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

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monographs Sylvia Sikes has published, an original copy of her two-volume doctoral thesis, 37 academic articles and 5 unpublished draft manuscripts.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

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

12. [Carew, Sir Peter / George Oliver (Historian) / John Carew Esq.] MacLean, John.

The Life and Times of Sir Peter Carew, Kt. (From the Original Manuscript) – With a Historical Introduction and Elucidatory Notes, by John MacLean. [Personal copy of John Carew Esq., with two unpublished manuscript letters by historian George Oliver, Exeter (Devon), tipped-in to the rear of the Volume, one longer manuscript entry to the rear in which George Oliver mentions that he has consulted the Inventory of Ottery Mohan House and that he has “made a few pencil notes in the margin” of the book (Oliver must have been sent the book and then returned it or it was his own copy and he gifted it to John Carew)/ George Oliver helped John Carew, Esq., a descendant of Sir Peter Carew, to identify some information form the original manuscript of John Hoker, to which Oliver must have had access. The letters deal with details of John Hoker’s [Hooker’s] Manuscript on Sir Peter Carew and details in John MacLean’s Biography of Carew. George Oliver’s correspondence with John Carew, a descendant of Sir Peter, is very interesting indeed and Oliver seems to study the original manuscript by Hoker for John Carew and reports his insight in the original manuscript of Hoker’s Manuscript on History, mentioning for example Carew’s death-notice: “This year died the worthy and Honorable Knight Sir Peter Carew at Ross in Leinster, and buried in the City of Waterford in Munster in Ireland, in all such honourable order…” (see detailed images on our website)].

London, Bell & Daldy, 1857. Octavo. Frontispiece portrait of Sir Peter Carew (Steel Engraving by J.J.Chant, being Plate I.), CXVIII, 317 pages plus 6 pages “List of Subscribers”. With several Plates: Plate II: Musical Notes: “By a Bank as I lay” / Plate III: Monument to Sir Peter Carew in St.Peter’s Cathedral, Exeter (Steel Engraving) / Plate IV: Folded Map of Kylkenny (Kilkenny) / Plate V: Pedigree of the Family of Carew (Large Fold – out Plate). Hardcover / Original publisher’s cloth with gilt lettering on spine and armorial emblemata on front board. With the armorial supralibro of the Carew Family to the binding’s front board: Arms of Carew: Or, three lions passant in pale sable / Manuscript-entry of previous owner John Carew on endpaper. Boards fragile and spine loosened. In protective Collector’s Mylar to give the slightly broken binding stability. A very rare publication with the beautiful, signed manuscript-letters by George Oliver, signed in the years 1857 and 1858. The letters are also of interest regarding the history of John Hoker [John Hooker / John Vowell] because George Oliver mentions Hoker’s entry “into the New Office of Chamberlain of Exeter at Michaelmas 1555 – having the fee of £4 by the yere & his Lyveries – MS. Hist. p.351”.

13. Foster, Vere [Henry Louis / Lewis] / [Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire].

The Two Duchesses – Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire – Family Correspondence of and Relating to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire, Earl of Bristol (Bishop of Derby), The Countess of Bristol, Lord and Lady Byron, The Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Augustus Foster Bart, and Others, 1777-1859. First Edition. With 17 illustrations.

London / Glasgow and Dublin, Blackie & Son Limited, 1898. Octavo (16 cm x 22,5 cm). XII, 497 pages with 16 full-page-illustrations and one small vignette, showing the Two Duchesses in cordial embrace. Hardcover / Original, green publisher’s cloth with gilt lettering and ornament to spine and armorial supralibro to cover with the Motto of the “British chivalric Order of the Garter”: “Honi soit qui mal y pense” [″shame on anyone who thinks evil of it”]. Very good condition with some minor signs of wear only. “Presentation Copy of “The Two Duchesses” with Autograph / Manuscript – Letter by Vere Foster to his niece, Emily Albinia “Alba” Foster. With a stunning, unpublished, two-page manuscript letter, revealing several important details about the immediately favorable reviews and reception of the book “Two Duchesses” [″in the Daily Telegraph”] and Vere Foster’s disdain about some criticism from one J.Donohue [which led to an alteration in the second edition of the book]. Vere Foster is also expecting a review to appear in the “Athenaeum” but reports: “the Athenaeum has nothing yet”. Vere Foster apologizes to his niece for the delay in sending the book and explains that he had left 12 “parcels” with Blackie’s agent and gave instructions to send them, but a few days later found they had been “untouched”. One of the most important finds of Vere Foster – Material in recent years with no sign of similar material on offer in the past years on the international market.

14. [Maynooth / Colehill – County Longford] – Handcock, Reverend William / Handcock, Robert Ball.

Two Manuscript Notebooks of Reverend William Handcock and his son, Robert Ball Handcock. The Notebook of William Handcock is titled: “Letters & Addresses on various subjects by Revd. William Handcock” and are of special interest since he had the habit of transcribing in it complete letters he sent and received from noteworthy people in Ireland during the Famine – years 1842 (February) – 1854. These letters are often meaningful appeals to newspapers, church administrators or clergymen like William Baillie Kirkpatrick (1802 – 1882), Irish Peers (e.g. William Trench, 3rd Earl of Clancarty) etc./ The Manuscript Notebook of William’s son, Robert Ball Handscock, was started in June of 1846 (in Maynooth) and is simply a manuscript scrapbook with poetry and stories of favourite poets of the time (including an Index).

Maynooth / Radanstown (Meath) / Cole Hill (Longford) etc., 1841-1854. Octavo. 181 pages [Diary of William Handcock] / 140 pages plus 4 pages of Index [Diary of Robert Ball Handcock]. Hardcover / Original 19th century half-leather with paper-covered boards. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear.