1. Barry, Tom / Hayes Katty / Leslie Mary de Barra (née Price) / [Cumann na mBan]/ West Cork Flying Column / [Kilmichael Ambush] / Pope John Paul II.

Wonderful collection of original, signed manuscript Letters by Tom Barry and his wife Leslie de Barra, addressed to Rosscarbery Woman Katty Hayes, a fellow member Cumann na mBan [The Irishwomen’s Council], together with a rare and important local History – Pamphlet on Rosscarbery by Katty Hayes, titled: “Ross of the Pilgrims” (signed and inscribed by Katty Hayes in 1977 the pamphlet includes wonderful oral history accounts put in writing by Ms.Hayes; about Coppinger’s Court, Lord Carbery in Castlefreke, Cregane House, History of the Convent of Mercy in Rosscarbery, Father John Power, Names of local landlords in the area etc.). The collection also comes with a rare vintage photograph of Katty Hayes, surrounded by some unidentified fellow members of The Irish Women’s Council [Cumann na mBan] and other Irish Republican Organizations (all wearing their medals). The collection also includes three Appreciation-Letters which Miss Hayes received back from the Vatican in the years 1969, 1977 and 1988. Miss Hayes had written to the Pontifex Paul VI as well as to Pope John Paul II and received Blessings and thanks for her Christmas – wishes to the Holy Father.

Rosscarbery (West Cork), 1969 – 1980. Octavo. Two Manuscript Letters (One signed by Tom Barry and one signed by Leslie Price) / Three Letters from Assessors of the Pope / One vintage Black and white photograph / One pamphlet called “Ross of the Pilgrims” with 51 pages of local History, forgotten Poems and songs and stories by Katty Hayes about Tom Barry and his family – relations in Rosscarbery, his friendship to Michael Collins and the local Rosscarbery community etc. etc. Original Softcover / Stapled. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Extremely rare little archive with Blessings from two Popes; bought from the family Archive of Katty Hayes.

2. 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.

3. [Cygnet Press / Hofer, Philip / Winship, George Parker] Matteo da Ferrara.

Vita de Sancto Hieronymo [with original manuscript letter by Philip Hofer, later Curator of the Department of Printing and Graphic Arts at Harvard’s Houghton Library, discussing his work at the [Pierpont] Morgan Library and the first product of Cygnet Press, “Vita de Sancto Hieronymo”, which he and George Parker Winship had produced 6 years earlier: “The little book which accompanies this note is one which George Parker Winship and I set by hand and printed a few years ago. It amused us, and, I hope, will amuse you. Of course we would do it differently now – that is always the way !”. The letter, on Hofer’s stationery with his address at 14 East Ninetieth Street, is addressed to one Dr. Collija in Stockholm, on June 25, 1934 and Hofer reminisces about the wonderful time he had there and how he wants to return to Sweden.

Cambridge (Massachusetts), Cygnet Press, MCMXXVIII [1928]. Small Octavo (13.3 cm x 17 cm). [35] pages. Original Hardcover with Label. Housed in its original, protective box from Cygnet Press. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. The four-page-letter (on one sheet), signed by Philip Hofer in full.

4. [Cyprus Content] – [Luke, Harry Charles].

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed (ALS) from Harry Charles Lukach (Sir Harry Luke) to his father. Luke writes on October 4th, using Stationery of “Government House, Cyprus” from his posting as Private Secretary of Governor Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams in Cyprus, where Luke was posted between November 1911 – c. October 1914. At this time Luke is awaiting a promotion [it will come a few weeks after this letter was written and he is updating his father]: “My dear Father, yours of 27 Sept from Vienna just received…..This is our last week on Troodos…in 5 days we go down to Nicosia, where it will be hot for another 3 weeks or so after we get there. I have not yet said anything to Sir H[amilton Goold-Adams] about the S.A.offer; I think that the best opportunity to do so would be when he actually recommends me for a higher post here. This cannot be done at once, as he will first have to get rid of the present holder (the Asst. Secretary), wh[ich he will try to do when he goes on leave. But don’t mention this, as he has not yet tackled the C.O. I enclose a photo taken lately of a shooting match here between Soldiers & Civilians. Sir H[amilton Goold-Adams] shot for the latter, & I was a spectator (in Colonel Glasses). The Soldiers won. Much love to you three – Your loving son Harry”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Cyprus / Government House, 4 October 1912. Octavo. Bifold Octavo, all four pages with manuscript handwriting, signed. Very good condition. From the personal collection of Sir Harry Luke.

5. [Cyprus Content] – [Luke, Harry Charles].

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed (ALS) from Harry Charles Lukach (Sir Harry Luke) to his Father & Mother. Luke writes on August 29th, 1913, using Stationery of “Government House, Cyprus” from his new administrative posting within Government House, Cyprus, where Luke was posted between November 1911 – c. October 1914, still under Goold-Adams. Luke writes: “….the Goold-Adams’ landed in Limasol yesterday….Their new P[ersonal] Sec[retary] is a young Oxford Man called Cunningham – that is all I know about him as yet. I am staying on as Gov[ernment S[ecretary] as guest of the GA’s till I go on leave; I shall probably go down to N’sia to pack next Thursday. My Steamer goes on Sat.8th from Larnaca to Meronia.”

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Cyprus / Government House, 29 August, 1913. Octavo. Bifold Octavo, all four pages with manuscript handwriting, signed. Very good condition. From the personal collection of Sir Harry Luke.

