HISTORY

[Printed HMSO pamphlet.] A Handbook for the information of Relatives and Friends of Prisoners of War and Civilians in Japanese or Japanese-Occupied Territory. [With stamped printed slip from the War Office.]

Author: 
[British Prisoners of War in Japan or Japanese-Occupied Territory]
Publication details: 
Published for The War Office by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1944. [Printed slip dated May 1944, and stamped 9 June 1944.]
£150.00

16pp., 12mo. Stapled. In printed pink wraps, with map on inside back cover showing 'The Prisoner of War (Far East) Enquiry Centre' at Curzon St House in Mayfair. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper in worn wraps with creasing to one corner.

Printed 'Prospectus' for 'a Poetical illustration of the Career of Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington, and his Illustrious Companions', with the autograph signature of 'George Webb De Renzy, Major and Barrack-Master'

Author: 
Major George Webb De Renzy, of the 82nd Regiment, and Barrack-Master, Dundee [The Duke of Wellington]
Publication details: 
Castletown, Isle of Man. 1 January 1847.
£135.00

1p., 4to. Thirteen lines of text, daintily printed in small type. On lightly-aged and creased paper, with a number of short closed tears. Dated in print at the foot 'Castletown, Isle of Man, | 1847.' Beneath this De Renzy has written, in manuscript, '1st January, | [signed] George Webb De Renzy, Major | and Barrack-Master'.

Nine manuscript documents relating to the death and estate of Major Anthony Coane, 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot, who died in Kandy, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], in 1819, including an inventory and account, and a covering letter from Lieut. Minter.

Author: 
Major Anthony Coane (d.1819), 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot [Kandy, Ceylon [Sri Lanka]]
Publication details: 
The nine items all from Kandy, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], and dating from October 1817 to January 1819.
£180.00

The nine items in this collection provide valuable information regarding the management of the estate of a Georgian colonial British army office. Coane's battalion had served in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land between 1812 and 1814, and had been in Ceylon (under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Giels) since 1814 by the time Coane died on 5 January 1819, his demise much regretted by his superiors. The nine items are on aged and worn paper with chipping to extremities. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from 'G[eorge]. Minter' to unnamed recipient. Kandy; 29 December 1818. 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium.

Contemporary coloured 'Sketch of the Situation of the TOWN of ST. JEAN D'ACRE, with the position of the FRENCH besieging ARMY under the command of General BONAPARTE and the BRITISH SQUADRON co-operating with GEZZAR AHMET PASHA in its Defence [...]'.

Author: 
[The Siege of Acre [Siege of St Jean D'Acre], 1799; Napoleon Bonaparte; Sir Sidney Smith (1764-1840)]
Publication details: 
On paper watermarked 'J WHATMAN | 1816'.
£450.00

A fine plan, so neatly and delicately drawn that it could easily pass for an engraving. The title concludes: '[...] its Defence under the Command of SIR SIDNEY SMITH. Kt. &ca. &ca. &ca. - on the 2nd: day of May 1799.' In landscape on one side of a piece of laid paper, 29 x 42cm, with the plan itself within a 19.5 x 32.5cm border. The drawing and the precise and detailed lettering are in ink, the whole coloured in grey, brown, pink and blue watercolour. On aged and lightly-creased paper, with a couple of small unobtrusive holes. On a scale of one and a half inches to half a mile.

Autograph Letter Signed ('W Spottiswoode') from the scientist and Queen's Printer William Spottiswoode to Captain Washington [John Washington, Hydrographer to the Navy], regarding the difficulty of 'finding a Japanese scholar' and Washington's son.

Author: 
William Spottiswoode (1825-1883), mathematician, physicist, President of the Royal Society, and the Queen's Printer [Rear-Admiral John Washington (1800-1863), Hydrographer to the Navy]
Publication details: 
H. M. Printing Office. 21 March 1860.
£125.00

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium. Fair, on aged paper. The letter begins: 'Maitland, Secretary of the Civil Service Commission, tells me that Mr Robertson was examined only in European subjects; or, to use his own expression, "as to his capacity for learning Japanese".' Maitland cannot help them 'in finding a Japanese scholar'. As Spottiswoode is 'always so glad to find any one interested in oriental subjects', he asks for 'an opportunity of becoming acquainted' with Washington's son.

