nety Hambro of Milton Abbey, Dorset [now Milton Abbey School], family home of merchant banker Carl Joachim Hambro [founder of Hambros Bank]. Quarto (31 x 25cm), full crushed morocco lettered in gilt with compiler's forename, heavy card leaves, all edges gilt, 43 pages featuring albumen prints, 20 of which are collages with manuscript illustrations by various women, some signed by Nety Hambro herself. The album commences with a photograph of Nety in a pony & trap with her dog, whilst her father stands in the doorway with his own dog, captioned "Self & Rosie, Father & Tommy, 1885". There are several views of Milton Abbey, including what Nety has captioned "My sitting room". Internally good with pale spotting, some dusty toning around upper corners, slight cockling, binding solid with some scuffs & wear to morocco The following passage provides some historical context to this type of photocollage: ‘Sixty years before the embrace of collage techniques by avant-garde artists of the early twentieth century, aristocratic Victorian women were already experimenting with photocollage. The compositions they made with photographs and watercolors are whimsical and fantastical, combining human heads and animal bodies, placing people into imaginary landscapes, and morphing faces into common household objects. Such images, often made for albums, reveal the educated minds as well as the accomplished hands of their makers. With sharp wit and dramatic shifts of scale akin to those Alice experienced in Wonderland, these images stand the rather serious conventions of early photography on their heads.’ [The Met, Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage, February 2 - May 9, 2010]

ANGLING. Three manuscript fishing logbooks recording the locations, weather & water conditions, baits & flies used, and fish caught on the River Dove and River Trent during the years 1869 to 1937. The two earlier books covering 1869-1898 were kept by Charles Hanson (1838-1931) of Burton-upon-Trent, one of the original members of Burton Angling Association, a keen sportsman and angler whose father owned a taxidermy & tackle shop on the high street. The later book covering 1907-1937 was presumably kept by Charles Hanson Jr. and is evidently in a different hand. This later book includes "Investigations on Food of Trout & Grayling", with notes recording the "principal contents of stomach", plus some loosely-inserted ephemera. Together with Memories Grave and Gay of Burton Prisoners of War, by Lily Thomas, Derby: Bemrose & Sons Ltd., [c. 1919], bearing the owner inscription of D. Hanson; a Boundary Map of the Trent Fishery District; two albums of Player's cigarette cards depicting uniforms, and a newspaper cutting showing a photograph of Charles Hanson in his 93rd year (8)

DOWNHILL, Margaret. Impressions on a Visit to Copenhagen, Thesis 1951, typed manuscript with title in pencil, illustrated with three original watercolours and numerous printed photographs, 4to (33 x 27.5cm), 93pp., quarter-cloth with woven boards and colour block-printed endpapers. Together with an archive of material relating to the thesis and Margaret's travels during this time, comprising: 27 "love letters" and six postcards addressed to Margaret while residing in Edgbaston and Pontefract, from Olle Tandberg of Böste in Sweden [named within the Acknowledgements and discussed within the text, see footnote of provenance below], the envelopes postmarked 1950 to 1953 and sent from various locations including Sweden, Switzerland and USA, some containing photographs of the sender; 16 ink & watercolour sketches [by Margaret Downhill and/or Olle Tandberg], unsigned, mostly theatrical costume designs, one on the back of an envelope addressed to Margaret and postmarked 16 August 1954; 21 b&w photographs depicting theatrical performances & sculpture, two inscribed verso, "Me as a Russian mother" and "Me as a count", one taken on board SS Borodino while crossing the North Sea; a Swedish brass Yule bell, "Fridfull Jul" [Peaceful Christmas], a gift from Olle and referred to within his correspondence; a Danish pottery owl, something purchased by Olle and described in the thesis; a Danish slipware tray with six bowls in blue-glazed terracotta, pictured and described as a purchase made with Olle within the text; a novelty cinnamon shaker and travelling cup set; an album of oversized colour postcards depicting views of Stockholm, plus a quantity of smaller loose postcards; a group of 13 art/design brochures & programmes to include British Painters 1939 to 1945 (Arts Council 1946), Picasso & Matisse Exhibition (V&A 1945), and Exhibition Danish Architecture (RIBA 1950)    Provenance: By descent of Margaret Oakes, née Downhill (1925-2018). Margaret was a professional artist and honorary member of Ludlow Arts Society (who staged a retrospective exhibition of her work towards the end of her life). She was based in Sweden during the war and into the 1950s where she developed her fondness for Scandinavian art. During this time, Margaret had a series of gay "boyfriends", including Olle Tandberg - to whom she became engaged in order to protect him from prosecution or persecution

