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Start Over Repository University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts Year 1800 to 1849

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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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Arthur Bloom research collection on Edwin Forrest, 1829-2018 (inclusive) 2014-2018 (bulk)

Extent:
2 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:
Arthur Bloom (born 1939), an author and scholar of American theater, studied and wrote a book on Edwin Forrest (1806-1872), a prominent Philadelphia-born actor. This collection contains research materials for Bloom's work, Edwin Forrest: A Biography and Performance History (2019). These include some limited original materials by and related to Forrest, extensive printout copies of newspaper articles about Forrest, contemporary scholarly publications related to Forrest and American theater, and other research materials.

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

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Biddle family papers, 1709-2017 (inclusive) 1776-1952 (bulk)

Extent:
14.5 linear feet (32 boxes)
Abstract:
The Biddle family has a long history on American land with Quaker ancestors emigrating in 1681 and settling in Philadelphia around 1725. This collection documents the family relationships, and to a lesser extent, the work and military service of six generations of one branch of that family, starting with Clement Biddle (1740-1814), and following the descendants of two of his sons: Thomas Alexander Biddle (1776-1857) and Clement Cornell Biddle (1784-1855). These papers tell the stories, to varying degrees, of more than 30 individual Biddle family members through correspondence, financial records, professional papers, diaries, scrapbooks, and photographs.

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

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Jane Wright Proctor Wallis family papers, 1833-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:
10 linear feet (18 boxes)
Abstract:
A Philadelphia native, Jane Wright Proctor Wallis (1875-1956) was the daughter of Sarah Jane Wright and Josiah Kendall Proctor (the founder and owner of several prominent city businesses) and a mother of ten children. The Jane Wright Proctor Wallis family papers provide a glimpse into early 20th-century family life through correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, and memorabilia. The collection dates from 1833 to 2007, revealing a pride in the history and genealogy of the Proctor Wallis family across its many generations. In addition to familial topics, this collection features many materials documenting events of the early 20th Century as well as various Philadelphia-area social and charitable clubs.

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

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Gotham Book Mart records, 1723-2006 (inclusive) 1967-2006 (bulk)

Extent:
79 linear feet (95 boxes)
Abstract:
The Gotham Book Mart (1920-2006) was one of New York City's most iconic bookstores during the 20th century. Founded by Frances Steloff (1887-1989), the daughter of poor Russian-Jewish immigrants, the Book Mart became a social center for the New York literati and a focal point for literary modernism in the United States. Steloff's successor, independent literary manuscript dealer Andreas Brown (1933-), maintained the store's focus on avant garde and small press publications while incorporating his own interests in postcards and genealogy. This collection contains 91 boxes of material relating to the daily operation of the Book Mart; correspondence, biographical, and legal material from both Brown and Steloff; postcard and genealogical material collected by Brown; photographs of the store, its employees, and events which took place there; and manuscripts and ephemera offered for sale.

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

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Charlotte Cushman Club records, 1818-2000 (inclusive) 1907-1998 (bulk)

Extent:
16.6 linear feet (26 boxes)
Abstract:
Founded in 1907, the Charlotte Cushman Club was originally intended to provide respectable lodgings for actresses appearing in Philadelphia theaters. In the years of World War II the Club ceased to provide residential services, becoming a favorite gathering place of theater lovers as well as of the many actresses and actors visiting the city with their touring companies. The Charlotte Cushman Club Records offer insight into the activities, the administration, and the membership of the Club during the whole life of the organization, until its closure in 1998. The collection also includes part of the holdings of the former Club's museum and library.

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

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Archibald Elias collection of manuscripts, 1681-2000 (inclusive) 1681-1760 (bulk)

Extent:
0.4 linear_foot (1 box)
Abstract:
This collection consists of manuscripts and papers relating primarily to seveententh and eighteenth century Ireland and Great Britain formerly owned by A.C. Elias, a literary scholar who wrote extensively on Jonathan Swift and his circle.

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

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Georgij Sanji Zagadinow collection of Kalmyk materials, 1834-1999 (inclusive)

Extent:
10 linear feet (19 boxes)
Abstract:
Georgij Sanji Zagadinow (1925-1999) was a Kalmyk immigrant to Philadelphia who spent much of his life working on a Kalmyk-English dictionary. The materials in this collection include literary and other sources from Soviet Kalmykia, as well as extensive documentation of the Kalmyk communities in the United States. Researchers interested in Inner Asian studies and US immigration history may wish to consult this collection.

