FRY

[Christopher Fry ownership inscription to a book by Charles Williams.] The House of the Octopus. [A Play in Three Acts]

Author: 
Charles Williams [Christopher Fry; the Inklings]
Publication details: 
London: Edinburgh House Press, 2 Eaton Gate, S.W.1. 1945.
£60.00

115pp, 12mo. In good condition: sound and tight, on browning War Economy paper, in green cloth with slight bloom, and in slightly worn and chipped browning dustwrapper. (The subtitle 'A Play in Three Acts' features on the dustwrapper, but not on the title-page.) Fry's ownership inscription 'Christopher Fry' is in blue ink at the top right-hand corner of the recto of the front free endpaper. A verse drama from the library of the leading twentieth-century English exponent of the genre, after T. S. Eliot.

[Christopher Fry ownership inscription to a book by Charles Williams.] The Region of the Summer Stars.

Author: 
Charles Williams [Christopher Fry; the Inklings]
Publication details: 
Editions Poetry London. 1944.
£450.00

55pp, 8vo. In fair condition, internally tight and sound, on browning paper, in lightly-worn blue cloth binding. No dustwrapper. Slight dink at head of spine. Ownership inscription 'Christopher Fry' in blue ink at top right-hand corner of recto of front free endpaper. Fry and Williams were on cordial terms, the latter working for Oxford University Press and the former being published by them.

[W. H. Davies, Welsh poet, author of 'Autobiography of a Super-Tramp'.] Four Typed Letters Signed, encouraging the writing of 'Mr Harris', i.e. Christopher Fry. With Fry's copy of Davies's 'Ambition and Other Poems' and poem in Fry's autograph.

Author: 
W. H. Davies [William Henry Davies] (1871-1940), Welsh poet and author of 'Autobiography of a Super-Tramp' [Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright]
Publication details: 
The first two letters on letterhead of Malpas House, Oxted; the last on letterhead of The Crofts, Nailsworth, the third from Shenstone, Nailsworth. Between 23 March 1928 and 16 May 1935. Book: London: Jonathan Cape, 1929.
£850.00

The letters are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, except for the third, which is damp-stained with closed tears at head and foot. The book is in fair condition, without dust wrapper. All four letters are signed 'W. H. Davies.' The first three are addressed to 'Mr Harris', and the last (an ANS rather than an ALS) to 'Mr Fry'. Each is 1p, 12mo. Letter One: 23 March 1928; Malpas House, Oxted. After reading his poem, Davies states, 'I begin to think you ought to take some step towards publishing, as soon as you have enough material.

[Robert Gittings, poet and literary biographer, to close friend playwright Christopher Fry.] Autograph Letter Sgined ('Robert'), largely concerning the writing of their plays 'Masters of Violence' (Gittings) and 'The Dark is Light Enough' (Fry).

Author: 
Robert Gittings [Robert William Victor Gittings] (1911-1992), poet and literary biographer [Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright]
Publication details: 
West Broyle House, Chichester. 8 June 1952.
£56.00

For the context of the letter see Pamela M. King's 2007 paper 'Twentieth-Century Medieval-Drama Revivals and the Universities', which states that at the time of the writing, there was in Canterbury 'to be a new play by Robert Gittings about St Alphege and the Danish invasion entitled Makers of Violence', and that at the Pilgrim Players in Norwich planned to put on, at the church of St Peter Mancroft, a production of Fry's 'Sleep of Prisoners'. 2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with a little light damp spotting. Folded once.

[Diane Ackerman, poet, to the playwright Christopher Fry, with a presentation copy of her first book.] Typed Letter Signed praising his work, accompanying an inscribed copy of her poetry collection 'The Planets | A Cosmic Pastoral'.

Author: 
Diane Ackerman (born 1948), American poet, essayist, and naturalist [Christopher Fry (1907-2005), English playwright]
Publication details: 
Letter from 126 Texas Lane, Ithaca, NY, USA. 20 September 1976. Book published in New York by William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1976.
£650.00

ONE: TLS. Ithaca, NY; 20 September 1976. 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter begins: 'Dear Christopher Fry, | I so relish climbing the castellations of your wit, to where I feel energized and deliriously long-sighted, or running higgledy-piggledy with your thoughts, at times as if with the bulls of Pamplona, I simply cannot resist telling you so any longer.' According to her 'internal calculations' she owes him 'at least a galaxy for the delight your plays have given me; perhaps you'd accept these few planets instead'.

