CHESHIRE LEONARD: (1917-1992) British RAF Pilot of World War II, Victoria Cross winner for his aerial actions during World War II. A poignant war date T.L.S., G L Cheshire, with holograph salutation and subscription, one page, small 4to, R.A.F. Station, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire,17th February 1944, to Mrs. T[ommy] W. Lloyd. Cheshire writes with sympathy to his correspondent, on the death of her husband, stating, in part, 'Your husband was killed while flying from Ford, in Sussex, back to this Station. He had been down there with the Squadron, as was his usual custom, and having finished his work down there, was on his way back with us. The pilot was a Canadian called Suggitt, an experienced Captain with 64 operations to his credit. I regret to say that they crashed into a hill while flying in cloud. The whole crew died instantly except Suggitt, who although unconscious, remained alive for two days. Your husband had been with this Squadron ever since it first formed, and wherever the Squadron went, he went too. He looked after us not only as an Intelligence Officer, but also as a friend, and I don't think that any loss could mean more to us than his' Cheshire continues 'I know there is little I can say that will help you or ease your burden, but I would at least like to tell you something of the influence that Tommy had on all of us. He was somehow a man to whom you could always turn in trouble, and a man who always did so much to make our life happier and more comfortable. Wherever I may go, I know that I shall meet no-one more tolerant or more unselfish.' A rare letter of fine content. One minor trace of former mounting to the verso, VGThomas Williams Lloyd (1892-1944) British Squadron Leader and Intelligence Officer. Lloyd was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at the beginning of World War II and served as the Intelligence Officer at Woodhall Spa. This appointment resulted in him acting as Intelligence Officer to Guy Gibson's newly formed 'Squadron X', soon to be renamed as No. 617 'Dambuster' Squadron. Lloyd was a first hand witness to the momentous events of May 1943, not least when he debriefed the returning heroes of the 'Dambusters' raid.William Suggitt (1920-1944) Canadian Squadron Leader of World War II, who served with 617 Squadron from October 1943, flying special bombing missions on difficult enemy targets.On 12th February 1944, Suggitt's crew bombed the Antheor viaduct in southern France. They had used Ford airfield in Sussex as a staging post and successfully landed there in the early hours of the next day. Lloyd was present at the airfield in order to debrief Suggitt and his crew on their return. In his best selling history Paul Brickhill recounts 'the weather worsened and it looked as though they were stranded for a while. [Squadron Leader Bill] Suggitt thought he could make it to Woodhall Spa all right and offered a seat in his aircraft to Lloyd, a gallant and revered World War I veteran. The immaculate Lloyd accepted but insisted on having a shave before take-off. A little later, spruce and monocled, he climbed into “J Jug” with Suggitt, and five minutes later the aircraft flew into a hill and everyone was killed instantly except Bill Suggitt, who lingered for a couple of days before he died.'
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BADER & JOHNSON: BADER DOUGLAS (1910-1982) British World War II Ace (22.5 victories), recognised for his important role during the Battle of Britain & JOHNSON JOHNNIE (1915-2001) British World War II Ace (34 victories). A colour 24 x 20 First Edition print entitled Spitfire by artist Robert Taylor, 1979, signed by both Bader and Johnson individually in bold pencil with their names alone to the lower border. Rolled, VG
ACKERLEY JOE: (1896-1967)British Writer and Editor of The Listener, the BBC's weekly magazine. Ackerley published many emerging poets and writers who would later become successful and influential in Great Britain. Ackerley was openly homosexual, a rarity at a time when homosexuality was socially ostracized and forbidden by law. Collection of 24 A.Ls.S., both Joe and Joe Ackerley, fifty pages (total), mostly 8vo, Putney, London, 1953-67, to a variety of correspondents (most only identified by their first names). Ackerley writes on a variety of subjects ranging from reviews and troublesome publishers, his memoir and other works including My Dog Tulip to South Africa and shingles ('an unpleasant and painful & messy disease') and the staging of E. M. Forster's Howards End, in part, 'I am judging poetry this year for the Poetry Book Society, with Roy Fuller and Patric Dickinson, hard labour for a fee of 50 guineas' (8th August 1958), 'My book news is poor indeed. The Olympia Press rejected my novella….as far too mild and tame for their public, and Secker & Warburg have rejected it in its purified form as embarrassingly sentimental….I have now come to the conclusion that it is an unsaleable book in any form' (2nd June 1959), 'It seems that I misjudged Ram Gopal…a nuisance in a way, for now I suppose I shall have to re-write the flabby dialogue in his scenario after all, which I don't want to do, though cash is always an allure' (6th January 1964), 'The book has been sailing along fairly well….a rather troublesome chapter lies ahead, but the end is in sight….I mean as a first draft. Then it will need typing, to which I do not look forward….but it is too scandalous to hand over to anyone else….all this merely in the interests of Truth…I am quite sure of the impossibility of its complete publication at present….that is to say I wonder whether the whole truth, so far as it can be known about anyone is fit for general consumption, or, more important still, acceptable to others' (19th February 1964), 'I thought I would send you this to see. I doodled it for James Kirkup, who was Lit. Ed. then of this U.S.- Japanese magazine published in Tokyo….sometimes I think it is bosh; sometimes I think it has something to say. The Editor was frightened of it and thought it would "blow the lid off the United States"; I am sorry to have heard no explosion so far' (May 1965), 'I'm sorry to say I don't agree with you about this final version of Howards End. It doesn't seem to me anything like as interesting as the Cambridge version…..whatever its small gains, it has lost in character - and, of course, got further than ever from the novel…' (13th July 1966), '….it is highly unlikely that Morgan Foster himself could put in an appearance anywhere else, excepting the West End. For that possibility one can't plan…It so happens that he is to be in London next week for a couple of nights and I shall be keeping him company…' (8th December 1966), 'Yesterday I lunched with the two young proteges (American & Greek) of Stephen Spender, who have so much longed to meet Morgan. Charming boys, I will bring their photos with me' (14th April 1967). Also included amongst the collection is an A.L.S. (undated, and possibly a retained copy) from Ackerley to E. M. Forster ('Darling Morgan') stating, in part, 'Just a line of love to say I hope you are well. I expect you will have seen all the notices of your play, and sadly agreed with the general disappointment and occasional yawns they voiced. Not good box office notices, I fear; pretty intelligent on the whole in realising that a major novel had made a minor play….but the front page picture, in one of the more popular rags, of Lord Woodhare's new woman entering the theatre in a mini-skirt may sell a few more tickets….'. Some light overall age wear and minor staining to a few letters, G to about VG, 24 The present letters were collected by Neville Braybrooke in association with his research for his book The Letters of J. R. Ackerley (1975) and a number of them bear Braybrooke's pencil and ink annotations.
![[[BORIANI ARNOLFO]: An exceptional hardbound oblong 8vo autograph album containing over 350 signatures and previously belongi](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/ecab18eb-2fa1-4f5b-b8df-a7e800baa2c3/5f71a4ca-2b92-4761-ce16-72b4a550d559/468x382.jpg)
[[BORIANI ARNOLFO]: An exceptional hardbound oblong 8vo autograph album containing over 350 signatures and previously belonging to the Italian Restaurateur Arnolfo Boriani, co-proprietor of the Pall Mall restaurant located in the Haymarket, London, and former employee at the Savoy and Carlton hotels. The album is attractively bound in dark leather with an elaborate gilt stamped decorative border, featuring four different motifs to the corners, with an identical design to the back cover, the spine with four raised bands and five identical gilt stamped motifs to the panels, the front cover further featuring the gilt stamped title Boriani’s Autograph Book from November 1903. All edges gilt. The album contains the signatures of a wide range of luminaries of the day, many of them associated with the theatre and opera, but also including writers, artists, political leaders, aviators, explorers and inventors etc. Most have added brief quotations and statements, some of them quite amusing and more often than not directly related to other signatures and statements on the same pages. Amongst the more prominent entries in the album are (in order of their appearance within the book) - Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) Italian Tenor – a good, original black pen and ink caricature by Caruso, of Boriani in a head and shoulders pose, signed at the base by Caruso and dated London, 1907 in his hand. Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) Italian Tenor – an appealing original black pen and ink self caricature by Caruso, the image depicting him in a profile head and shoulders pose, signed at the base by Caruso and dated London 1905 in his hand. F. Paolo Tosti (1846-1916) Italian-born British Composer – a boldly penned A.M.Q.S. with words beneath (‘Goodbye, Summer Goodbye…’) Richard Caton Woodville (1856–1927) English Artist & Illustrator. An excellent original black pen and ink drawing of Napoleon Bonaparte with a somewhat disgruntled expression on his face as he drinks from a tankard. Makkonen Wolde Mikael (1852-1906) Ras Makkonen. Shum of Harar 1887-1906, father of Emperor Haile Selassie I. Bold ink signature on an irregularly cut portion of an attractive colour menu from the Grill Room of the Carlton Hotel, 5th August 1902, neatly cornermounted to a page. John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) American Composer – A fine A.M.Q.S. of six bars which he identifies as being from Hands Across the Sea, 1903 J. M. Barrie (1860-1937) Scottish Novelist & Playwright, created Peter Pan – ink signature and date, June 1903, in his hand on a page also signed by other individuals associated with the playwright’s works including Pauline Chase (amusing A.Q.S. adapted from Peter Pan, in full, ‘To di(n)e will be an awful big adventure’) and Charles Frohman (theatrical producer responsible for the debut of Peter Pan at the Duke of York’s theatre in London, December 1904). G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) English Writer – ink signature (‘G. K. Chesterton of the Samurai’) alongside a small original drawing, on a page also signed by H. G. Wells (1866-1946) English Writer of Science Fiction novels, with a small original pen and ink self caricature (?) and English painter William Rothenstein who has also added a small drawing in his hand with the additional annotation ‘for H. G. W.’ Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) Scottish Author, creator of Sherlock Holmes – an unusual and amusing pair of signatures, ‘How I ought to graph Arthur Conan Doyle’, immediately beneath adding, with a slightly larger signature, ‘How I do graph, Arthur Conan Doyle’ Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935) French Chef & Restaurateur - A fine autograph menu signed, A Escoffier, penned in his hand beneath a colour illustration of the French and Italian flags and the word Pax above, the menu including dishes named after various composers and operas including Verdi, Rossini and Tosca, April 1904. Roland Garros (1888-1918) French Pioneer Aviator and Fighter Pilot of World War I – Ink signature (‘R Garros’) on a page also signed by other prominent aviators including Jules Vedrines (1881-1919) French Aviator, the first pilot to fly at more than 100mph, winner of the Gordon Bennett Trophy race in 1912 and Rene Vidart (1890-1928) French Aviator; the opposite page signed by three further aviators comprising Claude Grahame-White (1879-1959) English Pioneer Aviator, the first to make a night flight, ‘I’ll eat with you, I’ll drink with you/ I’d drink the ocean dry for you/ I’ll lie for you & possibly might die for you/ But I’ll de d----d if I could fly with you’, Gustav Hamel (1889-1914) British Pioneer Aviator, and Jean Louis Conneau (1880-1937) French Pioneer Aviator. Most of the signatures, some with additional sentiments in French, are dated 3rd July 1911 during the Calais-London stage of the 1911 Circuit of Europe air race. Dorando Pietri (1885-1942) Italian Athlete who controversially finished first in the marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London but was subsequently disqualified – bold ink signature beneath a highly attractive pen and ink drawing honouring the Marathon Race of 24th July 1908 and featuring images of Windsor Castle (the starting point) and the stadium (the finishing point) as well as the English and Italian flags draped either side of the winner’s trophy.Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) French Actress – Ink signature and two additional lines of text in her hand, in French, 1904, on a page also signed by Leon Xaurof with a few additional words of shorthand and further signed by Eduard de Max (1869-1924) Romanian-born French Actor, Bernhardt’s leading man in many productions, with a few words in Italian in his hand, 1904. Boriani’s typed explanation to the signatures appears opposite, in part, ‘…Bernhardt, after a performance of “La Dame aux Camelias”, was apparently in a rather nervous state, and wrote the sentence….in characters which nobody has been able to decipher. When Signor Boriani asked her what it meant, she merely said “That is my language”. When Mr. Xaurof, the author of “His Highness the Prince” saw the contribution, he added some hieroglyphics of his own in shorthand. M. de Max….said that the contributions were not in writing at all, and added….”I also am a painter of pictures”’ OWING TO LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE-SALEROOM WE ARE UNABLE TO DISPLAY THE ENTIRE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT - PLEASE CONTACT IAA Ltd DIRECTLY FOR A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION ’.
