We found 5195 price guide item(s) matching your search

John Ruskin (1819-1900), a signed letter, addressed to Mrs Collins, Paris 21st September 80, encouraging her in her writing: 'tell me what your new children's book is to be about, and write it as you would like to write it - not consulting the Christian Knowledge people's notions more than you choose to' and offering sympathy in her troubles: 'I have not forgotten you, although more often as I remembered, -- the thought of your difficulties and their cruel causes, make me still helplessly silent. Indeed I don't, and never have thought, that our wills can conquer anything, and I am the last to tell any delicate woman she ought to live hardly - many things I may have said against common idlers and useless luxury, -- but nothing [?] of severe in expectation from people who are in hundreds of cases, already living an anchorites life, compared to mine', adding that her letters deeply touch and interest him and that he will assuredly 'keep you at present from feeling yourself in servitude for the sake of fifteen pounds', in a postscript, he offers to send a cheque for £20, with further instalments of money, although he is not sure that she would like that kind of help often ('...But there are times for it...), anda letter addressed to Mr Ruskin, from J R Lowell, 22nd Nov 1859, expressing his delight that Ruskin should admire his work: 'My dear Mr Ruskin,/ to have made one man happy in a lifetime is worth living for, & you have made me happy and proud too in writing to Norton that you counted me among your friends. That you may take for granted, but I must go farther & say, among your debtors as well. My proportion of a debt which I share with all who speak or read the English tongue may be small as far as it concerns you, but to me it is great & lifelong. We all quarrel with you sometimes, but what good could we get from a man who prophesied smooth things? & I am sure that I am not assuming too much when I say that in giving you my hearty thanks for what you have done, I am only doing what all the men whose opinion you would care for in America would gladly do if they had the same pretext for it that I have. I offer you my hand with all my heart, & I pay you my fealty also as to the man who has done for Art what Wordsworth wished to do for Poetry', and asking him if he could contribute an article to the Atlantic Monthly, ending in the persona and feigned hand of Hosea Biglow: 'i go in for the A buv like all git eout/ Hosea Biglow' (2)

AFTER SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS PORTRAIT OF GEORGE COLMAN (1732 - 1794) Oil on canvas 77 x 64cm (30¼ x 25 in.) UnframedProvenance: The Gow Collection Sale, Bonhams, Old Master and British Paintings, 7 December 1989, lot 12 (as Sir Joshua Reynolds, for £9,694)George Colman the Elder (1732 - 1794) was an English dramatist and essayist. Amongst his plays were Polly Honeycomb (1760), and The Jealous Wife (1761). In 1766 he produced The Clandestine Marriage jointly with David Garrick. Colman was acting manager of Covent Garden for seven years. In 1774, he sold his share in the playhouse to James Leake, and used the proceeds to buy a small theatre in the Haymarket. The original portrait of Colman painted by Reynolds, was painted for the 1st Baron Mulgrave, and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1770. It was last sold at Sotheby's on 8 April 1998, lot 101. Other known copies are in the Garrick Club, London, at Buscot Park, Oxfordshire, and in the National Portrait Gallery, London.  

Set of six figurines featuring children with toys, pets, and sweets, including multiple pieces marked as Exclusive Special Editions for the Goebel Collector's Club. Hand painted porcelain figures include Prayer Before Battle, Kiss Me, A Stitch In Time, Begging His Share, Valentine Joy, and Valentine Gift. M.I Hummel impressed backstamp. Goebel backstamp. Issued: 20th century Dimensions: Tallest: 2.5"W 6.75"HCountry of Origin: GermanyCondition: Age related wear.

This lot includes a three-piece set of crystal vessels featuring one vase and two votive holders. All pieces are expertly crafted with brilliant diamond and starburst cuts that create an enchanting play of light and refraction. The set's standout element is a small votive holder etched with the Tyrone mark, denoting its origin from the acclaimed Tyrone Crystal brand. The remaining pieces, though unmarked, share the same exceptional crystal clarity and elegant form. This set presents a beautiful opportunity to add refined sparkle and artistry to any display or collection.Issued: 20th centuryDimensions: Largest: 6"HCondition: Age related wear.

Depicting a bride and groom on their wedding day, the figurine is rendered in Lladro's signature glossy finish. The bride is elegantly dressed in a long, flowing gown with a veil and holds a small bouquet of delicate pink flowers. The groom is shown wearing a formal tuxedo with a bow tie, gently holding the bride's hands as they share a tender moment. This piece bears the Lladro backstamp on the underside. It comes complete with its original box.Artist: Antonio RamosIssued: 1992 - 2016Dimensions: 4"L x 3"W x 7.75"HCountry of Origin: SpainCondition: Age related wear.

An original 1928 Spanish share certificate from the now-defunct “Colón” Compañía Transaérea Española Blimp Co., attractively framed and glazed. This rare certificate represents a fascinating piece of early aviation finance history. The company, which aimed to develop airship travel in Spain, ultimately failed to launch and was liquidated in 1932. Along the right edge of the certificate are small printed dividend coupons, intended to be clipped and redeemed for interest payments in January and July each year from 1933 onward. The glass frame measures approx 45.5cm (h) x 30.5cm (w). / AN32

A 19th century oak goblet constructed form timbers of the Clipper 'Aurora' circa 1870, the plain bowl with painted inscription ' Remains of the Ship Aurora' on a knopped stem and domed foot, 16.2cm.*Notes- Owned by G & R S Walker of London, Aurora was charted to sail from Bombay to Liverpool with a cargo of cotton. The ship's Captain Harriott along with the ship's carpenter and ship broker devised a plain to load inferior cotton and set fire to the ship and share the proceeds of the insurance..

Power of PlanktonThis design celebrates the diverse, colourful and beautiful microscopic organisms that live in our oceans. There are an estimated half a million species, essential to other life on Earth. Highly sensitive to the slightest changes in their environment, they must be protected at all costs. They of course share an awesome beauty with one of the Earth's largest mammals.by Terry WhitworthTerry Whitworth has been a professional designer, illustrator and painter for over forty years, specialising in architectural and natural history subjects. He has produced a wide variety of work for clients, both local, national and international. Now semi-retired from a life of commercial artwork, he still has a great enthusiasm for painting and drawing.Trail Location Lyme Regis: Marine Parade (Beach Huts).

Digges (Sir Dudley) The Compleat Ambassador..., first edition, additional engraved title, letterpress title printed in red and black, M3 marginal tear, some cockling near start, water-stained, contemporary calf, paper spine label titled in manuscript, some wear to extremities, rubbed and scuffed, [Wing D1453], folio, Tho. Newcomb, for Gabriel Bedell and Thomas Collins, 1655. *** Important work documenting the proposed marriage of Elizabeth I. Digges, poet, diplomat and large share-holder in the East India Company, had died in 1639. This work was published from copies of the correspondence of Elizabeth with Leicester, Burghley, Walsingham and Sir Thomas Smith, which had been found amongst Digges' papers.

* French playing cards. Mytho-Transparantes, Paris?: J.D. (J. David?), circa 1890, 16 lithographed translucent cards, with hidden mildly erotic illustrations, each with 2-4 pip signs, variously arranged(not mixed), within single line black border, hidden 'artistic' images of nude women in 12 pseudo-mythological poses, visible when backlit, several captioned eg. Diane, La douche, Venus sortant de l'onde, etc., 3 images duplicated (one with 3 copies), one card with pinhole to lower right corner, otherwise excellent condition, square corners, versos plain white, each card 95 x 65 mm, with original two-part box with sliding tray, outer cover with two illustrations, title and 'Série Photos', also with original paper sealing band (2 short tears/splits), titled 'Transparentes Garanties', and 'Sujets Mythologiques J.D.', together with: Cartes Indiennes, Paris: B.P. Grimaud, circa 1890, two complete decks of 52 chromolithographed playing cards (French suits), heightened with gold, 3/4 length courts depicting people in Oriental costumes, decorative aces, floral or foliate backgrounds to all cards, no indices, the first pack has no maker's names or tax stamp, the pip cards have different backgrounds to each suit, one tiny spot to 2D, otherwise apparently unused, rounded gilt corners, versos white anemones on patterned dark gilt band against a decorative dark green background, each card 92 x 64 mm, the second pack has maker's name on all courts and aces, tax stamp on AC, black suits share the same background, as do red suits, thinner cardstock, rubbed, some light wear, few minor creases, 9D with corner loss, 9S with small surface loss, rounded corners, gilt edges, versos as above, except lighter green background, original two-part box, outer sleeve lacking end panel, each card 91 x 63 mm, plus: Jeu Francais et Russe, unknown maker, circa 1815, also known as Des Batailles du Premier Empire, 17 (of 32, comprising 8 courts, 3 aces, 6 pip cards) hand-coloured engraved cards, each with small standard pattern (single figure) playing card to one corner, apparently adhered to each card (rather than directly printed), AD with title 'Jeu Francais et Russe', AC with the 'Régle du jeu', the main part of each card bears a large circular illustration depicting a scene from the French Revolutionary Wars or the Napoleonic Wars, each captioned in French, many dated, some dates using the French Republican calendar, several words poorly spelled, eg. Memiagene for Memmingen, the scenes included date between 1793-1813, soiled and marked, some wear, especially to small playing cards, QS stained, KD with small corner loss, 7C with larger corner loss affecting illustration, few cards with some tiny pinholes, KS with 3 small punctures, closed but with very tiny surface losses to image (barely visible), corners rounded from use, versos plain white, KH verso with small ticket bearing ink manuscript number 324 (old collection label?), each card 134 x 86 mm, with another 7 French decks (not examined or checked for completeness unless mentioned): a handmade deck, circa 1930, 32 plus joker, suits are circles and squares (red, outlined green), crescents and triangles (green, outlined red), 2 indices, double-ended abstract figures, versos red with geometric pattern of black lines, corners cut at an angle; two Philibert decks, 1950s-1960s; a 2002 Christian Chabert deck; two incomplete aluette decks, one circa 1860 by Dieudonne-Aine, of Angers (28/48), worn, the other circa 1900 by Grimaud (28/48); and a French prisoner of war part-deck, circa 1800, 26 miniature bone cards - 6 single figure courts & 20 pips (some pip signs completely rubbed away), plus a single French translucent card, of similar 'artistic' type to the first pack listed, in poor condition, some cards from the two aluette decks corner mounted onto 2 display boards (59 x 42 cm), encapsulated in clear plastic (not examined out of boards)QTY: (12)NOTE:First item: Denning (1976), pages 47-48. The remaining captions comprise: La course (two copies), Le réveil, La coiffure, La gymnastique (two copies). The other repeated image, present in three cards, is not captioned. Rare with with accompanying box and sealing band.Second items: Cary, FRA 368 (later version with indices); Fournier, France 369.Third item: Rare. The only other example we have found is a single card (10 of diamonds) listed on the website of the French Ministère de la Culture (musée de l'Image - Ville d'Épinal, inventory no. D 996.1.18680.21 A), which is captioned Bataille des Pyramides. The small 10 of diamonds 'card' has been adhered onto the large card, as ours.