Interleaved 'P.P.L.' copy, annotated for official use by 'T.K.S.', of the Royal Mail 'Post Office Guide', with two years' corrections (1900-1902), abbreviations for various Post Offices, table of 'Post Towns' between 1900 and 1902, and other matter.

Author: 
[Royal Mail Post Office Guide, 1899, with official annotations by 'T.K.S.'; philately; post marks; wireless telegraphy]
Publication details: 
'To be obtained at all Post Offices in the United Kingdom. Price Sixpence.' No. 174. 1 October 1899. [Annotations dating from between 1900 and 1902.]
£280.00

8vo volume, bound up and interleaved for official use. Internally sound and tight, on aged paper; in worn black leather quarter-binding with repair to loose boards. In gilt on spine is the title 'P. P. L.', with 'T. K. S.' at the foot, and these abbreviations are also present in pencil on the title page. The printed guide has a total of 282pp: title leaf + pp.7-24, 43-44, 47-258, 261-280, 357-374. It is interleaved from p.48 to the end with 128 leaves (256pp).

Binder containing forty mimeographed typed documents from the Control Commission School (Air), Regent's Park, London, a top secret wartime organisation to prepare Allied officers for the occupation of Germany. With an autograph paper by a student.

Author: 
Air Vice-Marshall D. M. T. MacDonald (1909-1988), Officer Commanding, Control Commission School (Air), Regent's Park [F/o A. H. Reeve]
Publication details: 
[Control Commission School (Air), Viceroy Court, Prince Albert Road, Regent's Park, London.] February and March 1945.
£1,250.00

A significant collection of documents relating to the secret effort, at the end of the Second World War, to prepare officers of the British and allied armed forces for the coming occupation of Germany. Excessively scarce: the only other holdings appear to be in the British National Archives, and the Maurice M. Goodner papers (OAC), the latter relating to a later Parisian branch of the school.

Autograph Letter Signed "René Bull", to "Gilmer", declining a commission because of a prior engagement.

Author: 
René Bull (1872– 1942), book illustrator.
Publication details: 
20 Palliser Court, Barons Court, Londo, W., 10th August 1919.
£125.00

Three pages, 12mo, bifolium, some marking but mainly good condition. "Many thanks for your letter - I thought the Indian Book was off long ago - anyhow I am sorry I could not undertake it now as I am bought up by Vickers Ltd [engineering company,inc. aircraft] for experimental work at a big premium - am awfully sory. Cheerio - hope to come across you sometime." Note: Bull served in the Royal Air Force during the Great War. Perhaps he joinned the Aircraft section of Vickers in 1919.

Second World War Autograph Diary of Mrs Sheila Stopford of Saxham, Suffolk, wife of Captain James Coverley Stopford, RN, mixing descriptions of day-to-day rural life with informed comment on the course of the war.

Author: 
Mrs Katherine Sheila Stopford [née Macleod] (d.1986) of Saxham, Suffolk, wife of Captain James Coverley Stopford (1909-1985), RN, OBE [Geoffrey Keyes (1917-1941), VC]
Publication details: 
Mostly from Saxham, Suffolk. 24 December 1941 to 29 November 1942.
£400.00

219pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn red-cloth binding. Closely and neatly written in a ruled exercise book, with frank and detailed entries throughout providing much information relating to the day-to-day life of women of the rural middle-classes ('country families') in wartime England. A few items including newspaper cuttings loosely inserted. Like her husband, Mrs Stopford came from a military family (her father was Captain G.

[Typed] Memorandum of an Agreement.... Signed "May Laffan", Irish novelist, agreementy with publishers, Henry S. KIng, concerning her novel "Hogan, M.P.".

Author: 
May Laffan [Hartley] (1849–1916), Irish novelist.
Publication details: 
[London], 26 April 1876
£150.00

One page, sm. fol., sl. chipped and damp-affected but text legible (see scan on my website).

