Autograph Letters

A nice item linking one of late Victorian England’s most popular novelists with its most critically admired. See the entries for Caine and Meredith in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Laid down on part of a leaf from the autograph album of Meredith’s daughter Marie Eveleen (Mariette; 1871-1933), wife of Henry Parkman Sturgis (1847-1929), American-born banker and Liberal politician. Reads: ‘To / George Meredith / With much admiration / Hall Caine / 23/Sept/91.’ See image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 9.5 x 10 cm piece of paper, laid down on 11 cm square piece of card. In good condition, lightly browned and aged. The letterhead is printed in red. The inscription reads ?Faithfully yours / Solomon J Solomon?.

One of the great figures of world history. On one side of 10 x 3.5 cm piece of wove paper, cut from the end of a letter, with blank reverse. In fair condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of glue at right (away from signature) and central horizontal fold (over signature). Evidently cut from the letter in response to a request for an autograph. Reads 'Your obedient servant / Wellington'. See Image.

See Don's entry in the Oxford DNB. He was Lieutenant Governor of Jersey between 1806 and 1814, and acting Governor of Gibraltar, 1814-1821 and 1825-1831. The two items are on different paper stock, but both relate to Don, and may be related. (While Don was acting Governor of Gibraltar, he is described as 'His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor' in the second item.) ONE: On one side of an 18.5 x 7.5 cm piece of laid paper. In good condition, with three folds and small pin-holes to one corner.

1p, foolscap 8vo. On an aged and worn piece of watermarked laid paper with some closed tears. Folded twice. Reads: ‘These are to Certify the Right Honble. the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. or whom else it may Concern that Mr. George Ross serv’d as Midshipman on Board His Majesty’s Ship Princess Amelia under my Command from the Twenty Seventh day of May 1778 to the Day of the Date hereof - During which Time he behaved with Diligence & Soberiety [sic] and always obedient to Command.

Small piece of paper, 9 x 4.5cm, laid down on slightly larger piece of paper. See Image. Scoresby set sail Liverpool to America two days later (4th Oct. 1847).

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient of the letter that this envelope contained was born Jane Omond (1839-1932). She was the wife of the architect John James Stevenson (1831-1908), whose first wife was Elisa Anderson, the cousin of Skelton Anderson, husband of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. A 13.5 x 7.5 cm envelope, with the flap torn open at the back. Otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed by Anderson to ‘Mrs. J. J. Stevenson / The Red House / 3 Bayswater Hill / W’, and with her initials ‘E. G. A.’ at bottom right.Mrs. Garret [sic] Anderson’.

Venn features in the Oxford DNB article on his father Henry Venn (1725-1797). In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Two rectangles cut from a letter, laid down on one side of a 14 x 5.5 cm piece of thicker paper. The first rectangle, 12.5 x 2.5 cm, carries the conclusion of the letter: ‘[...]ain are truly I am my dear / your ever faithful & affect Friend / J Venn’. At the foot of the slip, in pencil in a Victorian hand: ‘X (Son of “Complete duty of Man”). Beneath this slip is the second one, 9 x 1.5 cm, which gives the date: ‘Clapham 10 Sepr. 1810’.

See his obituary in the Guardian, 5 April 2006. On irregularly-shaped trapezoid of ruled paper, roughly 8 cm wide at top, with one vertical side also 8cm, and the other 4cm, giving it a guillotine shape. Lightly aged and ruckled. Blank on the reverse. Reads: ‘Best / always / Gene Pitney’.

Black and white print of an 11.5 x 15 cm head and shoulders portrait of a smiling Carter on 12.5 x 21 cm piece of shiny paper. In good condition. Beneath the portrait, in red ink, Carter writes: ‘for Michael Robuck / Elliott Carter, March 28, ’72.’ On the reverse, in another hand, is the note ‘4. 3. 72 / Elliott Carter Composer’. See Image.