Attributed to Francisco del Pozo (Milan, Italy, XVI century - Active in Tunja at the end of the XVI century).“Saint Agnes”Oil on canvas.140 x 92 cm This painting is undoubtedly attributable to Francisco del Pozo.There are several elements to observe. Firstly, the comparison with Saint Margaret of Antioch by Francisco del Pozo, located in the Church of El Topo in Tunja, Colombia.The two paintings, in our opinion, share many striking similarities, starting with the faces of both saints—often the most revealing feature of a painter’s hand—which are almost identical. They both wear a very particular and distinctive type of dress. In both compositions, the saint appears in a prominent foreground with a high-quality painted landscape on either side, and, interestingly, both saints are shown with a lamb as their attribute—which it indeed is—and the lambs are also very similar.Furthermore, a particularly interesting observation was made a few years ago by a professor from the University of Madrid to the owner of the painting: the iconography (although translated into a Baroque style) follows that of the Byzantine mosaic of Saint Agnes found in the apse of the Basilica of Saint Agnes Outside the Walls in Rome. At that time, only an Italian painter would have been thoroughly familiar with it. Francisco del Pozo, born in Milan, settled in the New World as a painter. It is nearly impossible to imagine that any non-Italian artist of that era would have known of the mosaic, and the painting is evidently not Italian either.As for biographical information, little is known. According to the Real Academia de la Historia, this is what is recorded in Hispanic history: “Only one painting by this artist is documented, which depicts the Virgin of Candelaria. The image is accompanied by Saints Francis and Dominic, patrons of the Augustinian Hermit friars who commissioned the work, named Domingo de Anaya and Francisco Rodríguez. These friars chose the wilderness of La Candelaria in Ráquira as their place of retreat at the beginning of the colonial period, and the painting is still preserved in the monastery chapel. It bears the inscription: ‘Franciscus Puteus Medionalensis, fecit anno 1597’. Francisco del Pozo was part of the group of Italian artists who arrived in New Granada and left their mark on the first colonial painters. He lived in Tunja at the same time as Angelino de Medoro, and the marvellous Renaissance-style mural decorations in Tunja’s houses are probably their work.” Provenance: Private collection, Spain. Reference bibliography: - https://arcav1.uniandes.edu.co/artworks/16086- https://historia-hispanica.rah.es/biografias/37937-francisco-del-pozo 

A rare English pearlware mug, Yorkshire or Staffordshire, printed and hand-coloured in pratt colours with a transfer relating to the beheading of Louis XVI in 1793, the inscription reads 'View of LA GUILLOTINE or the modern beheading machine at PARIS by which LOUIS XVI late king of France suffered on the scaffold Jan 21 1793', 8.5cm high (restored)This print, derived from William Lane's woodcut, is also found in blue and attributed to Swansea Pottery. However, Swansea mugs all share a similar distinctive inner border, which is lacking on this example.Condition:Some good quality restoration with partial retouching to the text to the left hand side of the guillotine. This appears to be a covering a reverse Y shaped crack descending from the rim into the body of the mug, please see additional images including UV.There are small glaze nibbles around the rim and a firing crack to the base.

James I (King of England). The Narrative History of King James for the first fourteen years, in four parts. I. The State of England at his Majesties entrance..., II. The Proceedings touching the Divorce betwixt the Lady Frances Howard, and Robert Earl of Essex..., III. A Declaration of his Majesties Revenue with Assignations and Defalcations upon the same..., IV. The Commissions and Warrants for the Burning of two Hereticks..., 1st edition, London: Printed for Michael Sparke, 1651, engraved portrait Sir Thomas Overbury inserted as frontispiece of (verso with early ownership inscription to verso 'Sum e libris Radulphi Leycester'), verso of letterpress title with early signature of R. Leycester, lacking additional engraved allegorical title, letterpress explanatory leaf and other portrait plate, also lacking blank leaf V4 (as often), early annotations to several leaves, ownership inscriptions to verso of final leaf including 'Gwin? Leycester Eleanor Leycesters niece', some dust-soiling, toning and minor marks, 18th/19th-century panelled sheep, light wear, 4to, together with:[Lloyd, David]. Eikon Basilike or, The True Pourtraiture of His sacred Majestie Charls the II. In three books. Beginning from his birth 1630. unto this present year, 1660. Wherein is interwoven a compleat history of the high-born Dukes of York and Glocester. By R.F. Esq; an eye-witness, 3 parts in 1, London: printed [by John Brudenell and Peter Lillicrap] for H. Brome, and H. Marsh, 1660, portrait frontispiece lacking, first two words of title printed in Greek characters (title-page lined to verso), light damp-staining mostly to margins, later endpapers, front pastedown with ink stamp armorial of Edward Gay, contemporary sheep, centre of each board with initials 'CR' in gilt with crown above, rebacked, board corners at foot, repaired, 8vo,Warwick (Philip). Memoirs of the reigne of King Charles I. With a continuation to the Happy Restauration of King Charles II, London: R. Chiswell, 1701, engraved portrait frontispiece, lower outer blank corners of last three leaves with slight worm trail, contemporary blind panelled calf, 8vo,[Birch, Thomas]. An Inquiry into the share, which King Charles I. had in the transactions of the Earl of Glamorgan, Afterwards Marquis of Worcester, for bringing over a body of Irish rebels to assist that King, in the years 1645 and 1646. In which Mr. Carte's imperfect Account of that Affair, and his Use of the MS. Memoirs of the Pope's Nuncio, Rinuccini, are impartially considered. The whole drawn from the Best Authorities Printed and Manuscript, London: A. Millar, 1747, contemporary calf, red morocco title label to spine, joints cracked, light wear, 8vo, plus 7 other related 17th and early 18th-century publicationsQTY: (11)NOTE:1. Wing S4818; Goldsmiths 1238.

[Dring, Thomas]. A Catalogue of the Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen that have compounded for their Estates, 1st edition, London: Thomas Dring, 1655, manuscript annotation to title, short closed tear to title at gutter, lacking final blank leaf at rear (L8), contemporary sheep, recent labels to spine, small 8vo, together with:[Blount, Thomas] - Charles II. Boscobel: or, The history of His sacred Majesties most miraculous preservation after the Battle of Worcester, 3. Sept. 1651. Introduc’d by an exact relation of that battle, London: Henry Seile, 1660, engraved portrait frontispiece (folding fore-margin), title in red & black (both with manuscript notes to verso), engraved armorial plate also with manuscript notes to verso, without other folding plate and plan, the dedication signed "Blount" in letterpress (rather than 'Tho. Blount' as seen variant volume Wing B3329), slight dust-soiling and few marks, modern calf, small 8vo,May (Thomas). A Breviary of the History of the Parliament of England. Expressed in three Parts: 1. The Causes and Beginnings of the Civil War of England. 2. A short mention of the Progress of that Civil War. [3.] A compendious Relation of the Original and Progress of the Second Civil War. First written in Latine, & after done into English, 2nd edition, London: Printed by J. Cottrel, for Thomas Brewster, 1655, engraved portrait frontispiece (upper margin cropped at head with loss of manuscript signature and reattached at gutter, verso with manuscript ownership inscriptions of Thomas Pearson 1450/1 and R. Sill 1788), title with repaired closed tear to imprint at foot of leaf and ownership name stamp of Richard Sill to fore-margin, manuscript name of Thomas Pearson to verso of final leaf, occasional few leaves with light damp-staining at head and foot; light dust-soiling, later front free endpaper, contemporary sheep, modern reback, small 8vo,Crouch (Nathaniel). The wars in England Scotland and Ireland. Or, an Impartial Account of all the Battels, Sieges, and other Remarkable Transactions, Revolutions and Accidents, which have happened from the beginning of the Reign of King Charles I. in 1625. to His Majesties happy Restauration, 1660, by Richard Burton [pseud.], 5th edition, very much enlarged, London: Nath. Crouch, 1684, engraved frontispiece and 3 plates, small stain to title, final advertisement leaf present, modern pastedowns, contemporary sheep, rebacked, board corners worn, 12mo,[Birch, Thomas]. An Inquiry into the share, which King Charles I. had in the transactions of the Earl of Glamorgan, afterwards Marquis of Worcester, for bringing over a body of Irish rebels to assist that King, in the years 1645 and 1646. In which Mr. Carte's imperfect account of that affair, and his use of the ms. memoirs of the Pope's Nuncio Rinuccini, are impartially considered..., 2nd edition, London: A. Millar, 1756, later endpapers retaining armorial bookplate of John William Willis Bund to upper pastedown, contemporary calf, rebacked, 8vo, QTY: (5)NOTE:1. Wing D2187.2. ESTC R15303; Wing B3330.3. ESTC R31201; Wing M1396.4. Wing C7359. Richard or Robert Burton, pseudonyms of Nathaniel Crouch.

DICKENS CHARLES: (1812-1870) English Novelist. A.L.S., Charles Dickens, with paraph, one page, 8vo, Devonshire Terrace, 20th November 1849, to Dr. [Thomas] Southwood Smith ('My dear Dr. Smith'). Dickens states that he is sincerely obliged to both his correspondent and Lord Ashley for the trouble that they have taken ('The latter interprets my wish quite accurately') and further remarks 'I will take a share in the permanent society. If you will kindly give the Treasurer (whenever you may happen to see him) the cheque you hold on account, I will pay him the balance if he will communicate with me'. About EXThomas Southwood Smith (1788-1861) English physician and sanitary reformer. Anthony Ashley-Cooper (1801-1885) 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. Lord Ashley. English politician, philanthropist and social reformer.

