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William A. Oliver, Jr. collection related to The Mystery of Edwin Drood

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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
MSS 0638
Repository:
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Extent:
  • 10.5 linear foot (18 boxes)
  • 7 oversize box
Language:
English, Danish, and French
Preferred Citation:
MSS 0638, William A. Oliver, Jr. collection related to The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Date:
1844-2005 (inclusive)
Creator:
Oliver, William Albert, 1926-2005
Form:
Clippings (information artifacts), correspondence, Manuscripts (document genre), Scrapbooks, Audio cassette, VHS, Exhibition catalogs, Auction catalogs, Maps (documents), Pamphlets, Playbills, Posters, Tickets, Periodicals, Annotated bibliographies, Screenplays, Figurines, Plaques (flat objects), Tear sheets, and Receipts (financial records)
Abstract:
The William A. Oliver, Jr. collection related to The Mystery of Edwin Drood comprises 10.5 linear feet of material plus oversize items dating from 1844 to 2005 and includes extensive bibliographic information relating to the works of Charles Dickens and specifically to the author's final novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870), which was unfinished at the time of his death. The collection, which illuminates Oliver's activities as a collector and bibliographer, includes publications that printed original versions of the storyline, as well as various derivative works based on the novel; extensive bibliographies of editions of Dickens's works and scholarly work on Dickensiana, with a focus on Edwin Drood; and travel information and souvenirs from Dickens-related landmarks and events.

American scientist William A. Oliver, Jr. (1926-2005) was an avid collector and bibliographer of Victorian authors, particularly Thomas Love Peacock (1785-1866) and Charles Dickens (1812-1870).

Oliver grew up in Champaign, Illinois, where his father was a faculty member in the civil engineering department at the University of Illinois. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Oliver returned to the University of Illinois to earn a B.S. in 1948. He continued his education at Cornell University, earning an M.A. and Ph.D. in geology in 1950 and 1952, respectively. After spending several years as a professor at Brown University, he joined the United States Geological Survey and the Paleobiology Department at the Smithsonian Institute where he worked until his retirement in 1993. Oliver continued his research as a scientist emeritus at the Smithsonian. Oliver specialized in ancient coral reefs and published his work in many academic journals, was a member of a number of scientific professional associations, and served as an editor for the

Journal of Paleontology.

In addition to a productive professional life, Oliver was an active bibliophile and bibliographer, acquiring an extensive collection of rare books and critical material related to the authors he collected. Documentation within the present collection suggests that Oliver's father first purchased collectible books for him during his childhood. Oliver's personal library of nearly 500 volumes, including many first editions, and accompanying research material, is now housed in the University of Delaware Library. Oliver's collecting focused on the works of Victorian novelists, particularly Thomas Love Peacock and Charles Dickens, as well as illustrated editions of Edward FitzGerald's (1809-1883)

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and Richard Doddridge Blackmore's Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. Oliver showed particular interest in Dickens's last and unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870).

Oliver was a member of both the London and Philadelphia chapters of the Dickens Fellowship. He traveled both within the United States and to England to attend Fellowship meetings and other Dickens events. He also visited sites throughout England that appeared in or inspired Dickens's novels. As a known expert in Droodiana, Oliver was a resource to scholars in their research.

"William A. Oliver, Jr." U.S. Geological Survey. Last modified January 28, 1999. http://geology.er.usgs.gov/paleo/woliver.shtml."William A. Oliver, Jr."The Washington Post.October 16, 2005.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood was Charles Dickens's final novel, which was left unfinished when he died of a stroke in June 1870. Only the first three parts of the story had been published at the time of the author's death, and drafts for the next three numbers existed; however, Dickens left neither a clear indication of how the plot would proceed in numbers six through twelve, nor the resolution of the mystery. The three primary questions that arise from the plot's cliffhanger are: whether Edwin Drood is truly dead; whether Drood's uncle John Jasper murdered him; and which character masqueraded as Dick Datchery. In addition to the many articles and books published on the novel, the Dickens Fellowship of London organized a theatrical mock trial in 1914 to present the arguments for and against Jasper's guilt for a public audience; among the main attractions of the trial were authors George Bernard Shaw as the foreman of the jury and G.K. Chesterton as the judge. While widespread fascination has waned, there continue to be articles and books published about Dickens's unfinished novel and new theories presented about its ending.

The William A. Oliver, Jr. collection related to

The Mystery of Edwin Drood comprises 10.5 linear feet plus oversize material dating from 1844 to 2005 and includes extensive bibliographic information relating to Charles Dickens and specifically to the author's final novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870), which was unfinished at the time of his death. The collection, which illuminates Oliver's activities as a collector and bibliographer, includes publications that printed original versions of the storyline, as well as various derivative works based on the novel; extensive bibliographies of editions of Dickens's works and scholarly work on Dickensiana, with a focus on Edwin Drood ; and travel information and souvenirs from Dickens-related landmarks and events.

This collection documents Oliver's research interest in Charles Dickens and Dickens's final, unfinished novel,

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, in particular. The variety of material from original creative works to scarce secondary sources provides a wealth of information on Dickens's most enigmatic work. Material compiled by Oliver and former officers of the Dickens Fellowship also document some of the activities of the organization, particularly the mock trials of John Jasper staged in 1914 by the London and Philadelphia chapters. The collection also demonstrates Oliver's collecting pursuits, including such material as extensive bibliographies, acquisition and purchase records, and souvenirs from Dickens-related excursions.

