ALBUM – POLITICS AND ARTS Album containing a collection of over 140 autograph letters, the majority to Thomas Baring, eminent banker and politician, others to John Beresford, Irish politician, landowner, privy councillor and friend of William Pitt the Younger, and to the Lord Fitzgerald and others, including a group of autograph letters to Beresford from Portland, Temple (thanking him for his support, 1783), Dundas (presenting a case for Provost Colquhoun of Glasgow), Auckland (letter of support docketed by Beresford 'on my dismissal', 21 January 1795), Lord Fitzgibbon (on the repeal of the Convention Act 'the business goes on apparently smooth in the House of Commons but it is impossible that this should long continue... The only Acts which now affect Irish Papists are the Acts of Supremacy... the King cannot give his ascent to a repeal of any others without a direct breach of his Coronation Oath...', 1795), Rose (assuring him of Mr Pitt's support, May 1804), Castlereagh (commenting on a new cure for his sister 'she lives in a room with a cow'), John Bright, G.J. Beauregard (from the office of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Rail Road Company), Robert Peel, Disraeli (two letters with envelope making arrangements), Granville, Russell (regarding a loan to the Sultan of Morocco), Grey, Landsdowne, Derby, Cobden (8 page letter dated 1864 regarding trade with America during the civil war with respect to the Treaty of Paris and privateering), Joseph Paxton, Michel Chevalier, William Thackeray ('your opponent at Huntingdon'), Michael Faraday (thanking him for the card to the Crystal Palace, 1862); artists including Edward Lear (excusing himself from social occasions and sending a drawing of a castle instead [not included], 1866), Clarkson Stanfield, Maclise (regarding his design of the medal for the International Exhibition, 1862, including a sketch of Brittania), David Roberts, Landseer (three, one with sketch of a crowd holding umbrellas), Mulready, Astronomer Royal George Airey (enclosing a report), Stafford Northcote, George Goschen, and various European royalty; letters to the Lord FitzGerald of the India Board including two from Hume, an essay on Dwarkanauth Tagore and two copy letters docketed 'from Sir C.[laude] Wade' dated March and August 1843, describing his retreat from Jellalebad to Peshawar and the state of Kabul, the second describing an affray between his own sepoys and the 26th Light Infantry, and an 8-page report 'as to the state of things in Afghanistan', and others; interspersed with photographs and press cuttings including a copy of The Friend of China and Hongkong Gazette from 1843, pasted onto 36 leaves, bookplate of Thomas Baring, red morocco gilt for P. & D. Colnaghi, arms of the Hibbert family on upper cover, upper joint cracking, rubbed, folio (550 x 405mm.), 1780s to 1860s Footnotes: This collection was formed by Thomas Baring (1799-1873), grandson of the founder of Barings Bank. As 'Head of the House' he oversaw considerable growth of the business, 'making it once more London's leading trade finance and merchanting house... There is 'only one man [in London] to look to and consult, and to guide action in important financial matters', reckoned an American railway manager in 1853. 'Ask about anything and the reply is 'What does Mr Thomas Baring say or think?'' (John Orbell, ODNB). The album itself bears the arms of the Hibbert family, most likely George Hibbert, merchant, politician, botanist and book collector, who was a close friend of Thomas's grandfather Francis Baring. The album has remained in the Baring family. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: • • Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com