'Close of Play'

‘My Cricket Collection and Cricket Literature by G. Neville Weston. 1929. Letters’. A scrapbook compiled by Weston relating to his book which had just been printed and sent out to collectors. There were eighteen copies produced, all signed and numbered. The scrapbook contains an extraordinary collection of letters to Weston, from collectors thanking him and telling him of other books he might like to have. There are letters from collectors, bookshops and dealers offering him items. Many of the letters are lengthy and contain fascinating details on collectors of the day. His most frequent correspondent is Charles Pratt Green with seventeen letters and Ashley Cooper nine letters/postcards, There are also multiple letters from C.J. Britton, Henry Ling, J.N. Pentelow, A.W. Shelton, Norman Gale and J.B. Payne. Others are represented by one or two letters such as Harry Altham, Home Gordon, Hunter, H.M. Cohen, Rockley Wilson, J. Holmes, M.W. Luckin, R.M. Bell, Andrew Lang, S. Santall, A. O’Neill, Alfred Gaston, W.R. Wright and others. There are letters from the M.C.C., The British Library and booksellers such as Hatchards, Cotterell, Foyles, Phillips and Hudsons. Other letters from cricketers V.E. Walker and F.R. Foster as well as an autograph page of a Surrey team of the 1930’s, signatures include Fender, Hobbs, Hitch, Strudwick, Abel etc. One or two items from the index have a pencilled cross beside them and are no longer in the book. A wonderful resource for those interested in the intertwining of collectors and dealers in the days when most dealing were conducted by post. Title in gilt to front board. Good condition