Autograph Collection.- Beverley Nichols

An extensive collection of letters to and from British author Beverley Nicholas, including: eight letters and three postcards from Nichols, some from overseas locations, to Edward (Ted) Weston, his secretary, some regarding managing his business affairs, some regarding Nichols’ health and a number with often amusing tales of his travels and his travelling companions; numerous letters to Nichols and, occasionally, Weston, from various prominent figures. Highlights include: Sophia of Prussia (letter on a mourning-edged postcard with its envelope in English from Tatoi Palace in June 1922 thanking Nichols for his support and interest during the Greek-Turkish war; she and King Constantine had to go into exile in September 1922); Rebecca West (two typescript transcripts of letters from Nichols to West regarding Peter Wildeblood’s novel about homosexuality; four postcard notes; one postcard (social nature) five letters (handwritten and typed) again about the Wildeblood book and other matters and social discussions; Clementine Spencer Churchill (signed postcard); Sir John Betjeman (six chatty typed and handwritten letters to Nichols regarding their shared old school (Marlborough), writers, literature and social matters); Ursula Bloom (two typed letters regarding (favourably) one of Nichol’s books and a visit to his home); Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (two handwritten letters thanking Nichols for books he has sent and a third social letter from the Princesses’ address but in a different hand); Hector Bolitho (two chatty handwritten letters to Nichols and one to Edward Weston); Cole Porter (typed and signed short note complimenting Nichols on a book); Gracie Fields (handwritten very familiar social letter to Nichols); Noël Coward (five handwritten letters and two postcards to Nichols plus a letter to Edward Weston all of a very witty, social and chatty tone); Douglas Fairbanks Jr (typed and signed letter arranging a social meeting with Nichols); Sir Alfred Munnings (1two handwritten letters to Nichols (in pencil) on social matters plus a typescript of a letter written to the editor of the Daily Telegraph with a handwritten pencil note by Munnings); Alec Waugh (handwritten letter to Nichols asking for help with a book); Sir Malcolm Sargent (three typed and signed letters to Nichols regarding a piece of music by Arnold Schoenberg); Frances Day (handwritten letter to Nichols arranging a social meeting); Laurence Harvey (two handwritten letters to Nichols about an article to be written about Harvey); Anna Neagle (typed signed letter on a polite level regarding a press article by Nichols); Sir Sachaverell Sitwell (a friendly handwritten note regarding Nichols visiting a friend of Sitwell’s in Spain); Godfrey Winn (two handwritten social letters to Nichols and one to an unnamed recipient (? Weston) regarding a signed copy of one of Nichols’ books); Sir Stephen Spender (handwritten letter to Nichols regarding a poetry reading they both attended); Yolande Donlan (handwritten letter to Nichols (with envelope addressed to Weston) regarding a potential newspaper article); Fay Compton (friendly typed and signed letter to Nichols regarding a new play by Nichols relating to her); Mary Martin (friendly handwritten letter regarding Nichols’ help in preparations for a new play); Eamonn Andrews (typed and signed letter agreeing a social meeting with Nichols); Stuart Hibberd (handwritten letter thanking Nichols for a social invitation); Roger Livesey (typed and signed letter to Nichols regarding Nichols’ play Shadow of the Vine); Peter Cheyney (typed and signed letter thanking Nichols for a dinner party); Sir Charles B Cochran (typed and signed letter thanking Nichols for a book); Gilbert Harding (one handwritten and one typed and signed letter, both very sociably friendly, to Nichols); Daphne du Maurier (typed and signed letter to Nichols discussing her interview with Nichols); Agatha Christie (handwritten letter to Nichols regarding one of Nichols’ detective novels); Sir Albert Richardson (typed and signed letter to Nichols regarding a planned project at Nichols’ Surrey home); Cecil Roberts (two handwritten letters, a typed and signed letter and a handwritten note, all to Nichols regarding social gossip and declining health); Barbara Couper (letter to Nichols regarding one of his plays); Lady Isobel Barnett (handwritten letter and a typed and signed letter regarding social matters); Cyril Ritchard (handwritten letter regarding one of Nichols’ plays); Hildegarde Sell (handwritten postcard to Nichols asking after his health and arranging a future meeting); Lionel Gamlin (typed signed note to Nichols in a jokey vein); Victoria Eugenie (handwritten letter to Nichols thanking him for a printed interview and inviting him to lunch); Mary Ellis (handwritten letter to Nichols planning one of his playas and a future social meeting); Christopher Hassall (handwritten letter to Nichols regarding a play by Nichols and arranging a meeting to discuss this); Aly Khan (two typed and signed letters to Nichols regarding social arrangements and some work together); William Somerset Maugham (a typed and signed letter and a handwritten letter of very friendly social nature); Lord Robert Vansittart and Lady Sarita Vansittart (one typed and signed letter and one handwritten letter to Nichols, regarding his work and of a social nature); Muhammad Ali Jinnah (typed and signed letter to Nichols regarding a potential book ion Pakistan, written days before Jinnah’s death); Jean Kent (typed and signed letter thanking Nichols for a social invitation); GB Stern (handwritten letters, one to Nichols, one to Weston, of a social nature); Mervyn Stockwood (handwritten letter to Nichols, of a social and personal nature); Dennis Wheatley (handwritten social letter to Nichols); Sonia Dresdel (typed and signed letter to Nichols of a social nature and regarding a new play); Hewlett Johnson (typed and signed letter to Nichols regarding a proposed interview); Leslie Hore-Belisha (handwritten social letter to Nichols); Sir Norman Hartnell (friendly handwritten social letter to Nichols); Peter Wildbloode (typewritten and signed letter from Wildeblood to Nichols and typed copy of Nichols’ response regrading endorsement for Wildeblood’s important book of 1955 Against the Law); C E M Joad (two typed and signed social letters to Nichols); Gladys Cooper (short handwritten note to Nichols regarding a lunch arrangement); Anthony Armstrong Jones (handwritten letter to Nichols thanking him for an article sent); Benjamin Britten (signed concert programme for a concert by all three); v.s. 1922-1969. The lot also includes: eight diaries belonging to Beverley Nichols covering 1965 to 1972, with handwritten annotations and appointments in Nichols's hand; twenty three books by Beverley Nichols of which 22 are signed by the author, various editions (quantity)