See the article ‘Glory days of the man with the golden trumpet’ in the Lancashire Post, 17 March 2017. On one side of 12 x 8.5 cm leaf of cream paper with rounded outer edges, torn from an autograph album. In good condition, with blank reverse. Large sprawling signature covering the whole page. Reads ‘Sincerely / Eddie Calvert’. See Image.

An uncommon signature. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On one side of 18 x 10 cm piece of paper. Discoloured and worn, with spike hole. Good firm signature, full of character. Reads: ?174 Edgware Road / Maida Hill / 27 April 1832 / Please deliver to Mr Green or [aide? drdee?order?] my picture not received for the Exhibition / Henry Jutsum / To / Mr. Vaughan / Royal Academy?. See Image.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. A nice item, printed on shiny card. Bifolium folding to 21 x 14.5 cm. In good condition, lightly aged. On the front is a photograph of Scales and West by Jane Bohn. On reverse of first leaf is the menu, on recto of second the ?Toast List?, and the verso of the second a list of officers. McEwan?s inscription, in a good firm hand is at top left of the menu. It reads: ?With Best Wishes / Geraldine / McEwan?. From the papers of Kenneth Sephton. See Image.

A close, controlled hand, on a slip of paper 10 x 1 cm. See Image. In good condition, lightly aged with a little light red spotting. Reads: ?Believe me / faithfully yours / Brunnow?.

On one side of 15 x 10 cm grey-blue card, with facsimile of her signature at the head. Addressed to ?Dear Kenneth?, and with bold stylish signature at bottom right. The subject of the letter is the Piccadilly Theatre production of ?Gypsy?, which had opened a few days before on 29 May 1973. She thanks him for his ?kind letter?, adding ?Thank god you were right about the show and it has turned into more of a success than I could have ever hoped for.? She is sorry he couldn?t attend the first night, as ?it was a good show and I know you would have enjoyed it?.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that after his resignation from government in protest against the impending war, ‘Around him he rallied those few brave, independent spirits who shared his views. Together they helped to found the Union of Democratic Control, in A. J. P. Taylor's judgement 'the most formidable Radical body ever to influence British foreign policy' (A. J. P. Taylor, Politicians, Socialism and Historians, 1982, 103). Trevelyan became the union's principal advocate in the Commons.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The valediction of a letter, cut away for an autograph collector. On a slip of paper, around 7.5 x 1.5 cm. On lightly discoloured paper, with tear through signature, attached to piece of card with archival tape. Reads: ‘Very sincerely yours / Ellen Wood’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the papers of Philip Dosse (1925-1980), proprietor of Hansom Books, publishers of several arts magazines. Presumably acknowledging payment for a review in ‘Books and Bookmen’. On plain ‘House of Commons’ postcard. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with crease to one corner going through the final flourish of Grimond’s signature. Reads: ‘4 Aug / Many thanks for cheque for £20 already acknowledged / J Grimond’.

An uncommon signature. See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The valediction of a letter, cut away for an autograph collector. On a slip of paper, around 7.5 x 2 cm. Somewhat aged and worn, backed with discoloured card. Reads: ‘Very truly yours / Elizabeth M Sewell’. See Image.

See their separate entries in the Oxford DNB. On 12.5 x 9.5 cm piece of light-grey paper, cut from. The large signatures are written one on top of the other on one side of the paper, with the only other writing the date at the head: ‘Alfd. Edwd. Chalon / Jno. Jas Chalon’. On the reverse is the beginning of an application to the Artists’ General Benevolent Institution: ‘Gentlemen, Your Petitioner Elizth. Debh. Bone, only Daughter of the late Mr Bone R.A.

In 1858 her son Frederick married Princess Victoria, the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; her grandson was Kaiser Wilhem III. For Lady Ashbourne, see her husband’s entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Before receiving Lady Ashbourne’s invitation, ‘The Duke & Duchess of Abercorns, [sic] my Cousins, had begged us attend a Masonic Concert the 18th.