The collection is arranged into four series: I. Droodiana; II. Dickensiana ; III. Victoriana; and IV. Oliver miscellaneous. Originally included with the collection was Oliver's library related to Dickens and

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which has been cataloged separately with imprints in Special Collections and can be found by searching "William A. Oliver, Jr. Collection" in the Notes field in DELCAT.

Series I. comprises material relating to Charles Dickens’s novel

The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) and includes bibliographies and book catalogs; publications of the original work and adaptations; scrapbooks and clippings documenting activities of the London and Philadelphia chapters of the Dickens Society; and material concerning the popular coverage and scholarly study of the novel and potential endings, including manuscripts and printed articles from books, journals, and magazines, as well as research material compiled by noted Dickensian scholars J. Cuming Walters and William Robertson Nicoll. Throughout the series, The Mystery of Edwin Drood is abbreviated as "ED" or "MED," as originally noted by William Oliver. The series is divided into six subseries: I.A. Bibliographies; I.B. Edwin Drood serialization; I.C. Adaptations and derivatives; I.D. Critical works; I.E. Media; and I.F. Miscellaneous clippings.

Series II. comprises material related to Dickens's life and works, but does not include information specifically pertaining to

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which can be found in Series I. This series is arranged into eight subseries: II.A. Correspondence; II.B. Bibliographies; II.C. Critical work; II.D. Dickens societies; II.E. Theater and film; II.F. Travel; II.G. Artwork, photographs and ephemera; and II.H. Realia. The series includes correspondence pertaining to Oliver's activities as a collector and his expertise in Dickensiana; extensive bibliographies; material pertaining to the activities of the Dickens Fellowship; Dickens-specific literary tourism; critical works relating to Dickens’s works and adaptations of those works; and realia.

Series III. comprises materials related to other Victorian-era authors who were acquaintances of and/or influences of or on Dickens, including Anthony Trollope, Emily Brontë, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Hardy, Mark Twain, Wilkie Collins, Thomas Love Peacock, and artist J.M.W. (Joseph Mallard William) Turner. Also included are Oliver's notes on Turner paintings on view at the Tate Gallery in London; Turner and Dickens were cordial acquaintances. The largest number of items in the series pertain to Peacock, another collecting interest of Oliver's, which includes several critical articles on Peacock, an exhibition catalog, and a list of rare books for sale.

Series IV. consists of items that are not related to Oliver's interest in Dickens or general Victoriana and include clippings, correspondence, business cards, postcards, and other printed matter. Some of the items relate to Oliver's profession as a paleobiologist, including postcards and business cards from colleagues.

  1. Boxes 1-6, 9-10, 13: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons
  2. Boxes 7-8, 12: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes
  3. Boxes 11, 16-17: Shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)
  4. Boxes 14-15: Shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (18 inches)
  5. Box 18: Shelved in SPEC MSS shoeboxes
  6. Removals shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)
  7. Removals shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (18 inches)
  8. Removals shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (24 inches)
  9. Removals shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)
  10. Removals shelved in SPEC MSS Media audio cassettes
  11. Removals shelved in SPEC MSS Media video cassettes (VHS)

Gift of the estate of William A. Oliver, Jr., June 2006.

Processed and encoded by Julia Pompetti, June 2011.

People
Organization
Subject
Place
Occupation

Publisher
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Finding Aid Author
University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
Finding Aid Date
2011 June 6
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents

Comprises material relating to Charles Dickens's novel

The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) and includes bibliographies and book catalogs; publications of the original work and adaptations; scrapbooks and clippings documenting activities of the London and Philadelphia chapters of the Dickens Society; and material concerning the popular and scholarly study of the novel and potential endings, including manuscripts and printed articles from books, journals, and magazines, as well as research material used by noted Dickensian scholars J. Cuming Walters and William Robertson Nicoll. Throughout the series, The Mystery of Edwin Drood is abbreviated as "ED" or "MED," as originally noted by William Oliver. The series is divided into six subseries: I.A. Bibliographies; I.B. Edwin Drood serialization; I.C. Adaptations and derivatives; I.D. Critical works; I.E. Media; and I.F. Miscellaneous clippings.
Scope and Contents

Comprises bibliographic information about the various editions of

The Mystery of Edwin Drood , books and articles written about the novel, and other secondary sources regarding Dickens's influences and includes card files, printed bibliographies, and catalogs. The card files consist of three shoeboxes of index cards created and organized by William Oliver, the original order of which has been maintained. Each card lists a book or article relating to Edwin Drood , and most of the cards include full bibliographic information. Some cards also include notes on condition, availability of editions, and/or the theories put forth by the author that are occasionally cross-referenced with other arguments. The second grouping of printed bibliographies is arranged alphabetically by author's surname and also includes excerpts of published bibliographies that contain sections on Edwin Drood , as well as a manuscript for an Edwin Drood bibliography by American book collector Grenville Cook. The Cook manuscript is accompanied by Oliver's typewritten and autograph correspondence and notes on the draft. Cook's manuscript apparently never proceeded to publication. The third grouping consists of catalogs from booksellers such as James M.W. Borg Inc. and Jarndyce, estate sale catalogs, and catalogs for audio recordings of adaptations of Edwin Drood . The catalogs often offered a variety of Dickens's works; Oliver annotated each to indicate items related to Edwin Drood in which he was interested in or had plans to purchase. This grouping also includes some notes made by Oliver concerning various Edwin Drood editions, as well as lists of books he was looking to acquire.
Edwin Drood I, undated.
Box 9 Folder F1
Edwin Drood II, undated.
Box 9 Folder F2
Author index, undated.
Box 9 Folder F3
A-Col, 1971-1978.
Box 1 Folder F4
D-K, 1897-1979.
Box 1 Folder F5
L-Z, 1910-1966.
Box 1 Folder F6
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