NAPOLEON II: (1811-1832) Prince Imperial, King of Rome and Prince of Parma 1811-32, Duke of Reichstadt. Son of Napoleon I and his second wife, Marie Louise of Austria. A.L.S., with multiple signatures in his hand, two pages, 4to, n.p. [Vienna], n.d. [January 1822?], to a General, in French. An extremely rare draft letter manuscript, with multiple draft signatures, most in German, where Napoleon II makes multiple tests on what is his title as `Duke of Reichstadt´. Napoleon tests multiple signatures, including few capital "R", "Reichstadt" and four "Reichstadt" in German, also signing `Franz´ and `Herzog Reichs´ ("Duke of the Empire"), with multiple different flourishes. In a bold elegant hand Napoleon has written a two pages polite letter to a General, with seven lines crossed, stating in part `Le retour du nouvel an m´engage à vous participer les sentiments que j´éprouve. C´est une époque heureuse pour les familles et pour l´amitié, elle en ressert les liens, et rapproche même les individus que des intérêts particuliers avaient brouillés... Les rapports qui existent entre nous n´ont jamais été sujets à aucune contradiction, parce que l´amitié qui nous unit repose sur des bases solides et désintéréssées et qui sont à l´épreuve de tous les évènements qui pourraient agir contrairement à nos divers intérêts...´ (Translation: "The return of the New Year urges me to share with you the feelings I feel. It is a happy time for families and for friendship, it strengthens the bonds, and even brings together individuals who had been estranged by particular interests... The relations that exist between us has never been subject to any contradiction, because the friendship that unites us rests on solid and disinterested foundations and which are proof against all events that could act contrary to our various interests.") Very slightly uneven edges, and very small minor creasing, otherwise G to VG

ENGLISH WRITERS: H. Rider Haggard (1856-1925) English writer of adventure fiction including King Solomon's Mines. A.L.S., H. Rider Haggard, one page, 8vo, Ditchingham (although on the printed stationery of Redcliffe Square, London), 22nd December n.y., to Adair. Haggard informs his correspondent that ´Meade has departed leaving me to look after his shooting´, explaining that he proposes to go over the land in the week commencing 22nd January, and asking ´Can you come & help for the five or six days, meeting each day at the Hall at 10?´. With blank integral leaf; Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) English priest, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. A brief A.L.S., C Kingsley, one page, small 8vo, Eversley Rectory, Winchfield, 13th December 1871, to ´My dear Antony´. Kingsley asks if his correspondent would be able to ´conveniently take me in from Saturday to Monday´. With blank integral leaf; Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) English novelist. A.L.S., with his initials A. B., one page, 4to, Comarques, Thorpe-le-Soken, 18th May 1914, to Richard Pryce. Bennett opens his letter with an apology, ´For both our sakes, & especially for yours, you having done all the work, I was sorry for this fiasco´, and continues ´I don´t even now understand why it didn´t go, & why, on the other hand, they kept it on so long. As to French, so far as I am personally concerned, I must leave my share of the affair to Pinker. I know nothing about amateur rights, & I reckon that Pinker will get his commission back for me. I certainly think it would be better to print "H with HH" if French will do it for the fees on 3 performances. My belief is that Helen will succeed in U.S.A., if ever she is put on´. A letter of good content. VG, 3Richard Pryce (1864-1942) English novelist.Bennett´s letter refers to his short comedic novel Helen with a High Hand, published in 1910.

MONET CLAUDE: (1840-1926) French Impressionist painter. A very fine and lengthy A.L.S., Claude Monet, six pages, 8vo, Sandviken (Norway), 5th March 1895, to his wife, Alice Hoschedé (´Ma bonne femme chérie´), in French. Monet states that he had been beginning to worry about his wife´s silence, ´car depuis 4 jours nous attendions le courrier en vain tous en retard causée par le mauvais temps, sont aussi pénibles pour toi que pour moi´ (Translation: ´because for the last four days we had been waiting in vain for the post, all late due to the bad weather. This is as difficult for you as it is for me´) adding that he finally received her letters of 28th February and 2nd March, remarking ´je ne te cache pas que lorsque un jour passe sans lettre de toi je suis sans courage, car j’ai plus que jamais besoin d’appui, d’encouragement´ (Translation: ´I can't hide from you that when a day goes by without a letter from you I am discouraged, because I need support and encouragement more than ever´) and continuing to provide news of his painting and the conditions he faces, ´Je travaille, mais que de perte de temps. Bon dieu, chaque jour c’est un incident un contre-temps imprévu. Comme chaque jour je vois de plus belles choses, il a refait très froid après ces dernières chutes de neige, mais aujourd’hui c’est comme un dégel. Le soleil devient d’une ardeur extraordinaire et les jours grandissent d’une manière inconnue chez nous et cela se concoit puisqu´en juin il n’y aura pour ainsi dire plus de nuit. Je ne sais vraiment pas si j’arriverai à faire une seule toile possible. J’en commence toujours sans jamais retrouver une seconde séance et cependant je sais bien que je vois et comprends mieux comment rendre cette nature. Mais il faudrait des mois pour cela, et je redoute que d’un jour à l’autre le dégel soit complet. Ce qu’il y a de bête et de regretable c’est de m’être mis dans la tête de rapporter quelque chose, on ne vient pas ainsi dans un pays si différent se mettre à le peindre de but en blanc´ (Translation: ´I work, but what a waste of time. Good Lord, every day there is an incident, an unforeseen setback. Because each day I see new beautiful things. It has become very cold again after the last snowfall, but today it is like a thaw. The sun has become extraordinarily intense and the days are lengthening in a way we don't experience at home, and this makes sense since there will be no more nighttimes to come in June, so to speak. I really don't know if I'll be able to paint even a single canvas. I keep starting them, then find I can’t take them into a second session, despite the knowledge I know I’ve gained in how to better render this nature. But it could take months to master, and I fear that from one day to the next the thaw will end. What is stupid and regrettable is that I got it into my head that I was going to bring something back with me, but you can’t just turn up in a country as different as this and find yourself able to start painting it at the drop of a hat’), further lamenting the fact that he will have seen very little of Norway, and only a small area surrounding Christiania (i.e. Oslo), and expressing his innermost thoughts, ´Pardonnez-moi de ne pas pouvoir t´écrire que je suis dans la joie et content de ce que je fais.....mais tu me connais je ne puis dissimuler et à qui confier mes pensées mes impressions si ce n’est à toi et je te demande de m´écrire le plus souvent possible. j’ai besoin de ton soutien pour me remonter et puis ne te décourage pas peut-être demain serais-je plus satisfait plus heureux, hier je voyais tout d’un bon œil....´ (Translation: ´Forgive me for not being able to write saying that I am happy and content with what I am doing......but as you know, I’m not capable of hiding my thoughts and impressions, and with whom could I share them if not you, and I ask you to write to me as often as possible. I need your support to cheer me up and so don't be discouraged, maybes tomorrow I will be more satisfied, happier, yesterday I saw everything with a keen eye...´). Monet further writes of his health, and that of his son-in-law Jacques Hoschede (with whom he was travelling in Norway), makes a reference to his daughter-in-law, Suzanne Hoschede, and also displays a certain longing for his wife and home´ De nos santés tu n´as pas à t´inquiéter nous nous portons tres bien. Quand à notre chère Suzanne ne te décourage pas il lui faut le beau temps......et toi avec tous tes ennuis comment es-tu, tu ne me parles jamais de ta santé. Ecris-moi longuement et n´ai jamais de remords si une lettre est en retard ou perdue, car tu me dis n´avais pas recu de nouvelles de moi du lundi au samedi et c´est impossible, puis je t´en pris ne m´adresse pas des lignes si courtes que celle du 28 fev si laconique, une demie page, et qui ressemble a une punition et c´en est une je t´assure. Je t’aime ma chérie et pense sans cesse à toi à vous tous ne m’en veux donc pas d’être malheureux tu sais mon énergie mon courage, lorsque je suis au moins un peu favorisé par le temps. Cela peut venir encore peut-etre. Si j´avais la déveine d´ici quelques jours de voir le temps mauvais.....et enfin si je voyais l´impossibilite matérielle de rien faire et bien je songerai au départ´ (Translation: ´You don't have to worry about our health. We are doing very well. As for our dear Suzanne, don't be discouraged. She needs good weather......And you, with all your troubles, how are you? You never talk to me about your health. Write to me at length and never feel guilty if a letter is late or lost, because you tell me you hadn't heard from me from Monday to Saturday and that's impossible, so please don't write me such short lines as the one on 28 February, so laconic, half a page, and which feels like a punishment and it is one, I assure you. I love you, my darling, and think of you and all of you constantly, so don't be cross with me for being unhappy. You know my energy and my courage when I'm at least a little favoured by the weather. It may come again, maybe. If I am unlucky and the weather turns bad in a few days' time... and if I realise that it is materially impossible for me to do anything, well, I will think about leaving´). The artist concludes his letter in affectionate terms, ´Je t´embrasse et t´envoi toute mes pensées tout mon coeur baisers a tous a ma petite a ma grande.....´ (Translation: ´I send you all my love and all my best wishes, kisses to everyone, to my little one, to my big one...´). A letter of excellent content, not least for its references to the difficulties Monet endured during his painting expedition in Norway. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGAlice Hoschedé Monet (1844-1911) French artists' model, wife of the art collector Ernest Hoschede and later of the Impressionist painter Claude Monet (from 1892).Suzanne Hoschedé (1868-1899) was the stepdaughter and favourite model of Monet, and was the subject of his painting The Woman with a Parasol (1886).Claude Monet’s trip to Norway in 1895 was perhaps the most physically taxing of all his many painting campaigns. Touring the country with his stepson Jacques Hoschedé, who lived in Christiania, he was awestruck but initially frustrated in his search for good subjects amid the snow as the present letter suggests. Despite this discontent, Monet painted twenty-nine Norwegian scenes during his two-month stay.

