Art and Architecture

Typewritten 'List of chief and under gravers to the Mint', signed in autograph.

Author: 
Charles Anthony, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh [THE ROYAL MINT; NUMISMATICS]
Publication details: 
04/06/37
£67.00

Four pages, on four A4 leaves. Entirely legible, though dogeared and with some wear to extremities. Rust staining from paperclip. Complete from 1066 to 1937, beginning with the Cuneators and giving dates of Chief and Under Gravers together with Remarks on each individual. Dated and signed by Anthony.

Engraved bookplate headed 'LA FELICITA' DELLE LETTERE'.

Author: 
Antonio Visentini (Venice, 1688-1782), Italian (Venetian) engraver
Publication details: 
Without date or place, but with 'Ant. Visentini Inu. Del. et Sculpsit.' at foot.
£180.00

Dimensions of plate roughly four and a half inches by six and a half wide. Dimensions of paper roughly five inches by seven wide. Clear image on stained, grubby laid paper. Shows mythological figure with helmet and shield holding up a book, within a monumental border with coins, ivy, statuary, etc. This bookplate has been found in conjunction with another reading "Ex Libris Alexandri Torrigiani Med. Doct. Coll. Parmensis", and this may provide a clue to the provenance.

Autograph Note Signed (F Matania) to unnamed correspondent.

Author: 
Chevalier Fortunino Matania (1881-1963), Italian artist
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£38.00

One page, quarto. On lightly creased, aged paper with a few closed tears. Rust marks from paperclip at head. Reads 'Il triangolo della perfezione arte scienza ad amore | [signed] F Matania'.

Portrait entitled 'Thomas Hearne.', engraved by William Daniell after a drawing by George Dance.

Author: 
George Dance the Younger (1741-1825), English architect and surveyor [William Daniel (1769-1837), English artist and engraver; Thomas Hearne (1744-1817), English watercolour artist]
Publication details: 
Geo. Dance delt. Jany. 11. 1795. Published by Willm. Daniell, No. 9 Cleveland Street Fitzroy Square London, Decr. 15. 1809. Wm. Daniell Fecit.'
£76.00

Dimensions of paper roughly eleven and a half inches by eight wide. A good clean impression on grubby and lightly foxed paper. A meticulous head and shoulders view of a seated Hearne, in profile, facing to his left. One of the 72 engravings from chalk portraits by Dance of his friends which were published between 1808 and 1814.

Proof engraving of 'Harrietta Bowdler' by Scriven, after a drawing by Slater.

Author: 
Harrietta Bowdler (nee Hanbury, died 1829) of Eltham, Kent (wife of John Bowdler the elder, 1746-1823) [Joseph Slater (c.1779-1837), artist; Edward Scriven (1775-1841), engraver]
Publication details: 
Without date or place. [London: Colnaghi & Co., July 1830?] 'J. Slater. delt. 1817. Edwd. Scriven. sculpt.'
£80.00

The word 'Proof' is engraved in the bottom right-hand corner. Dimensions of paper roughly ten inches by seven and a half. Good clean image on lightly aged paper. Head and shoulders portrait, in which a dolorous old biddy in cap stares vacantly at the viewer. Presumably a companion piece to an engraving in the National Portrait Gallery by Isaac W. Slater of a drawing by Scriven of Henrietta Maria Slater, published by Colnaghi in July 1830. This item is not present in the National Portrait Gallery online catalogue.

[Annibale Carracci] Engraving, with portrait of the artist, of Carracci's funeral memorial.

Author: 
Annibale Carracci (1560-1609)
ANNIBALE
Publication details: 
[Circa 1690?]
£86.00
ANNIBALE

Dimensions of print roughly ten inches by six and a half wide. Mounted on a slightly larger piece of laid paper. Rubbed, worn and heavily aged, with small wormhole at foot. Ornate tomb with sphinxes, ivy, masks, palette, laurel wreath, etc. Central head and shoulders image of Carracci, above caption 'ANNIBALI CARRACCIO BONON. AETATIS SVAE ANN.XLIX Romae MDCXLVI'. 'A. Del.' in bottom left-hand corner. This is NOT the engraving by Pietro Aquila, after Carlo Maratta, in Aquila's 'Galeriae Farnesianae Icones' (1674).

