Of the nearly four hundred bound sheet music volumes held in Houghton, many were owned by the same person – there are at least seven owned by Edith Forbes Perkins, for example, and over a dozen by Catharine Dean Flint. Just as interesting, however, are single volumes, one of which is highlighted below….
Babar Comes to Houghton Library
Houghton Library is pleased to announce two important new acquisitions associated with the iconic children’s book character Babar the elephant. The first of these, thanks to a generous gift from Laurent de Brunhoff and his wife Phyllis Rose, is the complete archive of preparatory materials for the book ABC de Babar by Jean de Brunhoff,…
New on OASIS in May
Finding aids for four newly cataloged collections have been added to the OASIS database this month: Processed by: Michael Austin Progressive Party records, 1908-1920 (MS Am 3078) Minimally Processed by: Adrien Hilton Christopher Durang papers, 1957-2013 (MS Thr 1379) Processed by: Erin Mernoff with assistance from Andrea Cawelti Sheet music by performer, circa 1800-2000…
Epithalamion for Bianca Maria Sforza
Houghton Library recently acquired a rare copy of one of the first independently printed wedding orations. Ad Serenissimum Maximilianum inuictissimu[m] Romanoru[m] rege[m]: in auspicatissimis eius & Augustæ Blanche mariæ nuptiis: Epithalamion. [Milan, Leonardus Pachel after 8 April 1494]. (ISTC im00401800) was written by Giasone del Maino (1435-1519) and delivered in praise of the couple at…
Print, Manuscript and the Education of Women in Renaissance Italy
Houghton Library has recently acquired a copy of an important book in the history of the education of women, Annibale Guasco’s Ragionamento. Annibale Guasco (1540-1619) composed this educational treatise for his eleven-year-old daughter, Lavinia, as she entered the service of the Duchess of Savoy. Annibale recorded her humanist education at home and under his direction…
Xenophobia and the rise of Dr. Fu Manchu
This post is part of an ongoing series featuring items recently cataloged from the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Collection. Among recently-cataloged volumes in the Santo Domingo Collection is this small gathering of works by Sax Rohmer (1883-1959), an English novelist whose signal creation is the villainous crime lord Dr. Fu Manchu. Born Arthur Henry Ward, Rohmer…
New on OASIS in December
Finding aids for two newly cataloged collections and a preliminary box list for a recent acquisition have been added to the OASIS database this month. Processed by: Christine Jacobson and Irina Klyagin Nicholas Daniloff papers (MS Am 2933) Processed by: Kristin Alexander Julia Marlowe collection of letters and photographs (MS Thr 1175) New preliminary box…
New on OASIS in November
The finding aid for one newly cataloged collection, and preliminary box lists for two recent acquisitions, were added to the OASIS database this month. For more on Houghton’s acquisition of the Maurice Blanchot papers, see here. Processed by Irina Klyagin: Diaghilev, Serge, 1872-1929, recipient. Letters to Serge Diaghilev from various correspondents, 1916-1929 (MS Thr 1140)…
Classical Tradition V
A group of four pen, ink and wash drawings by the English artist William Henry Brooke (1772-1860) was recently acquired from the English antiquarian bookseller, Christopher Edwards. Brooke is primarily known as a portrait painter, book illustrator and satirical draftsman. He was recording the results of an archaeological dig at Brome Hall, Eye, Suffolk, the…
Maurice Blanchot papers acquired by Harvard
Houghton Library has acquired the archive of French writer, literary theorist, and philosopher Maurice Blanchot (1907-2003) from his daughter, Cidalia Blanchot. Christie McDonald, Smith Professor of French Language and Literature at Harvard University, said, “I am thrilled by Houghton’s acquisition of this important archive. Scholars will have unprecedented access to material that will give us…