COFFEE TRADE: A.L.S., Mason, one page, folio, Cornhill, London, April 1674, to a Gentleman ('Much Hon…'), of Messrs Clayton & Morris, Merchant Bankers. Mason informs his landlords that he had hoped to provide the rent sooner, however, money owed to him by those he sub-lets to have not been forthcoming, promising, 'I shall have it speedly & soe soone as I can receve it I will be with you… I now scarse take dayly ye mony I spend and my charge is upon ye mattr as great as when trade was more rife…' further explaining the problems caused by moving from established premises at Glasshouse hall to a new building, 'you were pleased to treat mee about this place and gave me to hope yt it should bee built fit for mee, by yt tyme ye exchange removed from Gressham Colledge but my hopes and expectations therein were greatly disappointed the building beeing soe long before it was ffinished; the change removing most of all my ould customers had fixt themselves elsewhere…' continuing to discuss sub-lets by stating, 'I was ffaine to let them at more than a 3rd part less than I was one bid for them, & might have had, had they bin ffinisht in tyme, the letting those at an under rate & ye others lieing still dead upon my hands, together wth ye greate decay of my trade, doth threaten nothing less than my ruin of ye wise providence of ye almighty prevent not', concluding his plea, 'I am at a very greate loss in my thought conserning this matter… in hope of a trade to assure it but meeting with a disapoyntement. It is a very greate tryall; but I must submit all to ye lord and yor consideration....' A rare letter referring to the business premises of a London coffee retailer within Britain. With paper loss to the head and foot, partially affecting the text, the letter being professionally laid down to prevent further decay, with age toning and age wear. Accompanied by a full transcription, and the original typed description for the sale of the document sent to Ambrose Heal by George Sherwood, Record Searcher and Archivist, Strand, London, dated 12th August 1927. G, 3London's first coffee house opened in 1652 in St Michael's Alley, near St Michael at Cornhill's churchyard. Samuel Pepys visited the London coffee house on 10th December 1660: 'He [Col. Slingsby] and I in the evening to the Coffee House in Cornhill, the first time that ever I was there, and I found much pleasure in it, through the diversity of company and discourse'. Ambrose Heal (1872-1959) English Furniture Designer and Businessman. Heal collected London historical ephemera, mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries, including records of tradesmen, goldsmiths, calligraphers, signboards and furniture makers.
POST LAURENS VAN DER: (1906-1996) South African Author. T.L.S., Laurens van der Post, one page, 8vo, Chelsea Manor Gardens, London, 27th November 1971, to [Neville] Braybrooke. Post thanks his correspondent for their letter, adding, 'it was most generous of you to write and send me your dialogue between Jung and de Chardin. I thought it a most remarkable and imaginative confrontation.' Together with William Plomer (1903-1973) South African and British Author. A.L.S., William Plomer, two pages, 4to, Hassocks, Sussex, 8th March 1973, to [Neville] Braybrooke. Plomer responds to his correspondent's enquiries, informing him, in part, 'You must have worked extremely hard on Joe's letters, & it is good news that your task is almost done' Plomer continues to comment on Gloriana, providing the date of the first performance at Covent Garden in 1953 and Demetrios Capetanakis, giving Braybrooke brief biographical details of the poet, before further continuing, 'I can't imagine what “Bjarre Kalahari” means. “Bjarre” is such an unlikely looking word. We could have asked Laurens van der Post, but he is out of the country...' and concludes, 'I return the copy of Joe's letter to Gransden, & of course look forward much to the letters in print & to your introduction to them.' VG, 2 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher who edited The Letters of J. R. Ackerley (1975). Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. J. R. Ackerley (1896-1967) British Writer and Editor of The Listener, the BBC's weekly magazine. Ackerley published many emerging poets and writers who would later become successful and influential in Great Britain. Ackerley was openly homosexual, a rarity at a time when homosexuality was socially ostracized and forbidden by law. Gloriana, an opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) to an English libretto by William Plomer. Demetrios Capetanakis (1912-1944) Greek Poet, Essayist and Critic.
PERON JUAN: (1895-1974) President of Argentina 1946-55 & 1973-74 & EVA (1919-1952) First Lady of Argentina 1946-52, second wife of President Juan Peron. An excellent pair of large, vintage signed and inscribed 9 x 12 photographs by Juan and Eva Peron individually, the formal image of the President depicting him standing in a three quarter length pose wearing a ceremonial sash. Signed in bold black fountain pen ink to the lower photographer's mount, 'A la Senora Fleur Cowles con gran afecto….Juan Peron' and dated Buenos Aires, 3rd July 1950 in his hand. The image of Evita depicts the First Lady in a head and shoulders pose wearing a large bejeweled broach. Signed ('Con todo carino, Eva Peron') in blue fountain pen ink to the lower photographer's mount. Both of the photographs are framed and glazed in the original plain black matching frames to overall sizes of 13.5 x 17. A fine pair of presentation portraits with an interesting association. Some light creasing and a few minor stains to the photographer's mount of Eva Peron's photograph, not affecting the signature, otherwise about VG, 2Fleur Cowles (1908-2009) American Writer, Editor, and Artist, best known as the creative force behind the short-lived Flair magazine. In her later career Cowles served on various government committees and represented Dwight D. Eisenhower at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The present pair of signed portraits were presented to Cowles during her visit to Argentina in 1950. Of the event, The Daily Telegraph in their obituary of Cowles, noted 'During Fleur Cowles's 1950 trip to Buenos Aires, Eva Peron tried to charm the influential journalist, paying Cowles particular compliments about her jewellery. Cowles was not taken in, insisting Peron's political "motivation was hatred and revenge". The British Ambassador, Sir John Balfour, gave Fleur Cowles the idea of comparing the Perons to an earlier Argentinian husband-and-wife political team, Manuel and Encarnacion de Rosas. The result was Cowles's 1951 book, Bloody Precedent'.
POWELL KENNETH: (1885-1915) British Athlete and Tennis Player. Killed in action at Ypres during the First World War. Rare A.L.S., Kenneth Powell, one page, 8vo, Reigate, 4th May 1913, to Percy Rootham. In a brief message Powell informs his correspondent, in full, 'Please except this (no longer present) from me as an expression of thanks for what you have done for the Surrey Clubs.' Annotated at the foot with, '(Enclosing a copy of the Redhill L.T.C. for 1913)' in an unknown hand. With slight foxing to the right edge and with minor age wear. Together with a Bronze Medal awarded to Powell by the Amateur Athletic Association. The inscription engraved into the medal states, 'Standard Medal, 120 Yds Hurdles, 22nd June 1912, K.Powell'. Accompanied by the original presentation box, the lid being embossed in gold with 'Amateur Athletic Association 1912', from Vaughtons Ltd, Goldsmiths & Silversmiths, Birmingham. Also including two pages, 4to, containing two neatly adhered press cuttings regarding Powell's life and death, one page being dated 3rd March 1915. Signatures of Powell are rare due to his untimely death during World War I. G to VG, 3 Percy Rootham (1872-1939) British Vice President of the Lawn Tennis Association 1923-39. One month after this medal had been presented for his third place in the 120 Yds Hurdles, Powell was running in the same event, this time in the finals at the 1912 Summer Olympics, held in Stockholm. Powell finished in fifth place. Since the revival of the Olympic Games in 1896, Oxbridge athletes, such as Powell, provided the lifeblood of the British Olympic movement. By the end of the First World War, nearly 28 percent of the young men going up to Oxford and Cambridge between 1910 and 1914 had perished in battle.