[ Two printed items relating to the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers, London Brigade. ] A pamphlet giving information regarding the London and Brighton Corps, with a large table headed 'Progress Return of No. 3 Battery, for 1890.'

Author: 
Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers, London Brigade [ E. B. Fletcher, Lieut.-Instructor; A. H. Fry, Sub-Lieutenant in Command ]
Publication details: 
Pamphlet by 'Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers, London Brigade, Head Quarters, H.M.S. Frolic, off Somerset House, W.C December 1891.' Printed by Woodfall & Kinder, London. 'Progress Return', 1890.. Printed by W. Collins, Harlesden.
£220.00

The two items from the papers of Sir Richard Harington of Ridlington, 12th Baronet, who features as 'R. Harrington [sic]' in the 'Progress Return'. The pamphlet is 6pp., 12mo. The front page is headed, with crown-and-anchor device, 'Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers. | London Brigade. | Head Quarters, | H.M.S. Frolic, off Somerset House, W.C | December, 1891.' Printed by Woodfall & Kinder, Printers, 70 to 76, Long Acre, London, W.C.' Aged and grubby. Folded into a packet and addressed, with postmarked Halfpenny Red stamp, to 'R.

[ The Society of Friends (Quakers). ] Printed document: 'The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting, [...] To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends and Brethren, in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.' ['The Yearly-Epistle, 1761.']

Author: 
'William Fry, Clerk to the Meeting this Year' [ The Society of Friends; Quakers ]
Publication details: 
'Held in London, by Adjournments, from the Adjournments, from the 11th Day of the Fifth Month 1761, to the 18th of the same, inclusive.'
£85.00

4pp., folio. Paginated 1-4. Unbound bifolium. On aged and worn paper, with chipping to extremities and closed tears along folds. Docket title: 'The Yearly-Epistle, 1761.' Marginal subtitles include: 'Theh Salutation', 'State of the Meeting', 'Account of Sufferings', 'Account of fthe Prosperity of Truth' and 'The Conclusion'. Ends: 'Signed in and on Behalf of the Yearly-Meeting, | By William Fry, | Clerk to the Meeting this Year.' No copy in the British Library, and now scarce.

[ Grafton Galleries; Art Exhibitions ] Memorandum of Agreement between the Undersigned Parties [re. letting of Grafton Galleries.

Author: 
[ Grafton Galleries ] V. Benoist of Piccadilly, on behalf of the proprietors of the Grafton Galleries, Montague Morris and V. Fodor
Publication details: 
[London], 30 Sept. 1908.
£250.00

Document, typed, three pages, sm. fol., good condition. A "Mr. Benoist" of 36 Piccadilly (where he provided luxury food: CUISINE, CHARCUTERIE ET COMESTIBLES "FRANCAISES, on behalf of the proprietors of the Grafton Galleries, facilitates the letting of the Galleries to "Messrs Montague Morris and V. Fodor of 12 Talbot House St Martin's Lane". The document is signed by Benoist as Director of the Galleries, and by "Montague & Fodor". Clause as follows: 1. & 2. agreement that "picture and Fine Art Exhibitions" allowed from 20 Oct. 1908 to 25 Dec.1908; 3.

[Notable Quakers in Georgian England.] Autograph Album of Lydia Davis of Alstone Green, with 120 contributors including Thomas Pole, Joseph Storrs Fry, Thomas Shillitoe, Joseph Sturge, Jeremiah Holme Wiffin, Christopher Healy and John Wilbur.

Author: 
Lydia Davis of Alstone Green, Gloucestershire [Thomas Pole, Joseph Storrs Fry, Thomas Shillitoe, Joseph Sturge, Jeremiah Holme Wiffin, Christopher Healy and John Wilbur; Quakers; Society of Friends]
Publication details: 
[Alstone Green, Gloucestershire.] Between 1800 and 1862 (mainly between 1820 and 1847).
£1,250.00

Apart from one contribution dating from 1800, three from the 1850s and two from the 1860s, all contributions date from between 1820 and 1847. 237pp., 4to, with eight items loosely inserted (including four coloured botanical drawings on card) and three-page partial index of contributors. In contemporary black leather binding, with embossed pattern and gilt border on front board, marbled endpapers, and all edges gilt. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, in rebacked binding, worn at spine, with new label.

[Sheila Kaye-Smith, novelist.] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr. Cazenove' of the publishers George Bell & Sons, regarding the publication of her first novel 'The Tramping Methodist', requesting corrections to the proofs and suggesting the title.

