1. [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.

2. [Palestine / Transjordan / Israel / Egypt / Suez] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Burrows, Ines / [Sir Bernard Alexander Brocas Burrows].

Interesting Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed (ALS) from Harry Luke’s friend, Ines Burrows, wife of British Diplomat, Sir Bernard Alexander Brocas Burrows, written from Sir Bernard’s posting in Bahrain, hinting at “The Suez Crisis” and the “British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956”. Written on Stationery of “The Residency – Bahrain – Persian Gulf”, Ines Burrows describes part of their life during Sir Bernard’s posting in 1953 as “Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, based in Bahrain and handling relations with Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the seven Trucial States (Wikipedia). After Ines Burrows asks Sir Harry Luke how long he will be staying with them she describes their life of Dinner Parties and their wish to not constantly be invited by those guests who feel they have to reciprocate. But the interesting parts of the letter clearly hint at meetings between Sir Bernard Burrows and the “Rulers”, just weeks prior to the outbreak of the “Suez Crisis” and the letter also delves into Burrows’ opinion of the Gulf States and into an arrangement of need to know between Sir Bernard’s official work and his wish to not disclose any of it to his wife Ines: “Darling, I quite forgot to say in my last letter (which I thought you knew) that the Goddard ….left Kuwait about a year ago- I don’t know if you thought they had come here ? Anyway I will do my very best to be as free as possible from rehearsals when you do arrive…….This place is still in a State. Bernard is constantly about. The Rulers came and spend 2 1/2 hours in the drawing room yesterday [5th of September,1956] & it was followed by an afternoon at the Palace & another conference. Things are now going a bit better and the news will “break” in due course. Bernard is very discreet & says respectfully that its better I shouldn’t know, in case my eyes should light up ….visible understanding if anything is asked or mentioned at a dinner party. Our [?] trip seems now to be starting on Saturday – if nothing worse happens……Much much Love…Ines”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Bahrain [Persian Gulf], 6th of September, 1956. A4. Four pages on two sheets, with original envelope, cancelled in Bahrain and sent to Sir Harry Luke at Kuching, Sarawak, while staying with Sir Anthony Foster Abell KCMG, then Governor of Sarawak. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

3. [Palestine Content / Malta Content / Ecclesiastical] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Valeri, Valerio [Cardinal / Bishop / Apostolic Delegate to Egypt].

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) by Valerio Valeri to Sir Harry Luke upon his departure as deputy High Commissioner of the British Mandate of Palestine to Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Robert Chancellor. [Luke attempted to mediate an agreement between Jewish and Arab leaders, without success’]. The letter by Bishop Valeri reads: ‘Dear Mr.Luke, this is a very confidential letter to express you both my sincere regrets at your departure from Jerusalem and my felicitations for your appointment as Governor of Malta under the present circumstances. Your high qualities are, no doubt, well known at the Colonial and the Foreign Office, a thing at which all the friends and acquaintances you left in Palestine have rejoiced. Wishing you every success in carrying out your work and with my kindest regards I am Sincerely Yours + Valerio Valeri’.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Cairo, Delegatio Apostolica Aegypti, July 22nd 1930. Octavo. 1 letter with original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

4. [Marriott Mena House Hotel] Bentley, Arthur, J.M. / Griffinhoofe, C.G.

Wintering in Egypt. Part I.: Under the Shadow of the Pyramids. Part II.: Hints to Invalids.

London, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. Ltd., 1894. 26.5 cm x 18.5 cm. Frontispiece, VI, 188 pages.18 illustrations including a map of the region around the Pyramids of Gizeh Mena Hotel, Bulak. Hardcover [publisher’s original green cloth] with gilt lettering and gilt embossed pictoral on front board. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Lower corner boards slightly bumped. Marking on front paste-down. Valleys between pastedowns and endpapers show tears. Binding a little shaky but overall still firm and strong. Interior is clean and bright. Extremely scarce publication !

5. Anonymous.

A General Introductory Guide to the Egyptian Collections in the British Museum.

London, British Museum, 1930. 13 cm x 21 cm. XV, 460 pages. Original hardcover. Good condition with minor signs of external wear. Slight tear on binding. Discolouration/spotting on flyleaves.

