TWENTIETH-CENTURY

English historian (1882-1959). All three items, two pages, quarto. All good, though grubby and lightly creased. Three intimate and revealing letters. ITEM ONE apparently sent to Bonham-Carter in America. 'You will soon be back, I think. Are you now occupied in assembling and correlating your observations? [...] I should guess it was quite impossible to think when a Presidential election is going on. | I have been spending a fortnight in Oxford and I asked some of the early-middle-aged dons what the undergraduates were thinking.

English soldier and military historian (1885-1969). One page, quarto. Folded twice. Good, but with minor discoloration and some ink smudging along one edge (not affecting text). Bearing the Society's stamp. Replying, as Haig's private secretary, to a letter electing Haig a fellow of the Society. 'Sir Douglas Haig has asked me to thank you very much for your letter of the 25th instant and will be glad if you will convey to the Council and members of your Society his great appreciation of the honour they have done him.

English politician (1881-1965) and architect, much of whose work was done in the United States. Both letters two pages, quarto. Both letters docketed (the first heavily so), bearing the Society's stamp, and with pin and staple holes in top left-hand corner. Second letter good, first lightly creased and grubby. Revealing documents relating to the Royal Society's 'British Art in Industry' exhibition, held at the Royal Academy in 1935. The Society's website describes this as a 'resounding success', but as these letters show, the matter was not so clear cut.

British industrial designer (1895-1961); Chief Instructor, Design, Royal College of Art, 1925-35. The two carbons to Capey from Luckhurst, one page, 12mo; the other three letters, one page, quarto. All very good, though somewhat dusty and lightly creased, and with staple holes to the top left-hand corners. Throwing useful light on the state of post-war art education, the correspondence concerns a request to Luckhurst from 'one-time Fellow of the Society' Hollewell for 'information and advice in regard to my daughter's future training'.

English oboist (1897-1988). One page, octavo. Good, on thick laid paper. Pin marks in one corner and neat red stamp '20 MAR 1942'. He 'would like to see the proofs of the Mozart Quartet to check up the crescendo's and diminuendos just in case they are not correct.' He agrees with the 'scheme of marking only the parts'. 'With regard to Boughton's times I have them safe, I hope to play them in the near future but am rather at the mercy of the BBC.'

Barbara Hastings, daughter of the jurist Sir Patrick Hastings, married Nicolas Bentley (1907-78) in October 1934. In the 1940s she wrote a series of children's books which he illustrated. Two pages, octavo. good, but folded twice and with some creases. An important letter, in which she describes the circumstances of her husband's death. She is very grateful for his letter. 'It was an enormous pleasure to have you here with Kenneth and Billie [bookseller Kenneth Bredon and his wife], but do you know I think it was that dreadful fire that killed poor Nick - indirectly.

One page, very good. Postcard illustration of Marie Taglioni. In Bentley's distinctive neat hand. 'If & when Angus & Robertson's traveller shows you a book called Dead Funny, illus. by Bill Tidy, pubs. Ask & Grant, I hope you'll feel compelled to place a huge order: The Grant is Arabella's husband, just breaking into publishing (mad!) How are you & Billie? We should love to see you both, but I doubt that you ever come this way. If you do, you can count on a warm bed & reception. Try & make it sometimes.' Signed 'Nick'.

English educationalist (born 1900) and authority on West Africa. Various formats from 12mo to quarto. Very good. Some items stamped or docketed. Mainly relates to a lecture to the Society by Ward, provisionally entitled 'Mass education in the colonies'. Letter of 1 November 1948: 'I am leaving for Beirut in a fortnight to attend the UNESCO conference, and am straining to get the next issue of 'Overseas Education' off to the press before I go.

British sailor (1876-1939), hydrographer of the Royal Navy (1924-32), inventor of the Douglas Protractor and the Douglas-Appleyard Arcless Sextant. Various formats from 12mo to octavo. Very good, some docketed and/or bearing the Society's stamp. Relating to the business of the Society, and in particular to a lecture by Douglas involving film of the Manchester Ship Canal.

