STOUGHTON

Each of the three coloured plates is 19 x 14 cm, and each is laid down on a piece of 31.5 x 20.5 cm cream textured paper, each mount with caption and vignette printed in green. The three are placed in a portfolio, made of the same textured paper as the mount, with the front carrying the title, publishers' details, and an illustration (of underwater baby balancing on a fish). In fair condition, aged and with wear to extremities.

Letter: 6pp., 12mo, on bifolium and single leaf. An vivid and entertaining letter, shedding light on Victorian valuation and auctioneering practices. Barling wastes no time in passing on the bad news. 'I am very glad you have written to me about the B[awdeswe]ll. pictures & I can tell you [last world underlined] plainly what the 2 Christie's opinion was which I cd. not do to poor old C[larke]. S[toughto]n. The inspection in issue was a grievous disappointment. So far worse than I cd. have possibly believed, and then coming the question cd. two such Men as the Christies be wrong?

All nine are printed on art paper, roughly 18 x 12.5 cm. Tipped in onto 27.5 x 21 cm leaves. The mounts have the title, 'THE GLOOMY THICK WOOD | By Kay Nielsen' and a border surrounding the plate, both printed in olive. The collection is in very good condition, with occasional nicking to the mount. None of the items carry any indication that they have been cancelled or rejected. Providing a fascinating insight into the quality-control process in early twentieth-century book illustration, with most of the items rejected because the colours are slightly off-register.

One page. Dimensions of slip roughly four inches by five and a quarter wide. Somewhat aged, but entirely legible. Reads 'British Quarterly Review | Can you tell me what was the last part of this issued, if it is possible to get a title-page and index to vol 83. My last part is 166 April 1886'. Docketed note of reply states that no title was published to the volume containing April 1886.

Cambridge divine (1791-1864) who arranged and catalogued all the University's papers. Two pages, 16mo, very good. 'Pray accept my best thanks for all your kindness with regard to that poor flighty creature Mrs Stone. I am very sorry to hear that Mrs Stoughton Money Kyrle [wife of James Stoughton Money Kyrle, 1813-52] has had the misfortune to become a widow. Will you be so good as to give my best remembrances to that amiable & most agreeable lady?'

Octavo. 243 pages. Frontispiece illustration. In original red cloth embossed binding. Poor copy: rear endpapers split, binding grubby, pages foxed. Presentation inscription on verso of flyleaf dated October 1914.