NATALIJA KONSTANTINOVIC - PRINCESS OF MONTENEGRO: (1882-1950) Granddaughter of Princess Anka Obrenovic, she married Prince Mirko Petrovic-Njegos who was promised the Serbian crown in the event of King Alexander I dying childless. But after Alexander´s assassination in 1903 the crown was not given to him. In 1910 Montenegro became a Kingdom, with her father-in-law crowned as first and only ever King, but when the Austro-Hungarian forces invaded Montenegro in 1916 during World War I, the Princess and her family had to flee the Kingdom. A year later she divorced. A.L.S., `Nathalie´, two pages, 8vo, n.p., n.d., `Sunday evening´, in French. The Princess sends a congratulations message to her correspondent on the occasion of the wedding of her son, a heartfelt message considering that Natalija gave birth to five sons, five Princes of Montenegro and only one reached adulthood, stating `Permettez-moi de vous dire combien de coeur je partage avec vous votre joie à l´occasion des fiançailles de votre fils. Il me semble qu´une mère qui a eu le bonheur d´élever son fils, achève son oeuvre le jouir où elle le voit se marier selon ses désirs´ ("Allow me to tell you how much I share with you your joy on the occasion of the engagement of your son. It seems to me that a mother who has had the happiness of raising her son, completes her work the day she watches him marrying according to his wishes") Small creasing with right corners very slightly clipped. G

GEORGE III: (1738-1820) King of Great Britain and Ireland 1760-1820. A good L.S., Georgius R, with holograph subscription, one page, folio, St. James´s Palace, 14th March 1786, to King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, in Latin. The King states that he was greatly honoured to have received Ferdinand I´s letter announcing that the Queen, their wife, had happily given birth to a Princess, a daughter whom they have named Maria Clotilde, remarking ´We congratulate Your Majesty with all Our hearts on this most fortunate event, and We sincerely share in the joy that it brings´ and continuing to express his home that the Princess and the entire royal household will receive the protection of God. Countersigned (´Carmarthen´) at the foot by Francis Osborne (1751-1799) 5th Duke of Leeds, Marquess of Carmarthen, British politician who served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1783-91. With integral address leaf bearing a blind embossed wafer seal (small area of paper loss caused by the original breaking of the seal). Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGFerdinand I (1751-1825) King of the Two Sicilies 1816-25, previously King of Naples as Ferdinand IV (1759-99, 1799-1806 & 1815-16) and King of Sicily as Ferdinand III (1759-1816).Maria Clotilde (1786-1792) Princess of Naples and Sicily, born on 18th February. Ferdinand I´s daughter had a short life of very frail health, contracting smallpox from her brothers which she then passed to her sister, Maria Henrietta. The two Princesses died within ten days of each other.

GAINSBOROUGH THOMAS: (1727-1788) English painter. A rare A.L.S., Mr Gainsborough, in the third person, one page, oblong 8vo, n.p., n.d. (´Sat. morn[in]g´, c-1784?), to [Richard] Cosway. The artist writes a somewhat intriguing letter, in full, ´Mr Gainsborough presents his compliments to Mr Cosway; and he finds there has been a loss of Iron betwixt us, he begs in case it must be repair´d with gold or silver, that he may be permitted to share the expence with Mr. Cosway´. Neatly laid down and with some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGRichard Cosway (1742-1821) English portrait painter of the Georgian and Regency eras, noted for his miniatures. Cosway was married to Maria Cosway, the Italian-born painter who was a close friend of Thomas Jefferson.In 1784 the Cosways, who led a conspicuous and scandalous social life, moved into Schomberg House on Pall Mall, which became a fashionable salon for London society. Gainsborough was one of their immediate neighbours at the time, and his reference to iron in the present letter may have been in connection with alterations to Schomberg House, perhaps to the iron railings of the street facade.

PUCCINI GIACOMO: (1858-1924) Italian composer. A.L.S., with abbreviated signature, to one side of a postcard, Milan, 2nd February 1921, to his brother-in-law Raffaello Franceschini, in Italian. Puccini in a friendly way states, in part, `Vedi, io sono piu gentile di te - forse e una tortura… - tu ti struggi e io ti ayuto con i desideri inutili. Tu mi mandi la canna? caro mio quando te ne servi lo so, l´empi divino´ (Translation: "You see, I'm kinder than you - Maybe it´s a torture… you yearn and I help you with your useless desires. Are you sending me the rod? Hand addressed by Puccini to Franceschini in Pescia, Toscana. The postcard shows to the front an attractive colour image of a young Lybian girl. Postmarked and stamped. G Raffaello Franceschini (1854-1942) husband of Puccini´s one-year younger sister, Ramelde Puccini (1859-1912). Franceschini was working as tax collector in Pescia. Puccini and his brother-in-law maintained a long-time friendly relationship, and used to share the hunting journeys.

MARIE JOSEPHINE OF SAVOY: (1753-1810) Countess of Provence. Princess of France, wife of the future King Louis XVIII of France. L.S., Marie Josephine Louise, with three lines of text in her hand, one page, oblong folio, n.p., n.d., to a lady, in French. The Princess writes concerning the fate of Pierre Lecadieux, a Grenadier with the French Guards, who had drawn his sword against a comrade and refused to hand over the weapon to a senior officer, explaining 'pour reparation de cette faute il a ete condamne aux galeres perpetueller ou il est actuellement detenu' (Translation: 'as compensation for this fault he was condemned to the galleys in perpetuity where he is currently detained') and continuing 'Ce refus dont un exces de vin fut la cause et dont la punition a ete si terrible le priverait-il des bontes du Roy qui dans la joie de la naissance de Monseigneur Le Dauphin fait grace a ceux qui ayant merite le chatiment qu'il endure osent recourir a sa clemence et ne doit-il pas esperer Madame que touchee de l'etat miserable ou il en reduit vous lui ferez la grace de lui accorder votre puissante protection afin qu'il puisse etre admis a parteger les bontes de sa Majeste; Il a d'autant plus lieu de l'esperer qu'etant compagnon orfevre il lui reste un metier pour subsister avec honneur ainsi qu'il a toujours fait' (Translation: 'Would this refusal, of which an excess of wine was the cause and whose punishment was so terrible, deprive him of the kindness of the King who, in the joy of the birth of Monseigneur the Dauphin, pardons those who have deserved the punishment he endures, dare to have recourse to his clemency and should he not hope, Madame, that, touched by the miserable state to which he is reduced, you will do him the grace to grant him your powerful protection so that he may be admitted to share the bounties of His Majesty; He has all the more reason to hope for it since, as a journeyman goldsmith, he still has a trade to live on with honour as he has always done'). The Princess concludes the letter by recommending the contents to the Marquis de Castries, adding that she takes an interest in the matter and that she will be very obliged to him. Neatly inlaid and with some very light foxing to the edges, only minimally affecting the text and signature. About VGCharles Eugene Gabriel de La Croix (1727-1801) Marquis de Castries. French Marshal who served as Secretary of State of the Navy 1780-87 and as principal secretary to the Count of Provence, the future King Louis XVIII.

SANTA CRUZ ANDRES: (1792-1865) Andres de Santa Cruz y Calahumana. President of Peru 1827 & 1836-38, and President of Bolivia 1829-39. An excellent L.S., `Sta Cruz´, one page, 4to, La Paz, 22nd December 1831, to Colonel Pedro Torres, in Spanish. Santa Cruz to his correspondent´s letter and states in part `..you refer to the part of the million reward which has been approved by decree for the Liberatory Army at the 1st Bolivian Assembly…the only amount I have been authorized to distribute as been 80.000 p..and having received so many requests, it has been necessary to share the whole proportionally.´, further saying `Nothing would have made me feel better than showing to you my personal consideration, and I will never forget the merit of all the good officers who under my lead have served with such honesty to the American Liberty cause…´ A letter of very interesting historical content. Folded, with small overall age and staining, mostly to edges. G

RAINIER III: (1923-2005) Sovereign Prince of Monaco 1949-2005. An excellent, lengthy T.L.S., Rainier, Prince de Monaco, with holograph salutation and subscription of eleven lines, ten pages (separate leaves), 4to, Palais de Monaco, 20th November 1968, to Marcel Palmaro (´Mon Cher Marcel´), President Delegate of the Board of Directors of the Société des Bains de Mer (S.B.M.), in French. The Prince commences his letter stating ´The problem of the S.B.M. is close to my heart, as you know, it bothers me and concerns me, as I'm sure you can imagine. I therefore believe it useful and even essential to put in writing all my thoughts, observations and criticisms of the current operation and management of the S.B.M., in the hope that you will benefit from them. I was struck by the tone of your letter of 25 October, because although I am writing to you personally to share with you certain facts that may concern me in terms of the best operation of the Société, it is certainly not the automatic transcription of gossip that I am going to echo to you! I therefore find it difficult to accept the wording of the first paragraph of your letter of 25 October, the terms of which, you will agree, are addressed more to one of your employees than to the Sovereign Prince!! I will attribute this wording to your understandable exasperation at the repeated reports of the boycott of service by the staff of the Société's hotels and restaurants´, further remarking ´Si vous arrivez à lancer rapidemet ces deux poles de collaboration, votre fonction será alors comparable à un chef d´orchestre qui donne le ton et les moyens d´exécution et de réalisation, ce qui serait le moyen le plus harmonieux et le plus valable pour redonner à Monte-Carlo l´attrait qui´il semble perdre de plus chaque année´ (Translation: ´If you manage to quickly launch these two centres of collaboration, your role will be comparable to that of a conductor who sets the tone and the means of execution and realisation, which would be the most harmonious and most valid way to restore to Monte-Carlo the appeal that it seems to be losing more and more each year´) and continuing to discuss various aspects of Monte Carlo under nine individual titles, in part, ´The attached long memo will give you my thoughts and express my wishes and hopes in various areas. This document can and should be useful to you, I have written it with this in mind and I think that there will be no doubt in your mind. Before ending this letter, I will answer some of the questions in your letter: Monte-Carlo Beach – It is necessary to transform this complex into a club, and I believe that the best formula would be to create this complex, which I have been talking about for so long, grouping the tennis and the beach, all of which could be called ‘Monte-Carlo Country Club’, following the American formula which is already successful in all the cities of America…….De Galea Collection – I am not absolutely set on the location of this collection on the ground floor of the new Government offices; it was a possibility. There is a tourist circuit that you know, which the coaches and tourists do not deviate from, which is why I thought that placing this collection on the Rock would increase the number of tourists visiting it. Installing it in Monte-Carlo is not a bad idea, provided that it has no association with the games or activities of the Casino. For my part, I do not think that this collection can find its place in the former winter sporting club before the game leaves this establishment to move to the new summer-winter sporting club on the Larvotto esplanade…….Development of the Larvotto Esplanade - In the report I received of the meeting of the Cooperation Commission on 4 November, I see that there is talk of calling the Sporting Club du Larvotto the ‘Summer and Winter Palace’. I don't like this name at all, and I would like you to remove it immediately from all projects, plans, etc. There is only one palace in the Principality, and that is the Prince's palace on the Rock. There has already been some confusion with the ‘Palais du Gouvernement’, the residence of the Minister of State, which I am still trying to get them to call the ‘Ministry of State’!.......On this open space, around the new sporting club and the hotel, a park could be created in which luxury bungalows would be built, to be rented or sold, and a few buildings of 4 to 6 storeys maximum, with one apartment per floor, for high-standing and important clients of the company........Residential District – I believe this is very important, because little by little the Principality is losing the residential districts it had before, made up of villas in green areas; this formula must be recreated.........Hotel project on the Sea Club site - You know the increasingly urgent need for Monte-Carlo to increase its hotel potential if we want to make a useful contribution to tourism throughout the year... You know very well that I don't have a particular liking for the Holiday Inn chain and that if I welcomed their project with a certain enthusiasm, it was because it was one of the first and only hotel chains that really intended to finance, build and operate a new hotel in the Principality……..I think I am right in saying that the ‘bricks and mortar’ investment, particularly in hotel construction, is an excellent investment for the Principality, because at least this one will last!.......Personally, I think it is quite normal that for a large, new, quality hotel that is being built, the S.B.M. allows, in a form that suits it best, games to be operated within the hotel grounds; I do not believe that this could be detrimental to the Casino, on the contrary, it will stimulate the revival of gambling among a wider clientele´ and in concluding adds ´I myself have received criticism from friends and acquaintances regarding the decline in the quality of service in the rooms and restaurants, and even the decline in the quality of the food. I have noticed this decline myself on several occasions during lunches or dinners in the catering establishments of the S.B.M. So there is some truth to it, it is not just a ’ cabal’, and I believe that vigilance is absolutely necessary, and that if the starting point of this decline in service comes from a certain “boycott” of the staff, exemplary sanctions should be given without hesitation in order to put a stop to a petty policy that risks spreading and thus harming the community, which is and must be my constant concern as well as yours´). A letter of interesting, and at times forthright, content. A few very light, extremely minor stains to the foot of the first page, and with small staple holes to the upper left corner of each page, VGOWING TO RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE SALEROOM THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED - PLEASE CONTACT IAA EUROPE DIRECTLY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