HERALDRY. Grant of Arms to George Frederick Jackson of Springfield House in Knowle, Warwickshire, illustrated manuscript on vellum scroll, body-colour heightened with gilt depicting jackdaw and lion rampant, signed by A. S. Scott-Gatty, Garter King of Arms, and William H. Weldon, Clarenceux King of Arms, and bearing their gilt-cased wax seals, 1917, housed in its original case of issue in crushed red morocco with gilt cyphers for King George V

MEDICINE & MAGIC. A 19th-century West African set of manuscript leaves in Arabic, entirely handwritten in various hands & inks, featuring numerous illustrations, on laid/chain-lined paper in varying shades, 304 pages on 156 leaves, 11.5 x 8.5cm, plus 11 loosely-inserted smaller leaves, unbound/loose, held within worn vellum boards tied with morocco cord secured with a cowrie shell, housed within a leather carrying pouch.    Dr Josh Mugler, Curator of Eastern Christian and Islamic Manuscripts at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, Minnesota has kindly provided the following comments for inclusion in our catalogue entry:    'A local expert in West Africa would have used this collection of manuscript leaves to address various issues facing their community members. The pages include things we might describe as charms, prayers, Qurʼanic passages, recipes, diagrams, and other combinations of letters and numbers that were supposed to have power to treat problems like infertility, to ensure protection in war and other contexts, to bring misfortune on one’s enemies, and so on. I find the composite nature of this manuscript to be very intriguing; we have hundreds of thousands of digitized manuscripts from West Africa on our site, including thousands of short texts like this (the usual term for this type of beneficial charm in Arabic is fāʼidah, plural fawāʼid), but in most cases they have been separated out into individual leaves and photographed independently. Having the full set with the carrying case gives us a fuller picture of what an authority figure like this might have had conveniently available at any given point.    The main language here is Arabic, but there are likely some elements in other regional languages as well—at the very least, I would guess there are some local names for different types of plants and other ingredients that would be necessary for carrying out the instructions in the charms. There is likely a substantial difference in age among the various leaves collected here, and the owner(s) probably continued to add to their collection over time as they had the opportunity, but I would guess that the vast majority of the leaves are from the 19th or early 20th century. I would not be surprised if this manuscript continued to be in active use until, or nearly until, it was taken by the British.'    Provenance: The manuscript comes with a typed letter of provenance stating that it was purchased in 1946-47 from "The Old Curiosity Shop", 71 Croydon Road, Beckenham, having come from the contents of a private museum belonging to the "Roberts Brothers" on Cedars Road, Beckenham. The letter states that the Roberts Brothers were army officers who amassed a collection of African artefacts, taxidermy, weapons, and militaria. It also states that the book was inspected by the British Museum, c. 1992, who suggested it was "the working book of a sort of travelling Medicine Man, and contained Spells and Magic used in his trade". 

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE HISTORY. An archive of DEEDS & INDENTURES to include POSTAL HISTORY in the form of a piece of correspondence from United States to UK, being the power of attorney for William Luck in the state of New Jersey, Passaic County, regarding his properties in Northamptonshire, England, counter-signed by clerk John Keenan, and judge Peregrine Sandford, 1845-46, postmarked Paterson, New Jersey, Liverpool, and Northampton; a red wax seal of the DUCHY OF LANCASTER on an Enfranchisement of Land in the Manor of Irchester, Northampton, 6 September 1883, between HM Queen Victoria and George Young of the Summit Tunnel Works Wymington in the County of Bedford Railway, featuring a manuscript plan; 55 other deeds, conveyances, leases and releases, predominantly relating to Little Harrowden in Northampton, family names including Warden, Mayne, Linnell, Hardwick, Woolston, Nicholson, Hervey, Sharman, Curtis, Reesby, Riddle, and others, mostly on vellum, dates ranging from 1704 to the 1920s, housed in five card folders

Manuscript fragment of the Qur'an, possibly 17th century, containing parts of sūrah 9 (al-Tawbah), verses 1-9 & 61-69, the main text in Arabic with a Persian interlinear translation in red, some marginal notes in Persian, four pages (one folded sheet), each page measuring 21.5 x 12.5cm. Together with a Persian gouache illustration of a hunting scene, single leaf, probably 19thC, 23 x 14cm (2)