Coloured lithographic portrait engraving of 'THE RIGHT HONBLE. WILLIAM PIT. | From an original drawing by the late Mr. Sayers in the possession of Francis Turner Esqr. | Drawn on Stone by R. J. L. [i.e. Richard James Lane]'.

Author: 
William Pitt the younger [James Sayers (1748-1823), artist; Richard James Lane (1800-72), line engraver and lithographer; Graf & Soret]
Pitt
Publication details: 
(not Published) | Printed by Graf & Soret.'
£150.00
Pitt

EXCESSIVELY RARE. Apparently not present in the National Portrait Gallery collection. The portrait is on a piece of India paper roughly four and a half inches by three and a half wide, mounted on a piece of thick wove paper roughly eleven inches by eight and a half wide. The mount bears the text. Good, though somewhat grubby, and with the mount lightly creased and foxed. While Sayers is best-known as a Pittite caricaturist this image is certainly not a caricature.

Engraving of four portraits, entitled '(Bucks have at you all or who's afraid)'.

Author: 
John Kay (1742-1826), Scottish miniature painter and caricaturist [Dr Eiston; Hieronymo Stabilini; Francis McNab; Captain McKenzie]
Publication details: 
[Edinburgh]; 1786.
£25.00

Plate size roughly four and a half inches by four and a quarter wide, on paper six inches by five wide. 'Kay fecit' in bottom left-hand corner and date in bottom right. Good clean image on aged paper with some wear to blank border. The figures are identified in pencil at foot as 'McNab, K. McKenzie, Easton [^surgeon in the army] & Stabilini'. They are named as Eiston, Stabilini, McNab and McKenzie' by the National Portrait Gallery.

Autograph Card Signed ('Lamb') to Ian Treg. Jenkyn, Slade School of Fine Art, University College London.

Author: 
Lynton Harold Lamb (1907-1977), British painter, book illustrator and designer
Publication details: 
[Venice; 1970].
£85.00

Postcard with painting of Rialto Bridge by Canaletto. Postmarked 1970. Ruckled with damp but entirely legible. An amusing communication, beginning 'Thought I would let you know that we were not involved in the great tornado that sunk a voporetto [sic] on Lirica 4, and that the Hotel alla Fava is still very comfortable.' Refers to the Lambs' 'self-contained eyrie' and 'the weak fast coffee which tastes of mud; but clearly and obviously isn't'.

Original ink caricature by Furniss of Haggard in the character of Don Quixote.

Author: 
Harry Furniss (1854-1925), Anglo-Irish Punch illustrator [Sir Henry Rider Haggard (1856-1925), English author; Don Quixote]
Publication details: 
Without date [but circa 1887?] or place.
£180.00

On paper roughly four and a quarter inches by three and a quarter wide, with corners snipped to make an irregular octohedron. Good clear illustration on ruckled, aged paper. Tipped onto a larger piece of aged glue-stained paper. An amusing caricature showing Haggard astride Rozinante, in a full suit of armour, with an inkpot and quill pen as hat, holding a lance inscribed 'LITERATURE' in one hand, and a baby wrapped in a large roll of paper inscribed 'SHE M.S.' in the other. Unsigned, and attributed to Furniss in pencil on mount.

Typed Letter Signed ('P. Morley Horder') to W. Perry, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Percy Richard Morley Horder (1870-1944), English architect
Publication details: 
3 March 1931; on letterhead 5 Arlington Street, St. James's.
£23.00

One page, 12mo. Very good; lightly creased with staple holes to one corner. 'I beg you to publish the letter which I have addressed to the Journal. There is no point in withholding it.' Horder, who designed Lloyd George's house, as well as Mallory Court and Greys, is, according to one authority, 'one of a group of early twentieth century architects who were highly influential in re-introducing the romantic vernacular styles of the Elizabethan period. Many of his homes were in the style of Edwin Lutyens, having gables, stone dressings, mullioned windows and inglenooks.'