INGRES JEAN-AUGUSTE-DOMINIQUE: (1780-1867) French Neoclassical Painter. Autograph statement by Ingres, signed `J. Ingres´, two pages, 12mo, n.p., n.d., to Monsieur Capelet, in French. To a page removed from an autograph album, four personalities have written in their hand four short statements, two the front and two to the verso. To the front page Ingres cleanly and boldly writes `Je m´honore de partager les voeux philantropiques de Mr. Capelet. J´applaudis au zele qu´il montre pour le bien de l´humanité, et puisqu´on dit que les arts descendent du ciel pour adoucir les moeurs des hommes et les rendre meilleurs, je voudrais les voir mettre au nombre des premiers enseignements, et qu´enfin les hommes apprissent a dessiner en meme temps qu´a lire et a écrire´ ("I am honoured to share the philanthropic wishes of Mr. Capelet. I applaud the zeal he shows for the good of humanity, and since it is said that the arts come down from heaven to soften the morals of men and make them better, I would like to see the arts put among the first teachings, and that finally men learn to draw at the same time as to read and write") Accompanied by a 2.5 x 4 cabinet visiting-card of Ingres, unsigned, the Desmaisons image, from Paris, showing Ingres in a half-length pose. To the front page also and above Ingres´ statement, a short statement by Giuseppe Casparo Mezzofanti (1774-1849) Italian Cardinal and Linguist, considered the major polyglot in history, speaking fluently 48 different languages. Mezzofanti states `Quand la religion t´anime d´un esprit noble et magnanime, tu soulages l´humanité´ ("When religion animates you with a noble and magnanimous spirit, you relieve humanity") To the verso bearing an autograph statement by Xavier Sigalon (1787-1837) French Painter, a leader of the romantic movement. VG

YELTSIN BORIS: (1931-2007) Russian politician and statesman who served as President of Russia 1991-99. T.L.S., B Yeltsin, one page, 4to, Kremlin, Moscow, 30th December 1993, to Vladimir Vasilievich, on the printed stationery of the President of the Russian Federation, in Cyrillic. Yeltsin states ´The Federal Assembly, of which you have been elected a deputy, will soon begin its work. I congratulate you on your election and express my interest in establishing a productive and constructive cooperation between us, sharing responsibility for the fate of Russia and its citizens. I would like to ask you to share your suggestions regarding the forms of interaction between the parliamentarians and the President, as well as mechanisms for resolving any potential disagreements between us. I thank you in advance for a detailed and thoughtful response´ and concludes by wishing his correspondent and their loved ones happiness, health, and well-being in 1994. Some light creasing and a couple of small tears and one minor area of paper loss to the edges, G

GOULD BENJAMIN: (1824-1896) American astronomer. A.L.S., B. A. Gould, four pages, 8vo, Cambridge (Massachusetts), 16th March 1866, to Professor Forster. Gould states that he had been intending to write to his correspondent since receiving their letter last August, ´but very laboring & exhausting duties connected with the U.S. Sanitary Commission have been superposed upon other labors so that very few opportunities have been available´, further thanking his correspondent for the Jahrbuch for 1858, and continuing ´Your expressions of sympathy for the land which all her sons love so devotedly & for the struggles & sufferings which we have undergone in defending her existence, quelling treason & removing in the only possible way the iniquity of slavery which impeded our moral & intellectual growth, & threaten to blight our future, were most welcome & valued. We Americans are always accused of an exaggerated estimate of our country and institutions; and very probably it is true; But since this attachment is so strong that (as two millions of fighting men in the field, and four millions more at home have shown) life, health & property are insignificant in comparison......England & France had no words of other import than blame & reproach for us until our battles were over & freedom & nationality established for the United States´, further writing of his personal affairs, ´My sufferings & endurances few others would be able to estimate correctly, & whatever I have borne is gladly contributed as my share for building up the edifice of American science´ and also referring to mutual colleagues, ´Of the death of our good old Eucke the tidings came & pained me. Yet I am not prepared to say that life is desirable after one´s usefulness and capacity for enjoyment are gone. Our dear & good Bache is just now in a similar condition and living with his sister in New York, where I saw him two or three days ago. His state is just what you describe Eucke´s as having been at the time you wrote. For rather more than a week I was with my friend Rutherford in New York, working with him on his photographic methods. He takes impressions of the heavens 1° square including all the stars to the 8 1/2 magnitude with white light. We have been occupied especially with....a view to determining whether any essential changes have taken place since Bessel´s time. Questions of projection are there which threaten to give most trouble by this method, but I hope to dispose of them soon, in a satisfactory way´. Gould also mentions the Astronomical Journal, ´The six volumes with their several tables of contents & indices were duly published & completed, & I have duplicates of all the numbers excepting 1, 2 & 4, from which it will gratify me to be able to complete any sets´ and announces a new publication, ´Next week I hope to publish a new edition of the "Standard Places" of fixed stars. It will contain declinations for the time-star lists which were wanting in the first edition - improved places for the four polar stars.....which were moreover affected by a small blunder´, also explaining ´The results of four years´ observations at Washington have been recently combined & compared with this list; showing for the 128 Time Stars an average discordance of less than 0.02 (no star differing by so much as 0.10). The fourteen which were discrepant by so much as 0.05 have now been recomputed....´. A letter of intersting content for its discussuon of a number of topics, from slavery to stars. A couple of very small, minor tears and an area of paper loss to the upper right corners, and with a lengthy, neat split at the base of the central vertical fold of the bifolium. About VG

DE LESSEPS FERDINAND: (1805-1894) French Diplomat and developer of the Suez Canal. A historically important content A.L.S., signed twice `Ferd. De Lesseps´, four pages, 4to, Paris, 9th August 1867, in French. De Lesseps writes the present letter at the conclusion of the copy of a letter sent by the personal secretary of French Emperor Napoleon III to the Vice-Roy of Egypt, Ismail Pasha, which was sent a week earlier from the Palais des Tuileries in Paris, on 1st August 1867. De Lesseps reports on the Egypt Vice-Roy´s response to Napoleon III. The letter sent to Ismail Pasha shows the great interest shown by Napoleon III on the Suez Canal project and the strong support to De Lesseps´ plans, stating in part `Monseigneur, l´Empereur me charge d´avoir l´honneur de communiquer à Votre Altesse une note qui lui a été remise par Mr. Ferdinand de Lesseps et qui contient une proposition relative à la vente des terrains dont la jouissance a été concédée à la Compagnie du Canal de Suez. Mr. de Lesseps expose que ces terrains vont, dans un certain espace de temps, acquérir une immense valeur, mais ils resteront improductifs pour tout le monde, la Compagnie n´ayant pas le droit de les vendre. Il y a là cependant pour l´Egypte aussi bien que pour la Compagnie une source très grande de revenus, si Votre Altesse voulait bien lui accorder l´autorisation qu´elle sollicite de pouvoir vendre ces terrains en proposant de partager avec le gouvernement de Votre Altesse les bénñefices qui résulteraient de cette opération. Sa Majesté porte un vif intérêt à Mr. de Lesseps, et désire vivement voir réussir ´oeuvre qu´il a entreprise...´ (Translation: "My Lord, the Emperor has instructed me to have the honour of communicating to Your Highness a note that was given to him by Mr. Ferdinand de Lesseps and which contains a proposal relating to the sale of the land whose use has been granted to the Suez Canal Company. Mr. de Lesseps explains that these lands will, over a certain period of time, acquire immense value, but they will remain unproductive for everyone, the Company not having the right to sell them. However, there is a very large source of revenue for Egypt as well as for the Company, if Your Highness would grant him the authorization he requests to be able to sell these lands by proposing to share with Your Highness's government the profits that would result from this operation. His Majesty takes a keen interest in Mr. de Lesseps, and earnestly desires to see the success of the work he has undertaken...") At the conclusion of this letter and to the third and fourth page, De Lesseps transmits the Viceroy´s response and explains in detail his point of view suggesting what should be done and adding a personal request, stating in part `Le Vice-Roi a répondu qu ´il était d´accord avec Sa Majesté et que la vente des terrains de l´isthme devant contribuer à l´établissement régulier de la propriété des Européens en Orient, il demandait de profiter de cette occasion pour établir avant tout une legislation plus en rapport que les capitulations, avec le movement civilisateur de l´Europe en Orient. Il a raison…´ (Translation: “The Viceroy replied that he agrees with His Majesty and that the sale of the isthmus lands would contribute to the regular establishment of European property in the East, he asked to take advantage of this opportunity to establish, above all, a legislation more in keeping with the civilizing movement of Europe in the East than the capitulations. He is right...”) Further, De Lesseps applies for the important positions to be appointed, saying `Si l´on doit nommer une commission, je sollicite l´honneur d´en faire partie, d´abord en ma qualité de ministre plénipotentiaire en disponibilité ayant longtemps résidé en Orient, et ensuite comme étant à la tête d´une entreprisequi a déjà réuni une population de 25000 personnes dans l´isthme de Suez.´ (Translation: “If a commission is to be appointed, I request the honour of being part of it, firstly in my capacity as Minister Plenipotentiary on leave, having resided for a long time in the East, and secondly as the head of a company which has already brought together a population of 25,000 people in the Isthmus of Suez.”) VGIsma'il Pasha (1830–1895) also known as Ismail the Magnificent, was the Viceroy or Khedive of Egypt and ruler of Sudan 1863-1879. His philosophy can be glimpsed in a statement that he made in 1879: "My country is no longer only in Africa; we are now part of Europe too. It is therefore natural for us to abandon our former ways and to adopt a new system adapted to our social conditions". Isma'il's policies placed the Khedivate of Egypt and Sudan in severe debt, leading to the sale of the country's shares in the Suez Canal Company to the British government.