GOBERT ANDRE: (1890-1951) French Tennis Player, Wimbledon Doubles Champion 1911 and Singles finalist in 1912. Gobert also won two Olympic Gold medals at Stockholm in 1912. A.L.S., Andre H Gobert, on two sides of a correspondence card, Rue Pierre Charron, n.d. ('Wednesday', annotated in pencil in another hand February 1913), to [Percy W.] Rootham. Gobert confirms the dates of 27th - 30th March for the Paris v. London tennis match, and thanks his correspondent for having fixed it so quickly. In concluding Gobert remarks 'Many thanks for Miss Lattey's special souvenir, “It did touch me very hard”'. Together with a second A.L.S., Andre H Gobert, three pages, 8vo, Toul, 1st February 1914, to [Percy W.] Rootham. Gobert writes whilst serving in the French army and thanks his correspondent for their letter informing him that the committee have made him a member of the Covered Court Club, remarking 'I always noticed and said to every one that the English Friends were always very good for me and my countrymen; and I have, once more, and coming from the CCC, the proof that I was right saying so - I was always well treated when I went in England….and when I played at Dulwich on your courts'. Gobert proceeds to ask Rootham to thank various members of the committee, including Miss. Lattey, on his behalf and also remarks 'I will not be - unfortunately - on the Paris team. My military duties only ending next September. There is no hope and no possibility for me to cross the channel and be with my team there. All the regrets will be on my side. This Paris v. London match is, a bit, my own work and it will be the first time I will be missing it.' Also including an A.L.S. W. Masson, by Willy Masson, two pages, 4to, Paris, 5th March 1913, to [Percy W.] Rootham, on the printed stationery of the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques. Masson informs his correspondent of the French teams for the Paris v. London match, listing the Singles and Doubles payers (both including Gobert) and confirms that the Captain will be [Albert] Canet, further remarking 'We should have very much liked your team to have stayed an extra day in Paris….In London, the match was played in four days, and we think it only fair that in Paris this time, it should also be played in four days. We are paying you 600 frs - but if the match is played in 4 days, we shall pay you 850 frs, so that the expenses of the extra day would be amply covered'. Masson concludes by asking to be informed on which train the team will arrive in Paris so that he can arrange to meet them and in a postscript adds that he has just received Rootham's letter 'giving us the composition of the London team. We remark there are no substitutes mentioned - is this as it should be or is it an error?' With several pencil annotations and marks in the margin, presumably in Rootham's hand, and with overall age wear and some small areas of paper loss and numerous small tears to the edges, none of which significantly affect the text or signature. FR to generally G, 3 Percy W. Rootham - Vice President of the Lawn Tennis Association. Norah Lattey (1871-1953) English Tennis Player. Willy Masson - French Tennis Player and brother of Adine Masson, the first winner of the French Tennis Championship, 1897.
JONES DAVID: (1895-1974) British Painter and Modernist Poet. A.L.S., David Jones, two pages, folio, Harrow on the Hill, 29th May 1957, to [Neville] Braybrooke. Jones apologises to his correspondent for the delay in replying to their letters and confesses 'Actually I didn't quite know what the answer was, nor do I now. I mean I don't know what form a contribution from myself to the proposed volume could take' and continues 'Naturally I approve of the scheme as such and I feel honoured that you should ask me to contribute, but I don't know at all what to suggest. Perhaps….some sort of inscription might be the most likely.' The artist further states 'I don't feel much attracted to the idea of writing a thing about “Illustrating T.S.E.” I don't think I have anything much to say about that really. True, I did those illustrations to the Xmas poem - I fear the reproductions give no idea at all of the originals' and also remarks ' “The Impact in 1922 of The Waste Land” by Rose M. sounds as though it should be very interesting. It's an amazing work - I don't think I read it until 1926 or 1927 - At last, one felt, here is a proper poem. It has extraordinary authenticity, hasn't it?' Together with a second A.L.S., with his initials D.J., one page, folio, Harrow on the Hill, 5th August 1957, to N[eville] B[raybrooke]. Jones announces 'About the inscription for the T.S.E. book I would make certain conditions. It must be printed in two colours as near as possible those of the original…..As soon as the format of the book is decided upon I want to know what size the inscription will appear on the page. It will require a reasonable margin…..it is important to know about this in relation to the inscription. It must not be cramped. I should require to see a proof to check up on the colour' and in a postscript advises 'Please see the original is kept quite flat & handled with care. I think it should be insured for £100 or £80'. Also including a third A.L.S., David Jones, two pages, folio, Harrow on the Hill, 9th November 1961, also to Neville Braybrooke. Jones writes to provide his correspondent with the actual measurements of three original drawings which he lists as, firstly, one 'done at the age of six years (1901) of the leopard & tiger confronting each other', secondly, 'The Bear, in pencil on cartridge paper, done at the age of seven years (1902)' and, thirdly, 'The Lion, in pencil on cartridge paper, done at the age of seven years (1902)' further explaining 'No 1 & No 3 are entirely imaginary, but No 2 (The Bear) was drawn immediately after seeing a dancing bear from the window in the street in South London. Until, I suppose, the First World War, or at any rate during the first decade of this century, bears were frequently to be seen performing in the London streets'. An interesting series of letters, not least for their references to T. S. Eliot. Each of the letters have extensive creasing and some tears to the edges and with some ink blotting to the second letter, partially affecting a few words of text. FR to about G, 3 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher who organised a symposium in honour of T. S. Eliot's 70th birthday. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) American-born English Poet & Dramatist, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1948. The poet considered Jones to be a writer of major importance.
POWELL ANTHONY: (1905-2000) English Novelist. T.L.S., Anthony Powell, one page, 4to, The Chantry, near Frome, Somerset, 4th March 1960, to [Neville] Braybroke (sic). Powell writes, in full, 'Here is the copy of the Eton Candle (no longer present) No particular hurry, but be sure to let me have it back in due course'. Together with a second T.L.S., Anthony Powell, one page, 4to, The Chantry, near Frome, Somerset, 7th December 1989, to [Neville] Braybrook (sic). The novelist informs his correspondent that he did indeed receive a copy of Seeds in the Wind and continues to comment 'I was amused by Henry Yorke's sermon, as I knew him very well. I suspect the age was probably twelve.' Together with Henry Green (1905-1973) English Author who used the pen name of Henry Vincent Yorke. T.L.S., Henry Green, one page, 8vo, Manchester Square, London, 21st November 1958, to Neville Braybrooke. Green informs his correspondent that he has been thinking about his proposal regarding an anthology by living authors of what they have written before the age of 21 and comments 'I really think this is trying the public too high', further reflecting 'I suppose the next thing will be an anthology of what we all wrote before we were 10'. Green continues 'I have three manuscripts of sermons written at the age of 8 which I strongly recommend for anything of the kind' before concluding 'But I really do not feel that grown up people could be expected to pay money to read what I wrote and did not get printed when I was an undergraduate. You see I think we shall all make fools of ourselves doing this'. A few ink annotations to two of the letters and some overall age wear and creasing and with some extensive, neat splits at the folds of Green's letter. FR (1), G to VG, 3 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. Green's letter was written in response to Neville Braybrooke's research, which extended over some thirty years, into an anthology of juvenilia by writers who would later become famous. The book was published with the title of Seeds in the Wind: Early Signs of Genius in 1989. Powell and Green first met and developed a friendship at Eton College in 1919.
WHITE ANTONIA: (1899-1980) British Writer. Small series of eight A.Ls.S., most signed Antonia, twelve pages (total), mainly 8vo, London, 1956-65, to Neville Braybrooke (and one to his wife, June Guesdon Braybrooke, English Writer better known by her pen name of Isobel English). White largely writes regarding various literary matters, in part, '”Every Eye” delightfully upset my working schedule. I meant to ration it to meal times but greedily devoured it (in) one read because I couldn't stop! I liked it very much indeed & think it even better than the first one. It is really original..you have a wonderfully individual eye and the whole flavour of the book isn't like anyone else's….the end gave me the authentic shock….I do hope the reviewers see the point..they're so dumb sometimes even when they're “nice”…' (to June Guesdon Braybrooke, 2nd November 1956), 'Thank you for sending me the Teilhard de Chardin book….I now feel almost ready to tackle The Phenomenon again. Anyway your book has made me really love that man' (13th September 1965), 'I was waiting for something unexpected & nice to be confirmed before I told you about it, as you were the 'prime mover!'…You may remember at that delightful dinner party of yours in the summer, you mentioned that piece of mine published years ago in The Month (about my coming back to the church) to John Guest & got him so interested in it that he asked to see it….It wasn't actually extracts from my notebooks but from a vast correspondence I'd had with someone (now dead) at the time just before & after my 're-conversion'. He had kept all my letters & I had asked for them back so that I could see what I was actually thinking & writing at the actual time when I did that piece - originally for Cyril Connolly, but it shocked him too much & was eventually printed in The Month….John Guest was so interested in it….By luck, I hadn't destroyed those letters along with the mass of papers, MSS etc. I got rid of when I moved….Anyway the nett result is that John Guest wants to publish….& thinks it's relevant to people's problems at the moment. I'm still slightly stunned - it's so extraordinary, having struggled impotently to try & write a book for the past ten years, to find I've written one, entirely by accident, over twenty years ago! And this extraordinary thing is entirely due to you…' (29th November n.y.), 'I'm almost beginning to feel that “The Hound & the Falcon” is a real book after all. There's been something so dream like about the whole thing that I can't quite believe it yet….I'm delighted that you're reviewing it for the Spectator….I wonder if any non-Catholics will review it. I hope so much that what you say is true, that it will comfort some other people in the same predicament. I think there are a good many' (16th November 1965). Also including a small 8vo Christmas greetings card signed by White. Together with Djuna Barnes (1892-1982) American Writer, best known for her novel Nightwood (1936), an important piece of Modernist literature and a cult classic of lesbian fiction. Three T.Ls.S., Djuna Barnes, each one page, 8vo and 4to, New York, 1961-62, all to [Neville] Braybrooke, thanking him for an inscribed copy of his novel The Idler and for a copy of The Wind and the Rain, although regretting that she let her contribution 'get by with errors' and sending a corrected copy (no longer present) in case there is a second printing, and in the third letter thanking Braybrooke for a kind review and commenting that it was 'particularly gratifying to have The Antiphon remarked, as the mental resistance to, as the Swedish name it, “a play for the rich in spirit” is phenomenal. Some not only do not study it, they do not read it with attention. One critic thinks Titus the violater (sic) of Miranda' and also stating 'I do wish Dylan Thomas could have recorded parts of Nightwood: the very best sort of voice for certain kinds of writing, entranced and rolling'. Some light overall age wear and some creasing to Barnes' letters. G to VG, 12 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. As the present letters suggest, White published a collection of letters entitled The Hound and the Falcon: The Story of a Reconversion to the Catholic Faith in 1966. White and Barnes were friends and together at the time the latter wrote Nightwood, much of which was penned during the summers of 1932 and 1933 whilst both women were staying at Hayford Hall, a country manor in Devon rented by the art patron Peggy Guggenheim.
