HALL

4pp., 12mo. Fair, on lightly-aged paper with slight discoloration to inner margins from previous mounting. She thanks Alice for her 'sweet letter', and declares that she has had 'a very very pleasant visit here. I like my friends here extremely. They are my sort for all that they are strong conservatives, and they are so simple, so homely, so gentle, & I get on with them as well as - what shall I say? . as well as with you!

Handbill, one page, 8vo, creased, marked and foxed, shiful repair of tear, text complete Eleven stanzas (44 lines), mainly based on her life, commencing, "'Twas the Peg Woffington incident enacted once again, | A well-known public performer couldn't stand the strain....[ending] May the earth lie lightly on her, this most human, generous hearted soul." Copies were to be had of the Author and proceeds to "enable the Un-employed worker [the Poet?] to get a living." Scarce: no copy listed.

On one side of a piece of paper approximately 18.5 x 6.5 cm, neatly cut from a letter. Laid down on a piece of 22.5 x 28 cm paper, and with a border drawn around it. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'We have been most kindly & hospitably received by every body & I find such a variety of character & even of incident (of a political kind) that I rejoice exceedingly at having come here in the first instance. We still propose leaving this on the 1st. of Feby., Charleston on the 1st. of March, & New Orleans on the 1st.

One page, 16mo, fold mark, good condition. I finish my London season June 21st therefore shall not be able to sing for you. I an extremely sorry.

From the papers of Alfred Clay Abraham (1853-1942), Liverpool pharmacist, and his daughter Emma Clarke Abraham (1850-1934) of Swarthmoor Hall, Ulverston. All items in fair condition, on aged paper, with texts clear and complete. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from Henry Murray to his late wife Mary's brother. 8 pp, 12mo. On two bifoliums. Begins: 'Although a Stranger to you I perhaps need not apologise for the obtrusion of this communication upon you, when I inform you that I am the husband - or rather was the husband of your poor Sister Mary. for alas!

Both items good, on lightly-aged paper. ONE. 15 October 1842. 4to, 3 pp. Philip Henry Howard has placed in Hall's hands 'a memorandum relative to some questions proposed by you, with regard to Thomas Fell of Lancaster', and he provides information which he considers shows that Fell 'disapproved of the course of events, in 1547 - absented himself & never appeared in public life again - but a private memoir would tend to verify this suspicion'. TWO. 26 October 1842. 12mo, 3 pp.

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. 26 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of blue paper mount adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf. Apologises for being unable to 'attend a meeting of Managers of St. John's Schools' that week: 'Miss Wilbraham will be away from home the following week & Lord Skelmersdale does not arrive till the 20th.' Gives dates when he can attend, if his unnamed correspondent thinks it 'advisable to have the meeting without them'.

The Earl of Darnley's four letters (all signed 'Darnley') total 27 pp in 12mo; Lady Darnley's eight letters (all signed 'H. Darnley') total 26 pp in 12mo. All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Darnley's first letter, 16 September 1853 (12mo, 12 pp), is unusually blunt for the period, and revealing on the etiquette of the period. It begins: 'I trust that the change in your mode of addressing me was accidental, and I have therefore not imitated it, and have used one word which you omitted [presumably 'Dear'].

Seven items, all in very good condition on lightly-aged paper. Trevelyan's idiosyncratic and hypochondriacal character comes through strongly in this correspondence, ostensibly concerned with his application to become a magistrate, but largely devoted to the state of his health. ONE and TWO. Manuscript copies of short letters from Trevelyan to Thorp and the Duke of Northumberland. Both dated 22 October 1832, and both 4to, 1 p. Requesting 'a Dedimus, as a commencing Magistrate'. THREE. Manuscript copy of letter from Trevelyan to Thorp. 23 October 1832; Netherwitton, Morpeth. 4to, 1 p.

