ELIZABETH II Typed Letter Signed (TLS). Queen of the United Kingdom and constitutional monarch of 16 Sovereign States.   TLS. 1p. Buckingham Palace. 11th December, 1947. To The Governors of the Prince of Wales's General Hospital.  A letter of thanks for their wedding gift, with autograph SIGNATURE.   "It is most gereous of the Governors and Staff of the Prince of Wales's General Hospital to send me so acceptable a present as the pair of 17th Century Neopolitan Pharmacy Jars which I have received from you.  I can assure you that your choice is one that has given me real.....

DAME ELLEN TERRY Autograph Letter Signed. British (English) actress. The finest Shakespearian actress of her generation.   ALS. 2pp. Lyceum Theatre. No date. To the baritone singer, Kennerley Rumford (or his wife, Clara Butt).   "I must write a line & tell you how very much gratified I am by your kindness in consenting to sing at our matinee on the 15th.  You are most kind & I thank you & thank you.  Mr Meredith Ball the musical conductor here will be much obliged if you would send him your music as soon as possible & I have called a.....

ERNEST SHACKLETON AUTOGRAPH Signature. Anglo-Irish polar explorer.   Autograph signature clipped from foot of document or ALS. Dated in his hand October 23rd 1907.   The piece measures approx 9.5 x 3 cms. Laid down on album leaf.  Fine.   Following his part in Robert Falcon Scott's 1901-04 expedition, Ernest Shackleton had returned to Antarctica in 1907 as head of the Nimrod Expedition, during which he set a new 'furthest south' record.  Later during his trans-Antarctica Expedition of 1914-17 his ship, Endurance, became stuck in pack ice and Ernest Shackleton led his men on a remarkable and heroic survival bid. .....

SIR GEORGE TAUBMAN GOLDIE Autograph Letter Signed. British (Manx) explorer, colonial administrator and founder of Nigeria.   ALS. 2pp and integral blank leaf. Pembury nr Tunbridge Wells. 8th September 1887. To [William] Woodall. Together with a fine contemporary portrait photograph.   "You have probably forgotten me but I have not forgotten the delightful evening I passed at your house rather more than a year ago. When I first had the pleasure of meeting you - at Mr (Joseph) Chamberlain's - you were much interested in the venturesome work of the Royal Niger Company. You may therefore find a leisure moment.....

George Gordon 6th Baron Byron. autograph Signature. British poet. Author of Don Juan, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, etc.   Autograph Signature and subscription "yours sincerely", clipped from foot of a letter.   Paper piece measuring approx 2 x 1.25 inches, laid down on part of an album leaf (with clipped signatures to the verso of novelist Charlotte M. Yonge (1823-1901) and the cleric Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815-1881). The clipping of the piece just shaves the flourish of the signature and the 'y' of 'yours' by a trifle, but otherwise a nice example of this scarce signature.   Lord Byron is generally regarded.....

SIR ROWLAND HILL Autograph Letter Signed. British (English) postal reformer. The introducer of "the penny post" and credited with the invention of the postage stamp.    ALS. 2pp and integral blank leaf. Hampstead, N.W. 5th April 1869. To the economist, Rev J.E. Thorold Rogers. Together with a contemporary carte de visite portrait photograph.   "I am sorry to trouble you again on the subject of Adam Smith's statue. I observe that you designate me "Bart." This is an error which should not find its way into the list of subscribers should any be published. My proper description is Sir Rowland.....

ALBERTO SANTOS-DUMONT autograph & Photograph. Brazilian pioneer aviator. The first to design, build and fly a practical  dirigible.   Autograph drawing of his dirigible airship, below which he has written "Santos-Dumont No.VII, Paris - 11 - 18th 1901." On a section of an old album leaf on which is mounted a contemporary photograph of Santos-Dumont in the basket of his flying machine, in flight.   The paper piece measures approx. 6 x 4 inches. Mounting residue on verso. Very good.   Alberto Santos-Dumont was really the first man to demonstrate that controlled flight was possible when he designed, built and.....

JAMES KEIR HARDIE Signed Photograph. British (Scottish) Labour politician. The first Labour M.P., first leader of the parliamentary Labour Party and founder of the I.L.P.   Signed photograph of Keir Hardie dated, in Hardie's hand, 15th August 1908. With a good, bold autograph signature in ink across the foot of the photograph. Hardie is shown half-length in vignette, facing the camera with serious but benign gaze and wearing a double-breasted woollen suit.  The photographer is W.A. Winchester of St Anne's Park, Bristol.   The photograph measures 6 x 4 inches (excluding photographer's mount and approx 9 x 7 inches including mount)......

EMANUEL MENDES DA COSTA Autograph Drawing Inscribed.British (of Portuguese descent) naturalist, conchologist, botanist and collector. Fellow and librarian of the Royal Society.An autograph drawing of a fish. Inscribed "Naes. Emanuel Mendes da Costa. Delineavit 4 die Cal: Martii. 1737".On paper piece measuring approx 4.5 x 2.25 inches (11.5 x 5.5 cms).  In very good condition.Emanuel Mendes da Costa was a fascinating and controversial figure in 18th century science.  He was undoubtedly a fine and important naturalist, particularly in the field of marine shells (he is credited with the first use of the term 'conchology' for the study of shells) but.....

GEORGE III Signed Commission. King of the United Kingdom and Hanover. Dubbed "Farmer George" and also known as "the Mad King" and the King who lost America.   Fine AUTOGRAPH signature at head of the Commission of John Cotgreave as a Lieutenant in the Chester Loyal Volunteers.  Countersigned by the Prime Minister, William Cavendish Bentinck, 3rd Earl of Portland.  Dated 27th September 1796.   On vellum parchment. Approx 13.5 x 9.5 inches.  With the Royal impressed paper seal affixed and a revenue seal for 12 shilling and sixpence. Folded, as issued. A little browning/foxing to edges, else fine.   The.....