FISHER, Alan. [Butler & Valet to the Duke of Windsor]. Unpublished memoirs, [c. 1978], manuscript notes & typed draft recording time spent serving the Duke of Windsor [Edward VIII, 1894-1972] and Duchess of Windsor [Wallis Simpson, 1896-1986] at their home in Bois de Boulogne, France from 1954. Alan's wife Norma was maid to the Duchess of Windsor, and the couple resided on-site at "The Cottage" while serving the Duke & Duchess. The archive includes a manuscript notebook, scanned copies of a handwritten draft, and a typed draft, plus associated ephemera and photographs. This is an extraordinary and immensely readable memoir in which every passage is quotable (please refer to representative extracts below). The text lifts the curtain on an utterly private little world and gives a crystal sense of time and place, from the scent of burning perfume to the sound of the Duchess's heels on cold marble. It's written with humour and humanity. At times reminiscent of Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster, there's a feeling of the quiet dignity, intelligence and tact that comes from someone who is ostensibly a servile valet. As Alan himself says in these memoirs, "You didn't care how idiotic you appeared if it saved the day". Various guests are described and discussed, including Oswald Mosley and Nancy Mitford. Including a colour-printed equestrian portrait of Edward as Prince of Wales [after Sir Alfred J. Munnings, the original of which was in the French villa, and a copy of which sits above the fireplace in Queen Mary's Dolls' House], signed & inscribed by Edward; Alan's invitation to the funeral of the Duchess of Windsor, 29 April 1986, housed in an envelope addressed in the hand of HM King Charles III [as Prince of Wales], signed "C"; an original colour photographic slide showing the Duke of Windsor wearing his Order of the Garter robes in his garden; a b&w Velox photograph of the Royal Family, and another showing George VI at a military parade; seven later colour photographs showing views of the Duke & Duchess's home; two autograph letters signed by Lady Antonia Pinter [now Fraser], giving Alan her thoughts on sharing his story, and thanking him for a visit to Kensington Palace; various loose manuscript notes by Alan Fisher; two return envelopes from The Konigsberg Company, Beverly Hills, 1979-81 [Alan was in negotiations with a US television company in the hope of making a series out of his memoirs]  Provenance: By descent of Alan Fisher [the vendor's uncle]. Copyright & publication rights will pass to the successful bidder with an assignment from our vendor Representative Extracts:  First encounter with the Duchess: "The sound of the high heel on the cold marble slowly descending. She moved towards me...Finally the candlelight caught the flash of diamonds, of which there were plenty...This is 1954 and it may have been her halcyon days. Clothes were at their most attractive. Dior was alive, Balenciaga, Givenchy - all the great houses of haute couture helped keep her at the pinnacle of fashion."  Dressing the Duke in a hurry: "That was when the shit hit the fan. He knew he was late, and it would be murder trying to fasten his shirt, keep him still long enough so you could tie his bow tie, get his trousers on, his shoes and socks...in the rush, he would constantly take one winter and one summer sock, and he'd look down and say, 'Alan, you've given me odd socks'...Finally you'd get him dressed and on his way leaving you as limp as if you'd been in World War III...The worst thing to me was the Duke should decide to wear his kilt."  Near-resignation: "[the Duchess said] 'You know, Alan, if you don't want this job, there are plenty of people who would really like it.' That was all I needed. I flung the silver onto the chair she was sitting on along with the gloves I was wearing. I said, 'Your Royal Highness, you can stick your job. I don't need this kind of nonsense from you or anyone else. Jobs are not that hard to come by...She screamed, 'Go to bed. Go to bed. You're tired. You're obviously tired.' My last words were, 'Yes, Your Royal Highness. Please remember, I may be tired, but I'm not drunk.' The following morning, The Duke has a meeting with Alan and suggests he was feeling "unwell" during this "uncontrollable outburst", to which Alan says, "Your Royal Highness, no one can work as hard as we do and take that kind of an upbraiding at that hour unless they're completely mad or incapable of finding another job. I am neither...From that day to the day I left some fourteen months later, she never once crossed swords with me...No one had a more fertile mind than the Duchess. Her wit was remarkable...We'd both won really. I wanted to continue working there. She wanted me there."   "Queen Mary wrote frequently, and one recognised immediately the beautiful handwriting...After that I always placed it by his [the Duke's] bedside. He would read it and carry it around maybe for three days, which I thought was terribly touching."  "People ask the same questions about the Windsors. Were they in love? And were they happy? As I said, he was in love with her...She was in no way in love with him. So many of her actions spelt it out so violently. Of course she had a façade she kept up publicly...There must have been many moments in both their lives when she looked at him and thought of all that might have been. It must have made her extremely bitter. To top it all, she knew how weak he was...might the crown of England sat on her brow?...She would never have settled for being the Queen Consort. I think Queen Dictator would have been nearer her title...Don't for a brief moment, kids, ever believe she would not have been capable of it. She could be ruthless...I found out later that even though the Duke was dying of cancer of the throat, and it must not have been pleasant, almost to the end the Duchess continued giving dinners when she should have been looking after the poor Duke, making his last moments as happy as she could so easily have done...any small gesture from the Duchess was all important to him. One night two or three evenings before he actually died, he asked Sidney to call the Duchess. She was giving a dinner for twelve that evening. In she came, going on about her new dress. Did he like it. Had he noticed it."  "Senility slowly took hold [of the Duchess]...She said how she liked Prince Charles. She said, 'I heard from him some time ago. He wants to come and stay. I suppose I'll have to gather some young people for him.' Of course I feel confident that Prince Charles had never written asking her to stay. The whole thing was a figment of her imagination. Why, I'll never figure out."

