1. Stuart de Rothesay, Charles Stuart, Baron (1779-1845) / Hay, Robert William (1786-1861) / Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (1780 – 1831) [Baron de Rousseau – French Orientalist and French Consul at Tripoli] / Alexander Gordon Laing (1794 – 1826) [Scottish explorer and the first European to reach Timbuktu] / Hanmer Warrington / Foreign Secretary for Prime Minister Wellington, George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen [Lord Aberdeen].

Original, unpublished and meaningful letter by British official and Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, Sir Robert William Hay, addressed with urgency to former secret agent in Spain and Portugal, Sir Charles Stuart de Rothesay, Scottish nobleman, and English ambassador to France (1815-1830); alerting Ambassador Charles Stuart of Hay’s arrival in Paris and his wish to ask him if he has “anything to communicate to me in regard to that Royal [Baron] Rousseau, The Barbary Consul”. Hay is in this letter preparing Stuart in order to investigate the situation around the death of explorer Alexander Gordon Laing in Africa. Under-Secretary for the Colonies, Sir R[obert] W.Hay, who had been informed about the situation around Laing’s missing Journals per private letter from the British Consul in Tripoli, Hanmer Warrington, announces his arrival in Paris to protest to the French government and advices ambassador Stuart:″I conclude that he [Baron Jean-Baptiste Rousseau] is by this time out of guarantiae, but I hope that by ensuing at Paris he will only get out of the frying Pan with the fire”. Hay continues: “I hope you will go with me (in case it be necessary) to the Minister, whoever he may be, in [?] Departement this ….were incredibly false for it. The French Govt. are really disposed & prosecute the Enquiry bon a fide. I think that same may acq…[….]…..on the other hand, if the French Govt. do not enter into y. enquiry with a good spirit, it will be in Rousseau’s …..to baffle me with the utmost facility in all our attempts to get at the truth. I spoke to Lord Aberdeen [George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen, Foreign Secretary for Prime Minister Wellington] on the day I left London, & he gave me full permission to conduct measures with you for the …of this affair. Yours very truly R.W.Hay”.

[London], [1829]. 5 octavo – pages on 2 sheets, folded. Excellent condition. Signed by Hay and dated probably “Monday, 19 Oct. [1829]”.

2. Stuart de Rothesay, Charles Stuart, Baron (1779-1845) / Strangford, Percy Clinton Sydney Smythe, 6th Viscount (1780 – 1855).

Original, unpublished letter by Anglo-Irish diplomat, Percy Clinton Sydney Smythe, 6th Viscount Strangford, to Sir Charles Stuart [Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay], asking him for a favour to send a Lantern to an address in Paris [?]. Strangford writes from his post as British Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Stockholm, where he was posted between 1817 and 1820.

Stockholm, 1819. 2 octavo – pages on 1 sheet, folded. Excellent condition. Signed by Strangford.

3. 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.

4. [Liddell Hart, Captain B.H. / Sir Basil Liddell Hart / Adrian John Liddell Hart / Kathleen Liddell Hart]

Collection of 45 manuscript postcards, signed and sent by Sir Basil Liddell Hart’s second wife Kathleen Liddell Hart to Adrian Liddell Hart. 32 of the postcards were sent by Kathleen from trips she undertook with Basil throughout the world, reporting to Sir Basil’s son Adrian from their experiences at conferences, meetings with governments, exhausting visits to war cemeteries etc. etc. A lot of the postcards very detailed with a good insight into Basil Liddell Hart’s routines (″Basil is sweating over two articles” / “At the moment he is seeing Monnel to discuss the Schumann Plan” / etc. ). The remaining 13 postcards were all written after Sir Basil Liddel Hart’s death and for example deal with the sale of the estate: John Cooper telling me that the N.P.G. paid 9500 Sterling for the picture. He wants more information on Hein and Basil. Wonder how much our Kennington’s are worth ? /

Firenze / Reims / Tanger / Dingle etc. etc., 1944 – 1970. Small Oblong Octavo. 45 postcards. Softcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear.

5. [Liddell Hart, Captain B.H. / Sir Basil Liddell Hart / Adrian John Liddell Hart]

Collection of seven (7) manuscript postcards; correspondence between Captain B.H.Liddell Hart and his son Adrian.

Namur / Stockholm / Panama / Gibraltar / Tarjeta, etc. 1950 – 1965. Small Oblong Octavo. 7 postcards. Softcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Content of the postcards mainly of private nature (about travel etc.)

6. [Liddell Hart, Adrian John / Lehmann, John (publisher)]

Collection of 118 manuscript postcards, sent by friends, colleagues and lovers to Adrian John Liddell Hart, son of Sir Basil Liddel Hart. Among the postcards also three (3) manuscript postcards by Adrian Liddel Hart’s lover, publisher John Lehmann, with interesting content (″Am staying with Harold Acton in this marvellous Villa…pity you aren’t with me….you old friend is wavering – Love J.” / another postcard by Lehmann to Adrian mentions Florence Nightingale and is also signed “Love – J.” / Other postcards with interesting content (″When the foreign ministers go bust, do you go bust too ? – Where are you and what happened to you ? )

Santa Barbara / Firenze / Washington / Sweden / Germany etc. etc., etc. 1942 – c. 1989. Small Oblong Octavo. postcards. Softcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Content of the postcards mainly of private nature (about travel, meetings, small talk etc.)

