Beverly Chew Papers, 1883-1926

RLIN ID No.

NYGG01-A19

Creator

Chew, Beverly, 1850-1924.

Title

Papers, 1883-1926.

Physical Description

2 boxes (l linear ft.)

8 photographs (20 cm. x 25 cm. and smaller)

Historical/Biographical Note

Beverly Chew (B. A., Hobart College, 1869), a founding member of the Grolier Club in 1884, served as its librarian from 1887 to 1892 and as president from 1892 to 1896. From 1887 on, Chew was associated with the Metropolitan Trust Company of New York, retiring as vice-president in 1920. After his death, his extensive library was dispersed at auction in a major sale at the Anderson Galleries in New York City.

Scope and Contents

Twenty-five holograph manuscripts of poems by Beverly Chew. Material concerning the printing of Chew’s Essays & Verses about Books (1926) includes three ALSs from Daniel Berkeley Updike to Grolier Club librarian Ruth Shepard Grannis. One copy of The Wish by Walter Pope, with a preface by Chew and letters to him from Frank E. Hopkins, proprietor of the Marion Press. Photograph of memorial resolution by Walter S. Gilliss and a New York Times obituary notice of 22 May 1924 that includes description of Chew’s library. Six photographs of Chew’s retirement home in Geneva, New York. Chew’s correspondents included, among others: Charles Dexter Allen, Samuel Putnam Avery, John Kendrick Bangs, H. C. Bunner, Theodore Low De Vinne, Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe, Samuel Albert Edwards, Clyde Fitch, Edwin Davis French, Ruth Shepard Grannis, Charles Swift Riche Hildeburn, Robert Hoe, Jr., John La Farge, Brander Matthews, William Osler, James R. Osgood, Rudolph Ruzicka, Edmund Clarence Stedman, Stoddard, Richard Henry, Andrew Fleming West, Harry Elkins Widener, George Woodbury and John Henry Wrenn.

General Note

Grolier Club Library has: Bartlett, Henrietta, compiler. Library of Beverly Chew (1934); photocopy of catalog cards, 2 v. (1934); and several titles by Chew.

Publications (based on collection)

Beverly Chew. Essays and verses about books. New York: D. B. Updike, 1926.

Names

Allen, Charles Dexter, 1925-1926. Correspondence.

Avery, Samuel Putnam, 1822-1904. Correspondence.

Bangs, John Kendrick, 1862-1922. Correspondence.

Bullen, Arthur Henry, 1857-1920. Correspondence.

Bunner, H. C. (Henry Cuyler), 1855-1896. Correspondence.

Chew, Beverly, 1850-1924. Correspondence.

Chew, Beverly, 1850-1924. Essays and verses about books. 1926. Correspondence.

Coxe, A. Clevland (Arthur Cleveland), 1818-1896. Correspondence.

De Vinne, Theodore Low, 1828-1914. Correspondence.

Edwards, Samuel Albert, 1861-1938. Correspondence.

Fitch, Clyde (William Clyde), 1865-1909. Correspondence.

French, Edwin Davis, 1851-1906. Correspondence.

Gilliss, Walter, 1855-1926. Correspondence.

Gosse, Edmund, 1849-1928. Correspondence.

Grannis, Ruth Shepard, 1872-1954. Correspondence.

Harland, Marion, 1830-1922. Correspondence.

Hildeburn, Charles Swift Riche. Correspondence.

Hoe, Robert, 1839-1909. Correspondence.

Hopkins, Frank E. Correspondence.

La Farge, John, 1835-1910. Correspondence.

Linton, William James, 1812-1897. Correspondence.

Matthews, Brander, 1859-1915. Correspondence.

Osler, William, Sir, 1849- . Correspondence.

Pope, Walter, d. 1714. The Wish. 1898.

Ruzicka, Rudolph, 1883- . Correspondence.

Stedman, Edmund Clarence, 1833-1908. Correspondence.

Stoddard, Richard Henry, 1825-1903. Correspondence.

Updike, Daniel Berkeley, 1860-1941. Correspondence.

West, Andrew Fleming, 1853-1943. Correspondence.

Widener, Harry Elkins, 1885-1912. Correspondence.

Woodbury, George. Correspondence.

Wrenn, John Henry, 1841-1911. Correspondence.

Subjects

Book collecting. New York (State). New York.

Book collectors. New York (State). New York.

Formats

Photographs.

Occupation (as reflected in collection)

Book collectors. New York (State). New York.

Location

Grolier Club, 47 East 60^th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022-1098.

Collection Inventory

Box 1

Holograph Manuscripts

Twenty-five poems by Beverly Chew. 25 leaves, n.d.

Correspondence (Letters to Beverly Chew, 1883-1924)

Allen, Charles Dexter (Hon. Corresponding Secretary for the United States of the Ex Libris Society). Four ALS: 28 February 1894 (3 p.); 20 March 1894 (2 p.); 28 March 1894? (7 p.); n.d. [March 1894?] (2 p.). Four TLS: 2l February 1894 (3 p.); 17 March 1894 (2 p.) 26 March 1894 (2 p.); n.d. [March 1894?] with first page missing (Note: all correspondence relates to bookplates)

Avery, Samuel Putnam (President of Grolier Club, 1896-1900). 16 ALS: 17 August 1892 (2 p.); 16 August 1897 (2 p.); 2 January 1898 (1 p.); 9 September 1900 (1 p.) (many more undated). One printed postcard regarding luncheon to be held in celebration of paying off of the mortgage of the Grolier Club building on East 32^nd Street.