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

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University of Pennsylvania Dental Medicine Library miscellaneous manuscripts, 1841-1995 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.04 linear feet (3 boxes)
Abstract:
This material comprised part of the Dental Library's historical collection. It contains material on the history of the Thomas W. Evans Museum and Dental Institute School of Dentistry University of Pennsylvania, the profession of dentistry, and biographical information on dentist Thomas W. Evans.

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

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George Seldes papers, 1845-1994 (inclusive) 1907-1994 (bulk)

Extent:
56.5 linear feet (81 boxes)
Abstract:
The George Seldes papers document Seldes's career as a journalist, publisher and author. The papers provide an invaluable look at his crusade to hold the press accountable by exposing its corruption. Seldes believed the fight for a free press the most important fight in the world.

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

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Robert Montgomery Bird family correspondence, 1820-1991 (inclusive) 1830-1908 (bulk)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
This collection contains correspondence between Robert Montgomery Bird, his wife Mary E. Bird, their son Frederic Mayer Bird, and other family members. It provides accounts of daily life in New Castle, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the 19th century.

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

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H. H. Furness Memorial Library manuscript collection, 1575-1991 (inclusive) 1812-1930 (bulk)

Extent:
10 linear feet (20 boxes and one oversized folder)
Abstract:
The H.H. Furness Memorial Library focuses on the study of Shakespeare and other Tudor and Stuart dramatists. Horace Howard Furness (1833-1912) and his son Horace Howard Furness Jr. (1865-1930) founded and edited the Variorum Shakespeare and their library was donated to the University of Pennsylvania in 1932. This collection contains personal correspondence to and from Rev. William Henry Furness (1802-1896), Horace Howard Furness, and Horace Howard Furness, Jr., largely relating to Shakespearean study and the H.H. Furness Memorial library; notebooks; copies of speeches and articles; and other assorted items relating to Shakespearean scholarship or to the Furness family.

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

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William H. Helfand collection of artwork and printed ephemera, 1790-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear feet (1 box and 7 oversized folders)
Abstract:
William Helfand (1926-2008) was a scholar of the histories of medicine, pharmacy and art, and a collector of prints and ephemera related to all three. This collection contains a fairly diverse set of artwork and printed ephemera collected by Helfand, which, for the most part, relates to pharmacy and medicine and/or the fine arts.

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

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Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture records, 1785-1982 (inclusive)

Extent:
103 boxes
Abstract:
The collection is divided into three major series: I. 18th and 19th century records, II. 20th century records, and III. John M. Okie papers. The first comprises correspondence, administrative records, and ephemera; the second, correspondence, committee records, financial records, proceedings, memorabilia, and collected agricultural material; the third consists of the papers of Okie, who served as assistant secretary of the Society from 1922 to 1928: he was responsible for the publication of Memoirs VI, a history of the P.S.P.A.

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

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Lippincott Library collection of corporate annual reports, 1847-1981 (inclusive) 1927-1978 (bulk)

Extent:
4.2 linear feet (5 boxes)
Abstract:
The Lippincott Library supports business related research at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Corporate annual reports were originally collected by the library as a resource for business students. These reports typically provide financial information and updates on operations. The collection includes reports of companies from a variety of industries including agriculture, energy, food, and transportation.

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

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Southwell family papers on Ireland, 1662-1977 (inclusive) 1685-1715 (bulk)

Extent:
1 box
Abstract:
This collection consists primarily of documents concerning government administration in Ireland during the tenures of Sir Robert Southwell (1635-1702) and his son Edward Southwell (1671-1730) as Secretaries of State for Ireland. The documents here are largely miscellaneous in nature but are clustered around a few themes. Highlights include lists of rents and financial transactions from the period after Cromwell's invasion and before the Williamite war in Ireland, a 1689 eyewitness letter recounting the battle of Derry, a series of documents related to admiralty, smuggling, and collecting maritime revenue in the first decade of the eighteenth century, an inventory of maps of Ireland, and a substantive series of petitions relating to Richard Blake of Ardfry.

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

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Hopkinson family papers, circa 1700s-1970s (inclusive) 1905-1971 (bulk)

Extent:
2.25 linear feet (3 boxes)
Abstract:
The Hopkinson family was a prominent political family of Philadelphia and Bordentown. Descendants include: merchants, lawyers, diplomats, authors, musicians, soldiers, congressmen and a signer to the Declaration of Independence. The Hopkinson family papers comprise original documents as well as reproductions of: biographical and genealogical research, clippings, certificates, correspondence, diaries, indexes, wills and estate documents, photographs, sheet music, school and birth records, and report cards. Orignal materials primarily document the life and career of Edward Hopkinson Jr. (1885-1966).