ACTON HAROLD: (1904-1994) British Writer, Scholar, and Aesthete. A.L.S., Harold Acton, one page, 4to, La Pietra, Florence, 27th May 1985, to [Neville] Braybrooke. Acton acknowledges his correspondent's kind letter, and informs him, 'my first book of poems “Aquarium” (Duckworth. 1923) contains several poems which appeared originally in “The Eton Candle” when I was seventeen or younger' further adding, 'but I only possess a single copy with which I am reluctant to part. They are certainly juvenilia: I am now approaching 81.' Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Acton and signed ('H. Acton') by him to the verso in the return address. VG Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. The present letter was written in response to Neville Braybrooke's research, which extended over some thirty years, into an anthology of juvenilia by writers who would later become famous. The book was published with the title of Seeds in the Wind: Early Signs of Genius in 1989
BRITISH POLITICS: Selection of signed pieces, cards, a few First Day Covers, campaign leaflets etc., by various 20th century British politicians including John Profumo, Roy Jenkins, Gerry Adams, Robin Cook, Tom King, Alan Johnson, Douglas Hurd, Geoffrey Howe, Nigel Lawson, Willie Whitelaw, Denis Healy, George Younger, Malcolm Rifkind, David Owen, Leon Brittan, George Robertson, Anthony Barber, Roy Mason, Christopher Soames, Francis Pym, Alex Salmond, Lord Thorneycroft, Michael Hesteltine, Michael Gove, Alistair Darling, Robert Horne, Harold Wilson, Hugh Gaitskell, Samuel Hoare, Lord Sankey, John Allesbrook, Earl of Selborne, Rab Butler, John Anderson, Enoch Powell, Henry Brooke, Henry Matthews, Viscount Maugham, William Jowitt, Kingsley Wood, Hardinge Giffard, Robert Finlay, George Cave, Robert Carr, Lord Carrington, Stanley Buckmaster etc. Some with inscriptions. With some duplication. G to VG, 85
RUSHDIE SALMAN: (1947- ) British Indian Novelist & Essayist. Book signed, being a softcover uncorrected advance proof copy of The Satanic Verses, published by Viking, London, 1988. Signed by Rushdie in black ink to the title page, also adding the title 'The Satanic Verses' in his hand above his signature. Although it would appear that there are no differences in the text between the proof and first trade editions of The Satanic Verses, the present proof copy does possess some unique features. There are no ornamental devices separating the sub-chapters and page 549 (the 'Acknowledgements' page) is completely lacking. The beginning of chapter IV entitled Ayesha (page 203) allows for a numerical sub-division although is unnecessary as there are none. Proof copies of the book vary in so much as some have the title printed on the title page and others don't; the present copy does not have the printed title (evidently the reason why Rushdie added the title in his own hand in the present copy). Bound in the publisher's blue wraps and with red lettering to the front cover. The original admission ticket stub for Rushdie's appearance at The Forum, St James Parade, Bath, on 25th May 2017 as part of The Bath Festival, and the occasion on which the present book was signed, is loosely inserted. Rare in this form. Some slight age toning to the text block, a few minor creases to the spine and with some slight age wear and creasing to the edges and corners of the wraps, otherwise VG The 1981 Booker Prize winning Rushdie's work combines magical realism with historical fiction and much of his work is set on the Indian subcontinent. His fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, was the subject of a major controversy which resulted in the British government placing the author under police protection. In 2008 The Times ranked Rushdie thirteenth on its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.
GEORGE II: (1683-1760) King of Great Britain and Ireland 1727-60. D.S., George R, as King, at the head, one page, folio, Court at St. James’s, 11th May 1731. The manuscript document, penned in a large, bold hand, states, in part, ‘Our Will and Pleasure is that the establishment of Our Guards Garrisons and Land Forces in Great Britain…do Commence and take place…a[nd] that no new charge be added thereunto without being first Communicated to Our High Treasurer or Commissioners of Our Treasury…’ Countersigned at the foot by George Oxenden (1694-1775) English Politician, William Clayton (1671-1752) 1st Baron Sundon, British Politician and William Yonge (c.1693-1755) English Politician. Neatly trimmed to the right edge, very slightly affecting a few words of text but not the signatures, and with a few neat splits to the edges of the folds, G
MOUNTBATTEN LOUIS: (1900-1979) British Admiral of World War II. T.L.S., Mountbatten of Burma, with holograph salutation and subscription, two pages, 8vo, Broadlands, Romsey, 8th May 1967, to William Clark. Mountbatten thanks his correspondent for sending a signed copy of the novel Number 10, informing him, 'I did not have an opportunity of reading it until I went to the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, for a hernia operation… I have two comments… in 1957 the title of the Chairman was changed to that of “Chief of the Defence Staff”… At the bottom of page 90 you write “This deed of Sebastian Fleming ranks with Winston Churchill's bold decision just 61 years ago this week, to keep the Fleet mobilized”… I have a complete memorandum showing that not only did Winston Churchill not make the decision to keep the Fleet mobilized but in fact he was spending the weekend in Cromer and left my father in charge of the Admiralty…' With a staple in the top left corner holding the two pages together, light stains to the right edges, and minor age wear. Together with an unsigned copy of Number 10 a novel by William Clarke, First Edition, published by Heinemann, London, 1966 and an unsigned copy of Number 10 a play by Ronald Millar, based on the novel by William Clarke, First Edition, published by Heinemann, London, 1967, both books with dust jackets. With light age wear and a minor tear to one dust jacket. G to VG, 3William Clark (1916-1985) English Economist and Public Servant, Press Secretary to Prime Minister Anthony Eden, 1956. Ronald Millar (1919-1998) English Actor, Scriptwriter, and Dramatist.
ROOTHAM PERCY: (1872-1939) British Vice President of the Lawn Tennis Association 1923-39. D.S., Percy Rootham, one page, 4to, London, 3rd November 1916. The partially printed document, finished in type, being a notice from the Covered Courts Club, giving notice that the Red Cross Society have requisitioned the club for the duration of the war, but that subsequent games of tennis can be played at Toksowa House. Signed by Rootham to the foot of the page, adding Honorary Secretary beneath his signature. With pin holes to the head and age wear. Together with three A.Ls.S. and a T.L.S., by various correspondents, six pages, 8vo, London and Walton-on-Thames, 1913 to 1936, all to Percy Rootham, including Baron Desborough (in part, 'I think you will find that your recommendations have in the main been carried out.' 5th March 1919), Samuel Hoare (T.L.S., in part, 'There is no post that will interest me more keenly than the Admiralty, particularly at this moment when the Fleet is being rebuilt.' 15th June 1936, on being given the position of First Lord of the Admiralty). With creasing, light age toning and age wear. Also including an unsigned page from Lawn Tennis and Badminton, 25th December 1913, containing caricatures of various celebrities of the day. Neatly laid down. G, 6
WRIGHT & LAWRANCE: WRIGHT ORVILLE (1871-1948) American Aviator who, with his brother Wilbur, invented and built the world's first successful airplane, making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight on 17th December 1903 & LAWRANCE CHARLES (1882-1950) American Aeronautical Engineer, an early proponent of air-cooled aircraft engines. A good vintage signed sepia 10 x 8 photograph by both Wright and Lawrance individually, the image depicting the two men standing alongside each other in half length poses. Signed by each with their names alone in fountain pen ink to clear areas at the base of the image. Some very slight surface creasing and minor signs of former mounting to the verso as a result of previous framing, about VG Lawrance's design of the J-1 air-cooled aircraft engine was the direct ancestor of the extremely successful Wright Whirlwind series of engines. In May 1923 Lawrance's company was acquired by Wright Aeronautical, with Lawrance himself retained as Vice-President, becoming the company's President just two years later.
TRAVERS P. L.: (1899-1996) Australian-born British Writer, best known for her series of children's books featuring the magical nanny Mary Poppins. A good T.L.S., P. L. Travers, one page, 4to, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 24th January 1966, to Blanche Campbell. Travers thanks her correspondent for their letter and cuttings ('I will gradually eat my way, like a bookworm, through the cuttings') and continues 'I had seen Frances Clark Sayer's article in the Horn Book and enjoyed it so much, as well as her article Summoned by Books. I am writing to her about both as soon as I have a spare moment.' Travers further writes 'You must try and urge people away from the Disney books and on to the original. The only comfort one has is that films come and go, and eventually this one will be gone'. In a holograph postscript she remarks 'I wish, indeed, that U.C.L.A. of Berkeley would ask me! I would like that!'. A scarce letter with an interesting reference to Disney. Together with a draft copy of a letter from Campbell to Travers, seemingly the one to which Travers replied to although dated by Campbell 5th March 1966, forwarding a clipping and remarking 'Mary Poppins has certainly done a lot for Julie Andrews' and enquiring about the possibility of Travers coming to U.C.L.A. ('If you're not interested I certainly won't press it - but if you are - let me know') and also including a typed copy of Campbell's reply to Travers letter, one page, 4to, n.p., 4th February 1966, commenting 'I'm going to start working on the project to get you to UCLA! Just what are you doing at Radcliffe? If you could give me somewhat of an idea of what your work includes I would appreciate it….If you can send me this information we'll go on from there, and I'll keep you posted'. A couple of small staple holes to the upper margins of two of the letters, not affecting the text or signature, VG, 3 Mary Poppins features in a series of eight books written by Travers, the first being published in 1934. Apparently Walt Disney's daughters had fallen in love with the magical nanny and the books and made their father promise to make a film based on them. Disney first attempted to buy the film rights for Mary Poppins from Travers in 1938 but was rebuffed by the author as she did not believe that a film version of her books would do justice to her creation. For more than 20 years Disney persisted in making efforts to convince Travers to allow him to make the film and he finally succeeded in 1961, although Travers demanded script approval rights, which she was granted. Travers also acted as an adviser to the production, which took the best part of two years, however she disapproved of the dilution of the harsher aspects of Mary Poppins' character, felt ambivalent about the music, and disliked the use of animation in the film so much that she ruled out any further adaptations of the later Mary Poppins novels. The 2013 film Saving Mr. Banks centres around the development of the Mary Poppins film and the relationship between Travers and Disney. Mary Poppins was finally released in August 1964 to universal acclaim and starred Julie Andrews in the title role. The film received thirteen Academy Award nominations, one of them for Best Picture, and won five including Best Actress. The film is widely considered to be Walt Disney's 'crowning achievement', being his only film to garner a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars in his lifetime. Despite Travers' claim in the present letter that eventually the film would be gone, it has proved over the years to be one of Disney's most profitable, with re-releases in 1973 and 1980, and, indeed, a sequel entitled Mary Poppins Returns is set to be released in December 2018.