A-C, 1939-1982.
Box 1 Folder F7
D-Z, Untitled, 1929-1998.
Box 1 Folder F8
Grenville Cook, 1995.
Box 1 Folder F10
Scope and Contents

Contains a photocopied manuscript for an

Edwin Drood bibliography by American book collector Grenville Cook, accompanied by photocopies of Oliver's correspondence and notes on the draft.
Notes, 2004, undated.
Box 1 Folder F11
Scope and Contents

Consists of two autograph pages of notes on various

Edwin Drood editions, as wells as typewritten and compiled lists of books Oliver was looking to acquire.
Scope and Contents

Consists of tearsheets of the original publication of

Edwin Drood printed in magazines or as stand-alone parts. Material is arranged alphabetically by periodical title.
A-H, 1870-1878.
Box 1 Folder F12
L-T, 1889.
Box 1 Folder F13
W, 1887.
Box 1 Folder F14
Scope and Contents

Comprises material related to creative works by other authors that attempted to provide endings or solutions to Dickens's unfinished novel. Included are published adaptations that use Dickens's original characters and those that add characters from Arthur Conan Doyle's

Sherlock Holmes to the cast in order to solve the mystery; material pertaining to the "The Trial of John Jasper for the Murder of Edwin Drood," a mock trial staged by the London chapter of the Dickens Fellowship in 1914; and material pertaining to theatrical and cinematic adaptations of Edwin Drood , including bibliographies, playscripts, playbills, commentaries, and reviews. Also included is material that pertains to a 1935 film adaptation of the novel produced by Universal Pictures in 1935 starring Claude Rains and Douglass Montgomery and includes the film's screenplay, clippings related to the film, and Oliver's documentation of the his acquisition of the item.  
Scope and Contents

Includes a number of

Punchinello containing chapter 19 of Orpheus C. Kerr's (pen name for Robert Henry Newell) "The Mystery of Mr. E. Drood," which was an adaptation of Dickens's novel using American settings and characters also published in 1870. The second item is a photocopy of an edition of the novel "completed by Michael West and brought within the vocabulary of New Method Reader 7."   Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

Endings with Sherlock Holmes, 1905-1924.
Box 1 Folder F16
Endings with Sherlock Holmes, 1946-1973.
Box 1 Folder F17
Scope and Contents

"The Trial of John Jasper for the Murder of Edwin Drood" was a mock trial staged by the London chapter of the Dickens Fellowship in 1914. The London trial included performances by English authors G.K. Chesterton, George Bernard Shaw, and Justin Huntly McCarthy and Dickens scholars J. Cuming Walters, B.W. Matz, and W. Walter Crotch.

Grenville Cook Trial book project (1 of 2), undated.
Box 1 Folder F18
Scope and Contents

An outline for a potential book on the trial, which according to Oliver's notes was "carried no further." Includes an excerpt from an unidentified book on George Bernard Shaw and transcriptions of news articles and participants' correspondence.

Grenville Cook Trial book project (2 of 2), undated.
Box 1 Folder F19
Scope and Contents

Cook's handwritten notes on source material.

Johnson trial scrapbook, 1913-1914.
Box 17 Folder F20
Scope and Contents

A scrapbook assembled by secretary of the Dickens Fellowship F.S. Johnson, which includes advertisements, invitations to participants, official program, autograph correspondence between Johnson and Arthur Conan Doyle and George Bernard Shaw, among others, and newspaper clippings covering the trial. An inventory of the scrapbook's contents created by the seller from whom Oliver purchased the item is included.

Trial notes and ephemera, 1914.
Box 13 Folder F21
Scope and Contents

Dickens scholar J. Cuming Walters served as the lead prosecutor in the London trial. Included are his handwritten trial notes for examining witness and for his summation, printed time table of the trial, and flyers advertising the event.

Physical Location

Removed to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

Items removed from trial notes and ephemera, 1914.
Box 1 Folder F22
Clippings, 1913-1914.
Box 11 Folder F23
Scope and Contents

A binder  of newspaper clippings covering the trial from British papers dating from December 1913 through January 1914 collected by Walters. The binder includes handwritten notes by Oliver identifying the source, date, and author of each clipping.

Miscellaneous trial clippings, 1914.
Box 1 Folder F24
Scope and Contents

Small collection of clippings and correspondence regarding the trial, many labeled by Oliver. Includes two letters to Leslie Staples regarding the trial: a 1975 letter from Brocard Sewell (1912-2000) to Leslie Staples regarding his volume

Cecil Chesterton (1975), an advertisement for the volume, and a letter to Staples from a bookseller; an original program from the trial; a photostatic copy of F. Mantania's courtroom drawings of George Bernard Shaw and G.K. Chesterton; and an issue of The Daily Graphic from January 1914 featuring the trial on the front page. Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (18 inches)

Bibliographies, 1910-1987.
Box 1 Folder F25
Scope and Contents

Arranged alphabetically by author.

Playscripts, 1880-1947.
Box 1 Folder F26
Scope and Contents

Arranged chronologically.

Playbills, 1986-1996.
Box 1 Folder F27
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches and 24 inches)

Reviews and commentaries, 1908-1987.
Box 1 Folder F28
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

Edwin Droodby Comyns Carr, 1908-1979.
Box 11 Folder F29
Scope and Contents

Clippings, photographs, and articles about Comyns Carr's stage adaptation of

Edwin Drood .
Filmscript, 1935.
Box 13 Folder F30
Cast list and summaries, 1935.
Box 1 Folder F31
Scope and Contents

Comprises published critical works, manuscripts, and related research material about

The Mystery of Edwin Drood . Published material appeared as scholarly articles, newspaper reviews, and popular magazine pieces dating from 1870 to 2005. Printed material consists largely of photocopied material labeled by Oliver. Research material relating to Dickens scholars J. Cuming Walters and William Robertson Nicoll include manuscripts, correspondence, advertisements, and research notes.
Scope and Contents

The majority of the individual articles have been arranged alphabetically by author, according to Oliver's original filing system, although some items have been arranged by periodical title when authorship could not be verified. Also included is one subject file, titled "Murder" by Oliver, which includes material on true crimes that may have inspired Dickens's plot.

Anonymous, 1870-1941.
Box 1 Folder F32
A, 1905-1982.
Box 1 Folder F33
B-BOO, 1915-2000.
Box 1 Folder F34
BOO-BZ, 1908-1996.
Box 1 Folder F35
C-COC, 1909-1992.
Box 1 Folder F36
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

COC-CZ, 1927-1975.
Box 1 Folder F37
D, 1857-1934.
Box 1 Folder F38
E, 1884-1929.
Box 1 Folder F39
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

F, 1863-1989.
Box 1 Folder F40
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

G, 1905-2001.
Box 2 Folder F41
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

H, 1878-1982.
Box 2 Folder F42
J-K, 1869-1988.
Box 2 Folder F43
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

L, 1869-1980.
Box 2 Folder F44
M, 1871-1982.
Box 2 Folder F45
P, 1886-2001.
Box 2 Folder F46
R, 1937-1989.
Box 2 Folder F47
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (18 inches)

S, 1887-1982.
Box 2 Folder F48
T-V, 1867-1934.
Box 2 Folder F49
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

W, 1906-1980.
Box 2 Folder F50
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

"Murder", 1924-1984.
Box 2 Folder F51
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

The NationandNotes and Queries, 1874-1913.
Box 2 Folder F52
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

The Saturday ReviewandTimes Literary Supplement, 1905-1972.
Box 2 Folder F53
Scope and Contents

Material is arranged alphabetically by periodical title.

B, 1908-1985.
Box 2 Folder F54
C, 1883-1996.
Box 2 Folder F55
D-H, 1966-1983.
Box 2 Folder F56
J-L, 1975-1990.
Box 2 Folder F57
M(1 of 2), 1980.
Box 2 Folder F58
M(2 of 2), 1983.
Box 2 Folder F59
M-W, 1921-1989.
Box 2 Folder F60
Scope and Contents

Material was originally housed in binders by Oliver, some of which were maintained. Includes Oliver's notations indicating the contents. The loose pages include extensive autograph notes, handwritten pieces of manuscript, and a typewritten manuscript for the book.

Working notes, correspondence, drafts, 1912-1913.
Box 2 Folder F61
Scope and Contents

Includes Nicoll's working notes, typewritten drafts, and correspondence. Correspondence includes an autograph letter from illustrator Hugh Thomson addressed to Nicoll's publisher Hodder Williams, which contains a lengthy analysis of the original illustrated wrapper of

Edwin Drood and a letter from Edmund Gosse concerning an 1884 interview he had undertaken with Luke Fildes.
Correspondence and notes, circa 1905-1916.
Box 13 Folder F62
Scope and Contents

Includes correspondence to Nicoll and working notes.

Items removed from Correspondence and notes, circa 1905-1916.
Box 2 Folder F63
Drafts (1 of 2), 1905-1912.
Box 2 Folder F64
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)

Drafts (2 of 2), circa 1912.
Box 3 Folder F65
Scope and Contents

See also Walters's collection of newspaper clippings on "The Trial of John Jasper" in Subseries 1.C. Adaptations and Derivatives.

Clues, 1904-1905.
Box 13 Folder F66
Scope and Contents

Includes manuscript pages, research notes, correspondence, and advertisements for the volume.

Items removed fromClues, 1904-1905.
Box 3 Folder F67
"Cuttings and Letters relating to Dickens'sThe Mystery of Edwin Drood", 1904-1933.
Box 12 Folder F68
Scope and Contents

A scrapbook from Walters's archive which includes clippings and correspondence to Walters regarding

Drood .
Album of Droodiana, 1908-1915.
Box 12 Folder F69
Scope and Contents

A scrapbook of newspaper clippings assembled by an unknown compiler.

Clippings, 1905-1980.
Box 3 Folder F70
Scope and Contents

Photocopies of newspaper articles labeled by Oliver.