[Manuscript] Memorandum of an Agreement .. .[ Rev. C.K. Paul with Henry S. King & Co, publishers], signed "C. Kegan Paul", later publisher.

Author: 
C. Kegan Paul, clergyman and, later, publisher
Publication details: 
[London], 23 Dec. 1872
£120.00

One page, sm. folio, good condition, regarding a "new translation of 'Faust'" by Kegan Paul for two thirds of theprofit. As Kegan Paul's autobiogrphy reveals, he was a reader for Henry S. King "for some time past [and] took a more intimate post in the business " in 1874. He later bought the business and established Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.

[Manuscript] Memorandum of an Agreement [with Henry S. King, publisher, for her "new novel", 'Felicia'], signed "M. Betham-Edwards

Author: 
Matilda Betham-Edwards, novelist
Publication details: 
[London], 25 July 1873
£90.00

Two pages, sm. folio, fair condition, giving details of an advance and the holding of the copyright of "The Sylvesters" if they should decide not to go ahead and want their money back. Minor change apparently initialled "HSK" [= King].

[Printed programme.] Scottish National War Memorial. Opening Ceremony by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, 14th July 1927, and Visit of Their Majesties The King and Queen.

Author: 
[Opening Ceremony of the Scottish National War Memorial, 1927]
Publication details: 
Caldwell Brotthers Limited, by Appointment Stationers to H. M. The King, Edinburgh. [1927.]
£150.00

15pp., 8vo. Pamphlet. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with rusting staple, and strip from mount adhering to margin of title. A change in the order of ceremony has been marked in red ink, and the section on the Seaforth Highlanders has been indicated in blue ink. From the papers of Regiment's Colonel, Maj.-Gen. Sir C. J. Mackenzie, KCB. A scarce piece of Scottish military ephemera: the only copies on COPAC and WorldCat are at Oxford and the National Library of Scotland.

Autograph Letter Signed ('M Berry') from the diarist Mary Berry, sister of Agnes Berry and friend of Horace Walpole, [to her publishers Longman & Co] regarding proofs [of her book 'A Comparative View of the Social Life of England and France'].

Author: 
Mary Berry (1763-1852), author and diarist, sister and companion of Agnes Berry (1764-1852), and friend of Horace Walpole [Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, publishers, of Paternoster Row, London]
Publication details: 
'Petersham Wedy. Mony' [1828].
£180.00

1p., 12mo. 12 lines. Good on lightly-aged paper. She is requesting 'an alteration to be made in the Contents of Chapr 9. to the necessity of which I had not adverted till I saw that Chapr. in Print'. After correcting the chapter she 'desired a Revise', but 'foolishly forgot to Revise the Contents of the Chapr.' 'It cannot however be too late & must be done, as the Chapr: ends with Mr Fox'. The work referred to is clearly Miss Berry's 'Comparative View', published by Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green in 1828, the ninth and last chapter of which does indeed end with Charles James Fox.

Autograph Note Signed "George Bentley", publisher, to George Cruikshank, caricaturist.

Author: 
George Bentley, Publisher, Richard Bentley and Son.
Publication details: 
[Printed heading] New Burlington Street, W. [London], 7 Oct. 1863.
£90.00

One page, 12mo, some marking but mainly good, clear and complete. "Dear Sir, | Please deliver to the bearer the design for The Merchant of Venice | Yours truly | George Bentley | George Cruikshank Esq,". There are pencilled notes and figures on the verso, probably in Cruikshank's hand (figures from 1-10 repeated, then 1-7, then notes including the words large and small and a name, the meaning of which escapes me.

