[Charles E. Shepherd of J. Pearson & Co., Pall Mall booksellers.] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr. Reed', regarding autograph letters by Sir Philip Sidney and 'his very famous sister', asbestos cases by the binders Riviere, and a 'Breeches' bible.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In something of a hard sell he begins by stating that 'the "Sir Philip Sidney" letter, of which I showed you a facsimile the other day, [...] seems to me peculiarly suitable for your collection'. In support of the letter's 'exceptional rarity' he cites 'a letter of Thorpe's (the expert of autographs of his day) dated 1839 accompanying the autograph & giving its pedigree, in which he says "I never saw a letter of Sidney's for sale except the present"', adding that 'no other autograph of his has occurred since'. With the letter is one of 'his very famous sister' Mary, 'and also a very fine document signed by his father Sir Henry Sidney whose autograph I have not before seen'. He considers it 'most desirable' to keep the three items together, 'and bind them with their portraits into a volume which I venture to say would be not only unique but of almost unequalled interest'. | Our catalogue price of the collection is £350 and compared with the Ben Jonson letter sold at Sotheby's the other day for £320 it must be cheap'. He harps on about scarcity and prices, adding 'The price I mention is what they are marked for catalogue | The best I could do for you is £300'. He offers to post the items, 'or could you come in either tomorrow or Friday before 1 oclock'. In a postscript signed 'CES' he states that the binders Riviere's, consider 'the cases on the Bunyans [...] fireproof being lined with asbestos. An American Agent who tells us he has seen them tested is having all his valuable books put into cases.' If Reed does visit the firm's premises, Shepherd can show him 'a beautiful perfect copy of the first "Breeces" Bible printed in England in 1876. There was no copy in the "Caxton" Bible Exhibition 1877 and Lowndes could never have seen a perfect copy as his collation is wrong.'