Dimensions six inches by eight. Four of the photographs very good, the other good, but with staining in one corner (capable of professional cleaning). Good, clear, professional images against a black background. The goblet was commissioned by Bonham Carter from Whistler as a wedding present to the present queen of England on her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh. The body is etched with intricate images and the words 'Elizabeth | so be it ever, joy and peace. | And mutual love give you increase, | That your posterity may grow | In fame, as long as seas do flow.

Scottish engineer (died 1967), noted for his innovative design of a gas turbine engine. One page, 12mo. Very good. Pinholes to one corner and bearing a date stamp. He is honoured to be nominated as a fellow of the Society, and encloses the proposal and a cheque (neither present), thanking the Council 'for the kind invitation extended to me'. Signed 'H. Sammons'.

From the archive of Mark Bonham Carter. Good, but on lightly creased, worn, discoloured paper with a few closed tears, stains and pencil marks. ITEM ONE: one page (8 3/4 inches by 11 1/4), headed 'UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD | ALL SOULS COLLEGE | ELECTION TO FELLOWSHIPS'. Begins: 'As announced in the University Gazette in September and October (Nos. 2485 and 2487) All Souls College will hold an examination from 1 to 4 May 1946, for the election of not more than three Fellows, if candidates of sufficient merit offer themselves.' States 'conditions of candidature and terms of the Fellowships'.

8vo. Pages: xi + 242. 11 plates. Good, despite one bump at head of back board. Dustwrapper good, despite fraying at head and tail of spine and show-through sellotape discolouration . Dustjacket discoloration to free endpapers. Neat inscription, presumably by Perles, in green ink on front free endpaper 'To | Jack Mitchell | from Alfred Perles | & | Henry Miller | London March, 56.'

Founder and first editor of The British Advertiser (1873-1957). The collection in very good condition, with rust marks from a paperclip to one item. All items quarto. All items signed 'Alfred H. Angus'. The first letter invites 'The Managing Editor' of the Society's Journal to become a member of the A.B. of C. 'It is felt that your co-operation would be of the utmost value to the Bureau in the achievent of its objectives.' Letter three states that the I.S.B.A. executive have 'unanimously elected' W. D. H. McCullough as their representative to the R.S.A. committee.

British railway magnate and industrialist in India (1862-1949). The collection is very good. The five autograph letters are 12mo, and printed on letterheads. All items signed 'C H Armstrong'. Several items docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. Mainly concerned with Society committee matters, but two letters of interest. The first (autograph, 15 February 1928, 2 pages, 12mo): 'You will no doubt have seen the remarks of the Lord Chief Justice in the Mitchell Hedges case - Times of 14 inst page 5 column 2 - on "learned societies . . . .

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.

English painter (1880-1952) and member of the International Socialist Organization. All items in good condition, though variously grubby or discoloured with age, lightly creased or with pin holes to corners. All items signed either 'T C Dugdale' or 'T. C. Dugdale'. Several items docketed and/or bearing the Society's stamp. LETTER ONE (typed, 23 June 1925, one page, 12mo, on letterhead '9 AVENUE STUDIOS, 76 FULHAM ROAD, LONDON, S.W.3.'): He hopes to 'be able to accept your invitation to act as Judge in the same section as last year'. Asks for the date.

English novelist (1881-1958). One page, roughly six and a half inches by five. Good, but on high-acidity paper discoloured with age. Attached to folio page from cuttings album. She thanks him for 'the cutting from the Cambridge Daily News about your lecture on Cambridge novels, which interested me. I do not suppose I could have said anything useful if you had written to me, as I can never think of anything to say in letters. I was interested in your comparison of Oxford & Cambridge novels.

British colonial administrator (1868-1924), Member of Council of India, 1914-19, and Permanent Under Secretary of State for India from 1919. Two pages, 12mo. Folded once. Very good, though lightly creased and a little discoloured. Docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp. Referring to a previous letter he finds 'that the point that officials who have passed the advanced stage of your exam[inatio]n. in Book Keeping are exempted at the examination for Divisional Accountants in India is really not a new one,. You tell it yourself in your letter [...], so it was before the Govt. of India.

Agricultural chemist (1876-1964). Both one page, quarto, and very good, though lightly creased. The letter carries a few light carbon-paper stains. The note informs the editor of the R.S.A. journal that Crowther is returning the 'corrected copy of my remarks in the discussion on my paper. | I presume that you will be sending me a supply of reprints when the Journal comes out'. The letter thanks the secretary for the copies of the journal.