7. Sikes, Sylvia / [Natural History of the African Elephant]

Personal Papers / Archive of Material Related to the Life and Career of Zoologist Sylvia Sikes, the Foremost African Elephant Specialist of her time. All materials from her personal collection / working copies and manuscript material. Including her extensive, two-volume-thesis: “Cardiovascular Disease in Freeliving Wild Animals with particular Reference to the African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)”. A collection of professional and academic papers, copies of Sikes’ monographs, zoological manuscripts and a plethora of photographs and personal newsletters, letters, pamphlets and manuscripts spanning seven decades of Sikes’ personal and professional life in Africa and the UK. The collection is composed of 92 specific pieces (some of which are comprised of one or more items). A detailed bibliography of the collection has been outlined in a Word Document (please request). The collection also includes personal copies of three monographs Sylvia Sikes has published, an original copy of her two-volume doctoral thesis, 37 academic articles and 5 unpublished draft manuscripts. There are also 7 booklets and a book by a third author among the collection. The collection is rounded off by a large number of vintage colour and monochrome photographs, letters, single-sheet newsletters, newspaper and magazine cuttings.

Africa and the UK, Various, 1937 – 2012. 21 cm x 26 cm – 24.5 cm x 31 cm. Circa 2,500+ pages. Numerous monochrome and colour photographs throughout the collection. Includes Hardcover book with dustjacket, softcover book, reprints of academic journal articles in paper wrappers and a variety of loose material in cellophane files. The archive, running from 1937 to 2012, is contained in two green (24.5 cm x 31 cm x 10.5 cm) boxes, four additional folders (32 cm x 24 cm) and two hardcover volumes (21.5 cm x 26cm). Very good condition.

8. [Family History of Sir Harry Luke / de Zander] – [Luke, Harry] Zander, C.L.v. / Bielitz / Bielsk / Lemberg / Polish Ancestry with Louis de Zander (Deutsch Eylau/Old Prussia) and connections to the swedish “Zander” – family].

Album Amicorum from the early 19th century of the De Zander Family from Poland, Bielitz, Lemberg Vienna and other areas / Album Amicorum von C.L. von Zander mit insgesamt 40 Eintraegen von Mitgliedern der Familie von Zander [de Zander] und Freunden aus der Umgebung von Bielitz, Lemberg, Biala und Wien/ Album Amicorum of C. L. von Zander (recorded in the area of Vienna, Bielitz, Biala and Lemberg between 1814 and 1822. Eintraege von Louis von Zander, Caroline de Zander (nee de Zander), Ludwig von Zander (Bielitz, 23.September 1814), Carl von Zander (Pless im Maerz, 1816), Josef Krammer, Christian Traugott Schuberth, Caroline von Zander, Caroline Schluse (Pless, 1816), Jon, Henr. Zander (Bielitz, 1818) [Johann Heinrich Zander] / Carl Johann Zander / Charlotte von Zander (Bielitz, 1814) / Friederica von Zander (Mother of the owner of this Album Amicorum – possibly Frederica Elizabeth Klimke) / etc. Weitere Eintraege von Carl Ferdinand Sennewaldt, Johann Millikowski (Lemberg, 1814), Carl Sartory, Anton Manhardt, Jacob Thomke (Biala, 1816), Franz Kuenzl, Rosalie Jeney (Lemberg, 1814), Gottfried Samuel Bauer (Bielitz, 1814) etc., Franz Krippner, (Wien, 1822).

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Wien / Lemberg / Bielitz / Biala, [Album auf Papier von J. Pospischil], c. 1814-1822. Quer – Octavo. Mehr als 100 Blatt, davon 40 mit handschriftlichen Eintraegen. / More than 100 leaves with 40 manuscript – entries of families of the von Zander / de Zander Family. Original Hardcover / Originaler, sehr dekorativer Ganzlederband mit reicher Vergoldungund Verzierung / Stunning full morocco with extensive decorations and gilt lettering and ornament to both boards. Exzellente Erhaltung / Excellent condition of the early 19th century Manuscript – Album of a member of the “de Zander” – Family. The Album comes with a very interesting pamphlet, a historical account by Louis de Zander about his families life and genealogical histories from his ancestry in Poland to his family’s troubles in Bielsk / Bielitz. From the personal collection of Sir Harry Luke.