Scope and Contents

Consists of video and audio cassettes of and relating to

The Mystery of Edwin Drood . Included are professional productions of Edwin Drood and a home movie titled "Dickens Inn - Phila. May 8-10 1998 A" that documents a Dickens conference at the Inn and features footage of Dickens's great-grandson, Cedric Charles Dickens. The subseries also contains four audio cassette versions of Edwin Drood ranging in length from one to seven cassettes performed by actors such as Academy-award winner Paul Scofield and Herbert Marshall.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood(Universal Pictures), 1935.
Box 3 Folder F71
Physical Location

Shelved in SPEC Media video cassettes (VHS)

The Mystery of Edwin Drood(A, 1993.
Box 3 Folder F72
Physical Location

Shelved in SPEC Media video cassettes (VHS)

"Dickens Inn -- Phila. May 8 - May 10 1998 A", 1998.
Box 3 Folder F73
Physical Location

Shelved in SPEC Media video cassettes (VHS)

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens(The Classics Vol. 27, Radiobook Cassette), 1953.
Box 3 Folder F74
Scope and Contents

Read by Herbert Marshall.

Physical Location

Shelved in SPEC Media audio cassettes

The Mystery of Edwin Drood(Dove Books on Tape), 1987.
Box 3 Folder F75
Scope and Contents

Read by Paul Scofield.

Physical Location

Shelved in SPEC Media audio cassettes

The Mystery of Edwin DroodandTolkein and Time Fiction, undated.
Box 3 Folder F76
Scope and Contents

Read by Gilbert Highet.

Physical Location

Shelved in SPEC Media audio cassettes

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles DickensAudio Book Contractors Inc., undated.
Box 3 Folder F77
Scope and Contents

Consists of seven audio cassettes. Read by Flo Gibson.

Physical Location

Shelved in SPEC Media audio cassettes

Scope and Contents

Contains clippings that relate tangentially to

The Mystery of Edwin Drood and its study. Included are articles that address Eastern or South East Asian topics, themes present in the novel. Oliver's interest in the East may also relate to his other collecting interest in Edward FitzGerald's (1809-1883) The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam .
Clippings, 1986-1995.
Box 3 Folder F78
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

Scope and Contents

Comprises material related to Dickens's life and works, not including information specifically on

The Mystery of Edwin Drood , which can be found in Series I. This series is arranged into eight subseries: II. A. Correspondence; II.B. Bibliographies; II.C. Critical work; II.D. Dickens societies; II.E. Theater and film; II.F. Travel; II.G. Ephemera; and II.H. Realia. The series includes correspondence pertaining to Oliver's activities as a collector and his expertise in Dickensiana; extensive bibliographies; material pertaining to the activities of the Dickens Fellowship; Dickens-specific literary tourism; critical works relating to Dickens's works and adaptations of those works; and realia.
"Dick Stewart", 1999-2004.
Box 3 Folder F79
Scope and Contents

Extensive correspondence between Oliver and author of

End Game: A Survey of Selected Writings on Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood R.F. (Dick) Stewart. Letters discuss family, trips to England and Paris, Dickens, and Stewart's writing.
"London Books Jarndyce", 1983-1996.
Box 3 Folder F80
Scope and Contents

Brief correspondence between Oliver and Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers regarding visits to see books and many invoices of book purchases.

"Jarndyce", 1988-2004.
Box 3 Folder F80A
Scope and Contents

Correspondence between Oliver and Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers owners regarding items available, purchases, and payment.

"Gordon Pfeiffer", 1998-1999.
Box 3 Folder F81
Scope and Contents

Correspondence between Oliver and Delaware book collector Gordon Pfeiffer. The correspondence discussed Oliver and Pfeiffer's book collecting interests, recent purchases, bibliophile events, and book trade shows.

"Cedric Dickens", 1997-2005.
Box 3 Folder F82
Scope and Contents

Extensive correspondence between Oliver and great-grandson of Charles Dickens Cedric Charles Dickens (1916-2006). Cedric Dickens was very active in the Dickens Fellowship and was much in-demand to speak on Dickens. The correspondence discussed coordinating visits as well as family and Dickens-related news. There is also a letter containing detailed description of the content of a home video titled "Dickens Inn Philadelphia," which can be found in Series I.E. Media.

Miscellaneous correspondence, 1989-2003.
Box 3 Folder F83
Scope and Contents

Consists of general Dickens bibliographies and includes card files, printed bibliographies, and catalogs. The card files were created by Oliver and consist of two boxes of entries for Dickens's works and related materials on index cards arranged by subject. Oliver's original filing system of the cards has been maintained. The printed bibliographies contain published material either in full or as a photocopied excerpt. Included among the catalogs are exhibition catalogs, bookseller, and estate sale catalogs, as well as notes pertaining to potential purchases. The notes, which comprise lists compiled by both Oliver, Jr. and his father William Oliver, Sr., also include Oliver, Sr.'s 1938 correspondence and receipts for a purchase of

The Pickwick Papers for Oliver, Jr.
Scope and Contents

Card files consists of two shoeboxes of index cards created and organized by Oliver.

Charles Dickens I, undated.
Box 10 Folder F84
Charles Dickens II, undated.
Box 10 Folder F85
Scope and Contents

Material is arranged alphabetically by author's surname.

A-C, 1970-1976.
Box 3 Folder F86
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

C-S, 1879-1974.
Box 3 Folder F87
Scope and Contents

Material is arranged alphabetically by name of institution.

B-F, 1946-2002.
Box 3 Folder F88
F, 1946.
Box 3 Folder F89
N-S, 1929-1952.
Box 3 Folder F90
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

T-V, 1912-1992.
Box 3 Folder F91
Scope and Contents

Material is arranged alphabetically by seller, followed by a small number of fliers or inserts that do not provide seller information.

