Christy, Gerald. Three studio photographs of Gerald Christy in Japan: (1) in traditional costume, verso inscribed ‘Gerald Christy in Japanese Costume Tokio 1889’, R. Macuki Photographer, 162 x 105mm; (2) in a rickshaw, verso inscribed ‘Gerald Christy in Rickshaw, Yokohama 1889, Kozaburo Tamamura, Photographer, 105 x 162mm; (3) with William Heinlein playing Go-Bang, verso inscribed ‘Gerald Christy and William Heinlein (American) playing Go Bang (no five) Tokio 1889’, R. Macuki Photographer, 105 x 162mm ; two further informal photograph portraits of Christy in costume, 97 x 124mm ; an autograph letter to Miss [Eva] Christy, indistinctly signed, discussing an enclosed letter from Samuel Rogers: ‘Dear Miss Christy I am enclosing the letter from Samuel Rogers which I think is worth a place in your autograph collection. The envelope is addressed to Arthur Aikin at 7 Bloomsbury Square — the postmark is very indistinct but I think it is 1843. Arthur Aikin was my great-great uncle and was at that time secretary to the society of arts (now the Royal Society of Arts). What his “intention” was, on which Rogers congratulates him, I don’t know: it sounds as though he was going to get married, but if so the marriage never took place as he was single all his life. You notice the invitation to one of his famous breakfasts — I think it was Macaulay who started these, but they are referred to by Thackeray. The “Catherine” whom he invites also, was the Miss Aikin who lived with my parents when you knew them in Compayne Gardens. I never saw Arthur Aikin but my mother remembers his very well as a nice kind old man whom they always called ‘uncle’ whilst ‘aunt’ was his sister miss Lucy Aikin who wrote histories which Macaulay cut up in one of his essays. Lucy Aikin was buried at Hampstead but other members of that family, Arthur Aikins father & grandfather, & his aunt Mrs Barbauld have their tombs in the churchyard of the old St Marys Church, Stoke Newington. Five generations of Aikins wrote books of some kind or other (the last two being by grandmother, Mrs Le Breton, and her daughter my aunt Mrs Herbert Martin) — no, I might say six if I include my first cousin Tom Roscoe who wrote two novels in South Africa — but he was killed in 1917 in France so presumably the literary output has ceased! With kind regards yours sincerely, F. L. D. Lawford’, 1 page, 254  200mm, 28 July 1919; with the autograph letter from Samuel Rogers to Mr Aikin, inviting the recipient to breakfast, 1 page, 82 x 114mm, undated [c.1843] . (7). Condition: Photographs with a few spots, letter from Rogers with tears and tape. Category: Books, Maps & Manuscripts/Autographs & Manuscripts Estimate: 100-150 GBP