On The Shelf – High Rising

I’ve just re-read Angela Thirkell’s High Rising and realized that I’d made a huge mistake – I read it without having any more of the Barsetshire novels on hand to read next. I then spent a good hour online, ordering six more titles in the series. Honestly, these novels, and the characters therein, are pure joy. Another thing I only recently realized – penned in the 1930’s, these stories are now eighty years old, but they still read as funny and the characters are just as amusing as any 21st century counterparts. Like E.F. Benson and P.G. Wodehouse, Thirkell takes us back to an England where conversation is witty and entertaining, where plots are relatively simple (yet infinitely engaging) and where villians, if there are any, are really rather harmless, except to themselves. Everyone gets their comeuppance, everything comes right in the end and we, the readers, are thoroughly entertained throughout.

Oft compared to our own Jane Austen, Ms. Thirkell is a genius at setting place, crafting a plot and at writing sometimes over-the-top yet wholly believable dialogue. After reading any of the Barsetshire novels, who wouldn’t want to spend a few weeks in the English countryside?

From the Powell’s Books website: “In High Rising, Mrs. Morland, a widowed author, must attend to the deeper problems of country life while her son Tony drives everyone to distraction with his amazing combination of toy trains. Here Mrs. Thirkell demonstrates the characteristic style for which she is known and for which readers love her. This is fiction replete with gentle irony, grave absurdity, and urbane understatement. This novel introduces one of Angela Thirkell’s most beloved characters–Laura Morland, a novel-writing widow and mother of four who strongly resembles Thirkell herself. In High Rising, Laura receives a marriage proposal from her publisher, who really loves Sibyl, the daughter of Laura’s neighbor; Dr. Ford has feelings for Laura’s secretary, Anne; and attractive but neurotic Una is determined to marry her employer. And in Tony, Laura’s youngest son, Thirkell has created one of the most exasperating small boys in fiction. This is the first of the Barsetshire novels.”

 If you haven’t yet read Thirkell (above), do. If you have, read them again. Oh, Barsetshire is sheer bliss. You can learn more about Angela Thirkell at the Thirkell Society’s website here.

Grosvenor Prints

Once again, Grosvenor Prints, London, has some eclectic and interesting new stock. Grosvenor Prints, in Seven Dials, is one stop I always make when in London. When there last, Vicky and I spent a few enjoyable hours pouring over their stock – she looking at fashion prints, whilst I combed through their Wellington files. Samples of their latest acquisitions for sale can be seen below. Click here to see all of their new listings.

Sketch of Bonaparte. As laid out on his Austerlitz Camp Bed, taken by Capt.n Marryatt R.N., 14 hours after his Decease, at the request of Sir Hudson Lowe, Governor of St Helena & with the permission of Count Montholon & General Bertrand. C. Hullmandel’s Lithography. London Published by S. & J. Fuller, 34 Rathbone Place, July 16 1821. Lithograph, fine, sheet Printed area 265 x 300mm, 10½ x 11¾”. Full uncut sheet bearing the embossed stamp for “S & J Fuller”.  Napoleon died, reportedly of stomach cancer, on 5 May 1821 after six years in exile on St Helena. His body was buried first in the grounds of Longwood, his St Helena residence, before being brought back to France in 1840 to be ceremoniously reburied in Les Invalides. Marryat was a naval officer, and later the author of ‘Peter Simple, Mr Midshipman Easy’, and other popular seafaring novels, and later children’s books. At the time of Napoleon’s death he commanded the sloop ‘Beaver’, guardship at St Helena. When the ex-emperor died he carried the dispatches announcing the death back to England. The fact that Marryat visited and sketched Napoleon so soon after his death illustrates the continued fascination and emotion Napoleon evoked back in Britain, even after six years in remote exile away from the public glare. See NMM: PAF3523. {f: 21864] £280.00                                                             