A, 1930-2004.
Box 3 Folder F92
B, 1981-1996.
Box 3 Folder F93
C-G, 1938-2004.
Box 3 Folder F94
H, 1953-1992, undated.
Box 3 Folder F95
J(1 of 4), 1984-1990.
Box 3 Folder F96
J(2 of 4), 1990-1996.
Box 4 Folder F97
J(3 of 4), 1992-1999.
Box 4 Folder F98
J(4 of 4), 2001.
Box 4 Folder F99
K-Z, 1981-2001, undated.
Box 4 Folder F100
Scope and Contents

Also includes fliers and inserts for which there is no discernible seller information.

Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

Autograph Book Notes, 1933-1978, undated.
Box 4 Folder F101
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

Scope and Contents

Comprises critical work on Dickens and biographical information on Dickens scholars and includes periodicals, photocopies, and clippings. Items of interest include two numbers of

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine from March and April 1847, each containing an article in the "Letters on the Truths Contained in Popular Superstitions" series that may have served as background for Dickens's use of mystical themes in his novels. There are also two special editions of The Bookman that focus on Dickens.
Manuscripts of articles, 1995-1996.
Box 4 Folder F102
Scope and Contents

Typescript manuscript drafts of short articles by R.F. Stewart with minor annotations by Oliver. Articles include "

The Mystery of Edwin Drood : A Character Study," "Forster, the Cover and the Ring - Not Forgetting the Chalk Marks" (two drafts), "A Footnote in Mystery," and "The Disappearance of John Ackland . All articles except the last deal with Dickens's The Mystery of Edwin Drood .
End Gametypescripts, 1996-1997.
Box 4 Folder F103
Scope and Contents

Two typescripts.

End Gameproofs, circa 1999.
Box 4 Folder F104
Scope and Contents

First set of proofs of Stewart's

End Game: A Survey of Selected Writings on Dickens's The Mystery of Edwin Drood and includes title and copyright pages. The book is dedicated to Oliver.
End Gameproofs, undated.
Box 4 Folder F105
Scope and Contents

Proof copy of book from Part I through Afterward (pg 31-339) with autograph editing and layout marks probably made by Stewart.

Scope and Contents

Material is arranged alphabetically by periodical title.

B (1 of 3), 1847.
Box 4 Folder F106
B (2 of 3), 1912.
Box 4 Folder F107
B (3 of 3), 1914.
Box 4 Folder F108
C-D, 1961-1996.
Box 4 Folder F109
E-Z, 1917-1941.
Box 4 Folder F110
"Dickensian biographies", 1888, undated.
Box 4 Folder F111
Scope and Contents

A folder titled "Dickensian Biographies" by Oliver, which contains photocopied biographies of Dickens scholars.

Clippings, 1933-2001.
Box 4 Folder F112
Physical Location

Removed to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (18 inches)

Scope and Contents

Contains membership information, newsletters, and journals, and event invitations for the London and Philadelphia chapters of the Dickens Fellowship. The London Fellowship papers contain

Mr. Dick's Kite , a bulletin published by former Honorary General Secretary and President of the Fellowship, Alan Watts. Oliver's collection includes most numbers between September 1982 and July 2005, including the first number distributed. There are also several copies of Doughty Words and London Particular , the newsletters of the Fellowship. The Philadelphia chapter's materials include the monthly Buzfuz Bulletin which Oliver collected from January 1981 through June 2005. Also included is material pertaining to both chapters' membership information and events. Fliers and invitations from Dickens events sponsored by other chapters of the Dickens Fellowship or other academic institutions are arranged alphabetically by chapter locale.
Dickens Fellowship, London - membership, 1981-1999.
Box 4 Folder F113
Dickens Fellowship, London - newsletters, 1970-2005.
Box 4 Folder F114
Dickens House Newsletter, 1883-1997.
Box 4 Folder F115
Dickens Magazine Pamphlets, 1981, undated.
Box 4 Folder F116
The Dickensian, 1905-1951.
Box 13 Folder F117
Scope and Contents

A binder organized by Oliver of photocopies from several numbers of

The Dickensian , published by the Dickens Fellowship of London, which contain articles about The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Mr. Dick's Kite, 1982-1995.
Box 4 Folder F118
Mr. Dick's Kite, 1996-2005.
Box 4 Folder F119
Other Dickens societies, 1987-1993.
Box 4 Folder F120
Dickens Fellowship, Philadelphia and landmarks, 1987-1993.
Box 4 Folder F121
The Buzfuz Bulletin, 1981-1998.
Box 4 Folder F122
The Buzfuz Bulletin, 1999-2005.
Box 4 Folder F123
U.S. Fellowship branches and events, 1970-2002.
Box 5 Folder F124
Scope and Contents

Consists of reviews, programs, and a playscript of novel adaptations and other theatrical events related to Dickens. Of particular interest are two playscripts, an original of

The Ticket-of-Leave-Man by Tom Taylor and The Bells starring Henry Irving, by Leopold Lewis. Both plays are tangentially related to Dickens: Irving starred in several stage adaptations of Dickens novels, and Taylor adapted plots from Dickens works for his plays. Also of note is a 1921 program for a production of Bulwer-Lytton's Not So Bad As We Seem , a charitable event sponsored by David Copperfield's Library for childhood literacy.
Programs, publications, and clippings, 1871-2001.
Box 5 Folder F125
Scope and Contents

Comprises books, brochures, maps, notes, tickets, and other material pertaining to Oliver's Dickens-centric literary tourism. Material is arranged according Oliver's original filing scheme by location, and many of Oliver's folder headings have been transcribed. File headings appearing in quotations indicate the use of Oliver's original folder titles. Folder titles reflect Oliver's original filing system. Locales of interest to Oliver in England included Rochester, Chatham, London, and the Dickens House in London. Oliver's collection of travel information within the United States is largely concentrated on the east coast from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. Material pertaining to Delaware cultural events include Oak Knoll Fest in New Castle, Delaware, brochures from the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, and Opera Delaware.

