642
'The Gurwood Papers' contained in five volumes: vol. 1. Mrs Fitzherbert (Maria Anne Fitzherbert
1/48
Description
'The Gurwood Papers' contained in five volumes:vol. 1. Mrs Fitzherbert (Maria Anne Fitzherbert 1756-1837) in excess of 50 m/s letters some with wax seals to Lt. Col. John Gurwood (1788-1845) dated between 1827-1837.vol. 2. Lt. Col. John Gurwood to Mrs Fitzherbert, twenty one m/s letters written between 1835-1837vol. 3. Lytton, Edward Bulwer, 1st Lord, 1831-1891. In excess of sixty m/s letters to Fanny Gurwood (d 1872), wife of Lt. Col. John Gurwood dated between 1839-1867, some with seals and postmarked envelopes.vol. 4. Lytton, Edward Bulwer, 1st Lord, in excess of seventy m/s letters to Fanny Gurwood and after her death in 1872 to Adele, her daughter and 'Tomasina' or 'Tom' perhaps sobriquets most with original stamped envelopes.vol. 5. Lytton, Edward Bulwer, 1st Lord, in excess of sixty m/s undated letters to Fanny and Adèle Gurwood, some with original envelopes.All bound in chronological order in half brown calf volumes (approximately 200 x 150mm), in fair condition, b/ps.Provenance: Esher family by descent The Gurwood Papers The Gurwood papers are a collection of around 300 well-preserved letters, written during the late Georgian and early Victorian era by three notable historical figures - Lt. Col. John Gurwood, Lady Maria Fitzherbert, and Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton. The letters are all hand-written, using pen and ink, in the cursive English Roundhand script and they have been put into chronological order and bound into a five book set. Lt. Col. John Gurwood served in the Peninsula War where he was presented with the Governor’s Sword by the Duke of Wellington. He campaigned for better conditions for soldiers and prisoners of war and he took it upon himself to collate as much as he could of Wellington’s notes and dispatches from battles, which outlined how everything had been organised. He then edited these into succinct volumes for publication, which made a very useful contribution to military affairs. Lady Maria Fitzherbert loved to move in fashionable circles and was a sort of Georgian it girl with some very powerful acquaintances, including the Duke of Wellington. She had been a scandalous personality in her day, as the mistress and unlawful wife of the shockingly extravagant George IV. The Right Honourable Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton was a Whig member of parliament from 1831- 1841, a Conservative member of parliament from 1851- 1866 and Secretary of State for the Colonies between 1858 and 1859. He was also a hugely successful poet, playwright and novelist, specialising in science-fiction, the supernatural and the occult and he is responsible for the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword”. Gurwood’s letters show that he was a devoted and resourceful serviceman and that he was concerned with improving his income and bettering his position within the army. Not being wealthy enough to afford to buy promotion (as was the practice in the military at the time) he relied on his influential friends to pull strings for him in order to climb the ladder. Despite support and encouragement from Lord Lytton and Lady Fitzherbert, his papers contain evidence that various requests he made to be compensated for his efforts were denied, much to his distress. His correspondence with Lady Maria Fitzherbert is particularly colourful. It spans from 1827 until her death in 1837 and comprises two of the five books. Fitzherbert, in her 70s, acts as a confidante and personal advisor to Gurwood, who is in his 40s. There is an agreement between them that she will do her best, whenever possible, to speak well of him to the Duke of Wellington, who is mentioned a great deal throughout, particularly by Gurwood, with marked admiration and deference. Often, he laments to Fitzherbert at his lack of support from the army. On one occasion he confides in her his bitter disappointment and frustration when a promotion he had been expecting is scuppered by a jealous rival. As well as many earnest descriptions of the weather and enthusiastic enquiries after one another’s health, avid exchanges of news are written at regular intervals. Gurwood and Fitzherbert clearly share a passion for being in the know about the latest current affairs. References to polite society goings on include the scandal of Lord de Ro cheating at cards; the various movements of Lord and Lady Stafford, Lady Jerningham, Lord Beauchamp, Mrs. Damer, other fashionable figures of the day and the current state of “la grippe” (influenza). There are some captivating passages written during Gurwood’s Spanish mission of 1835, where he keeps her abreast of developments and there is a letter dated 1837, where he appears to be writing, discreetly, from the House of Lords, describing events as they unfold. This episode revolves around Lord Londonderry’s orders to leave for St. Petersburg, leaving Gurwood wondering how