RUSHDIE SALMAN: (1947- ) British Indian Novelist & Essayist. Book signed, being a hardback edition of The Satanic Verses, First UK Edition,published by Viking, London, 1988. Signed by Rushdie in black ink to the title page, also adding 'to Humour' in his hand beneath his signature. Accompanied by the dust jacket, with some fading to the spine, otherwise VG The 1981 Booker Prize winning Rushdie's work combines magical realism with historical fiction and much of his work is set on the Indian subcontinent. His fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, was the subject of a major controversy which resulted in the British government placing the author under police protection. In 2008 The Times ranked Rushdie thirteenth on its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945. In a talk given by Rushdie at The Forum, Bath, on the 25th May 2017, as part of the Bath Festival, and the occasion on which the present book was signed, Rushdie remarked that a lot of things had been said about his book, but not many had proclaimed that it was actually funny. This is the reason for his having added the words 'to Humour' in the present book. Also the additional words are a symbol of defiance to the fatwa called against Rushdie.
AUDEN W. H.: (1907-1973) Anglo-American Poet. T.L.S., W.H. Auden, one page, 4to, Kirchstetten, Austria, 8th June 1966, to [Neville] Braybrooke. Auden informs his correspondent, 'The Dryden lines quoted by Eliot are from A Secular Masque.' and proceeds to quote a stanza, 'All, all of a piece without (corrected to throughout by Auden)/ Thy chase had a beast in view/ Thy wars brought nothing about/ Thy lovers were all untrue/ 'Tis well an old age is out/ And time to begin a new.' Together with an A.L.S., W.H. Auden, one page, 4to, Kirchstetten, Austria, 2nd May 1969, also to [Neville] Braybrooke. Auden thanks his correspondent for their letter, and remarks, 'I'm afraid I don't have any letters from Joe Ackerley.' With some overall creasing and some tears to the edges, one particularly large to the central fold of the autograph letter. FR to G, 2 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher who edited The Letters of J. R. Ackerley (1975). Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. J. R. Ackerley (1896-1967) British Writer and Editor of The Listener, the BBC's weekly magazine. Ackerley published many emerging poets and writers who would later become successful and influential in Great Britain. Ackerley was openly homosexual, a rarity at a time when homosexuality was socially ostracized and forbidden by law. John Dryden (1631-1700) English Poet and Playwright, England's first Poet Laureate, 1668. T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) American-born English Poet & Dramatist, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1948
SECOND BOER WAR: A small selection of signed pieces, cards, A.Ls.S., and signed postcard photographs, by prominent figures associated with the Second Boer War, 1899-1902, comprising Louis Botha (1862-1919, South African Politician, first Prime Minister of the South Africa, 1910-1919) vintage signed postcard photograph, the image depicting Botha in half-length pose, signed ('Louis Botha') in bold black fountain pen ink with his name alone to a clear area of the image; Jan Olivier (1848-1930, South African General during the Second Boer War) A.Q.S., J.H. Olivier, one page, oblong 8vo, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, 6th June 1901, in Afrikaans. Olivier pens the brief and defiant quotation, 'Rights and justice shall conquer', in bold black fountain pen ink. Affixed to the foot of the page is a hand written, 12mo translation of the quote; Alfred Milner (1852-1925, British Statesman and Colonial Administrator) a correspondence card, signed ('Milner') and dated 23rd May 1908 in his hand, accompanied by the original envelope; Bennet Burleigh (1840-1914, Scottish Soldier, Journalist for the Daily Telegraph, covering the wars in Sudan and South Africa) signed printed 12mo card, the text stating, 'Autographed in aid of the fund of the Royal Alexandra Infirmary Bazaar'. Signed by Burleigh in bold black fountain pen ink to the foot of the card and dated 21st June 1905 in his hand, further adding, 'Greetings to Paisley, in memory of many a happy day…'; Alfred Lynch (1861-1934, Australian Hibernophile, Politician, Journalist, and Soldier) A.L.S., Arthur Lynch, one page, 8vo, London, 30th July 1913, to Mrs Vertel. Lynch informs his correspondent, in full, 'Herewith I send you the autograph desired with a line of my favourite poet, Keats, 'He ne'er is crowned with immortality who fears to follow where airy voices lead'. Accompanied by the original envelope; Emil Jannings (1884-1950 German Actor, Academy Award winner, 1929. Jannings starred in the 1941 Nazi propaganda film Uncle Krüger) vintage signed postcard photograph, the image portraying the actor in head and shoulders pose, in costume as Paul Kruger. Signed ('E. Jannings') in bold black fountain pen ink with his name alone to a slightly darker area at the base of the image. VG, 6
HIMMLER HEINRICH: (1900-1945) Nazi German Politician, Reichsfuhrer of the SS. D.S., H. Himmler, four pages, 4to, Berlin, 18th May 1942. The partially printed document, in German, is a Proposal for the Appointment of Contract Chemist Dr. Reinhold Wolter to Government Chemist in the Wages Section A2c2. Himmler has signed the document to the first page beneath a typed statement in which he confirms that he has no objection to the proposal. In the lower half of the first page appear two official stamped statements, the first in the name of Adolf Hitler, and dated Fuhrer-Hauptquartier, 12th June 1942, appointing Wolter and stating 'The charter of appointment is, in the present circumstances, to be completed with my facsimile signature.' and the second, from the Chancellery, Berlin, 13th June 1942, states that the document of appointment, with the facsimile signature of the Fuhrer and Chancellor, should be returned to the proposing authority for filing. The centre and final page of the present document provides personal details relating to Wolter as well as a summary of his career. Four file holes to the left edge, only very slightly affecting one word of typed text and not the signature. VG
SPENCER STANLEY: (1868-1906) English Aeronaut, famous for building and flying the first British Airship in 1902. Vintage signed postcard photograph, the image depicting Spencer's airship flying above fields at Crystal Palace, London. Signed by Spencer in brown fountain pen ink to a clear area of the image. Together with Charles Barnard (1895-1971) British Aeronaut and Record Breaking Air Race Pilot. Vintage signed postcard photograph, the image depicting Barnard in a half-length pose. Signed by Barnard in blue fountain pen ink with his name alone to a clear area of the image. VG, 2
BRITISH POLITICS: Selection of signed pieces, T.Ls.S., A.Ls.S, postcard photographs etc., by various Speakers of the House of Commons comprising Edward Seymour, John Cust, William Gully, Charles Shaw-Lefevre, Charles Manners-Sutton, William Murray, Henry Brand, Bernard Weatherill (2), Selwyn Lloyd (4; one T.L.S., in part, 'I have never been a Boy Scout although I am a member of the Houses of Parliament Branch of the B.-P. Scout Guild' 24th November 1971), James Lowther, John Bercow (2), Betty Boothroyd (2; one T.L.S., in part, 'Although I am proud of the fact that I was the first female to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons, I am even prouder of the fact that I was the first M.P. in history to be elected from the opposition benches.' 23rd April 2008), George Thomas (T.L.S., declining an invitation to speak at an event organised by Bishop Joel McDavid, Resident Bishop of the United Methodist Church in Georgia, USA, 3rd February 1982), Michael Martin, Horace King (2) and John Whitley. Some are neatly laid down. With some light age wear, generally VG, 24
DYLAN BOB: (1941- ) American Singer & Songwriter, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 2016. A hardback bound 4to edition of Hematite, the yearbook of Hibbing High School, issued in 1959 and thus marking the 50th anniversary since the first yearbook was issued in 1909 (then entitled The Rail Splitter when the school was known as Lincoln High School), the present copy previously belonging to student Marietta Turk and bearing a number of signatures and inscriptions to her by various friends and fellow students including Bob Dylan. The front pastedown and front free endpaper feature nine individual blue ink signatures and inscriptions, Dylan’s appearing just below the centre of the front free endpaper and stating, in full, ‘I’ll write under Echo’s name. Good luck in your acting career. Everyone knows you’ll make a good one. Sincerely, Bob Zimmerman’. Other signatures and inscriptions to the pages include those of Echo Helstrom (who dated Dylan whilst at Hibbing High School), ‘Hi Turk, I don’t have to bid you a fond farewell because I’ll most likely see you in the L & B. It sure has been nice having you as a friend all these years. I hope we can continue to stay friends as the years progress. A pal, Echo’, Rochelle Matonich (‘Well, the last of our high school years is finally over. It was really nice having you in Dramatics. Remember “Sob Stuff”. Boy was that play a blast. Don’t forget our Winston breaks….’), Judith Hendrickson (‘Remember the days when we were back at old Lincoln….How can we forget. The past twelve years have been long waited for to come to an end, and here we are…..’) etc., and a few further signatures and inscriptions appear to other pages at both the front and back of the Yearbook, two also referring to an individual named Bob (Dylan?), ‘I remember the first night I met Bob and I slept over your house because I would have come home late. The only trouble with that was that I didn’t call my parents so they made me stay in for 2 weeks’ and ‘Remember all the trips to the Y.M.C.A. to see Bob & Tom, when we got there we were too embarrassed to talk to them. Sure hope I see them again in the future’. The inside pages of the yearbook are profusely illustrated and with accompanying text relating to various school events etc., and also feature small portraits of the students, including the young Dylan (‘Robert Zimmerman’) whom the printed text states wishes ‘to join “Little Richard”’. An extremely rare and early example of Dylan’s autograph in a yearbook which also records his early musical ambition! Some light overall age wear, a few inside pages loose and with some small areas of paper loss to the lower right corners of the first pages (including the one signed by Dylan) caused by previous damp exposure, otherwise about VG Provenance: the present yearbook is accompanied by a typed statement of provenance signed by Marietta Turk in August 2017, headed ‘My Friendship with Bob Dylan’ and stating, in part, ‘…I went to Hibbing High School with Robert Zimmerman aka Bob Dylan in 1957, 1958 and 1959. I had him in almost all of my classes and he sat behind me in auditorium, so we were in close proximity. His girl friend Echo Helstrom was a good friend of mine and they were “dating” for a period of time. We hung out at the L & B Café….at lunch or after school. We all wore black leather jackets. Sometimes Bob wore a shiny vest and a cowboy hat. There we talked, played the small jukebox in our booth, drank chocolate coca cola, and smoked cigarettes. In our senior year, 1959, Bob and I and some others had Dramatics Class together and were in a play called Sob Story….It must have been okay because the audience roared with laughter and applause. Hence, Bob wrote in my yearbook “Good luck in your acting career. Everyone knows you’ll make a good one”.’ Bob Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman, formed several bands while attending Hibbing High School in Minnesota, including one named the Golden Chords who performed covers of songs by Little Richard and Elvis Presley. .
