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Edgar Fahs Smith papers, circa 1870-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:
110 boxes
Abstract:
The papers comprise Smith's personal and business correspondence, including exchanges with the United States Army Chemical Warfare Service regarding the use of chemical weapons in World War I; notebooks of his chemical research; bound lectures from his teaching; biographical material; personal photographs; pamphlets written by Smith; memorabilia that includes awards and certificates; and clippings. The bulk of the correspondence with Smith runs from 1877 until his death in 1928; correspondence dated after 1928 is addressed to his widow, Margie A. Smith.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Gilchrist Family papers, circa 1823-1939 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 boxes
Abstract:
A small but interesting collection of letters and the diaries of Grace Gilchrist Frend from 1907 to 1939. Family members include Anne Burrows Gilchrist, wife of Alexander Gilchrist and mother of Percy Carlyle Gilchrist (scientist/engineer), Beatrice Carwardine Gilchrist (physician who committed suicide), Herbert Harlakenden Gilchrist (painter who also committed suicide later in life), and Grace Gilchrist Frend (would-be singer). The family were intimates of Thomas Carlyle and many pre-Raphaelite painters. Anne was a champion of Walt Whitman; Alexander researched the life of William Blake (a posthumous publication compiled by Anne).

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Kanji Dwarkadas papers, 1914-1968, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
7.2 linear feet (18 boxes)
Abstract:
The papers of Kanji Dwarkadas, an Indian politician and activist born in 1892, contain correspondence and writings by both Dwarkadas and some of his contemporaries, dating from 1914 to 1965. Active in Mumbai (then Bombay), Dwarkadas began his career alongside Annie Besant, Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the Indian Home Rule movement. Letters to and from these individuals and many other important figures in twentieth century Indian politics are included in this collection, along with a number of interviews conducted by Dwarkadas. Beginning in the 1920s, Dwarkadas was actively involved in organizations to promote social welfare in Mumbai, such as the Prostitution Inquiry Committee and Children's Aid Society (meeting minutes, resolutions and reports from these and other groups are included in the collection). Dwarkadas withdrew from politics in 1933 and focused his energies on labor organization and worker's rights.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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William Carlos Williams research collection, circa 1890-1983 (inclusive)

Extent:
4 boxes
Abstract:
Miscellaneous group of letters and materials concerning William Carlos Williams. Includes correspondence with University of Pennsylvania English professor Sculley Bradley and New Directions publisher James Laughlin. A small group of family papers includes material to and about his wife, Florence. Also includes letters to Williams from Marianne Moore, Ezra Pound, Richard Wilbur, John F. Kennedy, Pablo Casals, and Hans Enzenberger, among others. The remainder of the collection consists of a small number of writings by Williams, reviews of and advertisements for his works, announcements of readings or lectures by Williams, newspaper clippings and journal articles about Williams, photographs, awards, and a self-portrait of Williams.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Leonard B. Meyer papers, 1935-2008 (inclusive)

Extent:
7 linear feet (18 boxes)
Abstract:
Leonard B. Meyer (1918-2007) was a musicologist and composer who taught at the University of Pennsylvania from 1975 to 1988. The papers, dating from 1935 to 2008, consist of correspondence with Meyer, drafts and notes for many of his works, research and teaching materials, musical compositions, and memorabilia.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Siegfried Weisberger papers, 1708-1955 (inclusive) 1923-1955 (bulk)

Extent:
4 linear feet (4 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection includes material collected by Siegfried Weisbeger (1896-1984), proprietor of the Peabody Book Shop in Baltimore Maryland and confidante of H.L. Mencken (1880-1956), a noted writer, editor, and social provocateur, famous for his disdain for common morals and received wisdom. The collection contains correspondence between the two men and other correspondents of the Peabody Book Shop, manuscripts and published writings by and about Mencken (many of them signed), and autobiographical writings and poems written by Weisberger.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Robert Montgomery Bird papers, 1799-1946 (inclusive) 1822-1854 (bulk)

