1131. [Walter Benjamin Collection] – Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie. / [Paris during the World Exhibition in the Year 1900]

Collection of thirtyfour (34) original photographic glass-slides, allowing us to imagine the surroundings of Walter Benjamin’s “Arcades Project” and the Genesis of his Idea of “Paris as the Capital of the 19th Century”. While the Glass-Slides are NOT from Benjamin’s library or from one of his friends collections, they are contemporary artefacts which allow us to Timetravel into the Paris of Benjamin’s “Arcades” and illustrate Benjamin’s creation of the six sections of his “Arcades Project”: “Fourier, or the Arcades” ; “Daguerre, or the Panoramas”; “Grandville, or the World Exhibitions” ; “Louis-Philippe, or the Interior”; “Baudelaire, or the Streets of Paris”; “Hausmann, or the Barricades”. The slides were produced by Parisien Radio-Brom manufacturer of photographic plates and papers, “Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie”. The fantastic slides all produced around the time of the 1900 Paris Exposition (World’s Fair), known in french as “Exposition Universelle” in Paris. Included are photographic plates of the “Theatre Sarah-Bernhardt” at the “Place du Chatelet”, “Le Louvre”, “Paris – Buttes-Chaumont – Le Lac & Le Belvedere”, “Avenue de L’Opera”, “Place de Victoires”, “Gare St.Lazare – Rue de Rome”, L’Institut pris du pont des Arts”, “Gare Montsouris”, “Monument de Pasteur – Avenue de Breteuil”, “La Seine et L’Hotel de Ville”, “Pont au Change”, “Les Tuileries – avec “Charmeur d’Oiseaux”, “Le Conseil d’Etat”, “Avenue des Champs Elysees”, “Palais de Justice, Boulevard du Palais”, “Pont ALexandre III”, “Square d’Anvers”, “Grand Palais”, “Fontaine de Carpeaux”, “Jardin des Plantes” “Galerie de la Plaeontologie”, “Place du Carrousel – Arc de Triomphe”, “De Notre Dame sur l’Hotel Dieu – Tour St.Jacques – Sacre Coeur”, etc. Also included are some private images of family, picnic in the forests etc.

Paris, Exposition Universelle of 1900 / Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie., [c.1900]. 10.7 cm x 4.4 cm. 34 slides in three boxes (one of the boxes labelled: “Diapositifs de Verascope Richard”. Original Hardcover Boxes with glass-slides. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only.

1132. Wells, Percy A. (1867-1956) / [Letter by Morris, Mary ‘May’ (Designer)] / [Letter by Allom, Sir Charles Carrick (english decorator)] / [Letter by Garnett, Prof. William (Experimental Physics)] / [Letter by Henry, Jacob Solomon (Furniture Maker)] / Letter by Hems, Harry (English architectural and ecclesiastical sculptor)] / [Letter: Image, Selwyn (British Artist & Designer of the Arts & Crafts Movement)] / [Letter: Russell, Sir Sydney Gordon (English Designer & Craftsman) / [Letter: Quennell, Marjorie (Courtney) (British historian, illustrator and Museum Curator at The Geffrye Museum) //

Small Archive / Manuscript Material, Letters, Designs, Books and Pamphlets as well as vintage photographs of Furniture like Chairs (Percy A. Wells Chair), Wardrobe, Advertising of Exhibitions [chaired for example by Christopher Hussey], etc. etc. This material all originates from Percy A. Wells’ personal collection and sensationally also includes a manuscript notebook / sketchbook with his drawings, designs and a detailed, typescript with autobiographical memories in which Wells details his decades of being involved in Furniture Design. Loosely inserted in the manuscript notebook / sketchbook, is a signed manuscript letter on stationery of Kelmscott Manor by Mary ‘May’ Morris, daughter of the Pre-Raphaelite artist and designer William Morris and his wife and artists’ model, Jane Morris [included is ephemeral material which for example informs about a pair of Episcopal Gloves, designed by William Morris’s daughter [May Morris] and the clipping continues: “Those who remember Morris’s attitude towards the Church will smile and reflect upon time’s revenges”]. The collection includes an abundance of information which easily can lead to a monograph on the life of Percy A. Wells. Detailed description of the Archive and all materials contained below (more details will be listed constantly).

Dulwich / Shoreditch / London a.o., Percy A.Wells Private Library, c.1900-c.1920. Octavo / Quarto / Folio. Hardcover Folder with loosely inserted material like letters and photographs, envelopes, signed and inscribed books and rare pamphlets with designs etc. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Fantstic Archive and lots of unpublished material of one of the more eminent Cabinet, Furniture and Chair – Designers which resulted from inspiration by William Morris’ Kelmscott – School. Percy A. Wells Chairs are still in regular demand today and sell for stunning prices (3000 £ etc.).

1133. Congo / Kongo – Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909) – King of the Belgians and Owner / Absolute Ruler of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908.

