A collection of fifty-three autographs, 1815-1985, spanning the influential early 19th century Wendell Holmes and Lowell families from Massachusetts, 19th-century British aristocrats and other notable contemporaries, film stars, and the original singer of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square": Two-page letter, with remains of seal, signed by Mary Jackson Holmes (1802-25), the sister of Oliver Wendell Holmes, headed "Cambridge [Massachusetts] February 11th 1815". The letter was sent by one teenaged member of a leading Massachusetts family to another, Susan Cabot Lowell of Boston (1801-27), whose family gave its name to the town of Lowell, Massachusetts. Mary Jackson Holmes mentions her hobby of map-making, referring to Massachusetts, New Orleans and the Mississippi River; and mentions, apparently tongue-in-cheek, a letter from "his Excellency Sancho Panza". She died aged only 23 in 1825, a year after the birth of her son, Charles William Parsons. The Massachusetts Historical Society curates the Lowell Family Papers. with: (b) 51 clipped autographs, most of British aristocrats, laid on to 10 loose pages from an album (double-sided), each page inscribed "1878" or "c. 1878". All clipped from letters or other documents except for a one-page letter signed by the Marquis of Sligo, 1885. Signatures include Duke of Grafton, Marquis of Hertford, Earl Camperdown, General Lord Lucan, Viscount Hardinge, Duke of Buccleugh, Duke of Norfolk, W. G. Armstrong (gun-maker), Hugh Childers M.P., William Cope R.A., Sir Moses Montefiori (philanthropist), Joseph Prestwick (Professor of Geology).with:(c) The actress Anna Neagle, inscription and signature on mounted photographic still from the film "Sixty Glorious Years" ("An R.K.O. Radio World Release"), 24 x 19 cm., inscribed "Mabel Hope/It is nice to have you with us again in the Florence Nightingale picture/Anna Neagle" (some ink loss/flaking). Mabel Hope's name and Mill Hill, London NW7 address are inscribed on the back of the photo. Anna Neagle starred as Queen Victoria in the film 'Sixty Glorious Years" (1938). She also starred as Florence Nightingale in the historical drama film "The Lady with a Lamp" (1951), so the reference to this film suggests that the inscription was written in about 1951. with:(d) Three autographs of Judy Campbell (1916-2004), the original singer of the famous song "A Nightingale Sang on Berkeley Square", introduced in a Second World War revue in 1940: a signed photograph; a signed typed letter to "Jon Clarke" with the letterhead of her home, 21 Old Church Street, Chelsea, London SW3; and a photocopy of the title page of the sheet music for "A Nightingale Sang on Berkeley Square" (but with her original signature: the letter apologises for the fact that she had no original copy of the sheet music to send). In addition, a copy of the original sheet music is included in this lot. The letter is not dated, but must be post-1974, the date she moved to the Chelsea house (she was at that address until her death in 2004). Judy Campbell was the mother of Jane Birkin, the grandmother of Charlotte Gainsbourg, and the muse of Noel Coward. with: (e) Autograph of Tyrone Power (1914-58), the American film and theatre actor, in typed letter signed, dated 5 April 1956: "Dear Mrs Kirkpatrick, Thank you very much for your kind letter. I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the production/ I had a pleasant time while in Scotland and as I have my own car, was able to see much of the beautiful countryside/ Thank you for writing to me, With best wishes, TYRONE POWER" (and signed above his typed name). On Grand Hotel, Birmingham headed notepaper, in the original envelope with the Grand Hotel's printed crest. Addressed to Mrs Jeanne Kirkpatrick of Giffnock, Renfrewshire. Power's reference to "the production" and to his time in Scotland must refer to his stage performance, in March 1956, in The Devil's Disciple by George Bernard Shaw at the King's Theatre, Glasgow and also in Edinburgh. Power's stay in Birmingham in April that year is probably explained by his starring roles in some of Associated Television's earliest programmes (he had been present at the inaugural ceremony for Midlands Independent Television in February 1956 in Birmingham). with: (f) Interesting full-page First World War-period manuscript letter written and signed by Andrew Bonar Law (1858-1923), dated 5 February 1917, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer in Lloyd George's Coalition Government. With the Chancellor's printed letterhead and in the original envelope stamped "Treasury". Bonar Law writes to Mr H. O. Hope of Banwell Castle, stating that "The war has ... reached a position in which it is evident that the issue must largely depend upon the staying power of the combatants, and in my belief there is nothing which would do more to hasten a satisfactory peace than the evidence of the financial stability of the United Kingdom which would be shown by the complete success of the War Loan ..." Bonar Law goes on to invite Mr Hope to "make a liberal subscription to the Loan". A revealing sidelight on the vital importance of the mammoth 1917 War Loan, which raised the astonishing sum of £2 billion and which allowed the UK to keep fighting in the First World War. Bonar Law became Conservative Prime Minister after the General Election of 1922.