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

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Thomas Hart papers, 1801-1971 (bulk 1893-1971) (inclusive)

Extent:
15.33 linear feet (16 boxes)
Abstract:
Thomas Hart (1894-1975) was a Philadelphia lawyer and civic figure. The Thomas Hart papers measure 15.33 linear feet in 16 boxes, date mostly from 1893 to 1971, and primarily consist of correspondence, documents, and ephemera relating to Hart and his family's organizational involvements, specifically with the Eagle Island Gunning Club, Junior League, Lankenau Hospital, Mask & Wig Club, Philadelphia Charity Ball, Inc., Philadelphia Club, Society of Colonial Wars, and State in Schuylkill. There is also Hart's personal correspondence, material relating to his personal life, and material from various members of the Hart family.

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

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Wistar, Pennock, Lukens, Miller, and Davis family papers, 1686-1967 (inclusive) 1740-1920 (bulk)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet (4 boxes)
Abstract:
The Wistar Family papers measure 1.5 linear feet, date from 1686-1967, and are comprised of correspondence; family and estate documents; genealogical research; and other family material. The collection documents the personal and family lives of Dr. Caspar Wistar II (1740-1811), Mary "Polly" Franklin Wistar (1735-1804), Mary Pearsall Franklin (1703-1786), Sarah Wistar Pennock (1770-1845), Wistar Pennock (1799-1867), Sarah "Sallie" Wistar Pennock Miller (1840-1909), Virginia Preston Weaver Miller (1868-1951) and Virginia Weaver Miller.

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

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Shoseki, chizu, sugoroku fukuro-shū, 書籍, 地図 [地圖], 双六袋集 [Collection of Wrappers for Books, Maps, and Sugoroku], circa 1800s-1966 (inclusive)

Extent:
.33 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
This volume includes fukuro 袋 for 122 ehon 絵本 (illustrated books), 12 sugoroku 双六 (board games), and 4 maps, pasted onto pages in apparently no order. The fukuro are wrappers for printed material and are often heavily illustrated with images and/or text.

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

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Gordon Block collection of Lincolniana, 1760-1963 (inclusive) 1840-1950 (bulk)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet (13 boxes)
Abstract:
Gordon Alexander Block (1885-1964) was a Philadelphia lawyer and collector of Lincoln documents and memorabilia. The collection includes twenty-three documents either signed by Lincoln or in his hand including a number of pleadings and court documents from his years as a lawyer in Illinois. The collection also contains a variety of ephemera from the Civil War era, including campaign ribbons and songbooks from 1860 and 1864 as well as broadsides, ribbons, and mourning cards issued after Lincoln's assassination. In addition, researchers will find a rich selection of visual representations of Lincoln in the collection, including lithographs, prints, photographs, and engravings of the sixteenth president.

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

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American publishing, printing, and book-related ephemera collection, 1827-1961 (inclusive) 1852-1961 (bulk)

Extent:
0.4 linear_foot (1 box)
Abstract:
This is a collection of Book-of-the-Month club news, mailings, and offers along with a few examples of other book-seller related materials such as advertisements, catalogs, lists, and financial and business documents, mostly receipts. The bulk of the collection is from the years 1850 to 1961 with a few outlying documents from the 1820s to 1840s.

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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Sanford Sorkin philately collection, 1806-1960 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
Sanford Sorkin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1963 with an interest in collecting stamps and other items of philatelic value. The collection consists of correspondence, miscellaneous documents, and ephemera such as postcards, tradecards, and stamped envelopes that Sorkin and his father collected more for their stamps and other evidence of early postal service than for their content. The materials are largely unrelated to one another aside from their philatelic interest.

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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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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Thomas Sovereign Gates, Sr. scrapbooks, 1835-1951 (inclusive) 1927-1948 (bulk)

Extent:
10.6 linear feet (13 boxes)
Abstract:
Thomas Sovereign Gates, Sr. (1873-1948), a Philadelphia native and University of Pennsylvania alumnus, served as the first president of the University of Pennsylvania from 1930 to 1944. The collections consists of 36 volumes of scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, programs, and ephemera, largely dating from the years immediately preceding Gates' presidency at the University of Pennsylvania through his death in 1948.