Collection of four very important and meaningful manuscript letters by Leopold II to his administrator and Foreign Minister of the Congo – Free-State, Baron Adolphe de Cuvelier (1860-1931) with a total of 16 pages filled with Leopold’s instructions on pressing issues regarding a warning about an imminent visit by the Rector of the Mill-Hill Missionaries [probably Herbert Alfred Henry Vaughan (1832 – 1903)] and Leopold’s qualification of the visit of being detrimental to the Congo Free State (″ne travaillent pas pour l’État”). Leopold continues in another letter to talk about the hostile positions of english officials (consuls) and missionaries (″que les consuls anglais et les missionnaires anglais se conduisent bien mal envers l’État”). Interestingly, Leopold also touches on the nuisance of the german press criticizing Belgian Railway Lines and he is of the opinion that this is all happening in order to force the german parliament [″Reichstag”] to finance the building of the Tanganyika Railway [between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma]: (″cherche à effrayer l’opinion [en] Allemagne à propos de mes chemins de fer afin d’obtenir du Reichstag des fonds pour la ligne allemande vers le Tanganika”.

16 pages of MLS, Manuscript Letters (signed) on 10 leaves of Leopold’s official stationery “Château de Laeken” and “Palais de Bruxelles”. Laeken / Brussels, Château de Laeken [Palace of Laeken], 1901 – 1906. The leaves with different sizes (13,5 cm x 9 cm) and (18 cm x 11,5 cm). Excellent condition. Unsigned. Tremendously rare to find original letters by Leopold II on the open market in which the Colonial Free State and the protection against inquisitive visitors is discussed in such clear and instructive fashion. Leopold’s correspondence with Adolphe de Cuvelier shows how he is very much trying to still protect and influence the narrative of his Colonial Slavery Outpost even in the final years of his life.

1134. Angove, John.

In the Early Days – The Reminiscences of Pioneer Life on the South African Diamond Fields.

Kimberley and Johannesburg, Handel House, 1901. 12.5 cm x 18.5 cm. Frontispiece, 212 pages. 21 illustrations. Hardcover [publisher’s original brown cloth] with stamped lettering on spine and front board. Unusually excellent condition with only minor signs of external wear. Private giftinscription on front free endpaper: “To Ernest James Weaver – with best wishes from…27.10.12”. Rare !

1135. Graham, Henry Grey.

Scottish Men of Letters in the Eighteenth Century.

London, Adam and Charles Black, 1901. 15.5 cm x 23.5 cm. XII, 441 pages. Includes an illustrated Frontispiece with a reproduction of a mezzotint after Allan Ramsay (protected with a tissue guard). With a further 31 black-and-white illustrations (portraits). Original Hardcover (blue cloth with gilt lettering). Very good condition with some signs of external wear. Some foxing evident with one illustration plate detached. An interesting Exlibris / bookplate with the engraved Motto: ‘Semper Paratus’ from the library of Albert A. Smith on front pastedown.

1136. Grinnell, George Bird.

American Duck Shooting. With Fifty-eight Portraits of North American Swans, Geese and Ducks by Edwin Sheppard and numerous Vignettes in the text by Wilmot Townsend.

Twelfth Thousand. New York, Forest and Stream Publishing Company, (1901) 8°. 628 pages. Original Hardcover with cover-illustration. Good + condition only with some stronger signs of external wear. Binding shaky and starting to separate from bookblock. Bookblock still firm and clean – in collectable condition.

1137. Henty, G.A.

In the Irish Brigade – A Tale of War in Flanders and Spain. With Twelve Illustrations by Charles M. Sheldon.

London, Blackie & Son, 1901. Octavo. Frontispiece, 384 pages plus an illustrated catalogue of “Blackie & Son’s Illustrated Story Books” with several illustrations bound to the rear of the Volume. Original Hardcover with artwork to cover. / Special Gift-Binding with gilt emblemata of “Tiffins endowed School in Kingston on Thames” on cover. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. Gift-Bookplate from Tiffins School to Arthur John Clifford on pastedown.

1138. Keane, A.H.

The Gold of Ophir. Whence brought and by Whom ?

London, Edawrd Stanford, 1901. 14 cm x 21 cm. Frontispiece, XVIII, 244 pages. Hardcover [publisher’s original maroon cloth] with gilt lettering on spine. Gilt lettering and pictorial on front board. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Interior very bright and clean. Rare !

1139. Reuter, O.M.

Finland i ord och bild.

Stockholm, Froleen & Comp, 1901. Octavo. 964 pages. Original Hardcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. This book is in Swedish. The cover is embossed with gold lettering.

1140. Ruskin, John.

Frondes Agrestes. Readings in ‘Modern Painters’ Chosen at her Pleasure by the authors friend, the younger lady of the Thwaite, Coniston.

36th Thousand. London, George Allen, 1901. 13cm x 19.5cm 184 pages. Original Hardcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Wonderful, early edition.