All 4to, with the letters totalling 22 pp, and the list of 'Funghi, East Kent' of 15 pp. All items clear and complete. Three leaves with light staining (one with short closed tear), otherwise all in good condition, on aged paper. All three in envelopes (lacking stamps), addressed by Clifton and with his seal in red wax. ONE. 4 October 1889. 4to, 12 pp. Begins: 'It seems a long time since we had a ramble on the Cuxton and Ralling hills from Cobham, and when I killed a viper; and I have been much amused at the apparent incredulity of a brother B.O.U. at the Dumpton Park rarities!

Folio, 2 pp. On the rectos of the two leaves of a bifolium. On laid paper watermarked 'Gilling & Allford 1816'. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The first page contains a letter addressed to 'General Hall' from 'Union Office | Norwich 16th Novr. 1818', forty lines long and signed 'J Crowe'. The second page is headed 'Norwich Union Life Insurance Society | Statement of the particulars of the misconduct of the Secretary Mr Thos Bignold Senr.' It contains a six-point indictment of Bignold, totalling thirty-seven lines.

ONE. Birket Foster's letter to John Abraham: 12mo, 2 pp. 26 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on aged paper, with one dog-eared corner. Docketed 'Birket Foster re Sketches'. A letter of Abraham's has been forwarded to him 'relating to the illustrations which I did for the late Wm. Benson (to illustrate the Memoirs of the Fell family I believe)'. He suggests that they be put into Evans's hands to engrave: 'he is a thoroughly conscientious man, and will do the best he can for the price you like to name'.

Black and white studio photograph, postcard format (13 x 8.5 cm). On leaf removed from autograph album. Good, on shiny photographic paper, with margin making dimensions of image 12 x 8 cm, captioned in bottom right-hand corner 'PHOTO | LAIRD | ABERDEEN'. Showing a kindly-looking Coborn seated in country tweeds, with spectacles in hand and paper on his knees. In addition to a facsimile in the bottom-left, the picture has Coborn's genuine dated signature across his chest: 'Charles Coborn | 28/5/29'.

One page, 12mo, good condition. From a batch of letters most of which are addressed to A. Williams of the Liverpool Mercury. I am afraid that I cannot tell you of any book on English history during the period you mention which can be recommended without reserve. / The best I know is Mr. Lappenberg's History of England, transaletd by B.Thorpe.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. 17 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Begins 'I cannot help thinking your request a very unreasonable one. You have, in the first instance, monopolized, for the best part of the season, my Room, on the night when it is most in request; & now that every body has fully laid out his plans for this side off the autumn you call upon me to release you from an engagement [...]'. He will not force the recipient to occupy the room 'longer than the six nights', but will not keep 'the engagement' open for him at Christmas.

12mo, 2 pp. 15 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Having failed to 'catch' lister after 'our practice', Hullah asks if he would be willing to 'take part in a private performance here of Haydn's Stabat Mater'. Gives details of dates of proposed performance, and rehearsal.

12mo, 1 p. 10 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The recipient 'had better be in Town for the Choral Meeting on the 4th. June'. Gives details of when the recipient will 'generally find' Hullah there.

Oval sepia photograph of the head and shoulders of Hullah, looking to his right in double-breasted jacket. Faded and on aged card, with traces of mount adhering to reverse. The sitter - who by comparison with other photographs is definitely Hullah - is named as 'JOHN HULLAH' in a contemporary hand on the card beneath the laid-down photograph, and as 'Mr Hullah' in pencil on the reverse. Not present in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, which only holds three images of the composer.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. 12 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He would 'much like' to show him a song he has written for 'Exeter Hall', and proposes dinner the following day. In a postscript asks if he has 'learnt anything about R. J. S. Stevens'.

12mo, 1 p. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He is sending 'a few lines to Mr. Otto Goldschmidt, about the Bach Choir'.

One page, folio, part-printed, part manuscript, edges chipped, small closed tears on fold marks and at top and bottom edges, some staining but text clear and complete. The document gives the terms they agree, and Montalba has added I acknowledge the receipt of £50 the signatures for which [?] various sums stand in the cash book-as payment for the wood cuts for the above work & which is to [be] charged in the account | ARMontalba. Note: According to the BLC this work was written by A.Whitehill, translating Montalba.

