Archive of 19 handwritten letters and notes from acclaimed English novelist Evelyn Waugh, each signed in full or with his initials, “E. W.,” penned on letterhead and stationery from Piers Court or Combe Florey House, ranging in size from 5.5 x 3.5 to 8.75 x 10.75, dated between December 1954 and April 1965, all addressed to esteemed London-based bookbinders Sangorski & Sutcliffe, with several of Waugh’s instructions relative to his Sword of Honour trilogy.Notable sections include: No date: “I here return the sample of leather given to Mr. Walker of Chapman & Hall. Will you please use the lighter of the two blues for binding ‘The Loved Ones’ sheets of which should reach you early in September.” No date: “I am sorry to learn that there has been illness in the bindery. I hope you are all fully recovered. Will you please bind the attached in 1/4 morocco 3/4 linen buckram. Arms both sides. Letter up back. Basil Seal Rides Again or The Rake’s Regress at foot of back MS in gothic black letter.”August 9th, no year but circa 1961-62: “I am sending you under separate cover the manuscripts of three novels ‘Men at Arms,’ ‘Officers & Gentlemen’ and ‘Unconditional Surrender’ to be bound in 1/4 red morocco, 3/4 linen buckram. Arms on both sides. Lettered at back & dated at foot of back 1952, 1955, 1961 respectively.”August 31st, no year but circa 1961-62: “Chapman and Hall tell me that you have no record of having bound Men at Arms and Officers and Gentlemen. I therefore send you one volume to be used as the model for binding the printed sheets (not ins.) of Unconditional Surrender. Pray return it when you have noted the style.”May 11, 1959: “I am sending you under separate cover the MS of The Life of Ronald Knox. Please bind in full morocco with the armoured stamp of mine, which you hold, on both sides. The MS is in very poor condition consisting in many cases of scraps of paper. The page numbers which appear on some sheets have no relevance. The only way to deal with it is to preserve the present order. If they once get scattered from their bundles it will be laborious—almost impossible—to rearrange them. “September 5, 1963: “You will shortly receive from the printers sheet and a plate (frontispiece) of my ‘Basil Seal Rides Again.’ Will you please bind in full levant (colour immaterial) with watered silk doublures & end papers, arms on both sides, all edges gilt & burnished.”April 3, 1965: “Thank you for your letter of yesterday about A Little Learning. I am distressed to learn that Chapman and Hall misunderstood my instructions. I am afraid it does make a serious difference. One copy (with arms) was for my own library. The other two for presentation. It would be most unsuitable for these to have my arms.” In overall fine condition.Format: Archive