Chairman and Managing Director of Lyons & Co. Ltd (1876-1941). One page, quarto. Very good. Docketed in pencil. Reads: 'Many thanks for sending me a copy of your book, World Peace and Armaments. I shall look forward with great interest to reading it.' Signed 'Isidore Salmon'.

British chemist (1878-1945), Vice-President of the Royal Society, 1942-3. All items in very good condition. All letters, one page, quarto. Subjects include an R.S.A. lecture by Armstrong on 'Hydrogen and its uses', the proof of another lecture, Armstrong's chairmanship of various R.S.A. meetings, his appointment as R.S.A. Vice-President, and the possibility of a 'paper on the hydrogenation of bituminous coal ('even though a good many people may be a little tired of the subject'): 'I suppose the man you ought to ask in the first place is K.

British politician (1847-1923), member of House of Commons (1886-1892; 1893-1900), member of House of Lords after becoming Lord Weardale in 1905; president of two Interparliamentary Conferences (1890; 1906). These two items constitute a long and extremely interesting critique of Jacobs' 'Neutrality versus justice: an essay on international relations' (1917). LETTER ONE: nine pages, 12mo. Very good, on three bifoliate letterheads.

General manager of the Royal Automobile Club (1871-1944). All four items one page, quarto. All four in good condition and signed 'F. P. Armstrong'. All four docketed and two bearing R.S.A. stamp. Note one asks for '100 stamped envelopes' for sending to 'Members of the Committee and others who would be interested in the papers that are to be read before the Royal Society'. Note two thanks the editor of the R.S.A. Journal for the 'copies of Mr. O'Gorman's paper'.

British architect (1883-1952) who worked on 'the Bath Improvement Scheme, Saint Catherine's Church, Hammersmith, W., The Regent Theatre, Brighton, The Picture House, Edinburgh, Gresham Hotel, Dublin, and many private and other works' (Who's Who). One page, quarto. Very good. Docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp. Headed 're Architectural Decoration Committee'. He assumes that 'the Agenda of a meeting of your Committee on the 30th November at 4 p.m.' has been sent to him in error, as he has written a letter declining the invitation to serve on it.

Eminent British metallurgist (1874-1958). One page, quarto. Very good. 'I should have been pleased to take the chair at Professor Bragg's Lecture, but I have already undertaken to preside at a similar lecture by Professor Bragg [...] and to have the same Chairman on both occasions, the lectures dealing with the same subjects, would suggest that Metallurgy is very poorly represented in London. Would it be possible to get Sir Harold Carpenter to take the chair? I am sure that you will have a good Meeting, as Professor Bragg's lectures are always exceedingly interesting.' Signed 'C. H.

British research chemist (1872-1940), Mason Professor of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, and author of numerous works. All three items very good; all three docketed and two bearing the Society's stamp. All three signed 'G. T. Morgan'. ITEM ONE (typed letter, one page, quarto, slightly creased, with one pin hole): His 'change of address and the recent crisis have both hindered my reply to your letter'. Would be honoured to be one of the Society's Cantor Lecturers, and suggests as title 'Achievements of British Chemical Industry in the last Twenty-five Years'.

Naval author and journalist (died 1942). One page, quarto. Discoloured with age and with a few closed tears but in good condition overall. Docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. 'I should be obliged if you could let me have copies of any promotion matter which you have put out in recent years for the purpose of attracting artists to enter competitions for poster designs.' Signed 'H. C. Ferraby' ('EDITOR').

British biochemist (1900-2003), Director of the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, London, 1972-5. All five items one page, quarto, and all five very good and stapled together by year. Correspondence for 1964 begins with Samson inviting Morgan to deliver a lecture in the Society's forthcoming session 'on the science and practice of immunology', and giving details of the requirements. Morgan declines, 'as my special studies and experiences have been almost entirely concerned with the more chemical aspects of the subject'.

British engineer (died 1953). One page, quarto. Very good. Docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp. Signed 'James Weir French'. 'I should be very pleased to have the opportunity of supporting the Society and I would be glad if you would make the necessary arrangements as you have so kindly offered to do'.