Autograph Letter Signed ('Mark Batten') to J. Samson, Registrar, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Mark Wilfrid Batten (1905-1993), English sculptor and stone carver
Publication details: 
6 May 1960; on letterhead 'CHRISTIAN'S RIVER DALLINGTON HEATHFIELD SUSSEX'.
£28.00

One page, quarto. Very good, with staple holes in one corner. He thanks Samson for his letter 'about the enquiry from the Esso Petroleum Company concerning a sculptured commemorative tablet. I should be pleased to take part in any limited competition for this project and could carry out the work this year if I were commissioned to do so within the scheme of my existing commitments.' The context is explained by an accompanying photocopy of a carbon of a typed letter (one page, quarto) of 5 May 1960 from Samson to the sculptor Professor R. Y.

Autograph Letter Signed to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800-70)
Publication details: 
Grosvenor Crescent; 11 July 1852.
£36.00

Three pages, 12mo. Good. He did not receive the letter till his return from the continent the previous week. '"The Grove" is a comfortable mansion but there is nothing in any way remarkable about it - Clutterbuck's history of Hertfordshire contains all that is known respecting the persons who have possessed it. There is a fine collection of pictures, many of them by Vandyke & Sir P. Lely, wch. belonged to the Chancellor Clarendon & of them you will find an accurate description in the 3d. Vol. of the "Clarendon Gallery" published a few months ago by my sister Lady Theresa Lewis.

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mrs. Samuel'.

Author: 
Edward Tennyson Reed (1860-1933), Punch cartoonist
Publication details: 
20 December [no year]; on letterhead '17, FITZ-GEORGE AVENUE, | WEST KENSINGTON, | W.'
£56.00

One page, 12mo. Good, if a little aged and lightly creased. He apologises for the delay in 'sending the drawing that now I ask you to please me by accepting' (not present). He asks her to accept it as a present for 'that almost superannuated festivity' of Christmas. 'I send you a coat-of-arms as that includes a certain amount of letterpress which you will I think prefer to a simple drawing'. He has delivered all the drawings bought by Mrs Samuel's friend and has received his thanks.' Signed 'E. T. Rees'.

Les Merveilles de l'Exposition de 1889

Author: 
Various Authors.
Publication details: 
Paris, [1889].
£150.00

"Histoire - Construction - Inauguration - Description detaillee des palais, des Annexes et des parcs - Les Chefs d'Oeuvre de l'art de tous les Pays - Les Machines - Les Arts Indystriels - Les Produits Manufactures - Les Exposition Speciales - La Tour Eiffel Ouvrage Redige par des Ecrivains Speciaux et des Ingenieurs. 1083pp., folding paltes and illustrated throughout, thick 4to, hf. leather with raised bands, worn, marbled boards worn, pages yellowed at edge, hinge strain at front (recasing or reback would be desirable, contents otherwise good. COPAC records one copy only

Archive of correspondence with the Royal Society of Arts, consisting of twenty-one letters from Gray, one copy, and carbons of fifteen replies.

Author: 
Milner Connorton Gray, industrial artist and graphic designer (1899-1997) [The Royal Society of Arts]
Publication details: 
1947-1962; London.
£280.00

The collection is in very good condition, with a few staple and pin holes. Gray's letters are signed 'Milner Gray' and occasionally 'Milner'. All but the first two, which are on Society of Industrial Artists letterheads, are on Design Research Unit letterheads. An early letter (5 April 1949), to Kenneth Luckhurst, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, apologises for and explains a 'difficulty' which has arisen 'over the fees we estimated for completing the necessary working drawings and supervising construction of the permanent display screens for the Society's headquarters'.

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mrs. Francis'.

Author: 
Walter Charles Horsley
Publication details: 
5 July 1904; 6 Bedford Gardens, West.
£36.00

English artist (1855-1934) of the oriental school, a member of a family whose papers are in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Two pages, 12mo. Very good, though grubby and on paper discoloured with age. He thanks her for her note and is sorry that she 'should have had any trouble about the bundles' Has heard 'on all hands that the Bargain went off extremely well', and hopes 'it was as financially successful'. 'The Egyptian called on me to-day and seemed much pleased with himself.' Hopes he 'behaved and acquitted himself well.' Signed 'Walter C Horsley'.