To the Viscountess Canning This Portrait of The Right Honble. George Canning, M.P.             Painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A. Principal Painter in Ordinary to His Majesty, Engraved by Charles Turner, A.R.A. Mezzotinto Engraver in Ordinary to His Majesty, Pall Mall East, London, Published April 9, 1829, by Messrs. Colnaghi Son & Co, Printsellers to the King. Mezzotint, final state, image 580 x 355mm. 22¾ x 14″. Some mould spots and foxing. Tatty and chipped margins.
Fine full-length portrait of statesman George Canning (1770 – 1827), Foreign Secretary, Prime Minister for 119 days, the shortest term ever. After Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769 – 1830).
Whitman 95, v of v.  [Ref: 21797] £280.00    

A Cockatoo – Henry Rayner [signed in plate and in pencil to margin.] [n.d., c.1940.] Drypoint etching printed in colours, 170 x 125mm. 6¾ x 5″. A fine impression. A cockatoo is any of the 20 bird species belonging to the family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae family (the true parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes. Cockatoos have a much more restricted range than the true parrots, occurring naturally only in Australia and nearby islands. Eleven of the 21 species exist in the wild only in Australia, while seven species occur in Indonesia, New Guinea, and other south Pacific islands. Henry Hewitt Redstone Rayner (1902 – 1957). Australian-born, he worked in the Antipodes before studying at the Royal Academy. He was a friend of Sickert. [Ref: 22521] £75.00
Viscountess Duncannon. Painted by Sir J. Reynolds P.R.A. Engraved by J. Grozer. Wm. Austin excudit. Published as the Act directs March 31st 1786 by Wm Austin Drawing Master, Engraver & Print Merchant No.195 Piccadily near St Jamess Church London. Mezzotint, final state with altered publication line, 390 x 275mm. 15¼ x 7″. A fine impression with full margins. Portrait of Henrietta Frances (‘Harriet’) Ponsonby (née Spencer), Countess of Bessborough (1761 – 1821), an amateur etcher; standing in a landscape, looking to the right, with flowers attached to the front of her shawl. After Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723 – 1792). Hamilton p.96, III of III. CS: 8, iii/iii. [Ref: 22388] £280.00                                 
Mary Isabella, Duchess of Rutland. Painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, & Engraved by the late J.K.Sherwin, Historical Engraver to his Majesty, & his royal highness the Prince of Wales, finish’d since his decease. London Published June 4th. 1791 by Robt. Wilkinson No. 58 Cornhill.

Engraving, very fine published state, 510 x 380mm. 20 x 15″ Mary Isabella Manners (née Somerset), Duchess of Rutland (1756 – 1831), politician and society hostess; seate
d to right with her head in profile, resting on her left hand, a book in her right; seascape through window behind. After Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723 – 1792). Hamilton p.129. NPG D39956. [Ref: 21779] £320.00   

                                                   

A View of the Grand Fête on Parker’s Piece, Cambridge, To celebrate the Coronation of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, June 28th 1838. Number of Persons seated to Dinner 15,000, supposed number of Spectators 17,000, _ Total number present 32,000. [& Admission ticket] A Dinner Given to 12000 Persons on Parker’s Piece, Cambridge, June 28, 1838. In Commemoration of the Coronation of Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria Queen. Drawn on the Spot & Lith.d by G Scharf. Metcalfe & Palmer, Lithog. Cambridge. [&] Rog. sculp.t. Cambridge. [n.d., c.1838.] Coloured lithograph. Printed area 185 x 270mm, 7¼ x 10½”. & engraved admission ticket on card very scarce, 115 x 150mm, 4½ x 6″. Binding folds, one split, tears in edges.

A formal dinner on Parker’s Piece, a 25-acre common near the centre of Cambridge, England, named after a college cook, Edward Parker, who obtained the rights to farm on it. [Ref: 22318] £160.00

                            

For Sale: Ayton Castle

Castle, houses, lodges, cottages and fishing in the Scottish Borders

Yes, yes, I’ve been at it again – property browsing on a grand scale. But you must admit, the sale of Ayton Castle is the perfect opportunity for anyone with dreams of playing Monarch of the Glen to own their very own family pile.

