INSTITUTION

Thirteen files, on the following works by John Gibb: Kelvin Aqueduct; Broomielaw Bridge; Cullen Harbour; Boat O'Brig Bridge; Bonar Bridge; Cartlands Crag Bridge; Almond Viaduct; Northern Lighthouses; Victoria Railway Bridge over the River Wear; Stonehaven Harbour; Aberdeen Harbour; Don Bridge.

8vo, 1 p. Nine lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and lightly-spotted paper, lightly-creased and with small closed tears at edges of central crease. From the context of other items in the same collection, this letter relates to an 'Artists general Benevolent Banquet' (for which Dollman was acting as steward). Hassall writes that the previous year he 'got into trouble through giving subscriptions to stewards of other society's than the R[oyal]. I[nstitution].', so that 'if there's to be an R. I. table this year I must support it for all I'm worth'.

Landscape 12mo (12.5 x 20.5 cm), 2 pp. Good, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with pinhole to one top corner. Concerning a meeting at the Society, Murray is 'so glad to hear that His Excellency, the Greek Minister has consented to take the Chair'. 'My lecture on Hellenism will be practically the same as that which I gave on January 21st to the Royal Institution, [...] I hardly think you will wish to print it again, [...] I did not know when accepting your invitation that you proposed to publish the lecture afterwards.

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. He would have answered Sedgwick's letter punctually, had he been able to help him. 'But I have not only no notes for the Walton Convalescent Institution of my own available, but I have been (before your application) desirous of obtaining one for a young man known to me personally, and have not (as yet) succeeded in the object.' He hopes to send him 'a letter about hymns in the course of this autumn'. [Palmer edited a selection.]

8vo: 16 pp. Stapled and unbound, in original blue printed wraps. Good, with light spotting, in stained, spotted wraps. Rust stains from staples. Ownership inscription of H. J. Young, dated November 1895, on front wrap. Advises his audience on 'the education proper for a budding Engineer', 'a lad who intends to tread the higher walks of theh profession'. Moves from apprenticeship to the positions of chief draughtsman and manager, before ending with observations on the 'combination of qualities' required by the 'successful business man'.

Octavo: 5 pps. Unbound. In original grey printed wraps. Very good, with thin strip of discoloration at foot of back wrap. Manuscript correction (by Robinson?) to one word, and pencil diagram of 'Waste Weir & flood Water Channel' drawn on blank verso of final leaf.

Octavo: 28 pp (paginated 203-230). Unbound and stitched. In original orange printed wraps. Fold-out lithographic plate (c.21 x 45 cms, containing figs. 2 to 6) by C. F. Kell of Castle Street, Holborn, and three illustrations in text: fig.1, a 'useful portable silo [...] made by Messrs. Reynolds', fig.7, 'a simple form of silo with Reynolds' pressure', and fig.8, 'a suggested design for a silo'. The aim of the paper is to 'bring before The Surveyors' Institution some recent phases of the sewage question'. Very good, if a tad dusty at head.

Text of all three letters clear and entire. A well-written and well-informed correspondence relating to 'locomotive matters'. Letter One (14 October 1942): Manuscript. Foolscap, 4 pp. Good, on aged high-acidity paper. 'Knowing, and to some extent, at least, sharing' King's 'interest in loco matters', Pimm informs him that the Ministry of Supply 'have ordered 360 L.M.S. mixed traffics generally like the 227 that AW's [Armstrong Whitworth] bill as their last order'.

8vo: 13 pp. Stitched. In original cream printed wraps. On aged, spotted paper, in heavily worn wraps. Facsimile of handwriting at head of front wrap reads 'With the Author's Compliments'. Two diagrams in text.

8vo: 52 pp. Stitched pamphlet in marbled paper wraps. On aged, damp-stained paper, with foxing to last leaf. The Institution was later renamed the National Institute and eventually became a part of the Smithsonian Institute.