6. [Cyprus Content] – [Luke, Harry Charles] /

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) from Lieut – Col. Charles William Henry Sealy (‘CWHS’) to Sir Harry Charles Lukach (later Sir Harry Luke), addressed to Luke as Lieut-Commander H. C. Lukach – Chief Secretary’s Office – Troodos, Cyprus). Sealy apologises profoundly for not writing and informs Luke about prices for certain stamps. But the main reason for the letter seems to be an item Luke had waited for from Sealy, an enclosed Manuscript-Family-Tree of the orientalist James Justinian Morier [Author of ‘The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan (1824)’ and fellow Traveller of the Levant and also emplyed as Diplomat]. he letter was obviously started twice by Sealy, at different dates but the letter was finally finished and sent 25th of July, 1916: “Dear Luke, I am a pig not to write – I’m sory & tomorrow I swear I will sit down & [write] you the letter of the year – / Dear Luke, here is some Morier stuff – if you want any more let me know, there is a reasonable notice of him in DNB. Prices of Salonikas are good – a man has offered twenty guineas for a complete set used on an envelope – and one such envelope has actually been sold for £20 and another – just the same – for £25….Long Island overprinted on Turkish – they ask £15 each ! – No job yet – but I worked at Admiralty yesterday to please a pal. Best salams CWHS”. / The enclosed Family Tree tree begins with James Morier’s father Isaac Morier, and his maternal grandfather David Van Lennep, ‘Dutch Consul general in Smyrna President of Dutch Levant Co’. At the foot is a list of seven works by James Morier, with dates. The Morier – Family Tree also includes Clara van Lennep.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [London], [on stationery of Charles William Henry, 6 Priory Grove, The Boltons, [London], 25 July, 1916. Octavo. 2 pages. Very good condition. From the personal collection of Sir Harry Luke.

7. [Malta Content] – [Luke, Harry] Belloc, Hilaire / Clayton, Philip Thomas Byard [″Tubby”] / Scrivenor, Sir Thomas / Patrick Terence William Span Plunket, 7th Baron Plunket / [Blackwood, Lord Basil].

The Modern Traveller. By Hilaire Belloc with pictures by B.T.B. (that is Lord Basil Temple Blackwood). Inscribed and signed by Philip Thomas Byard Clayton: “To Sir Harry Luke, Lieut. Governor of Malta & Chairman of Toc H with Gratitude from Tubby” [″Tubby” was Philip Thomas Byard Clayton, the founder of “Toc H”). With two manuscript letters to Sir Harry Luke loosely inserted. LETTER No.I: The first letter is from Patrick Plunket (Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II and Deputy Master of the Household of the Royal Household (1954-1975)). On his personal stationery (Mount Offham, West Malling (Kent)) Patrick Plunket thanks Luke for making him aware of the book (″The Modern Traveller”) by Hilaire Belloc to which Plunket’s uncle Basil (Lord Basil Blackwood) has contributed the illustrations. Plunket writes on August 1st, 1966: “Dear Sir Harry, i am writing to say how grateful I am to you for telling me about the Modern Traveller. I have it now in front of me. Uncle Basil’s drawings are superb and depict our black brothers as I am sure they would not wish to be shown today. But especially the travellers are equally ludicrous ! In fact the whole book is a delight and will be specially treasured. It makes one even sadder that my uncle insisted on joining up when we was over-age. Yours very sincerely – Patrick Plunket”. [Blackwood was killed in action in a night raid at Boesinghe near Ypres on 4 July 1917] / LETTER No. II: The second letter included in the book is from fellow colonial administrator, Sir Thomas Scrivenor to Luke in which Scrivenor alerts Luke of the fact that he enclosed an “Unpublished Ballade” by Hilaire Belloc (Typescript). He continues to talk about a piece of poetry Scrivenor wrote in reference to the Corona Club and in anticipation of a Dinner when Duncan Sandy was Secretary of State for the Colonies. The This Typescript is also included.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London, Edward Arnold, 1923. Octavo. 80 pages with illustrations. Illustrated Hardcover. Stronger signs of external wear to the book. The manuscript letters and poems in excellent condition. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

8. [Malta Content] – Luke, Harry Charles / Skewes-Cox, Lieut.– Colonel Miles.

Letter to and from Lieut.-Colonel Miles Skewes-Cox.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. 1965. 22,5 cm x 20,5 cm. [6] pages. From Harry Luke’s (Lukach) personal library.

9. Nares, James.

James Nares: “Written Drawings” (Art Random) (English and Japanese Edition).

Kyoto, Kyoto Shoin, 1991. 23.3 cm x 30.9 cm. Frontispiece. 48 pages. Original Hardcover. Very good+ condition with only minor signs of external wear. Minor dampstain to page edges. Inscribed and signed by the artist James Nares to his mother and her partner Winky / WIth manuscript letter signed by James Nares to his Mum i which he also declares “I am working like crazy – Have 1 Show in Nov. (NY) in Dec. (LA + Canaray Islands) – I’m Lucky that it’s what I like to do best – Much Love – James”

10. [Palestine Content] – [Luke, Harry].

Collection of eight (8) manuscript letters Sir Harry Luke received during his appointment as acting High Commissioner to the Government of Palestine (July 1928 – December 1928) from his father (J.H.Luke), mother (Eugenie Luke, nee Zamarski) and close family. Especially his father discussing also political matters that effected Sir Harry Luke during his posting in Jerusalem [in one letter from November 30th, 1928 J.H.Luke lets his son know that ‘I obtained two copies of the White Papers dealing with the Wailing Wall incidents – J.H.Luke asks provokingly: “Who was the Dept. Dir. Comm. ?” [during which the incident happened]. Some of the envelopes include multiple pages, plus several letters from other members of family that were posted to Luke’s appointment in Palestine together in one envelope. The letter from his father is of significance because it reflects the conversations Sir Harry Luke had with his father about the time during his posting as High Commissioner in Palestine.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London / Jerusalem, 1928. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.