PHILLIPS, William Francis. [Seaman, HMS Calypso]. A manuscript journal of a training voyage to the West Indies in 1890 with entries recorded in ink & pencil across 58 pages, worn binding with loose pages, together with a scrapbook housing 24 pasted photographs & albumen prints depicting Boer War scenes, ethnographic portraits, and Egyptian views inc. pyramids of Giza (remainder of scrapbook re-started with royal cuttings and various greetings cards by a family member during 1950s), the photographs with creasing/cockling, sold with all faults (2)

Gerhart Hauptmann. Hannele. Unverkäufliches Manuscript. [...] Bühnendichtung in zwei Theilen. Musik von Max Marschalk. Berlin, Felix Bloch Erben 1893. Halbleinenband der Zeit.»Hergestellt in der Officin von R. Boll, Berlin 1893. - Erste Ausgabe, wohl zeitgleich mit dem Titelblatt »Hannele Matterns Himmelfahrt« auch für den S. Fischer Verlag gedruckt, aber dann nicht ausgeliefert. 1894 erschien die von Exter illustrierte umgearbeitete Fassung, die aber auf Hauptmanns Wunsch wieder zurückzogen wurde. - Wir konnten nur ein Exemplar der Bloch-Ausgabe in Coburg und eins der Fischer-Variante in Wiesbaden nachweisen. - »Erst 1962 tauchte eine der Forschung bis dahin völlig unbekannte, mit 1893 datierte, ebenfalls bei Fischer erschienene Ausgabe mit dem Titelblatt ›Hannele Matterns Himmelfahrt. Musik von Max Marschalk‹ auf, die wesentliche Abweichungen von der Exter-Ausgabe aufweist« (Beck). - Offensichtlich für die Aufführung benutzt, einige Anstreichungen und eine kurze Textvariante, handschriftlich am Oberrand von Seite 33.18 : 13 cm. 62 Seiten.Vgl. Beck, 100 Jahre S. Fischer Verlag S. 32 und Marbach S. Fischer 1985, S. 95

An 18th century manuscript in Hebrew on vellum (The laws of a meal) and what is said before the taking of hands and the blessing of the one who brings it out and the blessing of the food), 18th century red morocco, 186pp on vellum.