9. Grossman, Henryk / Grossman, Henryk / Meyer, Gerhard.

Originales, hektagrophiertes Typoskript mit Manuskript – Eintraegen und handschriftlichen Ergaenzungen von Henryk Grossmann: “Marx und die Klassische Oekonomie oder Die Lehre vom Kapitalfetisch” – Von Henryk Grossmann signiert und an seinen Exil – Kollegen, den Ökonom Gerhard Meyer gesendet. [Beiliegend: 11-seitige Kritik von Meyer an Grossman’s Arbeit / Meyer (dokumentiert wurde der Erhalt der Kritik mit einem handschriftlichen Vermerk “received July 3, 1937) / Auf dem Typoskript der Kritik befinden sich bereits auf der ersten Seite handschriftliche Anmerkungen z.B. zu Grossmann’s Buch “Akkumulations- und Zusammenbruchsgesetz des kapitalistischen Systems” nimmt] /

[New York], [1937]. A 4. Paginierung: Das Typoskript hat 192 Seiten, die Arbeit von Gerhard Meyer 11 Seiten, ausserdem beiliegende handschriftliche Aufgabenstellung (3 Seiten). Original Softcover. Sehr selten ! Es handelt sich hier wahrscheinlich um einen Vorlaeufer des hektographierten Typoskripts “Marx, die klassische Nationalökonomie und das Problem der Dynamik” (New York: Institut für Sozialforschung, 1941).

10. [Cumberbatch, Benedict] Cumberbatch, Henry Arnold / Rees, Helen / Basil Benwell Rees / William Benwell Rees / Etheldreda Blanche Barker / [Sir Winston Churchill / Sir Anthony Arthur Duncan Montague Browne [Private Secretary to Sir Winston Churchill]].

Large Family Archive of the Benwell Rees – Family, including William Benwell Rees (brother to actor Benedict Cumberbatch’s grandmother Helen Rees, by marriage to British Diplomat Henry Arnold Cumberbatch, who was Consul in Romania, Turkey and Lebanon ). The archive includes at least one manuscript letter by Henry Arnold Cumberbatch and around one thousand documents chronicling the lives of the ex-patriate Benwell Rees family from 1890-1970 in Alexandria and Monaco, including William Benwell Rees, whose marriage to Etheldreda Blanche Barker cemented the family’s role in the highest circles of Alexandria life. The archive also charts their son Basil Rees’ decade in Monaco under Princess Grace and Prince Rainer III where he served as President of the British Association in the 1950’s-‘60s and solicited a letter written by Sir Anthony Arthur Duncan Montague Browne, on Winston Churchill’s behalf on Chartwell headed paper in which the former Prime Minister declined to attend an event in Monaco [signed by Montague Browne]. The archive is held in five heavy volumes, bursting with a plethora of amazing and wonderful historical letters, ephemera, emotional messages and telegrams, old images, theatre-programmes, and especially also includes programmes of plays in which ancestors of Benedict played (J.M.Barrie, Shakespeare etc.). The original letters and documents paint an interesting picture of Benedict Cumberbatch’s grandmother’s side of the family history in the Levant, their service in the Middle East and their social lives. The five volumes are bound in bespoke red morocco over textured paper-covered-boards and they contain at least one reference to Helen Rees next to a newspaper-clipping and dozens of wonderful handwritten letters and cards. Each volume about four inches across spine with title in gilt to upper cover and around 100 leaves in each with documents mounted recto and verso throughout, with photographs, invitations, business materials and clippings that chart the family’s life in their service for the British Colonial Office. The five Volumes include for example: Volume 1: The Benwell Rees’: begins with Egyptian Gazette, 1890 and a programme for a performance c1900 at the Port Theatre, Marina, Alexandria of Rumpelstilkskin; visiting cards and contemporary reports of the marriage of W B Rees and Etheldreda Blanche Barker in Alexandria, February 1901; Windsor Hotels prospectus and flyer (a WBR enterprise); 1913 Casino de Monte Carlo ticket for Ethel Rees; Kings School Canterbury ephemera and St Johns’ College, Cambridge for Basil Rees from 1920’s, graduated June 1924. Volume 2: The Benwell Rees’ Vol II, 1920’s-1990’s: includes J M Barrie, Quality Street programme for English Girls’ School, Alexandria, 1941; invitations from Princess Grace of Monaco etc Volume 3: Basil Rees Vol III, cover nearly detached, 1953- Basil Rees living at 2 Rue Origene, Alexandria, and covering period of move to Palais Majestic, Monaco after which he served as President of the British Association and his sudden death in 1967. Invitations to dinner and place settings with the Prince and Princess of Monaco. Birthday greetings; international stamp collecting societies. Photographic ‘Permis de Sejour’ for William Benwell Rees in Monaco, October 1918. Volume 4: Basil Rees Vol. IV Begins with telegram from Rees to the Queen; mostly very extensive formal correspondence concerned with Rees’ Presidency of he British Association in Monaco; invitations, notes, printed volume of Statutes of association from 1950, royal correspondence with Monaco and Britain. Volume 5: Basil Rees 4-5 1902 Vol II; William Basil Benwell Rees; Royal Navy ID card, British Forces, September 1943 – other material relating to Rees’ work as Duty Defence Officer at the Royal Navy Defence Base in Alexandria, HMS Nice. Volume begins in 1902 and includes Alexandria Dog Show, W B B Rees at Jesus College, Cambridge; Egypt NAAFI permits; lock of Basil Rees’ hair, aged 2 etc.

Alexandria / Monaco / etc., c. 1902 – 1967. Octavo. Half Morocco. Bindings stronger rubbed and slightly damaged.