WILSON ANGUS: (1913-1991) English Novelist. Series of nine A.Ls.S. and two T.Ls.S., Angus, with his first name only and four with his full name, twelve pages (total), mainly 8vo and smaller, various places (mainly Bury St. Edmunds but also London and St. Remy, France), many undated, although the majority written during the latter half of the 1950s, most to John [Lehmann] and three to Neville Braybrooke. Wilson writes to his correspondents regarding various reviews and his own work, in part, 'I am having quite unexpected trouble doing a radio features programme commissioned and much overdue. It seemed the easiest thing in the world and has proved the hardest' (1955), 'I hope this will interest a few people….I have put in a few teases for Colin W[ilson?]. If you think he has been too teased of late take them out' (3rd August 1956), 'I meant “worthy of any esteem” - not a very good word, I agree. It's one of those hard boiled spinsterish sort of words that get into my vocabulary on occasion….My writing is rather peculiar because I have had to take a mole from the cat and kill it and I am very Tolstoyan about such things. I have just been reading all the late Tolstoy - it really is a fantasy - what is exciting is to trace back the seeds of it all in A.K. and even War & Peace' (n.d.), 'Could you please give me until Monday 15th for the Wilde article….I can only do anything at weekends….and I need two weekends to finish' (n.d.), 'I am sorry, I have searched, but I have no letters from Joe Ackerley' (7th May n.y.), 'I shall be delighted for you to include my Kensington piece in your new anthology, to be acknowledged as you suggest' (16th May 1989). Most of the letters have some staining and overall age wear, only slightly affecting the text (which remains legible and one letter has an area of paper loss to the upper right corner. FR to about G, 11 John Lehmann (1907-1987) English Poet and Man of Letters. Lehmann served as managing director for Leonard and Virginia Woolf's Hogarth Press from 1938-46 before establishing his own publishing house. Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic.
FRICK WILHELM: (1877-1946) Nazi German Politician, Reich Minister of the Interior in the Hitler Cabinet, 1933-43. D.S., Frick, four pages, 4to, Berlin, 8th February 1943. The partially printed document, in German, is a Proposal for the Appointment of Department Head and Professor Dr. Traugott Wohlfeil to Director and Professor in the Wages Section A1a. Frick has signed the document to the first page beneath a typed statement in which he confirms that he has no objection to the proposal. In the lower half of the first page appear two official stamped statements, the first in the name of Adolf Hitler, and dated Fuhrer Hauptquartier, 10th February 1943, appointing Wohlfeil and stating 'The charter of appointment is, in the present circumstances, to be completed with my facsimile signature.' and the second, from the Chancellery, Berlin, 11th February 1943, states that the document of appointment, with the facsimile signature of the Fuhrer and Chancellor, should be returned to the proposing authority for filing. The centre and final page of the present document provides personal details relating to Wohlfeil as well as a summary of his career. Together with a second D.S., by an unknown Government Official, four pages, 4to, Berlin, 20th July 1942. The partially printed document, in German, is a Proposal for the Appointment of Government Assessor Burghard Winkelser to Senior Civil Servant in the Wages Section A2c2. The document is signed to the first page beneath a typed statement in which he confirms that he has no objection to the proposal. In the lower half of the first page appear two official stamped statements, the first in the name of Adolf Hitler, and dated Fuhrer Hauptquartier, 28th July 1942, appointing Winkelser and stating 'The charter of appointment is, in the present circumstances, to be completed with my facsimile signature.' and the second, from the Chancellery, Berlin, 28th July 1942, states that the document of appointment, with the facsimile signature of the Fuhrer and Chancellor, should be returned to the proposing authority for filing. The centre and final page of the present document give provide personal details relating to Winkelser as well as a summary of his career. With Four file holes to the left edge of each document, only slightly affecting four words of typed text on the Frick document, and not affecting the signatures. VG, 2
POWYS JOHN COWPER: (1872-1963) British Philosopher, Novelist, Literary Critic and Poet. Small series of five A.Ls.S., John Cowper Powys, (two unsigned), ten pages (total), 8vo, Ffestiniog, Merionethshire, 1958-61, all to Neville Braybrooke. Powys writes, often somewhat erratically, on a variety of literary matters, stating, in part, ‘The two “juvenilia” I could send you for your Anthology, which appeals to me very much, although I would if I were you - but of course I’m not you! - make the limit a lot younger - say fifteen instead of 21 - are first of all a verse I wrote when I was about 12 or 13 - I forget the precise date - about Corfe Castle to which my father took me in my boyhood - and second a romantic story in prose written about the same time entitled “The Knight of the Festoon”. This second prose thing I’ve got written down; but the Corfe Castle verse I’ve still got in my head, every single word of it….’ (24th November 1958; accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Powys, signed by him in full to the return address on the verso, and with a further holograph note, ‘Aye! But I do feel more and more strongly the more I think of it that the age limit should be 15 and not 21….think how few years after that Keats would have been dead and I know there are several master poems - not juvenilia at all! - written by great poets before they were 21’), ‘I shall be most interested to read your novel….I enjoy reading novels; especially such as are entirely new to me…’ (24th June n.y. [1961], accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Powys and signed by him in full to the return address on the verso), ‘I certainly have found “The Idler” an interesting - yes! a very interesting story - I have loved reading it and found the complicated…secretive…very exciting and especially significant. Your words made my think of Milton’s to the poet John Dryden when the latter came to ask his leave to make the lines in the most important part of Paradise Lost rhyme together. It must have been Dryden’s extraordinary modesty & humility, like what made him say “Here I come; always a poet, never a good one” that made Milton agree to his request….’ (1st July 1961), ‘O indeed and indeed I would be proud and pleased if you quoted my words of praise on the dust jacket of your novel “The Idler”….I am so glad to hear that Mr L P Hartley is pleased to have you quote some comments of his on the dust jacket of your novel’ (3rd August 1961, accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Powys and signed by him in full to the return address on the verso), ‘…thank you very much indeed for this wonderful book of yours “The Idler”….I think the jacket is very good and I am interested in the fact that the young artist was at one time a quarryman, for we live here in the midst of quarrymen whom we consider very remarkable people - yes I do indeed like this cover by Teithit Durham….’ (16th [August?] 1961). Some light overall age wear and minor creasing, G to about VG, 5 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. The first of the present letters was written in response to Neville Braybrooke's research, which extended over some thirty years, into an anthology of juvenilia by writers who would later become famous. The book was published with the title of Seeds in the Wind: Early Signs of Genius in 1989. The Idler was Braybrooke’s only novel, published in 1961.
ALI MUHAMMAD: (1942-2016) American Boxer, World Heavyweight Champion. Bold red ink signature ('Muhammad Ali') to a clear area of a large 4to printed paper bag from the gift shop of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, with brown borders and featuring the gold circular emblem of the luxury hotel and casino. Some very light overall surface creasing and a minor scuff, only very slightly affecting Ali's signature. Together with Larry Holmes (1949- ) American Boxer, World Heavyweight Champion 1978-85. A printed folding 8vo pamphlet issued by Larry Holmes Enterprises Inc. featuring a biography, details of his professional record and tale of the tape etc., signed by Holmes in bold black ink with his name alone to a clear area of the front cover which features an image of Holmes in a full length boxing pose. About VG to EX, 2 Provenance: The signatures of Ali and Holmes were obtained in person by the parents of the vendor when they encountered the boxers at Caesars Palace ahead of their bout on 2nd October 1980. Holmes defended his World Heavyweight title in Las Vegas in 1980, fighting Ali who had come out of retirement in an attempt to become the first four-time World Heavyweight Champion. Holmes dominated the fight from the start to the finish, which was to come in the tenth round when Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee, stopped the fight. It was Ali's only loss without 'going the distance' for the judges' decision.
DU MAURIER DAPHNE: (1907-1989) British Author. A good A.L.S., Daphne, three pages, 8vo, Fowey, Cornwall, 12th November 1942, to Victor Gollancz ('Dear V.G.'). Du Maurier announces 'I'm on the last lap of the novel, and although everybody in the house seems to have 'flu at the moment….I do hope to have finished the book by the first week in December' and continues 'I dread telling you, but according to my reckoning it is about 160,000 words already. Say 170,000 when finished! What will you say to me? I may be out in my arithmatic (sic) but not very far so. I've done 500 pages of typescript and generally get about 320 words to a page' further adding 'I may be able to cut when correcting the MS, but even if I do, it will still be a lengthy book' and concluding 'Under the circumstances I have not the face to ask you for nice paper, but I am so afraid that small print will make it look so boring and put people off!' A letter of good content relating to Du Maurier's seventh novel. A couple of small pinholes to the upper left corner of each page, only very slightly affecting a few words of text, otherwise VG Victor Gollancz (1893-1967) British Publisher. The present letter relates to Du Maurier's seventh novel, Hungry Hill, which was published by Gollancz in 1943. The historical novel, of which 33 editions have been printed, is based on the family and history of the Irish ancestors of Du Maurier's friend Christopher Puxley.