this may affect the Whig cause. Other mentions are made of Peel, Stanley, Methuen and King William IV. The letters from Lord Lytton are generally more matter of fact. They begin in 1839 and a number of them simply request the pleasure of Lt. Col. Gurwood’s company. After Gurwood’s suicide in 1845, the letters are then addressed to Mrs. Gurwood. Additionally, there is a letter from Downing Street from around this time, rejecting Mrs. Gurwood’s application for a pension, explaining apologetically that the fund has already been exhausted. Lord Lytton stays in touch with Mrs. Gurwood for many years, always asking after her and her two daughters, particularly Adele, for whom he has a fondness. For the most part, the content consists of easy going conversation - there is weather and health, there is a request for advice on how to get a decent housemaid for one of his residences that’s got rather dusty and there is a simple tale of how he took a fishing trip to Surrey, along the banks of the river Thames, and all he caught was a cold. From his hurried, rather ambiguous handwriting, we can tell that he is a busy and important man, nevertheless, his letters continue until her death some thirty years later and fill three of the five books in the set. The first Lytton book spans from 1839- 67, the second from 1868 - 73 and the third is entitled ‘undated’, although many of the letters from this volume are bound along with their original envelopes, which have postage dates stamped on them. Grace Exley of Jesus College Library January 2023
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'The Gurwood Papers' contained in five volumes:vol. 1. Mrs Fitzherbert (Maria Anne Fitzherbert 1756-1837) in excess of 50 m/s letters some with wax seals to Lt. Col. John Gurwood (1788-1845) dated between 1827-1837.vol. 2. Lt. Col. John Gurwood to Mrs Fitzherbert, twenty one m/s letters written between 1835-1837vol. 3. Lytton, Edward Bulwer, 1st Lord, 1831-1891. In excess of sixty m/s letters to Fanny Gurwood (d 1872), wife of Lt. Col. John Gurwood dated between 1839-1867, some with seals and postmarked envelopes.vol. 4. Lytton, Edward Bulwer, 1st Lord, in excess of seventy m/s letters to Fanny Gurwood and after her death in 1872 to Adele, her daughter and 'Tomasina' or 'Tom' perhaps sobriquets most with original stamped envelopes.vol. 5. Lytton, Edward Bulwer, 1st Lord, in excess of sixty m/s undated letters to Fanny and Adèle Gurwood, some with original envelopes.All bound in chronological order in half brown calf volumes (approximately 200 x 150mm), in fair condition, b/ps.Provenance: Esher family by descent The Gurwood Papers The Gurwood papers are a collection of around 300 well-preserved letters, written during the late Georgian and early Victorian era by three notable historical figures - Lt. Col. John Gurwood, Lady Maria Fitzherbert, and Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton. The letters are all hand-written, using pen and ink, in the cursive English Roundhand script and they have been put into chronological order and bound into a five book set. Lt. Col. John Gurwood served in the Peninsula War where he was presented with the Governor’s Sword by the Duke of Wellington. He campaigned for better conditions for soldiers and prisoners of war and he took it upon himself to collate as much as he could of Wellington’s notes and dispatches from battles, which outlined how everything had been organised. He then edited these into succinct volumes for publication, which made a very useful contribution to military affairs. Lady Maria Fitzherbert loved to move in fashionable circles and was a sort of Georgian it girl with some very powerful acquaintances, including the Duke of Wellington. She had been a scandalous personality in her day, as the mistress and unlawful wife of the shockingly extravagant George IV. The Right Honourable Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton was a Whig member of parliament from 1831- 1841, a Conservative member of parliament from 1851- 1866 and Secretary of State for the Colonies between 1858 and 1859. He was also a hugely successful poet, playwright and novelist, specialising in science-fiction, the supernatural and the occult and he is responsible for the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword”. Gurwood’s letters show that he was a devoted and resourceful serviceman and that he was concerned with improving his income and bettering his position within the army. Not being wealthy enough to afford to buy promotion (as was the practice in the military at the time) he relied on his influential friends to pull strings for him in order to climb the ladder. Despite support and encouragement from Lord Lytton and Lady Fitzherbert, his papers contain evidence that various requests he made to be compensated for his efforts were denied, much to his distress. His correspondence with Lady Maria Fitzherbert is particularly colourful. It spans from 1827 until her death in 1837 and comprises two of the