Contemporary manuscript copy of a letter from Captain John Bower, 84th Regiment, to his father Alexander Bower of Kincaldrum House, Kinnettles, describing how he saved the life of the future Sir James Carmichael-Smyth while shark fishing off the Cape

Author: 
Captain John Bower (d.1800), 84th Regiment of Foot, eldest son of Alexander Bower of Kincaldrum House, Kinnettles, near Dundee [Sir James Carmichael-Smyth (1779-1838)]
Publication details: 
Letter 'dated Cape Town May 10th 1797', on paper also with watermarked date '1797'.
£120.00

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged laid paper. Bower begins by stating that he is sending 'a Copy of a Letter which I have received from Dr Carm Smyth [James Carmichael Smyth (1742-1821) of the Middlesex Hospital]'. Smyth's son (the future Sir James Carmichael-Smyth) is 'a very fine handsome young man Lieut in the Engineers come out a Passanger [sic] in the same ship with us'. Bower and Smyth 'wisely went into the Boat which was lashed to the Stern Gallery to fish sharks which were following the ship - the Boat suddenly canted round in the slings, upon which poor Smyth went plump into the sea'.

Two typescripts: 'The Carmichaels of the Highlands. Argyll. 1200-1745.' and 'The Highland Carmichaels. Part II.'

Author: 
Donald A. Tod, Scottish genealogist, of Brora, Sutherland [The Carmichael Family; Highland genealogy]
Publication details: 
Both by 'Donald A. Tod. 1929.'
£180.00

Both items genuine typescripts, and not mimeographs. Both attached by brass studs in matching pink wraps, with titles on covers. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: 'The Carmichaels of the Highlands. Argyll. 1200-1745.' 8pp, 4to. Sections on 'The Carmichaels of Mac Ilmichaels of Perthshire', 'Muthill Parish' and 'Argyll'. TWO: 'The Highland Carmichaels. Part II.' 6pp., 4to. Both volumes mainly consist of dated genealogical information, with the source often given (e.g. 'Reg.

Autograph Letter Signed from the American historian John Bach McMaster to the military historian John Codman Ropes of Boston, regarding a list of works relating to the Duc d'Enghien.

Author: 
John Bach McMaster (1852-1932), American historian, Professor of American History at the University of Pennsylvania [John Codman Ropes (1836-1899), American military historian]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The College, University of Pennsylvania. 12 January 1896.
£56.00

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting on reverse. He acknowledges with 'great pleasure' the 'duplicate list of books relating to the execution of the Duc d'Enghien'. 'The pains you have taken to prepare it are very fully appreciated.'

Autograph Letter Signed ('F Barham Zincke') from the antiquary and radical Foster Barham Zincke to 'My dear Mr Flower' [Sir William Henry Flower], regarding the latter's five-month stay in Egypt.

Author: 
Rev. Foster Barham Zincke (1817-1893), English antiquary and radical pamphleteer, educated at Wadham College, Oxford [Sir William Henry Flower (1831-1899), Director of the Natural History Museum]
Publication details: 
Wherstead Vicarage, Ipswich. 28 May <1874?>.
£220.00

4pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of stub adhering to margin. He has received Flower's 'catalogue'. 'I was sure you wd. be delighted with Egypt. It has so much to tell us about man & nature. The early stages of mans progress, & the variety of nature.' Zincke would like 'time to look into things & to think about them': he was in Egypt 'only as many weeks as you were months'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('H H Milman') from Henry Hart Milman, later Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, to Francis Cohen [later Sir Francis Palgrave], discussing his poem 'The Martyr of Antioch', the Rev. James Garbett and Milton's Adam and Eve.

Author: 
Henry Hart Milman (1791-1868), Dean of St Paul's Cathedral [Dean Milman] [Sir Francis Palgrave [born Francis Ephraim Cohen] (1788-1861); Rev. James Garbett (1775-1857), Prebendary of Hereford]
Publication details: 
St Mary's, Reading. 11 April 1822.
£65.00

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Francis Cohen Esq | King's Bench Walk | Temple | London'. Fair, on aged paper, with the narrow remains of a paper windowpane mount around the edges of the second leaf. Milman begins: 'I found Garbett so much occupied that until yesterday I have not had an opportunity of seeing him'. Garbett has promised to send Milman 'a detailed answer' to all of Cohen's questions, 'and is very much flattered by your favorable opinion'.