Two pages, 8vo, bifolium, faint staining, text clear, good condition. The handwriting can be a little obscure. Text: Je ne sais comment vous remercier, Monsieur, de l'amabilite que vous avez de m'envoyer votre beau volume 'Ballads and Poems'. Je l'ai lu. J'ai meme relu la plupart des pieces. Et bien que ma connaissance imparfaite de la langue anglaise ne me permette pas de porter un jugement sur votre oeuvre, il me semble que [l'emotion?] a la fois delicate et forte que vous avez eveille en [?] art la [preuve?] que vous avez reussi a toucher la corde humaine.

Four pages, 12mo, bifolium, some marks but mainly good condition. Text: Dear Mr. Meredith, | I am going to ask you (if your health and time permit) to do me and many of my countrymen a great favor. | The Centennial of the birth of Nathaniel Hawthorne comes on the 4th.

Eight pages, 12mo, two bifoliums, one page stained but legible, mainly good condition. He discusses holiday plans initially for his Aunt Mary, and how they affect his own and others (we). He continues: Your sonnet on Columbus is greatly admired here - not least by me, who think [sic] it quite one of your finest.

Two pages, 8vo, good condition. Text: Thank you for your kind thought in reserving seats for us at your wedding. I shall certainly be there & and there is a chance (but I'm afraid a very slight one) that Epstein will down tools just for that one morning but the compulsion to work every [underlined] morning is very strong. Perhaps I can persuade him to declare a one day strike on June 1st. | It sounds such an auspicious date. I do hope it will prove a very happy one. | With best wishes from us both | Kathleen & Epstein.

One page, 4to, a little grubby and worn at edges, some text faded but all legible. See image. Text: Dear Sir, | Kindly excuse delay in replying to yours of March 19th but, as [you] see, I am not in England [touring America, 1907-8]. I sh[ou]ld be very pleased to grant permission for the inclusion of some of my children's poems in your anthology. A great many children's poems are included in my last published vovl.

Two pages, 8vo, blue paper, fold marks, slight damage at fold not affecting text, mainly good condition. Despite a neat appearance, a difficult hand occasionally. Text: Of our disaster [underlined] you will have heard from others. I know you will not be displeased to hear of our safety from us [underlined]. We have lost nearly everything - Maria everything [see Note B. below] & have been clothed by Christian charity. I think better of human nature & more highly of human virtue after what I have seen. It was a beautiful display of every mortal excellence.

Postcard (Carte Postale), 14 x 9cm, shade of green, somewhat grubby and crumpled, smudged. See Images. Text: I sent you a letter some weeks ago - making a proposal with reference to a distinguished Sculptor here [Auguste Rodin perhaps]. Did my letter reach you? !! I regret that I shall not be able to be present at the meeting of 7th - I also wrote as you requested to Gilbert, R.A. | Very faitfully yours | J McN. Whistler. The card is addressed to Monsieur Francis Howard, The Exhibition of International Art, Prince's Skating [Club?] Knitsbridge [sic] S.W. London || Angleterre. See Images.

One page, 12mo, good condition, laid down on part of an album page (see note below). Text: My dear Con, | Many and many a Happy Christmas to you- & to all who love you - that's a wide wish I know. | Now - when & how do you & mama want me to come to yoy. I will be at your [underlined] orders, (provided they are peremptory-) any day after New Years day. | Thank mama for her kind note. | Ever affectionately Your | J Ruskin. Note: Item detached from Meredith family album containing letters from distinguished contemporaries such as Henry James, Thomas Hardy, Clemenceau, etc etc.

Three pages, 12mo, bifolium, good condition. Second leaf laid down on part of a album page. See Image of pp.2 & 3. Text: You write to me and I dont [sic] answer. but I know you hear of me From [sic] his letters - which I just manage to send though I fear . [sic] they most often be very dull. | Are you coming up For the Jubilee - its all Jubilee - I hope it is going to be Fine [sic] it would bve such a great disappointment if it was not. | I have been awayFor [sic] the last three Sundays but it seems to take a lot of time somehow . We are of course a long way off the station here.