THATCHER MARGARET: (1925-2013) British Prime Minister 1979-90. A fascinating correspondence collection comprising six A.Ls.S. and thirty nine T.Ls.S., most signed Margaret, with her first name only, the majority with holograph salutations and subscriptions, and many with additional holograph notes, 8vo & 4to, London, March 1976 - May 2002, all to Monty Modlyn and some to his wife Dorothy, mostly on the printed stationery of 10, Downing Street. Thatcher writes a series of appreciative letters and also refers to various political events, in part, 'It was so kind of you to give up most of your Friday to guide me around the East End It was so useful having your knowledge and, if I may say so, your good humour. It was one of the most successful short tours which I have done... In due course I must pay another visit to a different part of London... You have a marvellous way with people - and what more does one need in life!' (25th January 1978), 'As always, I thoroughly enjoyed being with you on your programme and you handled everything wonderfully. L.B.C. are very lucky to have you. I can't think of a single other person who could cope for 4 hours in the way you do.' (23rd August 1978), 'Thank you... so much for the paper weight. The inscription is particularly apt and I am thrilled with it! Truman was a pretty good President too.' (22nd October 1978), 'You have been such loyal supporters for four difficult years of Opposition… Now that we are in Government the real battle has begun. We must not let down the people like yourselves who have placed such great confidence in us… Denis and I have been living here at Downing Street for about 10 days and once we have got things properly sorted out I hope that you will both come along to see us' (14th June 1979, written shortly after Thatcher's first General Election win 4th May 1979 ), '…I feel very strongly that the first duty of any government is to explain, interpret and justify its actions to the people. I do not believe that it is sufficient to claim that the people automatically understand the full ramifications of our policies merely because they voted for us in such great numbers on 3rd May… Now you may say that inspite of the fact that the arguments are available, and indeed have been deployed, we have been failing to convince as many people as we ought about the validity of our case. In this regard you may be right, and by drawing the question to my attention so swiftly, you have underpinned my determination to succeed... I am very conscious of the need to keep in touch with the views of the people in exactly the same way as I did in Opposition' (7th November 1979, marked Private & Confidential), 'At this difficult time it has been a real source of encouragement and strength to me to receive so many messages of support from friends like yourselves. I am most interested to read of the reactions you have found as you have gone round interviewing people in the street' (26th April 1982, written during the period of the Falklands War, April 1982 - June 1982), 'It was a marvellous victory… I was glad to know that I had such staunch backing. It has helped to sustain me both in the years of Opposition and in my time at No 10.' (23rd June 1983, on the occasion of Thatcher's second term as Prime Minister, 10th June 1983), 'I was good... to hear that you are still putting across the ideas in which we both believe in your customary robust way. You can do so much that I can't. People will listen to you and think about what you say. As each week passes I become more appalled at socialist policies. I never thought I'd see the acrimonious scenes between miners and between miners and steelmen especially when no other government has given them such a good deal as this one' (7th May 1984, sometimes called 'the most bitter industrial dispute in British history', the main miners' strike started 6th March 1984), 'I think it is generally agreed that last week's Party Conference was one of the best we have had for many years and we can now look forward to the coming session of Parliament and the next eighteen months with renewed confidence.' (17th October 1986).OWING TO LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE-SALEROOM WE ARE UNABLE TO DISPLAY THE ENTIRE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT - PLEASE CONTACT IAA Ltd DIRECTLY FOR A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION
BATTENBERG LOUIS: (1854-1921) British Naval Officer and German Prince, father of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma. A.L.S., Louis Battenberg, four pages, 8vo, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, 22nd May 1917, to Charles Wheeler. Battenberg thanks his correspondent for their reply, continuing, 'I am not sure whether I mentioned to you, in explaining my design of obverse for King's War Medal that I had intended to make the laurel leaves cover more of the blank part of the rings forming the chain' further continuing, 'As regards the Cavell Medal; in speaking of “bust” I meant only a very small amount of body…' With a minor tear to the foot of the vertical fold, and age wear, otherwise G Charles Wheeler (1892-1974) British Sculptor, the first sculptor to hold the Presidency of the Royal Academy,1956-66.
FLEMING IAN: (1908-1964) British Author, creator of the secret agent James Bond. T.L.S., Ian Fleming, with holograph salutation and subscription, two pages, 4to, London, 13th October 1949, to Antony Terry of the British Press Camp in Dusseldorf, on the printed stationery of Kemsley House. Fleming's letter is headed Personal Circular Letter to Correspondents affected by Devaluation of Sterling and explains that he has given very careful consideration to the effects of devaluation, stating, in part, 'I have taken into account the procedure being followed by other newspaper concerns and by the news agencies, and I have consulted the Bank of England and the Foreign Office. As will be apparent to correspondents, the overheads of the Foreign Service will be heavily increased and, if individual appointments are not to be affected, it will be necessary to exercise the most stringent economies, particularly in cable tolls and entertainment expenses. It is also the duty of Kemsley Newspapers to support in any way practicable a measure which has been taken by the government in the national interest. I hope correspondents will bear these points in mind and will also give a thought to the lot of their colleagues in England who are now faced….with the prospect of a further sensible rise in the cost of living. Taking into account these considerations, I have recommended to the Chairman, and he has agreed, that the devaluation loss will be made good to correspondents as to 90%; that is to say, that the gross revenue of correspondents in sterling will be increased to bring it within approximately 10% of parity with what it was before devaluation took place'. Two file holes to the left edge, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG Anthony Terry (1913-1992) British Journalist, a former European Editor of The Sunday Times who was first hired in 1949 by Fleming (at the time the Foreign manager for the newspaper). Terry's obituary in The Independent stated that he was 'one of the paper's most valuable assets, a one-man listening post, a fastidious checker of facts, a burrower into dark corners and a traveller who never complained of fatigue'.
MOORE-BRABAZON JOHN: (1884-1964) Baron Brabazon of Tara, English Aviation Pioneer, the first Englishman to pilot a heavier-than-air machine under power in England. T.L.S., Brabazon of Tara, one page, 4to, Berkeley Square, London, 24th June 1957, to Mrs. A. F. Sullivan. Brabazon thanks his correspondent for their letter, adding, in part, 'I am glad you share my views about Tara. I note you have written to two Societies which will undoubtedly get in touch with the Irish Museum in Dublin.' VG
TIBBETS PAUL: (1915-2007) American Brigadier General of the United States Air Force, pilot of the Enola Gay, the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in the history of warfare. T.L.S., Paul Tibbets, one page, 4to, Columbus, Ohio, 5th September 1979, to Dennis Cooper, on the printed stationery of Executive Jet Aviation. Tibbets informs his correspondent, in part, 'You have asked me a question that would require a “Chapter” on training for the A-bomb drops… we had to practice-practice-practice to become accustomed to developing the precision necessary to be accurate to within 500 feet of an aiming point… Based upon the accuracy we obtained (300), I doubt if we could have done better under the circumstances.' With very minor age wear. VG
MYERS ELIZABETH: (1912-1947) English Writer. Rare A.L.S., Elizabeth Myers, to one side of a picture postcard featuring a reproduction of an illustration of Sherborne Abbey to the recto, n.p. (Sherborne, Dorset), 20th December 1944, to Neville Braybrooke. Myers thanks her correspondent for six copies of The Wind and The Rain, adding that it is a very interesting number and further sending Braybrooke her greetings for Christmas and the New Year. In a postscript the writer remarks 'Your editorial is first-rate. John Rowland seems a trifle muddle-headed'. Autographs of Myers are rare in any form as a result of her tragically early death at the age of 34 from tuberculosis. Together with Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965) English Author of Children's stories. T.L.S., Eleanor Farjeon, two pages, 8vo, Perrins Walk, London, 11th June 1967, to [Neville] Braybrooke. Farjeon announces 'Of course I remember you, though I am so dim-sighted now that I pass you in the street without recognising you' and continues to write about Elizabeth Myers, explaining 'After her death Littleton Powys collected many of her short stories in a volume that did not include “Metamorphosis”. So either he had not a copy of this, or Betty had herself decided to scrap it; this sounds likely to me….she wouldn't want to be thought of as an incestuous writer, after her death any more than during her life. This is only my opinion, from knowing her well, and I have no claims to judge or decide'. Farjeon also offers her advice concerning copyright, recommending that Braybrooke contact Myers's mother, and providing her address at Wandsworth Common, and suggesting 'In writing to her I think it only fair for you to tell her the circumstances just as you have told them to me, for she is a simple, sweet and sensible woman (without perhaps great literary judgment), but both as Betty's mother and a devout Catholic she might not wish to do anything contrary to Betty's expressed wishes'. In concluding Farjeon remarks 'Most of her work is out of print, but her influence streams on like an undercurrent, and it would be a pity if her memory were revived, especially at this anniversary of her death, by publishing something she had reason to condemn'. Some light overall age wear and a couple of minor stains to Farjeon's letter, G to about VG, 2 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic.
