The Duke of Wellington was a major British figure during the first half of the 19th century. Joining the army in 1787, he rose in rank through various battles. His performance during the Napoleonic Wars resulted in his being named field marshal. He served as Ambassador to France after Napoleon was defeated, but after the French Emperor made his escape and returned to power, it was the Duke who led the forces at Waterloo that brought Napoleon's career to its final conclusion. Wellington was a great hero, and was elected to Parliament. In time, he would rise to be Prime Minister. His popularity was perhaps not so great in this role. He was quite conservative, opposing popular electoral reforms. Nevertheless, when he died in 1852, the Duke of Wellington was revered as a great hero. Over 10,000 people participated in his funeral march. One and one-half million spectators viewed the spectacle. Item 1 is Henry and George Aiken's An Elaborate Panorama View of the Entire Funeral Procession of the Duke of Wellington, probably a second issue from 1853. The panels illustrating the parade, when put together, create a panorama over 65 feet long. £3,500 (US $5,331).
From the supplement of the library of Fleur Cowles, item 1 is a complete run of Flair magazine. Flair lasted for only 12 issues from 1950-51. Fleur Cowles had made her mark in the late 1940s as an Associate Editor of Look magazine. It was from this position that she launched Flair. Her vision was that rather than being a woman's magazine or a literary magazine or any other sort, it would be anything and everything. It offered many notable writers and artists in its short life, including Tennessee Williams, W.H. Auden, Salvador Dali, Simone de Beauvoir, and Gypsy Rose Lee. The magazine featured such unusual attributes as cut-outs on the cover. Unfortunately, the innovations were expensive, and though the circulation was good, advertising revenue was insufficient. It was forced to close down after 12 issues. Cowles was also a writer and artist, an active woman with a long career. She died in 2009 at age 101. £2,500 (US $3,808).
Sotheran's may be reached at 020 7439 6151 or books@sotherans.co.uk. Their website is found at www.sotherans.co.uk.