Rochester, England (1 of 6), 1970-1981.
Box 5 Folder F126
Rochester, England (2 of 6), 1981-2000.
Box 5 Folder F127
Rochester, England (3 of 6), 1880-1906.
Box 5 Folder F128
Rochester, England (4 of 6), 1908-1921.
Box 5 Folder F129
Rochester, England (5 of 6), 1880-2000.
Box 5 Folder F130
Rochester, England (6 of 6), 1981.
Box 5 Folder F131
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches)

General [London] 1 of 2, 1966-2000.
Box 5 Folder F132
Scope and Contents

Contains Dickens guidebooks and historical houses and museums including one signed by Charles Cedric Dickens.

General [London] 2 of 2, 1995.
Box 5 Folder F133
London, 1889-1987.
Box 5 Folder F134
Scope and Contents

Includes an 1889 copy of

Pickwick's Guide to London .
Southwark 1 of 2, 1982-2000.
Box 5 Folder F135
Southwark 2 of 2, 1932-1999.
Box 5 Folder F136
Scope and Contents

Includes information on Dickens-related tourism as well as inn and cathedral guides.

Kent, 1982-2000.
Box 5 Folder F137
Scope and Contents

Contains guides to historic halls, castles, and cathedrals in Kent.

Kent, Sussex, 1995.
Box 5 Folder F138
Scope and Contents

Include books and pamphlets about Bleak House and Gads Hill in Rochester, England.

Hampshire (Portsmouth, Isle of Wight), 1995-1996.
Box 5 Folder F139
Physical Location

Removals to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (18 inches)

North of London, 1928-1985.
Box 5 Folder F140
"Misc. England and Foreign", 1913-1994.
Box 5 Folder F141
"Travel Papers, Tickets and Reservations, 2005 Receipts", 2005.
Box 6 Folder F142
"On Arrival" and "London, UK Membership and IDs", 2005.
Box 6 Folder F143
"London, Tourism 2005", 2005.
Box 6 Folder F144
"London Booksellers", 2001-2005.
Box 6 Folder F145
"London Books", 1989-2002.
Box 6 Folder F146
"Old Bookstore Data - London", 1979-2004.
Box 6 Folder F147
"Papers, Receipts, etc., Old", 2001-2005.
Box 6 Folder F148
"Papers, receipts 1 of 2", 1996-2000.
Box 6 Folder F149
"Papers, receipts 2 of 2", 1996-2000.
Box 6 Folder F150
"Restaurants", 1997-200.
Box 6 Folder F151
"Greenwich, Docklands Thames, Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford, 1988-2002.
Box 6 Folder F152
"Tourist", 1993-2001.
Box 6 Folder F153
"London - Tourism, etc., old or duplicate", 1977-2002.
Box 6 Folder F154
"Minnesota, University of, Bengis ED Colln." and "London - D. House, Libe, and Symp., 1996-1998.
Box 6 Folder F155
"Pourtsmouth Mtg", July 1996.
Box 6 Folder F156
"Matsumura Lecture - 'Staggs Garden…', undated.
Box 6 Folder F157
"Edinburgh Conference of Dickens Fellowship", 1994.
Box 6 Folder F158
"London - Colindale Newsp. Libe" and "British Library", 1997-1998.
Box 6 Folder F159
Kent, Medway guidebook and map, undated.
Box 6 Folder F160
"Rochester- Meeting plus", 2000.
Box 6 Folder F161
Scope and Contents

Dickens Fellowship 94th Annual Meeting

"Rochester/Chatham info", undated.
Box 6 Folder F162
Scope and Contents

maps with minor annotations by Oliver

Katherine Kelly Manuscript Product Information, undated.
Box 6 Folder F163
Scope and Contents

Photocopied bookseller descriptions of Katherine Kelly's manuscript "The Return of Edwin Drood."

"Dickens House", 1996-2004.
Box 6 Folder F164
Scope and Contents

A few items pertaining to the Dickens House including a brief letter by Oliver about using one of its library collections. Also included are London Dickens Fellowship membership cards and miscellaneous English Dickens event information.

Paris maps, undated.
Box 6 Folder F165
Scope and Contents

Several maps of Paris and the Paris metro including some metro tickets. Oliver's son Robert (Bob) lived in France and Oliver often visited London and Paris in one trip.

"Paris - Bob", [2004].
Box 6 Folder F166
Scope and Contents

Notes about restaurants and sites of interest in Paris.

"Paris - Tourism" and "Paris - Books", 1998-2001.
Box 6 Folder F167
Scope and Contents

A folder of Paris museum maps and a folder containing an autograph list of Parisian rare bookstores and an article on the same subject from

AAA Magazine .
"Tickets, Reservations, etc. --Paris", 1975-2002.
Box 6 Folder F168
Scope and Contents

Museum maps and special exhibit brochures. There are also a few magazine articles regarding Paris attractions and a schedule for trains between London and Paris.

