Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: Nelson's Dictionary
PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2020 11:48 am 
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Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:50 am
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Just caught up with last Wednesdays (20th May) episode of the Repair Shop on BBC1. One of the items taken in for restoration was an old dictionary which the owner believed belonged to Nelson.

He explained that the book had been in his families possession for over 200 years, coming from an ancestor who was said to have been a midshipman at Trafalgar, although that was then qualified to his actually being the First Lieutenant. The front cover was embossed Victory. Written inside the cover, amongst other names is ' H. Nelsons Book'. Another name written underneath appears to be the name of a Mr Pridence. Two other names there were unclear. The dictionary itself is titled 'Enticks New Spelling Dictionary' published in 1787.

The Nelson name is neatly written and doesn't look like one of his later signatures etc. (I am certainly no handwriting expert)! But if it was his book , this of course, might have been written in prior to 1797.

The bookbinder in the Repair Shop repaired the spine which was the main defect and which had previously been restored in the 90's.

Certainly an interesting item to turn up after more than 200 years. The episode is on BBC Iplayer, under 60 minute version episode 3.

Phil


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 Post subject: Re: Nelson's Dictionary
PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2020 8:47 pm 
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Sorry for the late reply to your interesting post. It should be easy for an expert to authenticate Nelson's right-sloping, right-handed signature, different, of course, from his very distinctive left-handed one.


Here's a link to an auction of a 'Nelson' letter, though it appears to have been written by a clerk and signed by Nelson.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/admiral-ne ... -1-6672665

The estimate is £3500. What do you think, Phil?

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Anna


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 Post subject: Re: Nelson's Dictionary
PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2020 11:39 am 
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Anna

Another interesting find in the auction rooms. Have looked at the auctioneers website and the final Sale Price was £3,200.

The details mention that the letter was 'Not in Nicholas................' the seven volume collection compiled by Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas in the 1840's. The letter doesn't appear either in Colin White's 'The New Letters' published in 2005. I think many of these orders to his captains, dictated to and transcribed by his secretaries as this one is, don't make these publications as much as his more personal letters. Still very interesting to find one though.

Phil


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