Author: 
Sheila Kaye-Smith [married name Emily Sheila Fry] (1887-1956), English novelist [George Bell & Sons, London publishers]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 9 Dane Road, St Leonards on Sea. 20 May [1908].
£120.00

3pp., 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed at head of first page. She begins by explaining that at her 'interview with Mr. Bell on the 8th. he suggested an alteration in an important sentence, giving me the alternative of taking the MS. home with me or of correcting the sentence in the proofs. At the time I thought the latter course would be the best, but it occurs to me that it would save expence if the correction was made now.' She asks Cazenove to 'ask Mr. O'Connor if he would kindly alter the words in accordance with the enclosed [not present]'.

Autograph Note Signed ('R. H. Horne') from the poet Richard Hengist Horne [previously Richard Henry Horne] to James Holden. With portrait of Horne, photographed by Elliott and Fry.

Author: 
Richard Hengist Horne [born Richard Henry Horne] (1802-1884), English poet, author of 'Orion'
Publication details: 
Note: 21 Beauvoir Street, Portland Place, London, on his crested letterhead; 10 November 1869. Portrait: 'Photographed by Elliott and Fry, London'.
£65.00

Note: 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly-aged, laid down on paper with traces of glue to one margin. In response to a request for an autograph it reads: 'Novr 10/69 | 21 Beauvoir St | Portland Place | London. W. | Dear Sir | I send this in accordance with your request to Mr Lacy.' | I am | Dear Sir | Yours | R. H. Holden Esqre'. Engraving: On 14 x 10.5 cm paper, laid down within border on 21 x 14 cm paper. Good: Photogravure 11 x 8 cm image cut from a magazine. Showing a bearded Horne in old age, with velvet writing cap.

Manuscript document relating to the Whittlewood Disafforesting Act of 1855, with 'Extract from Plan of the Forest of Whittlewood in the Counties of Northampton and Buckingham (In Three Parts) Part 2. Wakefield Walk and Hanger Walk'.

Author: 
T. R. Fearnside, Keeper of the Land Revenue Records; William Fry Channell; George Wingrove Cooke; Nathan Wetherell [The Whittlewood Disafforesting Act of 1855; Whittlewood Forest, Northamptonshire]
Publication details: 
Copy certified as correct by T. R. Fearnside, Keeper of the Records, 13 February 1860. Plan originally dated 'this 8th. day of July 1856'.
£120.00

Consisting of a manuscript transcription of a document allotting portions of the forest 'for the exclusive pasturage of the Commonable Cattle', and an accompanying coloured map or plan on cloth. The whole folded into a 34 x 12 cm. packet, within a covering leaf docketed: 'Dated 8th. July 1856 | Extract from Award of Commissioners under the Whittlewood Disafforesting Act of 1855 -'. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, but with the covering leaf heavily aged and discoloured. The transcription consists of 3pp., 4to, neatly written out on three stamped 41.5 x 34 cm.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Oliver A. Fry') to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Oliver Armstrong Fry (b.c.1855), editor of 'Vanity Fair' from 1889 to 1904
Publication details: 
20 April 1898; 141 Portsdown Road, W. [London], on 'Vanity Fair' letterhead.
£35.00

12mo, 1 p. On first leaf of a bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. In reply to the recipient's note, by which he is 'much worried', Fry does not know that he can offer him 'any more than the few short notes <?> for us in "Men & Women of the Times". Little is known about Fry, apart from the fact that he was born in Van Diemen's Land, the son of the Church of England clergyman Henry Phibbs Fry (c.1807-1874).

Typed Letter Signed to Sir Henry T[rueman]. Wood[, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts].

Author: 
Oliver Armstrong Fry [VANITY FAIR]
Publication details: 
30 January 1915; on letterhead 'MELBOURNE LODGE, | EAST MOLESEY, | SURREY.'
£33.00

Journalist (1855-1931), editor of Vanity Fair, 1889-1904. One page, quarto. Very good, if a little dusty. Docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp. There is 'no apparent chance' of F. V. Brookes delivering his 'promised lecture' at the R.S.A. 'Of course I would be willing if necessary to read this paper for my old friend; but [...] I would very strongly urge that it would be better in every way to postpone this lecture for some time. Its subject is one that is peculiarly Mr. Brooks's own, and I think no one else would deal with it so well.' Signed 'Oliver A. Fry'.

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