Extent:
31 boxes
Abstract:
Comprises personal, business, literary, and family papers. In addition to Bird's own papers, this collection includes papers of his wife Mary E. Bird, his son Frederic Mayer Bird, and his biographer Clement Edgar Foust. The earliest papers (1822) date from Bird's school days at Germantown Academy, and the very latest papers (1946) relate to C. Seymour Thompson's publication of Mary E. Bird's biography of her husband. Correspondents include men and women from Bird's career in medicine; his literary career; his theatrical career (including correspondence with Edwin Forrest, as well as the documentation regarding their legal battle over copyrights and profits); his political career; and his career in publishing and journalism.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Arthur Hobson Quinn papers, 1801-1961 (inclusive) 1907-1960 (bulk)

Extent:
46.2 linear feet (93 boxes)
Abstract:
Arthur Hobson Quinn (1875-1960) was a professor and dean of English and History at the University of Pennsylvania and an internationally recognized authority on the history of American drama. This collection contains material representative of Quinn's entire professional life: correspondence, manuscripts of books and articles, lecture notes, reviews of contemporary plays, his collection of playbills and libretti, and material related to his research on Edgar Allan Poe and the American realist playwright James A. Herne.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Beasley family papers, 1802-1929 (inclusive) 1822-1899 (bulk)

Extent:
0.8 linear_foot (2 boxes)
Abstract:
The Beasley family papers are comprised largely of documents relating to three generations of Beasleys who lived in the vicinity of Philadelphia in the nineteenth century: Frederick Beasley (1777-1845), Frederick Williamson Beasley (1808-1878), and Frederick Williamson Beasley, Jr. (1845-1873). The collection includes letters, certificates, published works of the Beasleys, memorabilia from the University of Pennsylvania, guidebooks to the city of Philadelphia, and auction catalogues relating to the interests of the Beasley and Bancker families. The collection includes items with dates ranging from 1802 to 1929, with the bulk of the material falling between 1822 and 1899.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Baron George Gordon Byron collected papers, 1806-1832 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.7 linear feet (3 boxes)
Abstract:
The Baron George Gordon Byron collected papers contains materials belonging to or relating to the romantic poet Baron George Gordon Byron (1788-1824), best known as Lord Byron. These materials include correspondence, writings by Byron and related materials, lithographs of Byron and Sir Walter Scott, two display albums containing correspondence and locks of hair, and Lord Byron's last will and testament.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Ashley Bryan papers, 1823-2019 (inclusive) 1928-2019 (bulk)

Extent:
85 linear feet (146 boxes)
Abstract:
Ashley Bryan (1923-2022) was an artist and storyteller best known for his award-winning children's book illustrations with particular emphasis on African folktales and African-American spirituals. Bryan authored, illustrated, published, and distributed his first book in Kindergarten, later graduating from Cooper Union and Columbia University, being awarded a Fulbright to study at the University of Freiburg, before becoming a professor at Dartmouth College. The collection documents his lifelong devotion to the arts including sketchbooks, artwork, and especially materials relating to the publication process of over sixty book projects. There is also material relating to his professional engagements; certificates, awards, diplomas, and plaques relating to his many achievements; and personal and family materials, notebooks, photographs, greeting cards and postcards, school children thank you cards and artwork, and research files and ephemera. Also included are foundational...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Henry Charles Lea papers, circa 1830-1935 (inclusive)

Extent:
203 boxes
Abstract:
Henry Charles Lea, a historian of medieval Europe, wrote extensively on the institutional and legal history of the Catholic Church. The Papers comprise: General Correspondence; Henry Charles Lea Library Correspondence; Henry Charles Lea Library History, Inventories, and Catalogues; Historical Writings: Books; Historical Writings: Articles and Miscellaneous; Reviews; Political Writings; Newspaper Clippings; Writings: Poetry and Translations; Scientific Work; Juvenilia; Memorabilia and Family Papers; and Oversize.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Charles Mulford Robinson papers, 1831-1932 (inclusive) 1880-1924 (bulk)