DUMAS ALEXANDRE: Père (1802-1870) French Writer whose works include The Three Musketeers. An extremely interesting and lengthy manuscript by Dumas, related to his travel impressions during his stay in Vienna in 1865, and which would be later published. Autograph manuscript signed `A. Dumas´, nine pages, 4.5 x 8.5, Vienna, n.d. [November 1865], in French. The nine pages manuscript are written only to front pages, to nine sheets of paper. The pages of this account of his stay in Vienna are pure Dumas, at his most delicious, linking anecdotes, portraits, geographical, ethnographic, moral, historical and artistic considerations, with a lot of humour and references to his father and even to Napoleon. Dumas starts referring to hunting on the banks of the Danube, and further holds forth one of his favourite topics, women, stating in part `Les Viennois sont certainement de tous les peuples d'Allemagne, celui qui par sa gaîté et ses manières ressemble le plus au peuple français – les femmes y sont ravissantes de beauté et cette beauté toute poétique qui rappelle les héroïnes des ballades d'Uhlaud, les tragédies de Schiller et les poèmes de Goethe, ne ressemble en rien à la beauté, mobile et railleuse des Parisiennes...´ (Translation: "The Viennese are certainly of all the peoples of Germany, the one who in their gaiety and manners most resembles the French people – the women there are ravishingly beautiful and this very poetic beauty which recalls the heroines of Uhlaud's ballads, the tragedies of Schiller and the poems of Goethe, resembles in no way the mobile and mocking beauty of the Parisian women...") And looking for the reason for such beauty, he puts forward this hypothesis `J'en trouverais peut-être la cause dans la fusion des plus belles races du globe. Vienne est le creuset où viennent se jeter Bohème, Hongrie, Grèce, Italie, Allemagne – et même Turquie... Il est évident que les croisements de races doivent donner de merveilleux produits.´ Translation: "I would perhaps find the cause in the fusion of the most beautiful races of the globe. Vienna is the melting pot into which Bohemia, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Germany – and even Turkey – come to throw themselves... It is obvious that crossbreeding must produce wonderful products.") Further, Dumas refers to Schlegel and to theatre actresses, saying `... après Ducis, Schlegel est certainement un des plus habiles mutilateurs que je connaisse... L'Allemagne est le seul pays où les soirées littéraires ne soient pas ridicules à cause de la poésie native des femmes. Cherchez parmi toutes nos Parisiennes une actrice qui puisse jouer Juliette et vous ne la trouverez pas...´ (Translation: "...after Ducis, Schlegel is certainly one of the most skillful mutilators I know... Germany is the only country where literary evenings are not ridiculous because of the native poetry of women. Look among all our Parisian women for an actress who can play Juliet and you will not find her...") Further again Dumas makes very interesting comments relating to his father, the republicain general, and compares his arrival at Vienna to the one Napoleon did, stating in part `Je ne sais si vous serez de mon avis, mais je trouve qu'il est assez curieux pour un Français fils d'un général républicain qui a fait contre l'Autriche les campagnes de 96 et 97 – de chasser le matin sur les bords du Danube... d'entrevoir à travers les saules et les peupliers dépouillés de leurs feuilles le champ de bataille de Wagram – et après Palestro, Magenta, Solférino... d'être attendu le soir chez la première artiste dramatique de Vienne, qui a rassemblé les plus jolies femmes des quatre ou cinq théâtres de la capitale pour lui faire fête. Si glorieuse que soit l'entrée de Napoléon à Vienne, j'aime mieux la mienne.´ (Translation "I don't know if you will agree with me, but I find it rather curious for a Frenchman, son of a Republican general who fought in the campaigns of 96 and 97 against Austria, to hunt in the morning on the banks of the Danube... to glimpse through the willows and poplars stripped of their leaves the battlefield of Wagram - and after Palestro, Magenta, Solferino... to be expected in the evening at the home of the leading dramatic artist in Vienna, who has gathered the prettiest women from the four or five theaters in the capital to celebrate him. However glorious Napoleon's entry into Vienna may have been, I prefer mine...") Before concluding, Dumas describes a very amusing scene, saying `Ce matin un monsieur parfaitement vêtu, suivi d'un chien de l'espèce des griffons me fait passer sa carte. Je le prends pour un gentleman quelconque, je lui ouvre la porte, je vais au-devant de lui, je l'invite à entrer lui et son animal. Le monsieur me fait un long discours auquel je ne comprends rien... Le monsieur transporte tout ce qui occupe le milieu du salon sur le piano et les consoles, puis il met une chaise sur la table dégarnie, cherche de tous les côtés, et découvre un tabouret qu'il met sur la chaise. Après quoi il couche tous les fauteuils du salon à distance égale les uns des autres... Quand son aménagement est fini il fait signe à son chien qui se dresse sur ses pattes de derrière, se met à sauter par-dessus les fauteuils, puis sur la table, puis sur la chaise, puis enfin sur le tabouret où il s'assied gravement...´ (Translation: "This morning a perfectly dressed gentleman, followed by a dog, a griffon, gave me his card. I took him for any gentleman, I opened the door, I went to meet him, I invited him and his animal to come in. The gentleman gave me a long speech which I didn't understand at all... The gentleman moved everything that occupied the middle of the living room onto the piano, then he put a chair on the table, searched all over, and discovered a stool which he placed on the chair. After which he laid all the armchairs in the living room at equal distances from each other... When his arrangement was finished he signaled to his dog who stood up on his hind legs, began to jump over the armchairs, then onto the table, then onto the chair, then finally onto the stool where he sat down gravely...") An amazing manuscript full of fantasy. Very small overall minor age wear, otherwise G to VGIn November 1865 Dumas travelled to Austria and Hungary together with his daughter to give a series of lectures. As expected, he took advantage of this stay to share his travel impressions with newspapers. These appeared in French in Vienna in Die Debatte and, in France, in the newspaper Les Nouvelles.

A pair of Gothic Revival oak stools after a design by AWN Pugin, second quarter of the 19th century, attributed to Holland & Sons, each with a leather-upholstered seat on a carved frame with quatrefoil and tracery decoration, terminating in square feet with concealed brass castors, stamped ‘G. Bryson’ beneath, 59cm wide 59cm deep 48cm high (2)The present lot relates closely to an important commission of seating furniture supplied by Morel & Seddon for Windsor Castle in 1827 and 1828, specifically '28 Gothic window stools of light & dark oak'. Designed by the then young Pugin, after being employed by Morel & Seddon to make 'working drawings for the gothic furniture of Windsor Castle', the stools share the same cusp arched frieze, quatrefoil tablets and blocked feet, as the present pair. For an example of one of the original stools at auction, see Sotheby's, Royal & Noble, lot 168, 14 January 2021.Although evidently not part of the original set of seating supplied by Morel & Seddon to Windsor, the present stools can be attributed to another 19th-century cabinetmaker with Royal approval. The stamps of 'G Bryson' and 'W Bryson', the former identical to the present lot, have been recorded on a series of important seating furniture supplied by the London firm Holland & Sons, including pieces supplied to the Palace of Westminster and Dorchester House, Park Lane. Christina Anderson's research on makers' stamps concludes that the Brysons, father and son, were employees of Holland & Sons rather than independent cabinetmakers, as there is little evidence to suggest work was sub-contracted at this time. During the furnishing of the new Palace of Westminster, Holland & Sons were contracted to make furniture to the designs of AWN Pugin, and it is not unreasonable to assume that the present lot relates to these designs.Condition ReportThe seat and upholstery appear later with general knocks, surface wear, old scratches, small splits, and losses to the frames. One piece of foot moulding is missing with general scuffs and wear to the feet. Some replaced pegs to the underside of the seats, joints are sound and solid, and overall the pieces appear in good order.

ONE BOX AND LOOSE VINTAGE CARE BEAR RELATED ITEMS, to include a stand with nine plush bears approximately 20cm, comprising Share, Harmony, Love a Lot, Funshine, Tender Heart, Grumpy, Wish and Cheer bears, twelve vintage figures, height 9cm to include a care bear cousin 'Lotsa Heart elephant' and a Wuzzle 'Bumblelion' also five 1980's ceramic pomander air fresheners and a 12 piece wood puzzle in the box, (1 box + loose), (Condition Report: figures would benefit a clean, some signs of age and use but overall good condition, some price tags/stickers still on)

Lladro's A Christmas Wish (#01005711), sculpted by Juan Huerta, captures a tender holiday moment with a young child holding a candle and letter, ready to share heartfelt wishes. The soft pastel palette and gentle expression evoke the innocence and warmth of the Christmas season, making it a cherished seasonal collectible. Figurine measures approximately 7.5"H and includes the original box measuring 9"L x 10"H.Dimensions: See DescriptionCountry of Origin: SpainCondition: Age related wear.

OBVERSE: Radiate head of Sol (right), quiver behind; REVERSE: Crescent moon and five stars with legend P. CLODIUS M.F in exergue; BMC 4287; Syd. 1115, Craw. 494/21. Light gray toming with some deposits of horn silver on the reverse. Extremely Fine.Ross' notes share that "The worship of Diana and Sol was introduced into Rome by the Sabines and, therefore, this coin refers to the origin of the gens." Original emphasis.Coin Galleries, Ancient and Modern Coins of the World and the United States, Paper Money and Medals, Feb. 12th, 1997, Lot #347.

This five-piece collection of bold gold-tone fashion jewelry includes four chain-style necklaces and one coordinating bracelet. The group features a variety of textured and link designs, including one necklace marked John Wind and another piece marked Voguebij. One necklace and the bracelet share a matching woven design, offering a cohesive pairing. The assortment ranges from classic curb links to oversized statement rings, ideal for elevating both vintage-inspired and modern looks. A versatile lot for collectors and stylists alike.Dimensions: Largest item measures 19.5" long when fully extendedCondition: Age related wear.

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: TODI RAGINI INDIA, RAJASTHAN, PROBABLY AMBER, CIRCA 1750 gouache on paper heightened in gold, blue striped border, a richly detailed image depicting an exotic forest landscape with bountiful flora and fauna and monkeys, in the foreground near the water's edge, the main female figure is seated on a pink lotus throne holding a vina in her left hand and holding her right hand over a tame gazelle, flanked by a further gazelle and a female musician playing a tambour kneeling to the left, monkeys running through trees and along a palace roof in the background against a yellow sky, lotus flowers alongside a brook in the foreground, a blank yellow panel above the painting probably intended for text 26.3cm x 19.7cm Formerly, private French collection. For an illustration from the same series, entitled Gaudi Ragini, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, see L. Y. Leach, Indian Miniature Paintings and Drawings, Ohio, 1986, Fig. 61 and for an almost identical painting sold at Bonhams, see, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art, 18 September 2013, lot 132. These two pages and ours share the same blue-striped borders and green luscious landscape with monkeys.  Three pages from this series are in the San Diego Museum of Art (nos. 1990.8.851, 855, 856). Another page is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (M.71.1.42), see Rosenfield, The Arts of India and Nepal, Boston, 1966, p. 173.

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: MADHUMADHAVI RAGINI INDIA, RAJASTHAN, AMBER, CIRCA 1700 gouache on paper heightened in gold, gold and red border, two lines of nagari text above in a yellow panel, depicting a nayika holding a cup of water out to the peacocks resting in the tree, and holding a surahi in her left hand, a female attendant waits on her with a tray with more cups, to the right a maid servant is freshening up her bed inside a palace pavilion   31cm x 23.5cm Formerly, Private Collection, London. For illustrations from the same series, see Christie's, The Doris Wiener Collection, 30 March 2012, lots 283 and 285, and; Bonhams, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art, 11 September 2012, lot 60. These paintings along with our painting are characterised by their diminutive female figures contrasting with bold background colours, two lines of nagari text against a yellow background above, a pink layered brick wall below with a side shadow, and lastly the red and gold border. Two slightly earlier paintings in the Victoria and Albert Museum attributed to Amber share a similar composition (IS.78-1952; IS.82-1952).

A MAHARAJA CLASPING THE HAND OF A SHY MAIDEN INDIA, PUNJAB HILLS, GARHWAL, CIRCA 1780-90 gouache on paper heightened with gold, dark blue border with margin rules in white, the raja is dressed in a bright yellow jama and turban leaning against a green and red bolster holding his hookah, at the same time holding the hand of his beloved, who is dressed in a bright orange robe with a grey dopatta draped over her head and shoulders, a palace chamber with a rolled blind in the background, cherry trees in blossom seen beyond through a doorway 19.4cm x 13.4cm  From a Spanish Private Collection, formerly in the collection of the Maharaja of Bikaner. The flow of this painting with the command of the maharaja, the curve of his hookah pipe and his clasping of the shy maiden's hand all add to the romance of this palace terrace scene. The artist invites the viewer, most likely his patron, to share the depth of the romantic feeling in the painting, so often found in the Pahari schools. For further discussion and a close comparison, see, M. Lal, Garhwal painting, New Delhi, 1968, no. 1, and; E. Binney, Rajput Miniatures from the collection of Edwin Binney 3rd, Portland 1968, no. 87, and finally; W. G. Archer, Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills, London, 1973, Vol. 1, p. 115, no. 14 and Vol. II, p.82. no. 14.

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: TODI RAGINI INDIA, RAJASTHAN, AMBER, CIRCA 1740 gouache on paper heightened in gold, red border, with five lines of nagari text above on a yellow ground, a maiden is playing a vina at the side of a stream surrounded by tame gazelles, female musicians in the background showing a pavilion with palm and plantain trees against a bright orange sky 30.4cm x 22.4cm From a Spanish Private Collection, formerly in the collection of the Maharaja of Bikaner. This striking ragamala illustration is from a well known series attributed to Amber or nearby Jaipur, painted in the second quarter or middle of the eighteenth century. The artists from the region used the vibrant colours of flaming red, orange and yellow as a background to the green vegetation with musical instruments and garments often highlighted in gold. The panel of nagari text against a yellow background adds to the intensity of the colours and richness of the palette. The subjects are endearing as they tell the stories of individual ragas and musical modes and in this case the passion of the young maiden amongst gazelles in lush, fertile vegetation. There is a very similar illustration from the same series, formerly in the Edwin Binney, 3rd, collection, in the San Diego Museum of Art, accession number 1990.850; another in the Art Institute of Chicago, gift of Russell Tyson, accession number 1962.147.15; another in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, formerly in the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, accession number M.71.1.42 and lastly; Yale University Art Gallery, Gift of Mrs. John D. MacDonald, accession number 2001.138.54.For three illustrations from the same series sold at Christie's, see, Arts of India, 12 June 2018, lots 18, 19, and 20. They share the same bright colours, elegance and composition as our painting.

FOUR ILLUSTRATED LEAVES FROM A HINDU EPIC INDIA, KASHMIR, MID-19TH CENTURY gouache, gold and silver on paper, with cover leaves in sanskrit text, fourteen lines to the page written in black in within orange margin rules, the illustrations combine Sarlauh-shaped arabesque illumination and image with fine details, and portray the Goddess Ragnya Devi, Shiva and Parvati, Surya, and Krishna driving Arjuna's chariot into the battlefield  Each image 18.3cm x 14cm  Private collection, Spain. These finely painted illustrations share many stylistic similarities with an illustrated Bhagavad Gita manuscript in The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, accession number 1515-5.  

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: DESAKH RAGINI INDIA, RAJASTHAN, KOTAH, CIRCA 1760 gouache on paper, red border, 4 lines of text in nagari script against a yellow ground above, depicting five gymnasts performing acrobatics around a central pole, two of the gymnasts balancing on the pole, including a female acrobat dressed in blue trousers at the top of a pole, whilst three in the foreground are showing off their strength in various poses, on a green ground with a line of plantain trees at top 40.1cm x 26cm  Private UK collection.  This liveliest of ragamala illustrations brings together the physical strength of the five gymnasts using the vibrant colours of Rajasthani painting. Figures performing upside down on a central pole and defying gravity was a popular act at village fairs around India. In this particular painting you can almost hear the gasps of the onlookers. For further discussion and another illustration of this subject see: E. and R.L. Waldschmidt, Miniatures of Musical Inspiration Part II, Ragamala - Pictures from Northern India and the Deccan, Berlin, 1975, and; C. Glynn, R. Skelton and A. Dallapiccola, Ragamala, Paintings from India from the Claudio Moscatelli Collection, London, 2011, no.10.For another illustration from the same series, entitled Asavari Ragini sold at Christie's, see Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Rugs and Carpets, 24 October 2024, lot 161. This painting and our painting share the same bright colours, composition and size. 

Advertising, Simonds Brewery, a selection of items to comprise a copper share certificate printers plate, 1897 Mems and Arts, 1936 and 1938 Conveyance documents, 2 share certificates, 1830 dated handwritten bond, 140+ letters from the Simonds Brewery Branch Office dating from 1889 to 1891 (with a very few later) all housed in individual plastic sleeves (gen gd)

Share Certificates, approx. 60 certificates to include the Russian 5 Per Cent Loan for 1822, Motobecane Workshops, American Sugar Company, First Virginia Banks, The East Grinstead Club Company, New York Central Railroad Company, Shanghai=Nanking Railway, Pathephone Exploitation, Systems & Computer Technology Corporation, Great Western Railway Co. and more (gen gd)

Three various framed ballet poster prints, another poster print and a framed Russian share certificate

Sheffield interest, an unmarked silver subscriber's ticket for the Sheffield Theatre, engraved 'Proprietor' and on the reverse stamped 'No. 4', circa 1835, length 3cm, weight 7g/0.22ozt approx Note: the Theatre, later known as the 'Theatre Royal', was funded by a group of thirty-six subscribers, each share costing approximately £100, and the foundation stone for the theatre building on the intersection of Tudor Street, Norfolk Street and Arundel Street, was laid in August 1777. Over the period up to 1897, when the subscription system ended, about 150 different people from various backgrounds owned the shares. Each of the thirty-six subscribers was entitled to a silver ticket allowing free access to performances. The theatre, at that time the second oldest theatre outside London, was destroyed by fire in 1935. The minute books of the theatre from 1795 survive, together with a register of proprietors.

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller in the Stormcloud Vapor special edition design, featuring a dynamic blue swirl pattern unique to each unit. This controller supports Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth technology, allowing easy pairing with Xbox consoles and compatible devices. Includes a textured rubberized blue grip for enhanced control and a built-in Share button for instant content capture. Packaged in its original factory-sealed box, Model No. 1914. Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11 devices. Issued: 2023Dimensions: 7"L x 7"HCountry of Origin: United StatesCondition: Age related wear.

Cronin (Justin) The Passage, 2010; The City of Mirrors, 2016 § Enriquez (Mariana) Our Share of Night, 2022 § Moreno-Garcia (Sylvia) Mexican Gothic, 2020; The Beautiful Ones, 2021; Certain Dark Things, 2021, first or first English editions, signed by the authors, original boards, dust-jackets, mint copies; and c.45 others, similar, all signed, 8vo (c.50)

* FRANK MCFADDEN (SCOTTISH b. 1972), THE PHILOSOPHER oil on canvas, signedframedimage size 29cm x 22cm, overall size 45cm x 39cm Note: Frank McFadden is one of Scotland’s best known artists. A former sign-writer and graphic designer, his work regularly appears in galleries around Scotland and beyond. Frank’s affiliation with fellow Glasgow artist Peter Howson has been instrumental in his success. They continue to share a studio, having exhibited together in Glasgow, Edinburgh and New York.

