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Author, Title, Summary Price
Sir Walter Newman Flower (1879-1964), proprietor of London publishers Cassell & Co, biographer and literary editor [Thomas Bucklin Wells (1875-1944) of Harper & Co., New York; Sir James Marchant]

[‘He as good as called me a liar: Sir Walter Newman Flower, proprietor of London publishers Cassell’s.] Autograph Letter Signed and two Typed Letters Signed to Sir James Marchant, complaining of treatment by Thomas B. Wells of New York firm Harpers.

Publishing history does not get more vivid than this. See Flower’s obituary in The Times, and Wells’s in the New York Times. The three items in good condition, lightly aged. All three folded once and signed ‘Newman Flower’. First TLS (3 January 1928): 1p, 12mo. He writes that although ‘a very...

£150.00
Theodore Hook [Theodore Edward Hook] (1788-1841), author, wit and hoaxer, accountant-general and treasurer of Mauritius, 1813-1817

[Theodore Hook, author and hoaxer.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Theo S Hook’) [to his publishers Whittaker & Co.], reporting missing text in the revises of his ‘Gilbert Gurney’, and requesting the return of ‘the MS of the page in question’.

Hook’s entry in the Oxford DNB descibes his novel ‘Gilbert Gurney’ (1836) and its sequel ‘Gurney Married’ (1838) as made up of ‘thinly disguised portraits and a string of anecdotes from real life’. 1p, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, folded twice. On wove paper with C. Ansell watermark of...

£75.00
Sir Emile Littler [born Emile Richeux] (1903-1985), theatrical impresario based at the Palace Theatre, London, producer of over two hundred British pantomimes [W. J. Macqueen-Pope, theatre historian;]

[Sir Emile Littler, theatrical impressario.] Two Typed Letters Signed, asking theatre historian W. J. Macqueen-Pope whether he did more London pantomimes than Julian Wylie. With carbon of reply.

For information on Littler see the entry in the Oxford DNB of his brother Prince Frank Littler (1901-1973), who did not share Emile’s ‘affection for plays or players individually’. Also see Macqueen-Pope’s entry in the same work. The three items in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Both...

£90.00
Oda Slobodskaya (1888-1970), Russian soprano who became a British citizen, Professor of Singing at the Royal College of Music and Guildhall

[Oda Slobodskaya, Russian soprano and Professor at the Royal College of Music.] Signed Autograph Inscription.

On 17.5 x 11.5 cm leaf of pink paper, with rounded edges, removed from autograph album. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a large, expansive hand, diagonally and upwards. Reads: ‘With all / good wishes / Oda Slobodskaya’. See image.

£25.00 Oda
Mary Jarred (1899-1993), English mezzo-soprano and contralto opera singer at Covent Garden and Sadler's Wells, Professor at the Royal Academy of Music

[Mary Jarred, English opera singer and Professor at the Royal Academy of Music.] Autograph Signature on photographic portrait of her.

On 9 x 13.5 cm newspaper cutting of photographic portrait of Jarred. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: ‘Mary Jarred / 1935.’ The photograph shows Jarred posing in a black dress and pearls, with left hand arranging her white fur coat to tastefully emphasize her bust. See image.

£23.00 Jarred
Louis Bondy [Louis Wolfgang Bondy] (1910-1993), London antiquarian bookseller and local politician, Labour Party councillor for Holborn in the Greater London Council [Andrew Block]

[Louis Bondy, London antiquarian bookseller.] Printed handbill, with biography and photograph, endorsing ‘Louis W. Bondy’ in the 1953 Holborn Borough By-Election, ‘South Bloomsbury Ward - E’. With Autograph Note Signed to Andrew Block.

See Nicolas Barker’s obituary of Bondy in the Independent, 27 June 1993. The obituary of the recipient Andrew Block (1892-1987) in ‘The Private Library’ was subtitled ‘the doyen of booksellers’; his business was established in 1911. An evocative piece of booktrade and London local government...

£65.00
Les Nottle, ‘Magical Clown’ and Punch and Judy man [The Magic Circle, London; Andrew Block, London bookseller]

[Les Nottle, ‘Magical Clown’ and Punch and Judy man.] Typed Letter Signed (‘Les’) advising bookseller Andrew Block, as ‘Secretary, Magic Circle Examinations & Certificate’, that he has elected to the Inner Magic Circle.

The obituary of the recipient Andrew Block (1892-1987) in ‘The Private Library’ was subtitled ‘the doyen of booksellers’; his business was established in 1911. 1p, 4to. In poor condition, aged and worn. Folded three times. Begins: ‘Dear Andrew, / It is with VERY GREAT PLEASURE that I have to...

£100.00
Jesse Collings (1831-1920), Liberal and Liberal Unionist politician, advocate of free education and land reform

[‘It was a monstrous thing to make poverty a crime’: Jesse Collings, Liberal politician.] Autograph Letter Signed, attacking the government over a bill which was meant to be ‘of no use to the people whom it affected’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Lightly aged and worn. Folded four times. Signed ‘Jesse Collings’. Addressed to ‘Messrs Smith & Kitching / Hon. Secs. Political Committee / Chelsea / London’. Minuted in pencil on reverse of second leaf: ‘Acknowledgment...

£38.00
John Masefield (1878-1967), Poet Laureate and author

[John Masefield, Poet Laureate.] Autograph Card, ordering a book from a booksellers’ list.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, lightly aged. In the following transcript, the parts in Masefield’s autograph are in square brackets, and the first printed sentence (‘I [...] letter.’) has been scored through: ‘PINBURY PARK, / CIRENCESTER. / Dear [Sirs,] / I thank you for you...

£80.00 Masefield
Leatrice Joy [Leatrice Johanna Zeidler] (1893-1985), Hollywood star of the silent movie era

[Leatrice Joy, Hollywood star of the silent movie era.] Printed circular, in the form of a Typed Letter, with facsimile signature, responding to fan mail.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with rust stain from paperclip to one margin. The letterhead consists of a stylized vertical arrangement of the letters in the name ‘JOY’ at top left. The ‘signature’ is an extremely good facsimile in black ink. Begins: ‘Dear Friend: / Your...

£50.00
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