Siege of Colberg, 4 Groschen, second issue, 1807, serial number 4044, three manuscript signatures, blue and black ink, a little knocked and scuffed, overall good very fine and rare Pick S1455 £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mayence, 10 Sous (2), second issue, May 1793, serial numbers 2115 and 73638, first with three manuscript signatures, second with three printed signatures, first split and rejoined, very good, second fine (2 notes) Pick S1476a,b £120-£160 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mantova, 9 Lire, 6 October 1796, serial number 101242, two manuscript signatures, original very fine and very rare Pick S225 £500-£700 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Colberg, 4 Groschen, first issue, 1807, serial number 1322, six manuscript signatures, blue and black ink, a little scuffed, overall an attractive extremely fine and rare Pick S1452 £300-£400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Colberg, 2 Groschen, second issue, 1807, serial number 9346, three manuscript signatures, black ink, scuffed, overall good extremely fine and rare Pick S1454 £200-£260 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, unissued 5 Lire, 1814, no serial number, three manuscript signatures, entirely hand-written on laid paper, one hand stamp, very fine and incredibly rare Pick S234 £1,200-£1,600 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mayence, 20 Livres, first issue, 1793, serial number 5151, hand-written on the reverse of a 10 Livres assignat of 1791, red handstamp and several manuscript signatures, one pinhole, a little stained, about fine and quite rare Pick S1472 £100-£150 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Arad, Romania/Hungary, 10 Gulden, ND (1848-49), serial numbers Q1342 and 2412, two manuscript signatures, yellow paper with embossed seal pasted on at low left, very fine and extremely rare Pick S175 £500-£700 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mantova, 6 Lire, 6 October 1796, serial number 795151, two manuscript signatures, a superb original extremely fine example, rare Pick S224 £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mayence, 5 Sous, second issue, May 1793, serial number 7688, three manuscript signatures, original paper and well embossed print, a couple of pinholes, good very fine and a lovely example, scarce Pick S1475a £150-£400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mayence, 20 Livres, first issue, 1793, serial number 5506, hand-written on the reverse of a 10 Livres assignat of 1791, red handstamp and several manuscript signatures, torn and repaired along central fold, pencil annotation dated 1903, very good, quite rare Pick S1472 £70-£90 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 2 Lire, 1848, serial number 2601, four manuscript signatures, a superb quality, clean and fresh extremely fine example, scarce in this grade Pick S247 £150-£200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Osoppo, 6 Lire, ND (1848), serial number 634, several manuscript signatures, hand-written with three hand stamps, very fine, incredibly rare Pick S241 £1,000-£1,500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mayence, 3 Livres, second issue, May 1793, serial number 30653, three manuscript signatures, original paper, well embossed, a clean and fresh extremely fine and rare in this grade Pick S1477a £200-£260 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 1 Lira (2), printed values, 1848, serial numbers 796 and 812, four manuscript signatures, good fine to about very fine (2 notes) Pick S246a £150-£200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Colberg, 8 Groschen, first issue, 1807, serial number 1256, six manuscript signatures, red and black ink, remains of stamp hinge on reverse, marginally scuffed but an exceptional example of the highest denomination for this issue, about uncirculated and rare Pick S1453 £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Lyon, 25 Sous, ND (1793), manuscript signature at left, low right corner cut off, pencil annotation, good very fine, scarce Pick S301 £70-£90 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Zara, 1 Franc, 1813, serial number 13783, two manuscript signatures, piece torn away at left, otherwise good fine, exceptionally rare and indeed probably unique, a remarkable piece of history Pick S231 £1,000-£1,500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 50 Centesimi, 1848, serial number 906, one manuscript signature, a clean and fresh good very fine, very scarce Pick S245 £200-£260 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mayence, 20 Livres, first issue, 1793, serial number 63, hand-written on the reverse of a 10 Livres assignat of 1791, red handstamp and several manuscript signatures, an attractive very fine, a very low number, likely one of the first notes made during the siege, quite rare Pick S1472 £150-£200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Osoppo, 3 Lire, ND (1848), serial number 412, several manuscript signatures, hand-written with three hand stamps, good fine to about very fine, extremely rare Pick S240 £800-£1,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 1 Lira, hand-written value, 1848, serial number 573, four manuscript signatures, small spilt at centre fold, good fine and rare Pick S246b £200-£260 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 1 Lira (2), printed values, 1848, serial numbers 1381 and 2652, four manuscript signatures, good fine to about very fine (2 notes) Pick S246a £150-£200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 1 Lira, hand-written value, 1848, serial number 328, four manuscript signatures, torn in half and pasted to backing paper, very good to fine Pick S246b £100-£150 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 25 Centesimi, 1848, serial number 1990, one manuscript signature, two tiny holes at folds, very fine and rare Pick S244 £300-£400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mayence, 3 Livres, second issue, May 1793, serial number 78464, three manuscript signatures, thinning, stains and pinholes, overall fine to about very fine and scarce Pick S1477a £80-£100 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Mantova, 3 Lire, 6 October 1796, serial number 642670, two manuscript signatures, pinholes, very fine and rare Pick S223 £300-£400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 3 Lire, hand-written value, 1848, serial number 19, four manuscript signatures, exceptional paper quality, small split at central fold, good fine to about very fine and a very low serial number with the much rarer hand-written value, not even noted in Pick Pick S248 £300-£400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Palmanova, 3 Lire, printed value, 1848, serial number 4527, four manuscript signatures, small stains, very fine, scarce Pick S248 £150-£200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---

Siege of Arad, Romania/Hungary, 5 Gulden, ND (1848-49), serial numbers R/168 and 868, two manuscript signatures, brown paper with embossed seal pasted on at low left, very fine and extremely rare Pick S174 £500-£700 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK ---