Search Results: World Leaders & Statesmen from Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, ABAA

This countess hailed from an ancient Swedish noble family, and was married to Danish diplomat and foreign minister Count Lewenhaupt (Lensgrave Wulf Heinrich Bernhard von Scheel-Plessen, 1809-76). ALS, 4pp, 4½" X 7", Hoosick Falls, NY, 1884 August 5. Addressed to Mrs. Lathers (Abby Pitnam Thurston Latham, d. 1904, wife of noted New York merchant and banker Colonel Richard Lathers, 1821-1903). Near fine. Gracious note to a friend, reading in part: "...I feel very much ashamed of myself not to have thanked you long ago for your kindness to forward my tubs, & I have no excuse whatever for such bad behavior! Your kind letter of Aug. 3 reached me yesterday and it gave me much pleasure to get these lines from you and to hear that you are back & enjoying your summer. I wish I could have joined you at your picnic by the lake; how often I think of those lovely pone-lilies & wish I could paddle in the 'outlet.'... Count Lewenhaupt [her son] joins me with kind… Read More

This British army officer (major, 7th Light Dragoons) and courtier was appointed master of her majesty's household in 1861 and in 1866 named one of the joint keepers of her majesty's privy purse (sole keeper after 1867), and as such, according to Sir Theodore Martin in "The Life of His Highness the Prince Consort," "he was the last survivor of the three very able men... who had been intimately associated with the prince from their position as leading members of her majesty's household" -- in other words, if you wanted to get through to Queen Victoria and the royal family, you had to go through him. Third person ANS, 1p lettersheet, 4 3/4" X 7¼", Buckingham Palace, 1869 April 7. Near fine. Mounting traces on verso. Beautifully and boldly penned "Sir Thomas Biddulph is commanded to express the Princess Louise's regret that Her Royal Highness is unable to accede to the request preferred in Miss Lowe's letter of the 5th Inst....." Princess… Read More

This English aristocrat, politician and statesman served, among many high-level positions, as secretary for war (1863), secretary for India (1863), lord president of council in Gladstone's administration (1868-73), governor general of India (1880-84) and first lord of the admiralty (1866). ALS, 1p, 4½" X 7", Chelsea Embankment, U.K., 25 November 1908. Addressed to Aberdeen. Very good. Faint edgewear; single horizontal fold (not weakened). On black-bordered mourning stationery -- Lady Ripon had died in February 1907 -- he pens in his usual sloppy script "Most hearty do I thank for your very kind letter. I never dreamt that you would think of coming to the Luncheon yesterday. But I value greatly the letter which you have sent and which is another proof after many I have already received of your esteem & regard...." Signed simply "Ripon" A nice example.

This English member of Parliament was also elected mayor of London in 1828. ALS, 1p, 7 3/4" X 10", Whitehall Place {London], 1831 January 31. Addressed to Edward Church. Very good. Lightly age toned, with mild edgewear, but overall bold and attractive. Writing to this noted solicitor, Thompson declines an invitation: "The important business which will engage the attention of Parliament on the 10th Feby will prevent me having the honor of dining with the friends of the London Dispensary on the occasion of the anniversary meeting...." Interesting, a blank portion at lower right bears a lightly-pencilled note in the hand of pioneering autograph dealer Charles Hamilton misidentifying this document as being in the hand of a different William Thompson ("(d. 1833) Irish economist; supported Robt Owen; wrote 'Distribution of Wealth").

This Scottish politician, son of British Prime Minister Ramsey MacDonald, served as Labour cabinet minister and later as commissioner general in Southeast Asia. ALS, 1Opp, 5¼" X 7", Sevenoaks, England, 1980 January 14. Addressed to Richard C. Laade. Very good. Bit of age toning. Charming note to an admirer whose letter pursued MacDonald from country to country. Also, a bold signature and date (1980 January 14) on a special heavy stock 5" X 3" card. Very good. Bit of age toning. With original envelope, addressed in MacDonald's hand.

Memorable French dilettante artist, famed fop and hanger-on, a legendary man of fashion and society wit who befriended royalty and nobility as well as Lord Byron and Benjamin Disraeli. Third person ALS, 1p, 4½" X 7" (lightly tipped to heavy stock album leaf), n.p., 1844 February 23. Very good. Lightly age toned. Interesting third-person note signed twice within the text. In part: "Count D'Orsay presents his compliments to Mr Crowley and thanks him very much for the Etching, which is admirable -- Mr Landseer Saw it, and is quite delighted with it. Count D'Orsay remembers very well, having had the pleasure of being introduced to Mr Crowley by Prince Napoleon...." Crowley's identity remains a mystery, but Landseer of course refers to Edwin Landseer (1802-73), English artist famed for his paintings and sculptures of animals. d'Orsay was well known as a fanatical supporter of all things Bonaparte. Prince Louis Napoleon (later Emperor Napoleon III) was often hosted… Read More

This English statesman, 1st Earl of Midleton and 9th Viscount Midleton, held a wide array of important positions: member of Parliament 1880-1906, Under-Secretary of State for War 1895-98, member of the Privy Council 1897, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1898-1900, Secretary of State for War 1900-03 and Secretary of State for India 1903-05. ALS, 3pp (lettersheet), 4½" X 7", n.p., 1905 July 12. Addressed to Lady Cowper. Near fine. On fine stationery bearing an oval blind-embossed "House of Commons" seal on the first leaf, Brodrick chats with an aristocratic lady about social matters. Reads in part: "We were so sorry to hear of Ld. Cowper's illness & trust he is really better. It must be such an anxiety...." Bold and attractive. This came from the collection of Albert Johannsen, author of "The House of Beadle and Adams and Its Dime and Nickel Novels" (University of Oklahoma Press, 1950), the definitive reference work and bibliography on the… Read More

English diplomat and statesman; Queen Victoria's foreign affairs secretary. Partly-printed DS, 1p, 10" X 14½", London, England, 1852 August 27. Very good. Passport, beautifully engraved on the usual thin onion skin paper with ornate crest at top and bottom, for a Charles Calvert Corner, "(British Subject) travelling on the Continent." (Corner, 1812-61, was a noted solicitor from a well-known family of English jurists.) Boldly signed with his usual "Malmesbury" at lower right.

This British Whig politician was Viscount Normanby from 1812-31and rose to Earl of Mulgrave from 1831-38, when the Marquess of Normanby was created for him in 1838; he served as Governor of Jamaica (1832-34), Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1835-39), Home Secretary (1839-41), British Ambassador to France (1846-52) and Minister to Tuscany (1854-58). Free-Franked Envelope, 5" X 3½", n.p. [London], n.y. Very good. On a typical light grey envelope of the period, bearing Normanby's black wax seal still present on the verso, he signs a bold "Normanby" in brown ink at lower left, addressing it to a "J. Horsley Pye / 10 Charlotte Street" in his usual challenging scrawl. Interesting piece.

This long-time mayor of Reykjavik (1959-72) served as prime minister of Ireland from 1974 to 1978. PS, 3 3/4" X 6", n.p., n.y. [1983 January 18]. Fine. With original envelope and transmittal note from secretary.

Private secretary to Prince Phillip; aide-de-camp to General Sir Brian Horrocks. Handsome signature, dated 1980 April 6, on a special heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p. [Uckfield, England]. Fine. With original envelope and transmittal note from secretary.

The French premier (1968-69) served as mediator in the 1975 Lebanese civil war. Bold signature, heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p., 1972 September 15. Fine. With original envelope.

Prime minister of the Federation of Rhodesia [Zimbabwe] and Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia. Large signature, dated 1968 June 24, on a special heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p. [Salisbury, Rhodesia]. Fine. With original envelope.

This English politician led the Labour Party for many years, twice serving as the United Kingdom's prime minister (1964-70, 1974-76). Bold and handsome "Wilson of Rievaulx," heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p., 1987 July 17. Fine. With original envelope, addressed in his hand.

British nobility, holder of various titled positions. Handsome bold "Argyll" signature in blue ballpoint, heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p., 1983 July 27. Near fine. Tiny staple hole at upper left. With 5" X 3¼" printed "With the Compliments of / The Duke of Argyll" transmittal slip. Original envelope also present.

This English official served as the last British governor of Tanganyika (1958-61) and the penultimate high commissioner of Aden. Large and bold signature in blue fountain pen, heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p., 1987 November 2. Fine. With original envelope.

The 1st Baron Howard of Penrith, a well-rounded English aristocrat and diplomat who served many British ambassadorial posts before settling in as ambassador to the United States in 1924, from which position he retired in 1930. Bold, handsome "Yrs. truly / Esme Howard / British Embassy / Washington, D.C. / 8 Jan: 1930," heavy stock 4" X 2¼" card. Near fine. A fine example.

Tenth Duke of Northumberland, famed English horse breeder. Signature ("Northumberland"), dated 1980 February 6, on a special heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p. [Greenwick, England]. Very good. Percy smudges the date slightly, else fine. With original envelope and printed transmittal slip.

French director of the Council of the Resistance during World War Two; later French premier. Bold signature in blue fountain pen, heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p., 1981 January 20. Fine. With original envelope. Comes with a superb vintage 8½" X 7" glossy news agency photograph of 1947 showing Bidault signing the U.N. Charter. A fine signature and an outstanding (and quite scarce) photograph.

Governor general of Canada (1967-74). Handsome "For Mr. R.C. Laade / Roland Michener / Former Governor General of Canada," heavy stock 5" X 3" card, n.p., 1977 August 9. Fine. With original envelope.