James Hamish Hamilton

i) Laurence Binyon. The Golden Treasury of Modern Lyrics. London: Macmillan, 1927, small 8vo, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO LAURENCE OLIVIER (“To the greatest English Actor | of the twentieth century, | on the occasion of his | Greatest Performance | so far. | Richard III. Sept 1944 | from Yvonne and Jamie Hamilton”) on a preliminary blank, full blue morocco; 

ii) Bernard de Fontenelle. A Plurality of Worlds. London: The Nonesuch Press, 1929, 8vo, number 1119 of 1600 copies, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“… from Jamie | September 1944 | with love”) on the front free endpaper, original vellum wrappers; 



iii) Ben Jonson. The Masque of Queenes. London: The King’s Printers, 1930, folio, number 131 of 350 copies, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH WITH A 16 LINE VERSE (“…In sign of her ascent to fame | through ten triumphant years, | As month by month her flight became | the envy of her peers. […] with love and congratulations | from Jamie May 15 1945”) on the front free endpaper, original red boards, slightly soiled;



iv) Franz Werfel. The Song of Bernadette. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1942, 8vo, first UK edition, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“Darling Vivien | with love from Yvonne and Jamie | Nov 5 1942”) on the front free endpaper, original blue cloth; 



v) Nancy Mitford. The Pursuit of Love. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1945, 8vo, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“…with love from | Jamie 1945”) on the front free endpaper, original blue cloth, boards slightly soiled; 



vi) James Thurber. The Thuber Carnival. New York and London: Harper & Brothers, 1945, 8vo, later edition, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“…with love from | James, August 1945”) on the front free endpaper, original pictorial cloth;



vii) Clifton Fadiman. Reading I’ve Liked. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1946, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“…with love from | Jamie. September 1946 | “Skin of our Teeth””) on the front free endpaper, original red cloth;



viii) Derrick Leon. Tolstoy. His Life and Works. London: Routledge, 1946, 8vo, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN AND LARRY (“…with love from | Jamie. August 1947”) on the front free endpaper, additional autograph note paperclipped in, original black cloth, cloth soiled;



ix) Nancy Mitford. Love in a Cold Climate. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1949, small 8vo, proof copy, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN AND LARRY (“…with love from Jamie | Summer 1949”) on the half-title, original paper wrappers; 



x) Lucy Norton. The Journal of Eugène Delacroix. London: Phaidon Press, 1951, small 8vo, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“Darling Vivien | with Jamie’s love | July 1952”) on the front free endpaper, original yellow cloth; 



xi) Hamish Hamilton. Majority 1931-1952. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1952, 8vo, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN AND LARRY (“To darling Vivien and | Larry, with love from | Jamie. May 1952”) on a preliminary blank, original red cloth; 



xii) Alan Moorehead. The Traitors. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1952, 8vo, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“Darling Vivien, | Happy holidays | and love from | Jamie. June | 1952”) on the front free endpaper, original red cloth; 



xiii) E.B. White. Charlotte’s Web. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1952, 8vo, first UK edition, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“To Vivien, who | loved Stuart Little, | from Jamie | 1952”) on the front free endpaper, original blue cloth lettered in red, spine slightly browned; 



xiv) J.D. Salinger. For Esmé – with Love and Squalor. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1953, 8vo, first UK edition, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED TO VIVIEN LEIGH (“Darling Vivien | from Jamie | May 1953”) on the front free endpaper, original blue cloth (14)

Condition is described in the main body of the catatloguing, 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."

Publisher Hamish Hamilton (1900-1988), known universally as 'Jamie', was a friend of Leigh Holman and first met Vivien when she and Leigh were courting: "Leigh was no dancer and would sit stolidly watching Vivien and me enjoying ourselves at the Old Berkeley opposite the Ritz. Both were my confidants..." (quoted in Vickers, Vivien Leigh (1988), p.33). 

After their marriage, Leigh approached Hamilton for advice regarding Vivien's desire to continue her acting career. Hamilton's prescient response was: "You can't stop her. But it will be the end of your marriage" (ibid., p.51). Although they had been close friends, after the end of her marriage to Leigh Vivien and Hamilton were estranged until a chance meeting on board the Majestic on the way to America: "When I reached the dining room that irresistible laughing face popped up [...] Inter alia she said, "You will love Larry." I replied: "No I hate him for robbing my best friend of his wife." Vivien said: "You won't." And of course she was right." (ibid., p.106).