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Ellsworth Mason
collection of Robert Graves papers
Collection 1976-009
Dates: 1917-1975.
Extent: (10 boxes).
Level of Description: Item level.
Name of creator(s): Robert Graves.
Date of creation: Undetermined.
Scope and Content: The papers are organized
into 3 series:
Series 1: Correspondence: Robert Graves: arranged
alphabetically by surname, consists of 491 autograph, typescript,
and carbon copy typescript letters and cards from Graves to
friends and colleagues, including Dereck Boothby (retired British
major and, at the time of the correspondence, the head of an
organization of covens in the British Witch Cult); Aemelia
Laracuen (long time friend and intimate of Graves and illustrator
of Love Respelt); Larry Wallrich (friend and bookseller who
handled the sale of a number of Graves's manuscripts and
letters); and Isla Cameron (Scottish folk singer); many of these
letters are accompanied by Mason's transcriptions and
biographical notes. Included in this sequence are letters from
Mason to many of these correspondents.
Series 2: Correspondence: Ellsworth Mason: arranged
alphabetically by surname, consists of 379 autograph, typescript,
and carbon copy typescript letters and cards to/from friends and
colleagues, and various individuals in some way connected to
Graves including Len Lye (New Zealand expatriate and artist, and
frequent illustrator of book jackets for the Seizin Press);
Ruthven Todd (Spanish-American poet and friend of Graves); and
Kenneth Gay (secretary to Graves and Laura (Riding) Jackson and
close friend of Graves); many of these letters are accompanied by
Mason's transcriptions and biographical notes. Also included are
various typescript drafts of essays and papers by Mason.
Series 2: Writings: arranged alphabetically by title and
consist of Graves's autograph, typescript, and photocopy
typescript drafts of poems, collected poems, and articles; poems
and book reviews excised from various sources; and sound
recordings (BBC Television program I Claudius in 1960, Robert
Graves at Johns Hopkins reading The Epic That Never Was in 1970,
and Robert Graves participating in a BBC Radio broadcast on WWI
in 1971). The writings date from approximately 1920-1975.
Series 3: Miscellaneous: consists of Mason's description and
analysis of various collections of Graviania; bibliographical
notes for books and periodicals written by or relating to Graves;
and an inventory of Mason's Robert Graves and Laura (Riding)
Jackson collections. Also included here are photographs of Graves
and Graves family members, friends, and colleagues; press
cuttings about Graves and general subjects; unused postcards;
publisher's announcements; book dealer catalogues; a lithographic
portrait of Graves by John Ulbricht; and two commemorative
posters for "An 80th Birthday Exhibition of Manuscripts and First
Editions from the Poetry Collection of the Lockwood Memorial
Library."
Administrative/Biographical History: Mason's
collection included a comprehensive collection of the printed editions of
Graves' work and an extensive collection of the work of Laura (Riding) Jackson.
Although these materials are not described in this inventory, their
bibliographic records can be accessed from the library’s on-line catalogue.
Access and Copyright: This material is housed
off-site and will require special arrangements for anticipated use. Contact the
Department of Special Collections.
Language and Scripts:
Finding aid/Inventory: Finding aid is available
online.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition: Purchased
from Ellsworth Mason, Feb 1976; subsequent additions to the collection
acquired from various sources.
Date(s) of description: Caroline S.
Swinson, July 1985; rev. Sidney F. Huttner, Jul 1989; rev. Milissa Burkart, Oct
1994.
Access Points:
Subject Headings
Personal names
Corporate names
Places
Series 1: Correspondence
Series 2: Writings
Series 3: Photographs
and miscellaneous
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