PAULHAN LOUIS: (1883-1963) French Pioneer Aviator, who in 1910 flew Le Canard, the world's first seaplane. A good vintage signed postcard photograph, the image depicting Paulhan in a head and shoulders pose. Photograph by Henri Manuel. Signed ('L. Paulhan') in black fountain pen ink with his name alone to the image. About EX
BETJEMAN JOHN: (1906-1984) British Poet Laureate 1972-84. T.L.S., John Betjeman, one page, 8vo, Cloth Fair, London, 30th September 1958, to N[eville] Braybrooke. Betjeman thanks his correspondent for their letter and continues to inform him 'The Marlburian and an ephemeral paper called The Heretick which we edited at Marleborough (sic) and The Draconian, the paper of The Dragon School, Oxford must contain verses by me', further stating 'I was at the Dragon School from about 1917 to about 1920 and at Marleborough (sic) from 1920 to 1925' before asking 'Am I to go through these back numbers if I re-visit my old schools? Or are you going to do that? It is a gruesome task you set me'. Together with a second T.L.S., John Betjeman, one page, 8vo, Cloth Fair, London, 1st October 1959, also to N[eville] Braybrooke. Betjeman writes, in full, 'My publisher John Murray does not want me to publish extracts from my verse autobiography until that work is finished and ready for the press. I must bow to his wishes'. Also including a third T.L.S., John Betjeman, one page, 4to, Cloth Fair, London, 10th November 1972, also to [Neville] Braybrooke. The poet informs his correspondent, in full, 'I did ask Mr. Miller, the gentleman who was collating my papers to keep a lookout for the Ackerley letters, but none came to light. So many of my manuscripts and letters have been lost over the years, and I fear the Ackerleys have gone that way too. I am sorry, but I did try'. Some age wear and creasing, particularly evident to the first two letters, one of which also has a few small tears to the edges. FR to G, 3 Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher who edited The Letters of J. R. Ackerley (1975). Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic. J. R. Ackerley (1896-1967) British Writer and Editor of The Listener, the BBC's weekly magazine. Ackerley published many emerging poets and writers who would later become successful and influential in Great Britain. Ackerley was openly homosexual, a rarity at a time when homosexuality was socially ostracized and forbidden by law. Two of the present letters were written in response to Neville Braybrooke's research, which extended over some thirty years, into an anthology of juvenilia by writers who would later become famous. The book was published with the title of Seeds in the Wind: Early Signs of Genius in 1989.
WAUGH EVELYN: (1903-1966) English Writer and Novelist. A.L.S., Evelyn Waugh, two pages, 8vo, Piers Court, near Dursley, Gloucestershire, 6th November n.y. (annotated in pencil 1950), to [Neville] Braybrooke. Waugh thanks his correspondent for their letter and copy of The Wind and The Rain and continues 'I am afraid that my answer to your appeal for funds must be a refusal', explaining 'This is not because I do not admire your enterprise & tenacity in maintaining publication. Moreover I think your paper has been consistently interesting. I owe you my reasons. First, I cannot afford to give much money away. Although I am prosperous on paper I suffer from the politicians' process of changing gold to base metal. When I have paid my taxes I have enough to support & educate my family….' Waugh further adds 'I enjoy many of the 'little reviews', yours particularly, but are they a necessary object? I feel that they were of great value in the days of authoritative reviews. Those days are past. Have we yet reached the point of defeat at which the regular army is disbanded and the war becomes merely a series of guerilla actions? I don't think so. There are still old established magazines, such as the Month & the Tablet. As long as they exist I think it is the duty of writers, particularly of young writers of whom I am no longer one, to force themselves into, & influence, them. There is now no great bubbling up of extravagant talent that needs encouragement. The editions of the old papers have tongues hanging out for new writers' and concludes 'Think me an old fogey if you will, but please don't think me too much of a curmudgeon'. A letter of good content. With a few ink annotations, in the hand of Braybrooke, in the margins. Some light overall creasing and age wear and some light discoloration to the edges of the blue stationery, only very slightly affecting the signature, G Neville Braybrooke (1923-2001) English Poet, Writer, Editor, Literary Critic and Publisher. Son of Patrick Braybrooke (1894-1956) English Literary Critic.
SMART ELIZABETH: (1913-1986) Canadian Poet and Novelist. Book signed and inscribed, being a hardback edition of By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, First Edition published by Editions Poetry London, Nicholson and Watson, London, 1945. Signed by Smart to the front free endpaper, 'To lovely Penelope & Jeff with love from Elizabeth xx'. Bound in the original orange cloth (some fading and spotting to the edges) and with gilt lettering (heavily rubbed and only just legible) to the faded spine. Accompanied by the dustjacket (extensively worn and torn and presently in three separate pieces) designed by Gerald Wilde. Only G By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept is Smart's most famous work and details her tumultuous affair and romance with the poet George Barker.
BANNISTER ROGER: (1929- ) English Athlete who ran the first sub-four-minute mile. Signed 8 x 10 photograph, the image depicting Bannister running in full length pose, crossing the line during his record breaking sub-four-minute mile, 1954. Signed by Bannister in bold blue ink with his name alone to a clear area of the image. Together with a signed 6 x 4 photograph, the image depicting Bannister standing in half-length pose alongside fellow athlete John Landy. Signed by Bannister in bold black ink with his name alone to a clear area of the image. About EX, 2
HIMMLER HEINRICH: (1900-1945) Nazi German Politician, Reichsfuhrer of the SS. D.S., H. Himmler, four pages, 4to, Berlin, 25th September 1939. The partially printed document, in German, is a Proposal for the Appointment of Captain of the Police Werner Trommlitz to Major of the Police in the Wages Section A2c2. Himmler has signed the document to the first page beneath a typed statement in which he confirms that he has no objection to the proposal. In the lower half of the first page appear two official stamped statements, the first in the name of Adolf Hitler, and dated Berlin, 27th September 1939, appointing Trommlitz and stating 'The charter of appointment is, in the present circumstances, to be completed with my facsimile signature.' and the second, from the Chancellery, Berlin, 27th September 1939, states that the document of appointment, with the facsimile signature of the Fuhrer and Chancellor, should be returned to the proposing authority for filing. The centre and final page of the present document provides personal details relating to Trommlitz as well as a summary of his career. Four file holes to the left edge, not affecting text or signature. VG
KRUGER PAUL: (1825-1904) South African President 1883-1900. D.S., S J P Kruger, one page, folio, Pretoria, 22nd March 1898. The partially printed document, in Afrikaans (untranslated), relates to Cornelis Francois Kruger and appears to be a land registry document. Signed by Kruger at the foot. A green rubber stamp, affecting the first two initials of Kruger's signature, indicates that the land was transferred on 29th August 1901 into the name of Marthinus Jacubus Smith. A few small areas of paper loss to the left edge, and a tear to the top edge, otherwise about VG
AUTOGRAPH COLLECTING: A selection of unsigned reference books and catalogues relating to various aspects of autograph collecting, comprising The Robot that helped to make a president - A reconnaissance into the mysteries of John F. Kennedy's signature, Leaders and Personalities of the Third Reich, Autographs and Manuscripts: A Collectors Manual, Oscar Signatures - Reference Book of the First Three Decade 1927-1957, Fundamentals of Autograph Collecting, Big Name Hunting - A beginners guide to autograph collecting, The Signature of America - a fresh look at famous handwriting, Sotheby's Catalogue of the well-known collection of autograph letters, historical documents and signed photographs formed between 1930 and 1979 by the late R.E.D. Rawlins Esq (contains annotations from a previous owner), The Price Guide to Autographs 1988, The Sanders Autograph Price Guide 7th Edition and Sincerely Yours - The famous & infamous as they wanted to be seen in autographed photographs from the collection of M. Wesley Marans. Six with dust jackets. G to VG, 11
A RARE GENTLEMAN'S STAINLESS STEEL ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL SUBMARINER BRACELET WATCHCIRCA 1968, REF. 5513 WITH "METERS FIRST" MATT DIAL WITH BOX, BOOKLETS & SERVICE PAPERS FROM 1996 Movement: 26J, automatic, cal. 1520, signed Rolex Geneva, numbered.Case: Diameter approx. 40mm, Oyster case, signed Montres Rolex S.A., dated IV.68, numbered, 60 minute rotating bezel, Rolex triplock crown.Bracelet: Rolex Oyster Submariner bracelet, numbered I5/93150/580. CONDITION REPORTDial: Original dial in excellent condition, showing some very small signs of age.Movement: Working at present.Case: In excellent condition, with some light scratches due to general use.Strap/Bracelet: In excellent condition, with light scratches.
A 1970s Frank Usher floral maxi dress with lace cape,8. A velvet 2 piece with blouse/waistcoat and a maxi skirt labelled "First Editions London" 8. A "Yuki for Rembrandt" maxi dress. 8. "Louis Feraud of Paris by Rembrandt" black lace shirt dress,10. A "CR Paris by Claude Rap" green white floral 80s dress and belt,12. A "Kanga" 2 piece in polka dot design,12.
Five Franklin LIbraries first editions signed by the authors, comprising, LASH (J), A WORLD OF LOVE, 1984; BUCKLEY (W), THE STORY OF HENRY TOD, 1984; MORRIS (W), A CLOAK OF LIGHT, 1985; SALISBURY (H), THE LONG MARCH, 1985; DRURY (A), DECISION, 1983; with five other books including MENPES (M) WORLD PICTURES, and a small autograph album to include Eddie Calvert (Qty)
Thomas Turner (1861-1951), an 1885 commemorative cast iron plate, one side decorated with a portrait and 'Thomas Turner silicon in cast iron' the verso with a portcullis and 'His research laid the foundation of scientific iron founding', 14.5cm diameterThomas Turner was the first Professor of Metallurgy in Britain, working at the University of Birmingham and a pioneer in the scientific field of sclerometer - testing the hardness of metals.
![BYRON (LORD), THE PRISONER OF CHILLON AND OTHER POEMS, first edition, [4], 60, London, Murray, 1816; bound with, WORDSWORTH (](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/66efbdf9-f2b8-4f1e-afe7-a7ce0113872a/7a322a2f-ab3f-4bce-fedd-0117a99b1a28/468x382.jpg)
BYRON (LORD), THE PRISONER OF CHILLON AND OTHER POEMS, first edition, [4], 60, London, Murray, 1816; bound with, WORDSWORTH (W), PETER BELL, A TALE IN VERSE, 2nd ed, engraved frontis, viii, 88, London 1819; bound with, ASHLEY (LORD), A VOICE FROM THE FACTORIES, 40, London, 1836, all in 3/4 green leather with marbled boards; with, MILMAN (REV) THE MARTYR OF ANTIOCH, a dramatic poem, full levant, London, 1822 (2)
J.F. Shew & Co, London, eclipse camera circa 1889 - this is the lightweight quarter plate version in mahogany with maroon Moroccan leather bellows, base on the 1885 patent of George Lowdon, believed to be an early Shew lens with built in Rotary spring shutter one of the first hand cameras manufactured in England in case, complete with six mahogany film holders, glass plate and other backs
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