Extent:
2.8 linear feet (7 boxes)
Abstract:
Charles Mulford Robinson (1869-1917) was a newspaper editor, author, and professor celebrated as one of the United States' first urban planners and early proponents of the "City Beautiful" movement. This collection features several of his urban improvement reports delivered to communities which solicited his services as a "civic advisor," as well as the personal correspondence of him and his wife Eliza; newspaper clippings about his life, death, and activities; scrapbooks; poems, prose-pieces, hymns, and plays composed by Robinson in his spare time; photographs; and other personal records from throughout his life.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Octave Delepierre papers, 1835-1879 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.8 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:
Octave Delepierre (1802-1879), an author, bibliophile, antiquary and diplomat, was named the archivist of "Occidental Flanders" after graduating from law school, a position he held until he was appointed Belgian secretary of legation and Belgian consul in London. He served in those posts until 1877. The collection consists of correspondence, notes, writings (both published and manuscript), translations, and sketches by Delepierre and reflects his research and interests in history, ancient literature, national bibliography, and archaeology.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Walt Whitman collection, 1842-1957 (inclusive) 1867-1894 (bulk)

Extent:
4 boxes (plus one oversized item.)
Abstract:
Materials include correspondence to, from, and concerning Walt Whitman; financial records; writings by and about Whitman; and memorabilia, such as sketches, photographs, and portraits of Whitman, his family, his friends, and his homes.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Felix E. Schelling papers, 1856-1945 (inclusive)

Extent:
7.25 linear feet (13 boxes)
Abstract:
Felix E. Schelling (1858-1945) was a professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania, an expert on Shakespeare, and an author of scholarly works on Shakespeare and Elizabethan literature. This collection documents Schelling's life as a student, a professor, a scholar, and an author. It also documents the University of Pennsylvania through the eyes of an individual who was a student and a faculty member over a period of more than fifty years.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Frederic Mayer Bird papers, 1859-1908 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.4 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:
Frederic Mayer Bird (son of the author Robert Montgomery Bird) was a Lutheran minister, later Episcopalian priest, and professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He wrote and published extensively on sacred topics, most notably on hymns and hymnology, and also wrote novels and other secular texts. He contributed to many periodicals and served as editor for Lippincott's Magazine, a Philadelphia-based literary magazine. These papers represent a range of Bird's drafts in manuscript and proof form, supplemented by a modest amount of correspondence. Best represented are his sermons and his contributions to Lippincott's Magazine.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Clara and Rudolf Kirk collection of William Dean Howells material, 1860-1963 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.8 linear feet (7 boxes)
Abstract:
The Clara and Rudolf Kirk collection of William Dean Howells material consists of literary and visual materials by or about William Dean Howells, an American author, playwright, and literary critic. It was compiled by Clara and Rudolf Kirk, who were scholars studying Howells, circa 1940-1963. The collection includes essays and reviews written by or about Howells, correspondence and newspaper clippings by or regarding Howells, six scrapbooks about Howells' life and career, and other miscellaneous materials.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Louise A. K. S. Clappe papers, circa 1860s-1890s (inclusive)

Extent:
.6 linear_foot (2 boxes)
Abstract:
Louise A. K. S. Clappe (also known as Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe and "Dame Shirley") was an author and an educator, best known for her published "Shirley Letters, which describe her experiences in gold mining camps and towns in California from 1851 to 1852. This collection documents Clappe's later career as a teacher and lecturer in San Francisco, New York City, and New Jersey. While much of the material in this collection cannot be definitively dated, it appears that most was created from the mid 1860s through the 1890s.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Paul Philippe Cret papers, 1865-1976 (inclusive)

Extent:
39 boxes (+ one map drawer)
Abstract:
Paul Philippe Cret (1876-1945) was an architect and industrial designer who taught in the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. Born and educated in France, Cret moved to the United States in 1903, but served in the French Army during World War I. Following the War, he returned to Philadelphia and to the University of Pennsylvania and worked on significant projects across the country. One third of the collection comprises correspondence, including exchanges with professional colleagues and clients as well as a few family members. With the exception of a substantial group of letters written by Cret to his wife while serving in World War I, there is little personal material. None of the correspondence files contains comprehensive representation of the transactions of Cret and/or his firm on any given project. The collection also includes writings by Cret, project and teaching materials (incomplete), notes, biographical material, and photographs.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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