rare

CHURCHILL WRITING AT A PIVITAL POINT IN HIS REMARKABLE LIFE’S STORY  ~  GIVING NOTICE TO SIR GEORGE ALLEN, PUBLISHER OF ‘THE PIONEER’, INDIA’S ENGLISH DAILY NEWSPAPER, —  OF HIS ARRIVAL IN SOUTH AFRICA,  TO COVER THE BOER WAR AS A NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENT – SAYING:  “I WAS PACKED OFF TO S. AFRICA IN SUCH A HURRY TO CHRONICLE THIS WAR” —

NOT KNOWING THAT JUST A MEAR TWO WEEKS LATER, HE WAS TO BE CAPTURED, WHEN HIS ARMOURED TRAIN WAS AMBUSHED BY THE BOERS.  HIS SUBSEQUENT DARING ESCAPE,  MADE HEADLINES THE WORLD OVER, AND SERVED AS THE LAUCHING PAD FOR HIS REMARKABLE POLITICAL CAREER

CHURCHILL, WINSTON, S. (1874-1965). British statesman, and Prime Minister. Simply superb, and irreplaceable Autograph Letter Signed “Winston S. Churchill”,  as newspaper correspondent for the Morning Post to cover the Boer War.  Two pages, octavo on blindstamped “South Africa” stationery.  Cape Town, [South Africa].   October 30, [1899].

EXCEPTIONALLY EARLY, GRAHAM GREENE LETTER ANNOUNCING THE SUCCESS OF HIS FIRST PUBLISHED NOVEL:  THE MAN WITHIN ~~ ACCOMPANIED BY A LONG, DETAILED AND INSIGHTFUL LETTER FROM HIS WIFE

GREENE, GRAHAM.  (1904-91).  British novelist; known for: The Confidential Agent (1939), The Power and the Glory (1940), The Third Man (1949), The End of the Affair (1951), Our Man in Havana (1958), amongst many others.  Enlightening and early Autograph Letter Signed, “Graham Greene”, to his uncle.  One full page, octavo. “8 Heathcroft, Hampstead Way, N.W.11.”  [September 30, 1929]. 

EXCEEDINGLY RARE INSCRIBED COPY OF HENRIK IBSEN’S ‘LADY INGER OF OSTRAT’  —  CHOICE  PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY IBSEN TO POET AUGUST FRESENIUS

IBSEN, HENRIK.  (1828-1906).  Norwegian playwright, director, and poet;  viewed as one of the founders of Modernism in theater.  His book: Die Herrin von Oestrot : Historisches Schauspiel in funf Aufzuugen.  Unter Mitwirkung von Emma Klingenfeld veranstaltete deutsche Originalausgabe der Fru Ingerd til Oestrot. Munich.   Theodor Ackermann, 1877. Small octavo.  [5 ¾ x 7 inches approximately], 171 pages. Original printed blue-green wrappers, browned around the edges/margins, and showing offset from ‘sunning’. A very good copy, that is internally fine.  First edition, presentation copy inscribed by Ibsen to August Fresenius. 

AN OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF 27 CLOTH INSIGNIA PATCHES FROM THE MAJOR AMERICAN ARMY GROUPS OF WORLD WAR II, WITH SIGNED TRANSMITTAL LETTERS FROM THE COMMANDING GENERALS AND OFFICERS OF THOSE GROUPS   ~~  COLLECTED BY A YOUNG MAN  —  MANY OF WHICH WERE SENT WHILE THE WAR STILL RAGED ON IN THE PACIFIC

A most remarkable group of letters that have attached to them, the shoulder patches of the various army groups that these men lead or represented in World War II. Written by many of America’s highest ranking officers, with many of the letters dated while the war was still raging in the Pacific. 

CATHERINE THE GREAT  —  PENS HER ACCEPTANCE OF THE SALARY TO BE PAID A CAVALRY GUARD OFFICER

CATHERINE II. [CATHERINE THE GREAT.] (1729-1797). Empress of Russia.  Uncommon Manuscript Document boldly Signed, ‘Catherina’, as Empress, in Russian.  1/3 page, legal folio, on watermarked paper bearing a crown and the letters “C.R.”   “The Queen’s village,  February 6, 1774.”

KING GEORGE V  —   ACQUIESCES TO THE REGENCY ACT OF 1910

GEORGE V. (1865-1936). King of the United Kingdom, Emperor of India.  Remarkable, and exceptionally rare, Typed Statement Signed, “George R.I.,” as King, on black bordered mourning stationery,  with the Royal Coat of Arms at top center.  One page, folio.  No place. [London]  [1910].  

JAMES MONROE  ~~  WRITES TO HIS FELLOW REPUBLICANS,  AS THE WAR OF 1812 APPROACHES

MONROE, JAMES. (1758-1831). Fifth President (1817-1825). Autograph Letter Signed, “Most sincerely your friend Jas. Monroe.” One very full page, quarto. Richmond, May 4, 1809.