12mo, 1 p. Good, on lightly aged and ruckled paper. Laid down on a piece of grey paper removed from an autograph album. Accepting an invitation, and informing the recipient that 'Mrs Callcott has recovered from her last attack - but she is still slightly affected at times, and is very weak.'

12mo, 2 pp. good, on aged paper, but with slight damage along the inner edge as a result of removal from stub. Text entirely legible. Docketed 'Professor Tyndall' in a contemporary hand at foot of second page. He wishes he 'could respond to half the invitations for which I am indebted to the kind acts of my friends'. The 'duties now pressing' on him 'render this literally impossible'. 'All I can do under the circumstances is to wish success to your young society'.

12mo, 1 p, 11 lines. Good, with thin strip of discoloration along the outer edge. He is grateful to Hodgson 'for thinking of me'. Nothing would give Clarendon greater pleasure 'than to meet the Members of the Booksellers Provid[en]t Institution at Abbot's Langley', but unfortunately he has to go to London that Friday morning 'in order to keep some engagements that I have made on Saturday'.

12mo, 3 pp. Very good. Nichols regrets not seeing the recipient 'again before I left the Institution on Tuesday, to thank you for your kind attention' [Upcott was sub-librarian at the London Institution]. He is sending him a proof (presumably of an article in the Gentleman's Magazine), 'that you may see what I have said about your Album, and also what about modern collectors, and make any emendation you think fit in either place'. Discussion of 'the earliest Album in the Museum', about the date of which the recipient has been misled by a misprint.

Six of the letters are 4to, 1 p; the other is 12mo, 1 p. All good, on lightly aged paper. All bearing the Society's stamp and most docketed. On a variety of subjects: a proposed paper by 'Herr Frahm', the use by the Institution of the Royal Society's library for a council meeting, the delivery to the Society of a 'model tank that is coming from Germany' ('the reader of the paper is sending his representative over from Germany to superintend matters'), and a 'Proposed Memorial to the late Sir William White' ('with reference to Mr. Bailey Saunders and Mr. C. R. Graves.

One page, 12mo. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. 'I thank you sincerely, and I thank you heartily for the Signature of the late eccentric and wealthy Lord Chedworth. - Had I stood at the elbow of the person who placed it on the File - I should have requested him to pierce it nearer the edge of the paper - more befitting a Collector of Autographs - and more acceptable to dear Sir, Your very obliged St'.

One page, octavo. Very good. Docketed at head 'Ordinary of Newgate', and with small fragment of printed slip laid down in top left-hand corner (not affecting text). Reads 'My dear Sir, | A friend of mine lays claim to the Arrandale Peerage & estates - do you happen to possess any documents of any kind which can throw light upon the subject & assist him in the prosecution of his claims - He claims I believe from Lord John Johnstone who was in Newgate for Treason about the year 1700, but was never convicted - Yrs. very truly | H S Cotton'. Addressed to 'William Upcott Esq.

Two pages, 12mo. Good, on aged paper. The bottom of the letter neatly torn away, perhaps to remove the recipient's name. He is returning the 'Lists - and with them - the 35 Franks I have been able to find - together with the five which you sent by post - being duplicates which my friend already possesses. -'. He is grateful for the 'very friendly invitation'.

On blue paper 10 x 18 cms. Good, with trace of previous white paper mount on reverse. Printed receipt, filled in in manuscript. Reads 'No. [32] 5, VIGO STREET, | W.1. | [June 2nd 1937] | Received a DONATION of [One Guinea] | from [The Misses Ruck] | for the ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. | £[1] : [1] | [-] | [next word deleted] Secretary | [next two lines cyclostyled in purple ink] most gratefully | Laura Knight'.

Octavo: 39 pp. Stitched. In original orange wraps, with grey printed paper boards. On spotted, aged paper, with insect holes to a couple of leaves. Wraps stained and worn. First English printing of an essay noted for its coupling with Henry James's piece of the same name (not present here) in an American edition of 1885.

Landscape. Dimensions of paper roughly nine inches by thirteen and a half. Trimmed. Clear image on aged and foxed paper. Captioned 'This ENGRAVING of the BOOKSELLERS' PROVIDENT RETREAT at Abbots Langley, Herts, erected upon ground presented by JOHN DICKINSON, ESQ.

Thirteen pages, octavo, and fold-out 'PLATE XXI' (eight and a half inches by twenty-two and a half wide), with nine illustrations, headed 'THE DRAWING OFFICE BY MR. ARCHIBALD DENNY.', by Robert Gardner & Co., Engineering Lithographers, Glasgow. Unbound and stapled. Good, on aged and lightly foxed paper. Original pink printed wraps detached, chipped and with minor loss. PRESENTATION COPY, with front wrap (which has minor offsetting in ink) headed in pencil 'With the Authors Compts'. Ownership inscription of 'H. J. Young | Nov: '95' at head of first page.

Rowton edited a celebrated anthology of British female poets. One page, 12mo. Poor: grubby and with remains of stub from previous mounting adhering to edge of bifoliate. 'It will give me great pleasure to deliver my Lecture on Charles Dickens at the Southwark Institution during the next Season. - My terms will be eight Guineas for the Three. - | I may perhaps be allowed to say that I am now delivering these Lectures (the Second comes on tomorrow night) at this Institution, with very great success, to crowded audiences.

Bookseller and publisher (1862-1933). One page, 12mo. Very good, docketed with the Society's stamp. 'In reply to your circular letter, I beg to apply for admission as a Fellow of your Society and herewith forward my application together with my cheque value 2 guineas, which in the event of not being elected, please return to | Yours faithfully | George H. Whitaker'.

(1864-1947). Chemist, Director of the International Institute Examinations Enquiry, and first Vice Chancellor of the University of Dhaka. One page, folio. Very good. Marked 'Personal' and bearing the Society's stamp. He is sorry Menzies has been ill and hopes 'the cure is radical and that you will soon be quite all right again.

English chemist (1788-1866) who succeeded Sir Humphrey Davy as Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution (1813). Two pages, octavo. Very good, though lightly creased and with remains of previous mount adhering to one edge. Begins 'I have no doubt that much fraud is committed by the substitution of spiritious liquors of different strengths, for what is called woodspirit and wood naphtha'.

English author (died 1918), and authority on church architecture. Three pages, on two 16mo cards (both embossed). Docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. 'May I offer a lecture of architectural character for next session? I have lectured to the R.I.B.A. on "Cathedral Chronology" and on "Continental Romanesque" and to the Architectural Association the London Institution &c If you will refer to the Secretary of the last or of the other institutions, you would obtain information as to the reception of my lectures.

Minor English artist who (according to docketed note) exhibited between 1838 and 1859. One page, 12mo. Very good, though somewhat grubby. Reads '226 I have the honour to send 1 picture for the ensuing exhibition at the Manchester Royal Institution, entitled "The new acquaintance" vide The Vicar of Wakefield | Price with frame 34 gs. | [Price] without [frame] 30 [gs.] | Signed 'Jno. G Hankes'. Second leaf of bifoliate addressed, and with top corner cut away and present beneath black wax seal, which bears the smudged impression of a crest.

British naval architect (died 1969). One page, quarto. Folded three times. Very good, but lightly creased. Docketed in ink. Probably relating to the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, of which Giles was a leading member. 'Your views rather coincide with mine, reinforced by a more careful read through of the literature over the weekend. In particular one noticed a falling off in quality of those elected in the last year as compared to the previous.

The South-Western Polytechnic was opened at Manresa Road, Chelsea, in 1895, to provide scientific and technical education to Londoners. It changed its name to Chelsea Polytechnic in 1922. Renamed Chelsea College and formally incorporated into the University of London, 1971. An important collection, casting much light on the foundation of the College. In very good condition overall, despite being on paper discoloured with age and by glue. Five items.