6. Baker, Samuel W. Baker.

The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia and the Sword Hunters of the Hamran Arabs. With Illustrations and Maps.

4th Edition. London, Macmillan & Co., 1871. 13.5 cm x 19.5 cm. Frontispiece, XIX, 413 pages. 24 illustrations from original sketches by Sir S.W. Baker on indivdual plates. Map of Nile Basin as frontispiece. Fold-out colour map near front showing routes of ‘Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia.’ Hardcover [publisher’s original green cloth] with gilt lettering and design on spine. Black tooled borders and design on front board. Deckled top and fore- edges. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Light tanning and occasional minor foxing throughout. Interior unmarked. Binding firm and solid and textblock square and tight.

7. Palestine – Blaeu, Willem Janszoon. (1571 – 1638).

Terra Sancta quae in Sacris Terra Promissionis olim Palestina.

Original hand-coloured map. Augsburg, Guiljelmi Blaeuw, 1641. Plate Size: 50 cm x 38 cm. Sheet Size: 56.8 cm x 47.6 cm. Original map. Very good condition with some minor browning to outer margins only. Off square margins. Centre fold as issued. Map orientated so that the Mediterranean coastline faces the upper border. German text on reverse.

8. Denon, Vivant / Kendal, E.A.

Travels in Upper and Lower Egypt, During the Campaigns of General Bonaparte. Translated from the French. To which is prefixed, An Historical Account of the Invasion of Egypt by the French. By E.A. Kendal, Esq. Illustrated by Maps, Views &c. &c.

First english language edition of this important work. In two Volumes (complete set with all illustrations). London, Printed by J. Cundee for B. Crosby and Co., 1802. Octavo (14 cm x 21 cm). Volume I: Frontispiece, LXX, 264 pages / Volume II: 285 pages plus 42 unnumbered pages of Appendix and Index, also including Errata and one page of advertising for “Books printed for B.Crosby and Co.”. Hardcover / Recently rebacked original 19th-century leather with the new spines bound to style with gilt lettering and ornament. Original boards preserved. Beautifully restored set in firm and excellent condition. Page VII of Volume One loosened. The maps and engravings in unusually excellent condition. From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown of each Volume.

9. Dugmore, A. Radclyffe,

The Vast Sudan [With Notes on the Distribution, Appearance, Peculiarities and Habits of the Game of the Sudan (Water-buck, Black Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Reedbuck, Hartebeest etc.) / With a List of the More important Animals found in the Sudan – Some of the More Important Birds Found in the Sudan].

London, Arrowsmith, 1924. 16.5 cm x 24 cm. Frontispiece, 312 pages. 19 excellent photographic illustrations including frontispiece. One fold-out map showing ‘Anglo-Egyptian Sudan’. Hardcover [publisher’s original green cloth] with gilt lettering on spine. Blind tooling and design to front board. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Only one of two fold-out-maps present (the small Africa-Map-missing). Interior bright and clean and sharp cornered. Binding firm and strong.

10. Dun, Major T. I. / Saad, Nahmia (School of Fine Art, Cairo).

From Cairo to Siwa – Across the Libyan Desert with Amoured Cars [mainly with woodcuts by Nahmia Saad]. A Narrative Followed by Illuminated pages of the History and Customs of the Inhabitants of that Country, A Photographic Brochure, A Map. Foreword by Field Marshall W. R. Birdwood of the XIIth Royal Lancers.

One of 750 copies of a limited edition (overall 1,000 volumes printed). Cairo, Messrs E. & R. Schindler, 1933. 26 cm x 34 cm. Frontispiece, IV, 110 pages. Black and white photographs at rear. Fold-map of the route described in book at rear. Map of Cairo at rear also. Text in black and red. Hardcover [publisher’s original brown cloth]. Label on spine. Elaborately illustrated boards. Bookplate on front pastedown with inscription reading “The Old order changeth, yielding place to New.” Beautifully illustrated pastedowns and endpapers. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Spine with stronger abrasion but the binding overall firm and strong. Interior is bright and clean. Two images with issues: Ugly residue of paper of the preceding page on the tipped-in colour-plate depicting Queen Nefertari and the photograph of the Dunes of Cairo !