five books. Fitzherbert, in her 70s, acts as a confidante and personal advisor to Gurwood, who is in his 40s. There is an agreement between them that she will do her best, whenever possible, to speak well of him to the Duke of Wellington, who is mentioned a great deal throughout, particularly by Gurwood, with marked admiration and deference. Often, he laments to Fitzherbert at his lack of support from the army. On one occasion he confides in her his bitter disappointment and frustration when a promotion he had been expecting is scuppered by a jealous rival. As well as many earnest descriptions of the weather and enthusiastic enquiries after one another’s health, avid exchanges of news are written at regular intervals. Gurwood and Fitzherbert clearly share a passion for being in the know about the latest current affairs. References to polite society goings on include the scandal of Lord de Ro cheating at cards; the various movements of Lord and Lady Stafford, Lady Jerningham, Lord Beauchamp, Mrs. Damer, other fashionable figures of the day and the current state of “la grippe” (influenza). There are some captivating passages written during Gurwood’s Spanish mission of 1835, where he keeps her abreast of developments and there is a letter dated 1837, where he appears to be writing, discreetly, from the House of Lords, describing events as they unfold. This episode revolves around Lord Londonderry’s orders to leave for St. Petersburg, leaving Gurwood wondering how this may affect the Whig cause. Other mentions are made of Peel, Stanley, Methuen and King William IV. The letters from Lord Lytton are generally more matter of fact. They begin in 1839 and a number of them simply request the pleasure of Lt. Col. Gurwood’s company. After Gurwood’s suicide in 1845, the letters are then addressed to Mrs. Gurwood. Additionally, there is a letter from Downing Street from around this time, rejecting Mrs. Gurwood’s application for a pension, explaining apologetically that the fund has already been exhausted. Lord Lytton stays in touch with Mrs. Gurwood for many years, always asking after her and her two daughters, particularly Adele, for whom he has a fondness. For the most part, the content consists of easy going conversation - there is weather and health, there is a request for advice on how to get a decent housemaid for one of his residences that’s got rather dusty and there is a simple tale of how he took a fishing trip to Surrey, along the banks of the river Thames, and all he caught was a cold. From his hurried, rather ambiguous handwriting, we can tell that he is a busy and important man, nevertheless, his letters continue until her death some thirty years later and fill three of the five books in the set. The first Lytton book spans from 1839- 67, the second from 1868 - 73 and the third is entitled ‘undated’, although many of the letters from this volume are bound along with their original envelopes, which have postage dates stamped on them. Grace Exley of Jesus College Library January 2023
The Oxford Library Sale
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clients are advised to request condition reports from a member of the department
whilst we seek to describe lots accurately, it may be impractical for us to carry out exhaustive due diligence on each lot. Prospective buyers are given opportunities to view and inspect before any sale and they (and any
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CONDITIONS OF SALE
Mallams carries on business with bidders, buyers and all those present in the auction room prior to or in connection with a sale on the following General Conditions and on such other terms, conditions and notices as may be referred to herein.
DEFINITIONS
In these Conditions:
(a) “auctioneer” means the firm of Mallams or its authorised auctioneer, as appropriate.
(b) “deliberate forgery” means an imitation made with the intention of deceiving as to authorship, origin, date, age, period, culture or source but which is unequivocally described in the catalogue as being the work of a particular creator and which at the date of the sale had a value materially less than it would have had if it had been in accordance with the description.
(c) “hammer price” means the level of bidding reached (at or above any reserve) when the auctioneer brings down the hammer.
(d) “terms of consignment” means the stipulated terms and rates of commission on which Mallams accepts instructions from sellers or their agents.
(e) “total amount due” means the hammer price in respect of the lot sold together with any premium, Value Added Tax chargeable and any additional charges payable by a defaulting buyer under these Conditions.
(f) “sale proceeds” means the net amount due to the seller, being the hammer price of the lot sold less commission at the stated rate, Value Added Tax chargeable and any other amounts due to us by the seller in whatever capacity and however arising.
(g) “You”, “Your”, etc. refer to the buyer as identified in Condition 2.
