Asquith, H.H., Shaw, G.B., and others.

H.H. Asquith, two autograph letters signed, expressing his sympathy for Speyer when he was being publicly vilified for his supposed pro-German sympathies ("...I am not a little ashamed of the readiness of some of my fellow countrymen to suspect & believe evil...") and rejecting his offer to resign his baronetcy, 3 pages, 8vo, 10 Downing St., 8 October 1914 to 22 May 1915; Edward Elgar, autograph letter signed, expressing his sympathy for Speyer's treatment in the press, 3 pages, 4to, Hampstead, 22 October 1914; George Bernard Shaw, two autograph letters signed, expressing sympathy for Speyer's position after the Lusitania disaster ("...the conduct of so many of us exposes all the rest to suspicion of having gone stark mad with indignant war fever..."), 3 pages, folio and 8vo, 30 May 1915-15 November 1921; David Lloyd George, typed letter signed, 1 page, 9 April 1908; together with typescripts, later letters, cuttings, and ephemera, concerning Speyer, his wife, and his homes in Norfolk and Mayfair, many items annotated in pencil by Lady Speyer, altogether c.28 items

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Sir Edgar Speyer (1862-1932) was born into a major German-Jewish banking dynasty, and moved to England in the 1880s. He played a crucial role in the development of London's tube network as well as becoming a major patron of the arts (for example, he funded London's annual Promenade Concerts from 1902), and he was created a baronet in 1906. At the outbreak of war in 1914 he became a victim of anti-German hysteria fuelled by the press - he was even accused of signalling to U-Boats from his Norfolk home - and in 1915 he emigrated to the United States.