Autograph Note Signed AND Typed Letter Signed to the Secretary of the Royal Society of Arts (Menzies).

Author: 
Bernard Rackham.
Publication details: 
Victoria & Albert Museum, 5 and 20 May 1925.
£85.00

Museum Curator and Authority on Ceramics (see DNS). Total, two pages, good condition. (5 May 1925) "I have handed on your enquiry to Mr. A.J. Koop, my colleague who deals with cloisonne enamels. My own concern with enamelling is limited to painted enamels." (20 May) He expresses pleasure at being invited to judge "the designs for pottery and glass at the forthcoming competition of the Society of Arts. . ." Two items,

Autograph Letter Signed to an unnamed correspondent.

Author: 
J. W. Whymper.
Publication details: 
43 Lambeth Road, 30 Sept. 1876
£125.00

Wood-engraver. Two pages, 8vo, good condition. "I have just received yr last two drawings. / I will have these drawn I think, for photography gives a coat to the wood and when you think your tints are too light - you find them too dark. / With regard to the Beach cut I am persuaded that in printing it will now come very near the original, the colours of which I think you must have forgotten, and I have written to Mr Smiles (who seems to wish to get on without the subject) to try it at press - now it has been more finished - which I trust you will also approve. . . . PS.

Autograph Letter Signed to "[Wingman?]", fellow-artist.

Author: 
Frank Brangwyn
Publication details: 
[Headed notepaper] Temple Lodge, Queen Street, Hammersmith, 5 [June?] 1905.
£65.00

Artist and illustrator. Two pages, minor defects, mainly good. He thanks him for a letter and cheque for thirty guneas. "I shall be most delighted to see your Morocco sketches, they must be most interesting." He'll call by the next week and appreciates his kindness in offering one of the sketches. Note: autograph letters by Brangwyn appear to be scarce.

Ten Typed Letters Signed to G. K. Menzies, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Maurice Everett Webb [Sir Aston Webb; Royal Society of Arts]
Publication details: 
1924 to 1927; on letterheads of Sir Aston Webb & Son, '19, QUEEN ANNE'S GATE, | WESTMINSTER, | LONDON, S.W.1.'
£210.00

Architect (1880-1939), son of Sir Aston Webb, designer of Admiralty Arch, the Victoria Memorial, etc. All ten items very good. Five docketed and six bearing R.S.A. stamp. All ten signed 'Maurice E. Webb'. An interesting and important correspondence, mainly concerning the renovation of the R.S.A.'s Adelphi building.

Two Autograph Letters Signed to 'Mr. Perry'[, Secretary?, Royal Society of Arts].

Author: 
Maxwell Ashby Armfield
Publication details: 
22 March and 2 April 1931; the first on letterhead '8 Roland Gardens, London, S.W.7', the second on letterhead of the Greenleaf Theatre
£150.00

British stage designer (died 1971), painter, writer and lecturer. Both items one page, octavo, and very good, though lightly creased. Both signed 'Maxwell Armfield'. LETTER ONE (docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp): He has read the lecture by 'Mr. Davis', 'with great interest [...] our opinions on the subject seem to be identical! I should like to meet him some time if he is an accessible sort of person. [...] a series of such lectures issued as pamphlets with attractive titles would do a great deal towards a better understanding of the problem'.

Six Autograph Letters Signed, to [G. E.] Mercer[, Deputy Secretary,] and [J.] Samson[, Assistant Secretary,] of the Royal Society of Arts. Together with manuscript syllabus of a course of lectures.

Author: 
Sir John Newenham Summerson
Publication details: 
1958 to 1965; the first four on letterhead of Sir John Soane's Museum, the last two on letterhead 1 Eton Villas, NW3.
£150.00

Architectural historian (1904-92) and curator of Sir John Soane's Museum, 1945-84. Seven leaves, all very good, though some lightly creased and all with staple holes in top left-hand corner. The first three letters to Mercer and the last three to Samson. Three letters docketed. ITEM ONE (two pages, 12mo, 7 August 1958): He is 'much attracted' by the Society's invitation 'to give three Cantor lectures on Country Houses', 'especially as I understand the text of the lectures would be published'. There is however 'one rather grave difficulty.