England miscellaneous, 1987, undated.
Box 7 Folder F169
Scope and Contents

United States Misc., 1998-2005.
Box 7 Folder F170
"Wilmington" [1], 1982, undated.
Box 7 Folder F171
Oak Knoll Fest, 2004.
Box 7 Folder F172
Scope and Contents

Schedule, clippings, etc. from the Oak Knoll Fest XI in 2004. Oak Knoll is a fine press located in New Castle, Delaware.

"New Castle - Oak Knoll", 1999-2003.
Box 7 Folder F173
Scope and Contents

Materials from Oak Knoll Fests VI, IX, and X in 1999, 2002, and 2003.

"Wilmington" [2], 2002.
Box 7 Folder F174
Scope and Contents

Pamphlets for the Delaware Art Museum, Longwood Gardens and Winterthur Museum.

"Wilmington" [3], 1996-2005.
Box 7 Folder F175
Scope and Contents

Includes maps and pamphlets from Delaware and Pennsylvania cultural attractions.

Scope and Contents

Comprises Dickens ephemera and includes a scrapbook of clippings, Oliver's stamp collection, artwork, and postcards relating to Dickens. The scrapbook contains British newspaper clippings from 1844 to 1927, with the majority dating between 1890 and 1920. Of the items dating from Dickens's lifetime, the articles pertain to his public appearances on behalf of charities and include excerpts from his speeches at the events. Other articles pertain to the emerging interest in Dickensian travel which involved visiting sites that inspired Dickens's fiction. The stamp collection consists of one album that is approximately half full followed by a number of loose stamps and clippings on philately. The rest of this subseries consists of Dickensian artwork and uncategorized items, including photocopies of artwork inspired by Dickens characters, Dickens-inspired bookplates, postcards and cards, and a calendar with illustrations.

Scrapbook of Dickensiana, 1844-1927.
Box 16 Folder F176
Scope and Contents

Oliver's Dickens stamps include the British Dickens Centenary Stamp of 1912 as well as commemorative Dickens stamps issued by countries such as Dubai, Cameroon, Botswana, St. Lucia. A series of stamps based on Dickens novels was issued by Britain along with many series of stamps with a Christmas theme based on A Christmas Carol . Oliver also included stamps which featured mystery writers especially those of the Victorian era.

Stamp album, 1911-1988.
Box 15 Folder F177
Scope and Contents

The stamp album is organized into three sections: Literary Philately," which includes the stamp created in honor of the centenary of Dickens's birth; "Dickens on Stamps," which includes stamps organized by work from various countries; and "Detective Novelists and their Detectives," which includes stamps featuring Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, among others.

Loose stamps, 1912-2003.
Box 8 Folder F178
Scope and Contents

Loose stamps are organized similarly to Oliver's album starting with general Dickens stamps, followed by stamps relating to a particular Dickens work, stamps pertaining to detective novels, and finally two sets of stamps relating to Oliver's scientific interest in fossils.

Notes and articles on stamps, 1989-2001.
Box 8 Folder F179
Scope and Contents

Illustrations and photographs, 1940-1994.
Box 8 Folder F180
Scope and Contents

Includes bookplates, cards, and other forms with illustrations and photographs of Dickens or scenes from his works.

Scope and Contents

Contains six items of Dickensian realia and includes plaques, playing cards, a commemorative plate, and two figurines.

Kyd'sPickwickplaying cards, undated.
Box 18 Folder F181
"Dover" figurine, undated.
Box 18 Folder F182
"Fezziwig's Deliveries" figurine, undated.
Box 18 Folder F183
"Dickens Inn by the Tower" plaque (1 of 2), 25 December 1997.
Box 18 Folder F184
"Dickens Inn by the Tower" plaque (2 of 2), undated.
Box 18 Folder F185
"90th DFIC, Portsmouth 1996" commemorative plate, 1996.
Box 18 Folder F186

Scope and Contents

Comprises materials related to other Victorian authors who were acquaintances of and/or influences of or on Dickens, including Anthony Trollope, Emily Brontë, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Hardy, Mark Twain, Wilkie Collins, Thomas Love Peacock, and artist J.M.W. (Joseph Mallard William) Turner. Also included are Oliver's notes on Turner paintings on view at the Tate Gallery in London; Turner and Dickens were cordial acquaintances. The largest number of items in the series pertain to Peacock, another collecting interest of Oliver's, which includes several critical articles on Peacock, an exhibition catalog, and a list of rare books for sale.

Articles on various authors, 1995-1997, undated.
Box 8 Folder F187
Scope and Contents

Includes brief articles on Emily Brontë, Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Hardy, Anthony Trollop, artist J.M.W. Turner, and Mark Twain.

Thomas Love Peacock, 1933-2005.
Box 8 Folder F188

Scope and Contents

Consists of items that are not related to Oliver's interest in Dickens or general Victoriana and include clippings, correspondence, business cards, postcards, and other printed matter. Some of the items relate to Oliver's profession as a paleobiologist, including postcards and business cards from colleagues.

Correspondence and ephemera, 1983-2003, undated.
Box 8 Folder F189
Scope and Contents

Clippings and correspondence pertains to Oliver's professional and private life. Topics addressed include book collecting, left-handedness, and souvenirs from a Czechoslovakian pub U Kalicha Praha.

Print, Suggest