Autograph Letter Signed from the wood-engraver Robert Gibbings to Mrs de Navarro in Canada, discussing his future plans.

Author: 
Robert Gibbings (1889-1958), Anglo-Irish wood-engraver and author
Publication details: 
On his letterhead, 91 Warwick Road, London, SW5. 1 January 1953.
£120.00

1p., 4to. Eight lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with slight discoloration to the blank reverse, caused by tape repair to a short closed tear. In envelope addressed by Gibbings to 'Mrs. de Navarro | P.O. Box 88 | Mont-Rolland | P.Q. | Canada'. He thanks her for her 'nice letter'. He is 'now hard at work on the engravings for my new book "Coming Down The Seine" to be published in the autumn; then I may be going back to Ireland again.' He ends in sending 'every good wish for 1953'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('W Hamilton Gibson') from the American illustrator and naturalist William Hamilton Gibson to 'Mr Bramief', complaining about the printing of a letter.

Author: 
William Hamilton Gibson (1850-1896), American illustrator, author and naturalist
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Authors Club, 19 West 24th Street, New York; 27 January 1887.
£120.00

2pp., 8vo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with two unobtrusive pinholes to second leaf (not affecting text). He is sending the 'matter' to Bramief 'as an earnest of my good nature, for I think I am somewhat justified under the circumstances in the impression that you have been a trifle <?> and exacting.' He still considers the form of is second letter 'was all that you could reasonably have asked for and that the request for so called "copy" was especially needless in the facce of the fact that it was in any event to be trusted turned, cut and otherwise subdued to suit your requirements'.

Autograph Manuscript of the American actor and poet John Howard Payne, either an original poem or a translation, entitled 'Ode the Sixteenth. | The Herb Rue'.

Author: 
John Howard Payne (1791-1852), American actor and playwright, best-known for his song 'Home, Sweet Home'
Publication details: 
Place and date not stated.
£165.00

2 pp, 4to. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with slight wear to extremities. On one leaf, with both sides ruled with red borders. In Payne's neat and distinctive hand, and attributed to him in pencil at head.

Manuscript volume of accounts of 'Hornchurch Rental 1732' and 'Hornchurch Rental 1785', apparently for the Manor of New Place, giving the names and itemised accounts of individual tenants.

Author: 
New Place Manor, Hornchurch, Havering, Essex; Sir James Esdaile; Joseph Mayor]
Manuscript volume of accounts of 'Hornchurch Rental 1732'
Publication details: 
1732 and 1785.
£220.00
Manuscript volume of accounts of 'Hornchurch Rental 1732'

A 4to volume, consisting of 224 pp, with the 1732 rentals occupying 89 pp (including a six-page thumb index) at one end, and the 1785 rentals in another hand on 24 pp at the other. Text clear and complete. On aged paper in worn vellum binding, with 'Hornchurch Rental 1732' and 'Hornchurch Rental 1785' in the two hands on cover. The 1732 rentals give details of the quarter-day payments and allowances of 51 tenants.

Itemised autograph 'Accompt Good Toun to Adam Burknay 1697' for expenses incurred 'At ye ryding of ye Marches [riding of the marches]' at 'Lythgow [Linlithgow]', with signed authorisation from the council, and Burknay's signed receipt.

Author: 
[The Riding of the Marches, the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow, 1697; Adam Burknay]
The Riding of the Marches, the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow, 1697
Publication details: 
Burknay's 'Accompt' dated 1697; the Council authorisation dated 14 August 1697; Burknay's receipt dated 'Lythgow 26 Apryll 1698'.
£450.00
The Riding of the Marches, the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow, 1697

8vo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged laid paper, with text clear and complete. The account, in Burknay's hand, is headed 'Accompt Good Toun | to | Adam Burknay | 1697 | Imp At ye ryding of ye Marches'. Itemised with eight entries totalling £29 19s 0d. Items are 'meal', 'ale tobacco & pyps', 'to ye men yt sett ye march-stone', 'to ye officers ale & bread', '6 pynts 1 chopen wyne', 'at ye making doctor Bane and othr burges 5 pynts wyne', 'Tongues & bread' and 'to ye servtts'.