Ayton Castle comes complete with aself-contained flat and grounds extending to 159 acres, 4 houses/cottages, 2 lodges, stable yard with 2 flats and various outbuildings. Fishing on The Eye Water, private garden and extensive policies with good grazing.

As property agents Knight Frank tell us, Ayton Castle has 7 main reception rooms, 17 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, kitchen/breakfast room, billiards room, extensive domestic offices and a self-contained house keeper’s flat. There are 2 lodges and 4 estate houses/cottages. There is a traditional stone-built stable yard with 2 flats.

Ayton Castle is widely regarded as one of Scotland’s finest baronial style buildings and was designed by James Gillespie Graham, Scotland’s leading Gothic revival architect of the early 19th century. The Castle is a magnificent example of a Scots baronial house, primarily over two storeys, with a five storey ‘Great Tower.’

There is an array of secondary accommodation at the lower ground floor and basement/courtyard levels including the former servants hall and various store rooms and adjacent accommodation arranged around the service courtyard. Approximately half the policies are grazing and half are woodland, all of which are in hand.

As the Berwickshire News reported on Sunday: “The Liddell-Grainger family has continued to own the castle throughout the 20th century, but with the death of David Liddell-Grainger in 2007, the estate and the family seem to have encountered turbulent times, resulting in the castle being put on the property market.

“The private life of David Liddell-Grainger has been colourful and an affair with Christine de la Rue, wife of Sir Eric de la Rue, resulted in him divorcing his wife in 1981 and Christine moving into the castle along with her elderly husband who by this time required nursing care. David Liddell Grainger and Christine de la Rue had two children together, one of whom died of cancer as a child.


“They married in 1996 and when he died 11 years later it is believed that David Liddell-Grainger left his 6000 acre estate to his son by Christine de la Rue rather than his eldest son by his first marriage.

“Last month a Private Rented Housing Panel issued an enforcement notice which ordered Henry Liddell-Grainger and Lady Christine de la Rue to carry out immediate repairs on two cottages on Ayton Castle estate. Tenants had complained of leaking roofs, damp and a two page catalogue of essential repairs that were needed to bring the properties up to a habitable standard.”

Tenant issues aside, Ayton Castle would make the perfect backdrop for a life of baronial splendour. Never mind the massive heating bills – that’s what fireplaces are for.

You can watch a video of the stunning Castle grounds here.

Offers Over £2,200,000 – Knight Frank 

Report from Ft. Worth, The Book Launch

On Friday, October 14, 2011, many of the JASNA AGM attendees and other book lovers got together for a book launch at a nearby Barnes & Noble Bookstore in downtown Fort Worth.  Three novels were introduced to the eager audience.
Carrie Bebris introduced the latest in her series of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries, The Deception at Lyme.  Take a look at her website here.  Below, Carrie autographs her books for her fans.

In this story, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy meet Captain Wentworth and his new wife, the former Anne Elliott in the seaside town of Lyme.  When murder raises its ugly head, Darcy and Elizabeth identify the culprit, as they have in Pride and Prescience, Suspense and Sensibility, North by Northanger, The Matters at Mansfield, and  The Intrigue at Highbury. In each novel, the Darcys encounter other characters created
by Jane Austen. 

  

Janet Mullany’s Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion brings the Damned to the village of Chawton. Janet’s website is here. The story is a sequel to her 2010 novel Jane and the Damned.  Janet’s voyages into Jane Austen and the paranormal follow other “straight” regencies she has written for several publishers. Born in England, Janet now lives in the Washington DC vicinity.

Though Jane is hoping to make progress on her latest novel, the arrival of the Damned brings her a whole host of problems — including conflict with a former lover.

Laurel Ann Nattress is the editor and creator of a recently published antholodgy of original stories inspired by Jane Austen.  Both Carrie Bebris and Janet Mullany are among the 24 authors who contributed to Jane Austen Made Me Do It.
  For more information, click here.  Below, Laurel meets fans. In the red bonnet behind her is Syrie James.

Below, Margaret Sullivan, Stephanie Barron, and Syrie’s big red bonnet!

Book Launches are always fun, especialy when they are attended by so many fans — and BUYERS!!