* JACK HOGGAN (JACK VETTRIANO, OBE) (SCOTTISH 1951 - 2025), TUG OF WAR oil on board, signedframedimage size 25cm x 30cm, overall size 40cm x 45cm Note: He was born Jack Hoggan on 17 November 1951. He grew up with his mother, father and brother in a cramped miner’s house in Methil, the Fife industrial seaside town later immortalised in The Proclaimers’ song, 'Letter from America'. Hoggan had to share a bed with his brother and wear hand-me-down clothes, and from the age of ten was sent out to earn money in a succession of menial jobs. Leaving school aged fifteen, he became an apprentice mining engineer. He only took up painting after a girlfriend bought him a set of watercolours for his twenty-first birthday, with his early works drawing inspiration from the French impressionists and Scottish painters, including William McTaggart and Robert Gemmell Hutchison, he saw in Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery that his early paintings homaged. All these early paintings were signed "Hoggan". In a hint of the acquired exoticism to come, when he moved to Edinburgh in his thirties, he took his mother’s maiden name, and Jack Vettriano was born. In 1987 he applied to study Fine Art, but his portfolio was rejected. As a self invented artist, he nevertheless made waves quickly. A year after his rejection he submitted two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition. They both sold on the first day. Vettriano’s work became ubiquitous, and over the next four decades he exhibited and sold all over the world. His best-known work, The Singing Butler, depicts an elegant couple dancing on a storm-swept beach accompanied by their butler and maid. It sold at auction in 2004 for £744,800 - a Scottish record at the time - and reproductions of the painting became the best-selling art print in the UK. The original purchase price for "The Singing Butler" was reported to be £1000. Despite Vettriano’s phenomenal rise and his work’s mass appeal, the Fife born painter was never fully accepted into Scotland’s art establishment. His work was often pooh-poohed, both by critics and those in charge of national institutions. It took until 2011 for any to take his work, when his self-portrait "The Weight" was shown at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. But in an interview with the Radio Times, he responded: "They don't like an artist who is as popular as me because it takes away part of their authority. If they want to ignore me, let them. "I have what I want and that is the support of the public. "That means far more to me than the approval of a bunch of well-educated art buffs." In 2003, Vettriano was awarded an OBE for services to painting, and in 2004 he set up a scholarship with the University of St Andrews for students who would otherwise not be able to afford higher education. The first major retrospective of his work was held in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow in 2013. It attracted more than 136,000 visitors during its five-month run and was reported at the time to be the most successful commercial exhibition ever staged in Glasgow, breaking the attendance records of Kelvingrove’s 1948 Van Gogh exhibition. A further major retrospective was held at Kirkcaldy Galleries in 2022, focussing on his formative years and featuring several of his Hoggan signed paintings which had been loaned by private collectors. Among those who are known to have acquired Vettriano paintings were Jack Nicholson, Madonna, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Terence Conran, Sir Tim Rice, Sir Jackie Stewart, Raymond Blanc OBE, Lady Eveleyn Lloyd (Eve Pollard) and Robbie Coltrane OBE. Vettriano continued to leave his mark, both on the commercial art economy, and on those who loved his work. His success may have been self-made, but he remained a people’s painter to the end and there is little doubt that his Publicist's words will prove to be accurate: "His evocative and timeless works will continue to captivate and inspire future generations." Pauilne McLean, Arts Correspondent BBC Scotland commented: Self-made, self-starting, Jack Vettriano gave a large section of the public what they wanted and the world is a little less colourful for his passing. It is believed that "Tug of War" is the first "Hoggan" signed Jack Vettriano painting to appear at auction since the artist's death (1st March 2025) was reported.

BURY FC ORIGINAL SHARE CERTIFICATES/ CONTRACTS/ BANK RECEIPTS/ LETTERS/ ETC, SPANNING 1890S TO THE 1930S. APPROXIMATELY 25 1890S PIECES, OVER 75 1901 ONWARDS PIECES. INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF BURY HISTORY

DALWHINNIE 1970 GORDON & MACPHAIL CONNOISSEURS CHOICE HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT Distilled: 1970Bottled: 199240% ABV / 70cl Dalwhinnie is the highest distillery in Scotland and, as such, it also boasts the lowest average temperature range. The obvious benefit of this is a lower “angel’s share” lost from casks in their warehouse, but it also keeps their external worm tubs cool, causing the spirit vapour from the stills to condense very quickly. Combine this with a distillation process which strives to minimise copper contact, and Dalwhinnie distillery produces a heavy, sulphury new make spirit that needs to mellow in refill wood for 15 years before its signature sweet, honied style fully emerges.

The larger h cm 37,5he cup features a circular double-tiered base, finely repoussé and chased with foliate motifs, surmounted by seven bamboo stalks among which a small three-dimensional flamingo is concealed amidst rocks. The central body is richly decorated in repoussé and chasing with bamboo stalks and leaves, among which small chirping birds can be glimpsed, and is centered by a lobed crest. On either side, elegant scroll-shaped handles are modelled in the form of bamboo. The lid echoes the decorative motif of the body and is topped with a floral finial. The two matching goblets share the same decorative scheme: a circular base, bamboo stalks supporting the main body, finely chased with a dense naturalistic landscape of rocks and various birds. Maker’s marks ‘SS’, unidentified. Weight of the cup: g 1,122 ; total weight of the two goblets: g 438; overall weight: g 1,560.银制杯一组三只，中国，清十九世纪末

Circa 800-500 B.C. Cylinder with cord and bead handles; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Black Stone, 23.5 x 10.5 mm. The design shows a standing figure dressed on a long robe open at the front from which one leg projects while holding out both hands, one up the other more down. Before him is a standing quadruped with horns, and in the sky is the lunar crescent. This is a rare Iranian seal type from South West Iran, dating c. 800-500 B.C. So far none have some from excavations, but they have been known on the market for some time. They all share the characteristic pose of the hands and a certain crudity of execution. This one is in fine condition.'; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 5.9 grams, 23 mm (1 in.). [No Reserve] UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in July 1991. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: See our website for further information.

Signed by the engraver ΤΗΛΕΦΑΝΤΟΣ (Telephantos) and ΙΠ- (Ip-). Late 5th-mid 4th century BC. Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet with raised cheek pieces; behind neck, ΤΗ above ΙΠ (engravers' initials) in small lettering / Φ-Α-Ρ-Σ clockwise around Thessalian cavalryman riding horse prancing to right, wearing petasos, chlamys and chiton, and holding lagobolon over his right shoulder; in exergue, Τ (engraver's initial). Lavva 86 (O43/R51); BCD Thessaly I 1284 var. (TH in exergue); BCD Thessaly II 639 var. (no ΙΠ); HGC 4, 624. 5,95gr, 18mm, 9h. (For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price.) Good Extremely Fine. Tiny cut on reverse. Attractive toning with golden iridescence around the devices. Sharply struck and surprisingly detailed.From a Swiss collection, acquired prior to 2005. Ex Nomos AG, Auction 21, 21 November 2020, lot 145 (company's ticket included).‘Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm’. This quote from Oscar Wilde could not fail to apply to this particular coin. After 2,500 years and still the spirit of the artist is still alive and speaking to our hearts. If the harmony and the aristocratic inner peace of the portraits is the first thing that catches our attention, it is the extremely detailed rendering of the figures, especially on the reverse, that makes the viewer cling more to his admiration for this coin. Each depiction of Athena’s head in these emissions of Pharsalos makes us believe that she has her own character and that no two are the same, even though they share the same characteristics. Athena in our coin looks like a tender girl with a serious but innocent look in her eyes. Her divine power despite her young age is not violent, it is simply inherent in the serenity of her gaze. On the other hand, the detailed rendering of the cavalryman’s and horse's face, the texture of his chlamys, the harmonious matching of muscles and joints in the horse's body, and even the pronounced veins in the horse's belly convince us of a talented engraver and a gifted artist. For someone who has such a coin in his collection, it is not only a unique addition, but also a testimony to a supreme artistic achievement of the human spirit of the past.TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists.

A Massey Harris No. seed drill, originally horse driven, complete and working order, unused for several years.Massey-Harris Co. was formed in Toronto with the merger of Massey Mfg. and A. Harris, Son & Co. in 1891. In subsequent years they purchased many other companies to gain market share. In 1953, Massey-Harris acquired Harry Ferguson, to form Massey-Harris-Ferguson Ltd.; the company’s name was shortened to Massey Ferguson in 1957.

A Massey Harris No. 5 corn binder, originally horse and wheel driven, complete and working order, comes with canvasses and knives, rollers working, unused for several years.Massey-Harris Co. was formed in Toronto with the merger of Massey Mfg. and A. Harris, Son & Co. in 1891. In subsequent years they purchased many other companies to gain market share. In 1953, Massey-Harris acquired Harry Ferguson, to form Massey-Harris-Ferguson Ltd.; the company’s name was shortened to Massey Ferguson in 1957.

Collection of cameras, lenses and equipment to include boxed Canon Still Camera EOS RT Body, Canon Power Shot A810 Digital Camera, boxed Kodak Easy Share C813, etc, together with a boxed Visions Grand Prix Mansell And Williams VHS Tape and model

PABLO CARDOSO (ECUADORIAN B. 1965) FF 3 Acrylic on wood, eight works Each signed, titled, inscribed and dated 2006 (verso) Each 8.5 x 21cm (3¼ x 8¼ in.) Unframed (8)Provenance: DPM Gallery, Ecuador Private Collection, Fatima & Eskandar Maleki, London (acquired from the above in 2015) The Ecuadorian painter Pablo Cardoso has demonstrated remarkable consistency over the course of his thirty-five-year career. Cardoso has exhibited at El Museo del Barrio, MART, and DPM Gallery; his work can be found in MOLAA and the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros. Revolving around the geographical environment of South America, much of Cardoso's œuvre reveals a documentary impulse. Lago Agrio - Sour Lake - the serial nature of which recalls Gerhard Richter, an acknowledged influence - is perhaps the defining achievement of his career. 120 painted panels depict the journey of polluted water from Ecuador to Texas in a commentary on globalisation and its consequences. Cardoso's work is characterised by an admirable commitment to environmental justice, as he seeks to raise awareness of the natural world that so inspires him. FF#3 belongs to a series of group paintings that appear to recreate burst photographs of a running figure. As if captured in quick succession, these monochromatic images resemble frames of a film reel, their very form stressing the ephemeral experiences we share. The masterfully rendered snapshots call attention to nature's delicacy, as well as its beauty, and insist upon our role as its custodians. Condition Report: Please Note: All Lots In This Auction Are Not Available To View Panel 4 - very small loss circa 2mm to left edge Panel 5 - very small loss to extreme right hand corner approx. 2mm Panel 6 - abrasion to upper left and lower right corner Panel 7 - small loss to left side of upper edge circa .5cm Otherwise in good original condition  High resolution images are available upon request, please contact the department directly at pictures@dreweatts.com PLEASE NOTE: ALL LOTS ARE LOCATED SACKVILLE WEST STORAGE IN ANDOVER SP10 3SA.   Condition Report Disclaimer

Eleven bottles of vintage wine, TWO HANDS 2001 Bad Impersonator Shiraz x3, TWO HANDS 2002 Brave Faces Shiraz/Grenache x4 and TWO HANDS 2002 Angels Share x4, Barossa Valley, Australia, 14.5% abv x7 and 15% x4. 75cl x11, boxed. (11)

Four: BWM, Victory, Territorial War medal (101, Dvr, RA), Territorial Force Efficiency Medal (905109 Dvr R W Roberts, RA), VF, mounted as worn, with RA cap badge. Supplied with many download reference sheets. Roberts enlisted 14.3.1912, and with note "on your departure to England on demobilization I wish to thank you for your good service under my command in the 15th (Indian) Division.....you have undergone in Mesopotamia your full share of fighting and much discomfort, heat and hardship.." 120-150