A total of six parts: Vols I and II complete in leather bindings; the rest (vol. III, pts I & II, and vol. IV, pt II, only) in original grey wraps with white paper printed labels. From the collection of the Rev. Joseph S. Cook, and with his bookplate by Bewick's studio (featuring his coat of arms, an illustration of Newton Hall, and a facsimile of his signature) in the first two volumes, and his ownership inscription to the two parts of vol. III. (Cook contributes a paper to the first volume.) Internally all parts are sound and tight, on lightly-aged paper.

Studio portrait photograph on postcard, captioned 'RENA HALL | MUSICAL SPECIALITIES'. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Depicts Hall in highland costume with bagpipe under her arm and an accordion on a plinth. Inscribed 'To dear Rubye | In memory of Happy days | Love, Rena | 1937'. 'Laddie Cliff and Rena Hall' performed in front of George V and Queen Mary at the Royal Variety Performance, Coliseum Theatre, London, 1923. From the Colleano Family archives.

8vo, vii + 23 pp. Stitched as issued. Text clear and complete. Internally sound, tight and clean; spotting to first and last leaves, with a gummed strip of white paper strengthening the spine. Thin strip along head of title removed, presumably for presentation or ownership inscription. One annotation and two corrections in a contemporary hand. Dedicated by Durrant to John Thomas Wharton of Skelton Castle, 'Bloomsbury Square, London, July 1844.' Three pages of notes at end. Long letter by Tollot, in French. Two Sterne letters, 1764 and 1766, both to Stevenson.

Both items good, on lightly aged and creased paper, with both texts clear and complete. The Minstrels' Gallery referred to in the letter was held in the vicinity of Hamilton's estate Sandon Hall, Staffordshire. Written a few months before Hamilton's death in the celebrated duel with Lord Mohun. Bromley to Hamilton: Autograph Letter Signed, 8vo, 1 p. 23 lines of text. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To his Grace Duke Hamilton in St. James's Square | London.', and docketed 'Mr: Bromley 7:th June 1712 about the Minstrill court & that Holden the Attorney had with drawen'.

12mo, 1 p. Aged, grubby and creased, with slight loss to bottom left-hand corner, and closed tear to one margin. Requesting 'one or two choicest leather trout-fly books with plenty of pages, but not those with printed descriptions of flies'.

For more information relating to this influential series of concerts, see 'Pursuit: The Uncensored Memoirs of John Calder' (2001). Seven items, including two duplicates. Text of all items clear and complete. In fair condition, but with one side of a duplicate advertisement heavily sunned (see below). ONE: Typed Letter Signed ('Ian Hamilton') from Hamilton to Conn (husband of the poet Jeanne Conn), 12 February 1960. 4to, 1 p. Eighteen lines. Responding to Conn's criticisms, explaining reasons for cutting short discussion and cancelling part of the programme, and giving future plans.

8vo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. On creased and lightly-aged paper. He is glad that Sir Thomas appreciates 'the seriousness of our position', and the reasons for asking Hatchards 'to release Mr. Edgeley to us for approximately six months in order to enable him to concentrate mainly upon the rehabilitation of this business'. Not a minor matter; according to one source the firm had '2,217 branches and 1.3 million books in circulation by 1934'.

Dimensions roughly two and a half inches by four and a half wide. Clear, bold signature on aged paper. Reads '<...> believe me Gill's friend as well as your own | [signature] Charlotte H Dolby'. Reverse reads '<...> says, because I get mixed up with such a lot of people, and lose my individuality in the <...>'.

8vo, 24 pp. In original grey printed card wraps. Disbound. Text clear and complete on aged paper. Wraps with some damage at spine caused by disbinding. Compliments slip loosely inserted, bearing a simple pencil sketch of a face in profile. A few light pencil annotations.