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

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Miscellaneous music manuscripts, 1818-1950 (inclusive) 1847-1950 (bulk)

Extent:
0.33 linear_foot (1 box)
Abstract:
This is a collection of miscellaneous music material, including manuscript scores, printed scores, and printed sheet music. In addition to the music material, there is a letter and a photograph which were sent to Benedict Nenninger.

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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Henry Sandwith Drinker collection of musical autographs, 1846-1943 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.2 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
Henry Sandwith Drinker was a lawyer and a musicologist who graduated from Haverford College, probably in 1900. This collection includes the autographs of renowned musicians, including Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, and Felix Mendelssohn. These autographs are found on letters and in one case, a calling card.

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

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Roberto Morgadanes collection of Mexican religious dramas, 1684-1942 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
Roberto Morgadanes, a native of Mexico, studied for his doctorate in Romance languages at the University of Pennsylvania from 1940 to 1942, specializing in the origin of colonial Mexican drama. This collection consists of documents relating to Roberto Morgadanes's studies as well as original Mexican religious dramas, mainly dating from the late 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century.

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

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John Bartram Association records relating to its foundation and early organization, 1779-1937 (inclusive) 1893-1911 (bulk)

Extent:
0.4 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
The John Bartram Association was founded in 1893 for the purpose of protecting and enhancing the the home and garden of John Bartram, known today as "Bartram's Garden." This collection, dating from 1779 to 1937 (bulk 1893 to 1911), document the association's foundation and early administrative activities predominately through correspondence, accented by newspaper clippings, advertising fliers, and invitation cards.

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

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Furness family papers, 1765-1937 (inclusive)

Extent:
49 boxes
Abstract:
Family records, personal records, and materials related to the publication of the New Variorum editions of Shakespearean texts. The collection includes the work of Furness and his son, as writers, editors, and collectors, but it also includes personal materials related to their non-scholarly interests. Family members include: Horace Howard Furness (1833-1912), Horace Howard Furness (1865-1930), Helen Kate Furness, William Henry Furness, and Louise Brooks Winsor Furness.

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

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"Theatricals in Philadelphia" scrapbooks, 1838-1936 (inclusive) 1838-1897 (bulk)

Extent:
6 linear feet (22 volumes)
Abstract:
The "Theatricals in Philadelphia" scrapbooks consists of a set of 15 scrapbooks on theatrical subjects and contains programs, playbills, newspaper clippings, images, and portraits of artists of the stage, dating from the second half of the 19th century. These materials mostly relate to theaters and other performing venues located in Philadelphia, although there are also some items from New York, Boston, and other U.S. cities. Because of its extent (about 3,500 pages), its chronological and geographical focus, the richness of its materials, and the breadth of theatrical genres covered in the scrapbooks, this collection represents a unique and invaluable resource for anyone interested in the theatrical and cultural history of Philadelphia in the second half of the 19th century.

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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Edwin Forrest collection, circa 1815-1931 (inclusive)

Extent:
39 linear feet (76 boxes)
Abstract:
The Edwin Forrest Collection provides some documentation of the business career of Edwin Forrest (nineteenth-century American actor, noted for his Shakespearean roles), focusing in the main on the latter part of his career (the 1860s and 1870s). Though some private personal correspondence is housed in the collection, predominant is correspondence concerning various aspects of Forrest's finances; these are arranged by major investments or interests.

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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John L. Stewart papers, 1806-1927 (inclusive) 1890-1927 (bulk)

Extent:
0.7 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of John L. Stewart, an educator and Public Service Commissioner for the state of Pennsylvania. Ranging in date from 1890 to 1927 (with one 1806 newspaper) these letters, newspaper clippings, notes and pamphlets outline the progression of Stewart's career from principal of the Northeast Manual Training School to professor at, and eventually president of, Lehigh University. Documents concerning a 1926 Pennsylvania Supreme Court case that questioned legality of Stewart's position on the Public Service Commission are included in this collection, as are many letters of condolence received by Stewart's wife upon his death.

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

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Collection of William H. Rau photographs, circa 1800s (bulk)

Extent:
0.83 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
William H. Rau (1855-1920) was a prominent Philadelphia photographer and the official photographer for the St. Louis world's Fair in 1904 and of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in 1905. This collection of twelve photographs from his studio at 1324 Chestnut St. in Philadelphia depicts various buildings and scenes around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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

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George H. Boker papers, 1837-1919 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.8 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:
George Henry Boker (1823-1890) was an American poet, playwright, and diplomat whose patriotic writings supported the Union government during the American Civil War. This collection contains letters to and from Boker; a small portion of financial records, largely relating to the publishing of Boker's poetry; and poems, plays and other writings by Boker.

