11. Aiken, Henry David / [Hans Jonas] / Quine, W.V.O.

Typed letter, signed by German-born, American Jewish philosopher Hans Jonas, loosely inserted in Henry David Aiken’s pamphlet “God and Evil: A Study of Some Relations Between Faith and Morals”. The Essay by Aiken is inscribed and signed by Aiken in a sarcastic manner: “To God, from one of his congregation – Shem”. In the letter, Jonas reflects on two pages on an evening with Henry David Aiken and his then wife Lillian Woodworth. In his letter to Aiken, Hans Jonas reports back to Aiken after reading his essay [″God and Evil”] and calls it “a beautiful piece of work – in style and content worthy of your “master” who wrote on natural theology….”. Jonas goes on encouraging Aiken: “you are also dead wrong n not publishing a collection of your essays in ethical theory. If your pal Quine can do it “from a logical point of you [sic]”, so can you “from a moral point of view”. Jonas also mentions “that it is worth writing about the ancient problem opf a theodicy in a contemporary context”. [The Essay is n Offprint from Ethics, An International Journal of Social, Political and Legal Philosophy, Volume LXVIII, No. 2].

New York / Washington, DC, 1958. 16,8 x 24 cm. 21 pages (pages 77-97 of the Journal) plus two page-letter (on one leaf), signed by Hans Jonas Original Offprint / Original TLS (Typed letter signed). Very good+ condition. Stapled. Only minimal signs of staining. The letter also discusses a Reference for one “Ed Sayles” and Jonas suggest that Aiken writes “casual but fairly strong” to Howard R. Bartlett, professor of history and head of the Department of Humanities at MIT.

12. Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery / Lane, John Henry H.V.

19th century original british Passport for “Mr.John Henry H. V. Lane (British Subject) travelling on the continent”, signed in July of 1886 by later prime minister Archibald Philip, Earl of Roseberry, then Foreign Secretary under Gladstone during his brief third ministry.

London, Given at the Foreign Office, 1886. 27.7 cm x 38.2 cm. 1 sheet. Original Softcover. Excellent condition with only minor signs of external wear. Signed by Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery. Fantastic and important document of british foreign office history.

13. Foster, Vere [Henry Louis / Lewis] / [Emily Albinia “Alba” Foster] / [Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire].

Amazing Vere Foster-Collection including Educational Materials and as a centerpiece the “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-letter, revealing several important details about the immediately favorable reviews and reception of the book [″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”. / 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. [See Full list of items which are part of this collection, on our website under the topic “Libraries & Collections”].

First Edition. London / Glasgow and Dublin, Blackie & Son Limited, 1898. Octavo (15 cm x 22 cm). Pagination: Frontispiece, IX, [3], 497 pages with 18 Illustrations (including frontispiece and one Vignette of the two Duchesses opposite page 1). Hardcover / Original, publisher’s green cloth with gilt lettering on spine. Very good condition with some minor signs of wear only. This is an astonishing find for the Vere Foster Research Community and the letter gives significant insight into the importance the publication had for him, its reception as seen by Vere Foster and it solves the riddle why an altertaion was necessary for the second edition [which Vere Foster explains in a brief note to the reader at the beginning of the second edition]. The heartfelt inscription to his niece Albinia Foster is also of great importance and to our knowledge the only presentation-copy of this book on the international market for the several decades we can look back at auction records.

14. Fry, Christopher.

Autographed Manuscript Dialogue from “Venus Observed” – One full – page manuscript, signed.

England, c. 1990. Octavo. 1 pages. Original Softcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear.

15. Medical Illustration in Dermatology – Goldschmid, Edgar / [Georges Sarton].

Entwicklung und Bibliographie der Pathologisch-Anatomischen Abbildung. [Mit Autograph: TLS – Mit einem zweiseitigen Brief an Dr.Krieg in Wien, der von Goldschmid den Entwurf eines Nekrologs zu Georges Sarton erhofft hatte und diesen in Form dieses Briefs bekommt (von Goldschmid voll signiert) / Typed Letter (two pages, signed) by Edgar Goldschmid; the letter being a draft of an obituary on Georges Sarton (in german)].

Leipzig, Karl W. Hiersemann, 1925. Quarto (25 cm x 31 cm). 301 Seiten text plus 44 fantastisch-farbige Tafeln in Lichtdruck mit den original-bedruckten Schutzfolien / 301 pages plus 44 fantastic colour-plates with their original tissue-guards. Originales Ganzleinen des Hiersemann-Verlags / Original publisher’s cloth. Sehr guter Zustand mit nur geringen Gebrauchsspuren. Offensichtlich Handexemplar von Dr.Krieg (Wien) mit Anmerkungen in Bleistift auf dem Vorsatz (″Bei G[oldschmid] zufragen”) und gelegentlich im Text mit Korrekturen und Anmerkungen neben den von Goldschmid verfassten Bibliographien, moeglicherweise fuer eine nie erschienene zweite Auflage. / Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Extremely important landmark-publication in medicine, focusing on the importance of colour-illustration in dermatological diagnostics. This being the personal copy of Dr.Krieg (Vienna), with some annotations in pencil, reflecting questions and additional suggestions to some of the bibliographical entries, possibly for a second edition of the work.

16. Headlam, Maurice / [Arland Ussher].

Irish Reminiscences [Association – copy between Maurice Headlam and Arland Ussher, not only signed and inscribed in length by Maurice Headlam but also including two 4-page-manuscript letters by Maurice Headlam to Arland Ussher, reflecting on Ussher’s publication “The Face and Mind of Ireland”].

First edition. London, Robert Hale Limited, 1949. Octavo. Frontispiece – Photograph, 244 pages. Hardcover with original dustjacket. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Inscribed and signed on endpaper. Two manuscript letters loosely inserted. Manuscript entry, correction/explanation/annotations by Maurice Headlam to Arland Ussher on page 166 and page 175.

17. Jasinski, René.

Original Manuscript of Jasinski’s work ‘Molière et le Misanthrope’ together with 4 pages of conclusion to the chapters with annotations and extensive corrections by Jasinski.

[Cambridge, Massachusetts], no year [c.1948-1949] Octavo. 94 pages of manuscript notes and chapters 1, 2 and 4 of the final work with the 4 pages of conclusions in an envelope titled “Professor Rene Jasinski – 25 Little Hall, Cambridge 38 – Massachusetts”. With the dedication page planned and outlined: “A ma soeur Cécile affectueusement – R.J.”. Softcover. The paper brittle and several of the pages held together by paperclips. Some of the pages with tears and stronger signs of fraying. The defining work that secured Jasinski a place at Harvard.

18. Congo / Kongo – Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909) – King of the Belgians and Owner / Absolute Ruler of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908.

Collection of four very important and meaningful manuscript letters by Leopold II to his administrator and Foreign Minister of the Congo – Free-State, Baron Adolphe de Cuvelier (1860-1931) with a total of 16 pages filled with Leopold’s instructions on pressing issues regarding a warning about an imminent visit by the Rector of the Mill-Hill Missionaries [probably Herbert Alfred Henry Vaughan (1832 – 1903)] and Leopold’s qualification of the visit of being detrimental to the Congo Free State (″ne travaillent pas pour l’État”). Leopold continues in another letter to talk about the hostile positions of english officials (consuls) and missionaries (″que les consuls anglais et les missionnaires anglais se conduisent bien mal envers l’État”). Interestingly, Leopold also touches on the nuisance of the german press criticizing Belgian Railway Lines and he is of the opinion that this is all happening in order to force the german parliament [″Reichstag”] to finance the building of the Tanganyika Railway [between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma]: (″cherche à effrayer l’opinion [en] Allemagne à propos de mes chemins de fer afin d’obtenir du Reichstag des fonds pour la ligne allemande vers le Tanganika”.

16 pages of MLS, Manuscript Letters (signed) on 10 leaves of Leopold’s official stationery “Château de Laeken” and “Palais de Bruxelles”. Laeken / Brussels, Château de Laeken [Palace of Laeken], 1901 – 1906. The leaves with different sizes (13,5 cm x 9 cm) and (18 cm x 11,5 cm). Excellent condition. Unsigned. Tremendously rare to find original letters by Leopold II on the open market in which the Colonial Free State and the protection against inquisitive visitors is discussed in such clear and instructive fashion. Leopold’s correspondence with Adolphe de Cuvelier shows how he is very much trying to still protect and influence the narrative of his Colonial Slavery Outpost even in the final years of his life.

19. [100 Years Buddenbrooks in America] Mann, Thomas.

Buddenbrooks. [First American Edition in stunning condition with an amazing, signed Letter by Thomas Mann, thanking an admirer for reflecting on reading his masterpiece “Buddenbrooks”. Signed on 21st of June 1940, on personalized stationery of Thomas Mann from Princeton, New Jersey, Mann wrote: “Thank you for writing to me and for telling me that you liked ‘Buddenbrooks’ when you read it recently at Colby College. It gave me pleasure, too, to know that you heard my daughter Erika lecture and had ‘thoroughly enjoyed’ yourself. With all good wishes, yours sincerely. Thomas Mann” ]. Translated from the German by H. T. Lowe-Porter [American Translator Mrs. Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter].

Two Volumes (complete set). New York, Knopf, 1924. Octavo. 389, 359 pages. Original Hardcover with the very rare, original dustjackets in breathtaking condition (now in protective collector’s Mylar). Unusually Fine condition with the meaningful letter by Nobel Laureate Thomas Mann.

20. Marryat, Frederick [Admiral Sir Arthur Cavenagh Leveson].

Poor Jack. Illustrated by Clarkson Stanfield.

London, Henry G. Bohn, 1859. 18 cm. VIII, 500 pages. Illustrations, including frontispiece, in black and white. Original illustrated hardcover. Good condition with only very minor signs of external wear. There is noticeable rubbing to the spine and it has become slightly frayed at its top and bottom; also, an inside page has been cut/torn. Inscribed and signed by Admiral Sir Arthur Cavenagh Leveson to Charles E. Hoyle in 1928.