(h) The singular includes the plural and vice versa as appropriate.
BIDDING PROCEDURES AND THE BUYER
(a) Bidders are required to register their particulars before bidding and to satisfy any security arrangements before entering the auction room to view or bid;
(b) the maker of the highest bid accepted by the auctioneer conducting the sale shall be the buyer at the hammer price and any dispute about a bid shall be settled at the auctioneer’s absolute discretion by reoffering the Lot during the course of the auction or otherwise. The auctioneer shall act reasonably in exercising this discretion.
(c) Bidders shall be deemed to act as principals.
(2) Our right to bid on behalf of the seller is expressly reserved up to the amount of any reserve and the right to refuse any bid is also reserved.
INCREMENTS
Bidding increments shall be at the auctioneer’s sole discretion.
THE PURCHASE PRICE
The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium thereon of 25%. This premium is subject to VAT at the rate imposed by law.
VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT)
Value Added Tax on the hammer price is imposed by law on all items affixed with an asterisk or double asterisk. Value Added Tax is charged at the appropriate rate prevailing by law at the date of sale and is payable by buyers of relevant Lots. (Please refer to “Information for Buyers” for a brief explanation of the VAT position).
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(3) No purchase can be claimed or removed until it has been paid for.
REMEDIES FOR NON-PAYMENT OR FAILURE TO COLLECT PURCHASES
(1) If any Lot is not paid for in full and taken away in accordance with these Conditions or if there is any other breach of these Conditions, we, as agent for the seller and on our own behalf, shall at our absolute discretion and without prejudice to any other rights we may have, be entitled to exercise one or more of the following rights and remedies:
(a) to proceed against you for damages for breach of contract;
(b) to rescind the sale of that Lot and/or any other Lots sold by us to you;
(c) to resell the Lot (by auction or private treaty) in which case you shall be responsible for any resulting deficiency in the total amount due (after crediting any part payment and adding any resale costs). Any surplus so arising shall belong to the seller;
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(e) to charge interest at a rate not exceeding 1.5% per month on the total amount due to the extent it remains unpaid for more than 3 working days after the sale;
(f) to retain that or any other Lot sold to you until you pay the total amount due;
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(h) to apply any proceeds of sale of other Lots due or in future becoming due to you towards the settlement of the total amount due and to exercise a lien (that is a right to retain possession of) any of your property in our possession for any purpose until the debt due is satisfied.
(2) We shall, as agent for the seller and on our own behalf pursue these rights and remedies only so far as is reasonable to make appropriate recovery in respect of breach of these conditions.
THIRD PARTY LIABILITY
All members of the public on our premises are there at their own risk and must note the lay-out of the accommodation and security arrangements. Accordingly neither the auctioneer nor our employees or agents shall incur liability for death or personal injury (except as required by law by reason of our negligence) or similarly for the safety of the property of persons visiting prior to or at a sale.
COMMISSION AND TELEPHONE BIDS
Whilst prospective buyers are strongly advised to attend the auction and are always responsible for any decision to bid for a particular Lot and shall be assumed to have carefully inspected and satisfied themselves as to its condition we will if so instructed clearly and in writing execute bids on their behalf or by telephone. Neither the auctioneer nor our employees or agents shall be responsible for any failure to do so save where such failure is unreasonable. Where two or more commission bids at the same level are recorded we reserve the right in our absolute discretion to prefer the first bid so made.
WARRANTY OF TITLE AND AVAILABILITY
The seller warrants to the auctioneer and you that the seller is the true owner of the property consigned or is properly authorised by the true owner to consign it for sale and is able to transfer good and marketable title to the property free from any third party claims.
AGENCY
The auctioneer normally acts as agent only and disclaims any responsibility for default by sellers or buyers.
TERMS OF SALE
The seller acknowledges that Lots are sold subject to the stipulations of these Conditions in their entirety and on the Terms of Consignment as notified to the consignor at the time of the entry of the Lot.
DESCRIPTIONS AND CONDITION
(1) Whilst we seek to describe lots accurately, it may be impractical for us to carry out exhaustive due diligence on each lot. Prospective buyers are given ample opportunities to view and inspect before any sale and they (and any independent experts on their behalf) must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of any description applied to a lot. Prospective buyers also bid on the understanding that, inevitably, representations or statements by us as to authorship, genuineness, origin, date, age, provenance, condition or estimated selling price involve matters of opinion. We undertake that any such opinion shall be honestly and reasonably held and accept liability for opinions given negligently or fraudulently. Subject to the foregoing neither we the auctioneer nor our employees or agents nor the seller accept liability for the correctness of such opinions and all conditions and warranties, whether relating to description, condition or quality of lots, express, implied or statutory, are hereby excluded. This Condition is subject to the next following Condition concerning deliberate forgeries and applies save as provided for in paragraph 6 “information to buyers”.
(2) Please note that condition reports are not printed in the catalogue or on our website however we are happy to provide them when requested subject to our terms and conditions of sale. The absence of any reference to condition in any description does not imply the lot is without fault.
(3) Private treaty sales made under these Conditions are deemed to be sales by auction for purposes of consumer legislation.
FORGERIES
Notwithstanding the preceding Condition, any Lot which proves to be a deliberate forgery (as defined) may be returned to us by you within 21 days of the auction provided it is in the same condition as when bought, and is accompanied by particulars identifying it from the relevant catalogue description and a written statement of defects. If we are satisfied from the evidence presented that the Lot is a deliberate forgery we shall refund the money paid by you for the Lot including any buyer’s premium provided that (1) if the catalogue description reflected the accepted view of scholars and experts as at the date of sale or (2) you personally are not able to transfer a good and marketable title to us, you shall have no rights under this condition. The right of return provided by this Condition is additional to any right or remedy provided by law or by these Conditions of Sale.
GENERAL
1. We shall have the right at our discretion, to refuse admission to our premises or attendance at our auctions by any person.
(1) any right to compensation for losses liabilities and expenses incurred in respect of and as a result of any breach of these Conditions and any exclusions provided by them shall be available to the seller and/or the auctioneer as appropriate.
(2) Such rights and exclusions shall extend to and be deemed to be for the benefit of employees and agents of the seller and/or the auctioneer who may themselves enforce them.
2. Any notice to any buyer, seller, bidder or viewer may be given by first class mail or Swiftmail in which case it shall be deemed to have been received by the addressee 48 hours after posting.
3. Special terms may be used in catalogue descriptions of particular classes of items in which case the descriptions must be interpreted in accordance with any glossary appearing at the commencement of the catalogue.
4. Any indulgence extended to bidders buyers or sellers by us notwithstanding the strict terms of these Conditions or of the Terms of Consignment shall affect the position at the relevant time only and in respect of that particular concession only; in all other respects these Conditions shall be construed as having full force and effect.
5. English law applies to the interpretation of these Conditions.
ENDANGERED SPECIES LAWS
Due to international laws, any item on the Endangered species list (i.e. Ivory, Rhino horn etc.), whether it dates from the 18th/19th Century or the 1930s, requires re-export permits for bidders outside the EU (CITES). Some countries also require import permits as well and all permits must be in place prior to shipment. Mallams cannot be held liable if a purchaser buys a lot that comes within this field and then import/export licences cannot be arranged. Certain countries, particularly the USA, have their own Endangered Species Act (USESA) and possession or being involved in a commercial transaction with any item on this list can be an offence for a US resident. Therefore, it is the potential buyer’s responsibility to check Federal regulations before bidding for a lot, which comes under these or similar regulations.
Please note no license is required to sell or advertise within the EU if items are pre- 1947.
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Mallams Fine Art Auctioneers offer an online bidding service via the-saleroom.com for bidders who cannot attend the sale. In completing the bidder registration on www.thesaleroom.com and providing your credit card details and unless alternative arrangements are agreed with Mallams Fine Art Auctioneers, you:
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2. confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to Mallams Fine Art Auctioneers through www.the-saleroom.com and agree that Mallams Fine art Auctioneers are entitled to ship the goods to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfilment of the sale. Please note that any lots purchased via thesaleroom.com live auction service will be subject to an additional 4.95% commission charge + VAT at the rate imposed on the hammer price.
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Personal data obtained about you will be used in accordance to our Privacy Policy. A copy of our Privacy Policy can be found on our website www.mallams.co.uk or requested by post from our Data Officer, Catherine Leach at Bocardo House, St Michael’s Street, Oxford, OX1 2EB, or by Email from privacy@mallams.co.uk.