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

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Collection of business invoices, 1838-1917 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
Collection of over 50 invoices, receipts, and engraved and pictorial letterheads from a wide range of American businesses. Businesses represented in the collection include bakeries, dry goods merchants, tobacco shops, patent medicine dealers, railroads, carpet sellers, hardware stores, lumber dealers, iron works and others mostly in Baltimore and Philadelphia, circa 1860s-1880s.

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

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Walker family recipe book, 1837-1915 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 volume (184 pages)
Abstract:
This volume contains 229 culinary, household, and medicinal recipes created and compiled between 1837 and 1915 by E. and N. Walker of Belper, Derbyshire, England.

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

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J.G. Rosengarten collection, 1712-1914 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet (3 boxes, 1 slip-case)
Abstract:
J.G. Rosengarten (1835-1921) was a Philadelphia lawyer, philanthropist, and history enthusiast with special interests in the role of German and French individuals in the development of and early wars of the United States. He wrote several books and articles on these subjects, and in the course of his research assembled the eponymous collection. The collection will likely be of interest to scholars, particularly those studying the American Revolutionary War and German involvement on both the British and American sides, and French and German foreign relations at the end of the 18th century.

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

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Fowler and Wells phrenological character readings, ephemera, and printed material, 1840-1910 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.4 linear_foot (1 box)
Abstract:
This collection contains materials related to the study and practice of phrenology, specifically as espoused by American phrenologists Orson Squire Fowler, Lorenzo Niles Fowler, Charlotte Fowler Wells, Lydia Folger Fowler, and Samuel Roberts Wells, who together make up the company Fowler and Wells. Fowler and Wells was the most prolific disseminator of phrenological materials throughout the nineteenth century. The materials in this collection range from extended, personal analyses of individuals, to advertisements and ephemera about phrenological publications, to original editions of the American Phrenological Journal.

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

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Samuel D. Ingham correspondence, 1734-1910 (inclusive)

Extent:
6 boxes
Abstract:
The Samuel D. Ingham correspondence comprises letters predominantly as well as other papers relating to Ingham and his life. The majority of the collection is correspondence either written by Ingham, to him, or to and from other political figures. Important subsets of the correspondence addressed to Ingham include letters regarding the Peggy Eaton Affair, a 1831 scandal that led to the resignation of President Jackson's entire cabinent (including then Secretary of the Treasury Ingham), as well as a series of letters from President Jackson to his Secretary of the Treasury. There are two letterbooks containing copies of letters from Ingham to others, particularly centered on but not limited to his time as Secretary of the Treasury. Other materials include postcards of Ingham's home and grave, published speeches by Ingham, a biography written by his son William Armstrong Ingham, and newspapers with articles regarding him.

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

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Land and property records for the Philadelphia city block bounded by Walnut and Sansom Streets, and South 6th and 7th Streets., 1794-1908 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.1 linear feet (3 boxes)
Abstract:
This collection documents the history of land ownership for the block in center city Philadelphia that is currently occupied by the Curtis Building, which is bounded by South 6th and South 7th Streets, and Sansom and Walnut Streets. There are 107 land deeds or indentures, and 23 other records of various sorts that document the sale, purchase, or transfer of property from 1794 to 1908 within this block. The oldest document is an indenture for the entire plot from James Logan, Jr. to John Swanwick, on December 31, 1794. The most recent document is a 1908 survey of the same plot, likely made for the Curtis Publishing Company by the City of Philadelphia. The majority are handwritten on vellum and are largely in good condition. Records are arranged chronologically.

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

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William Pepper papers, 1752-1903 (inclusive) 1861-1898 (bulk)

Extent:
9 volumes
Abstract:
The collection documents Pepper's role in expanding the University of Pennsylvania in the 19th century, his contributions to the medical profession, and his activism in Philadelphia. Primarily comprising correspondence, the collection covers Pepper's life from a student at the University of Pennsylvania to his death 54 years later.

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

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Sarah Brown Hooker Capron papers, 1836-1900 (inclusive)

Extent:
.417 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:
Sarah Brown Hooker Capron (1824-1918) was an evangelical missionary in Madura, India for close to thirty years. Appointed to the American Madura Mission in Madura, India by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, she provided educational, evangelistic and medical services to local women and children. This collection consists of correspondence, writings and photographs documenting Capron's missionary work, dating from 1857 to 1886.

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

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