1991.1016.71.7

Letter from A.W. Pollard to Emery Walker about Miss Sabie's otter design. Found inserted in the book, Odyssey by Homer when acquired by the museum, shelf E25. Part of the Emery Walker Library.

British Museum

Letter from A W Pollard (British Museum) to Emery Walker dated March 11th (no year). Found in the OUP edition of Homer’s Odyssey from 1909. Brit. Mus March 11th Dear Walker, Miss Sabie’s[i] design is a poor thing, weakly drawn, & I have no love for it. But you must remember that in his Burlington article P.[ii] spoke of the Otter [underlined 3 times] Greek Type. Also some time after issuing the Psephisma he was still meaning to use the device in his books, as he told me (strangely, as I thought) that he thought Miss Sabey had had enough advertisement in the Psephisma, that her name was too prominent in the block, & he should have it cut out!! I don’t in the least want to keep the device, which is distinctly second-rate, but I want you to know all the facts before leaving it out. I am was glad to hear that [inserted] you are going to Oxshott tomorrow, as I first made up my mind that I couldn’t, but I shall try to stay a night there next week. Sorry you have missed me here. I lunch from 12.15-45, and tea from 3.50-4.5, both in the Refreshment Room [inserted]. After about 4.30 it is a chance if I am here or not. But at other times I ought either to be at my seat or in the Large Room, or among the Incunables. But I was seedy last week & had to stay at home two days, & perhaps you came then. I hope you have good news of Cockerell[iii]. Aff yr A. W. Pollard[iv] [Footnotes: [i]A basic Internet search has revealed no information about Miss Sabie or, more probably, Sabey. Item 1991.1016.419, however, shows quite clearly the otter design to which the writer refers, with the name ‘F. G. Sabey’ printed in the bottom left corner of the illustration. ‘P’ or Robert Proctor initially wanted Emery Walker to approach Philip Webb to see if he would produce a design for this project (see 1991.1016.47.a). [ii]P is probably Robert George Collier Proctor, bibliographer (1868-1903). He died in mysterious and unexplained circumstances while travelling abroad. See also the name Proctor in Item 2. [iii]Sir Sydney Cockerell (1867 – 1962), collector and curator of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge from 1908 to 1937 [iv]Alfred William Pollard (1859 – 1944), bibliographer, who joined the British Museum in 1883. In 1909 he became Assistant Keeper and in 1919 Keeper.