Autograph Letter Signed from the historian and antiquary Allan Fea to Frederick Johnson, regarding Costessey in Norfolk.

Author: 
Allan Fea (1860-1956), historian and antiquary [Costessey, Norfolk]
Allan Fea (1860-1956), historian and antiquary
Publication details: 
19 July 1930; Bossingham, Canterbury.
£65.00
Allan Fea (1860-1956), historian and antiquary

12mo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for the 'particulars re, Costessey [Norfolk]', will 'write to Sir Hy. Jerningham' and will 'look up' Johnson's 'Journal' in the British Museum.

Autograph Note Signed from the historian Frederic G. Mather to R. E. Thompson, regarding his article on 'Buffalo' in the 'Encyclopaedia Americana'.

Author: 
Frederic G. Mather (1844-1925) [Rev. Robert Ellis Thompson (1844-1924), author]
Autograph Note Signed from the historian Frederic G. Mather
Publication details: 
15 November 1882; 315 Prospect St, Cleveland, Ohio, on cancelled letterhead of the Senate Chamber, Albany, State of New York.
£56.00
Autograph Note Signed from the historian Frederic G. Mather

8vo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged paper. A covering letter for 'the supplementary article on Buffalo' (in the 'Encyclopaedia Americana' supplements to 'Encyclopaedia Britannica', 1883-1885, the first two volumes of which Thompson was editor).

Typed Letter Signed ('R. A. Gregory') from Sir Richard Arman Gregory to T[homas]. Ll[oyd]. Humberstone, regarding an article for 'Nature' magazine on the London School of Hygiene.

Author: 
Sir R. A. Gregory [Sir Richard Arman Gregory] (1864-1952), writer on science, editor of 'Nature', and scientific editor at the London publishers Macmillan & Co. [Thomas Lloyd Humberstone (1876-1957)]
Publication details: 
27 July 1926; on letterhead of Nature Magazine, Macmillan & Co. Ltd, St. Martin's Street, London, WC2.
£65.00

4to, 1 p. Twenty lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on aged paper, with slight traces of mount on reverse. Having read Humberstone's article on the London School of Hygiene, he is 'sending it to the printers to be set up'. He commends the article for dealing with the subject 'in an interesting and useful way'. He rejects the five plans Humberstone has sent, as they would not 'reproduce satisfactorily', and a photograph which is 'too large to go across a page', and would like 'a photograph of the elevation of the School' and 'either a photograph or an electro of the design of the Seal'.

Typed Letter Signed ('H A L Fisher') from the historian H. A. L. Fisher to the educationist Thomas Lloyd Humberstone.

Author: 
H. A. L. Fisher [Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher] (1865-1940), historian and Liberal politician [Thomas Lloyd Humberstone (1876-1957), educationist; William Napier Bruce (1858-1936)]
Publication details: 
14 March 1918; on letterhead of the Board of Education, Whitehall, London.
£38.00

4to, 1 p. Good, on aged paper, with light traces of mount on reverse. Giving the results of his enquiries 'with regard to the statement attributed to one of our Inspectors by a speaker at the January Educational Conference at University College', with reference to W. N. Bruce.

County Borough of Derby Police traffic officer's note book, compiled in 1941, and filled with manuscript signed statements relating to traffic offences.

Author: 
[County Borough of Derby Police, traffic officer's notebook, 1941]
County Borough of Derby Police traffic officer's note book,
Publication details: 
19 February-22 September 1941; Derby.
£150.00
County Borough of Derby Police traffic officer's note book,

15.5 x 7.5 cm notebook, 108 pp (4 pp blank). With 102 pp of manuscript, in the hand of the anonymous police officer, on 53 numbered two-page openings. Stapled. In original brown wraps. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in slightly-worn binding. Manuscript statements relating to around thirty cases in two sequences, one, of 35 pp, beginning at one end of the notebook (openings 1 to 18), and the other, of 67 pp, at the other (backwards over openings 53 to 20).

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