Autograph Note Signed to [Puggi?]. In French.

Author: 
Cham (de Noi).
Publication details: 
1 April [no year].
£78.00

Noé, Amédée-Charles-Henry de (1818-1879). French cartoonist.. - caricaturist. One page, 8vo, laid down, sl. damaged but text clear and complete. He says that Madame de Noe [avec accent] is fully recovered from illness and wonders if his correspondent can dine next sunday. "Un mot de reponse s.v.p." He concludes with formal best wishes. The conjoint blank leaf is laid down - on the recto of this blank is a draft acceptance signed [Paggi?].

Autograph Letter Signed, in French, to Monsieur Bailly President of the Institut.

Author: 
Emile Bastien-Lepage
Publication details: 
7 April 1887; 6 Rue de Phalsbourg, Paris.
£35.00

French architect (1845-1938), brother of the painter Jules Bastien-Lepage. One page, 12mo. Very good, on discoloured paper. Rodin (the sculptor) has informed him that the sketch requested by the committee will be ready the next Saturday. Points out that it will be difficult to convene a meeting during the Easter holidays. Signed 'Emile Bastien-Lepage'.

Autograph Letter Signed "Goldschmidt, 5 rue des beaux-Arts", to "Monsieur Charadam, Marchant de tableaux, 20 Boulevard des Italiens."

Author: 
Hermann Goldschmidt.
Publication details: 
Paris, 22 August 1844.
£150.00

Artist and astronomer (1802-1866). One page, bottom edge curled but text clear and complete. He is sending two "tableaux which Charadam had seen at his house. He would like him to display them that evening "ayant l'intention de les envoyer a un exposition [?] a Amsterdam . . .".

Two Autograph Letters Signed to Shirley Slocombe, artist, and related material.

Author: 
Percy Macquoid.
Publication details: 
26 July 1904 and 16 Aug. (no year).
£250.00

Furniture Historian. Two letters SIGNED by Macquoid,one by amanuensis (he apologises for this - unwell). 3 pages, 4to, and 4 pages 8vo, good condition. He discusses matters which relate to their work on "A History of English Furniture" for which Slocombe provided illustrations - progress on a task; plans, wishes; contact with owners/aristos ;travels; suggestions; a sketch of a table; and so on. WITH: a page of notes in Slocombe's hand headed "oak furniture I am to paint"; a typed letter with ms.

Original cartoon

Author: 
Harry Furniss
Publication details: 
no date
£100.00

Original pencilled cartoon of an old lady drinking champagne, c.1.75" x 3.25". It is unsigned but is drawn on the back of a place card (for a dinner) with Harry Furniss's name on the front. It has, at some time, been separated from a group of such cards (so states a substantial description acccompanying the item) collected by the surgeon Sir James Paget who collected such things at functions of the Royal Academy of Arts.

Autograph Letters Signed to Malcolm Mackenzie.

Author: 
Sir William Russell Flint.
Publication details: 
Peel Cottage, 30 April 1949.
£150.00

Printed address, headed notepaper. Two pages, 8vo, good condition. Russell Flint is responding to a letter from Mackenzie (attached, copy Typed Letter, one page, 4to, 26 April 1949- saying that he (Mackenzie) has circularised friends in the Press asking them to urge readers to buy water-colours as "a jolly good investment". Mackenzie also comments on the neglect of the teaching of water-colour painting in the schools, and its consequences. Russell Flint approves and has wanted to meet up but been busy with the RA Private View et al.

Autograph Signatures on fragment of document.

Author: 
William Behnes; George Robins
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£25.00

Behnes (died 1864) was a sculptor, and Robins (1778-1847) a flamboyant auctioneer. Very good, on piece of paper roughly two inches by three and a half. From a collection of Autograph Signatures cut from petitions to the Artists' General Benevolent Fund. Blank reverse.

Syndicate content