Bangs, John Kendrick. Two ALS: 18 May 1901 (2 p.); 16 January 1904 (1 p.); One ALS postcard 6 January 1919.

Bierstadt, E. F. Two ALS: 9 February 1894 (14 p.); 15 April 1895 (1 p.).

Bullen, Arthur Henry. Four ALS: 10 February 1882; 14 February 1882; ? July 1885; 18 December 1885; 27 January 1886 (2 p.). One undated printed circular regarding delay in publication of second volume of his Old English Plays.

Bunner, H. C. Two ALS: 30 April 1895 (1 p.); 5 May 1885 or 1888 (1 p.).

Coxe, Arthur Cleveland. One ALS: 2 March? (2 p.).

De Vinne, Theodore Low. 16 ALS: 16 April 1890 (3 p.); 8 April 1890 (3 p.); 5 July 1895 (1 p.); 11 August 1897 (1 p.); 24 July 1906 (1 p.); 8 August 1907 (1 p.); 8 August 1908 (1 p.); 3 November 1908 (1 p.) (the rest are undated). Two TLS: 13 March 1898 (1 p.); 18 February 1908 (1 p.).

Edwards, Samuel Arlent [engraver]. Small engraved self-portrait with ALS, 2 June 1897.

Fitch, Clyde. One autograph postcard signed, undated (requesting tickets for unspecified performance).

Fletcher, J. B. Two ALS: 28 February 1900 (2 p.); undated (2 p.).

French, Edwin Davis. 34 ALS: 6 January 1894 (2 p.); 17 January 1894 (1 p.); 24 January 1894; 8 February 1894 (7 p.); 27 February 1894 (2 p.); 28 February 1894 (2 p.); 30 March 1894 (1 p.); 31 March 1894 (2 p.); 15 May 1894 (2 p.); 27 June 1894 (1 p.); 12 February 1895 (2 p.); 25 January 1896 (2 p.); 29 January 1896 (2 p.); 8 May 1896 (2 p.); 29 June 1896 (2 p.); 1 November 1896 (1 p.); 31 October 1897 (1 p.); 3 April 1898 (1 p.); 12 October 1898 (2 p.); 5 November 1898 (1 p.); 3 December 1896 (1 p.); 12 November 1898 (2 p.); 2 December 1898 (1 p.); 16 September 1899 (1 p.); 11 November 1899 (2 p.); 3 October 1900 (1 p.); 11 October 1900 (1 p.); 1 November 1900 (1 p.); 11 November 1900 (1 p.); 17 November 1900 (1 p.); 23 November 1900 (1 p.); 3 December 1900 (1 p.); 24 August 1901 (1 p.); 20 November 1901 (1 p.).

Gosse, Edmund. One ALS: 25 January 1887 (4 p.).

Harland, Marion. Three ALS: undated but all from New York City; One envelope with postmark 30 January 1893.

Hildeburn, Charles Swift Riche. 11 ALS: 2 February 1893 (2 p.); 12 February 1893 (2 p.); 9 March 1893 (2 p.); 13 March 1893 (2 p.); 21 March 1893 (2 p.); 23 March 1893 (2 p.); 3 April 1893 (2 p.); 25? April 1893 (2 p.); 30 April 1893 (3 p.); 7 May 1893 (1 p.); 10 May 1893 (2 p.).

Hoe, Robert. Six ALS: 13 October 1888 (4 p.); 18 October 1888 (3 p.); 14 September 1900 (7 p.); 9 January 1900; 9 July 1900 (3 p.); 14 September 1900 (7 p.); 15 July 1900 (3 p.). One TLS: 5 December 1905 (2 p.) (letter tenders his resignation from the Publications Committee of the Grolier Club due to its “mistaken policy”).

La Farge, John. Two TLS: 15 January 1897 (1 p.); 11 February 1897 (1 p.).

Linton, William James (wood engraver). One ALS: 19 June 1888.

Osgood, James R.

Osler, Sir William. One ALS.

Ruzicka, Rudolph. Four ALS: 14 November 1916 (1 p.); 24 November 1916 (2 p.); 15 December 1916 (1 p.); 15 December 1916 (1 p.).

Shipman, Carolyn. One ALS: 14 May 1906 (4 p.).

Stedman, Edward Clarence. Six ALS: 2 February 1893 (2 p.); 15 May 1893 (2 p.); 16 January 1894 (2 p.); 5 May 1896 (2 p.); 20 May 1896 (2 p.); 23 February [date illegible]; printed circular letter about John Greenleaf Whittier statue signed by Stedman, dated 12 March 1902 (1 p.).

Stoddard, Richard Henry. Two ALS: 25 June 1897; 4 November 1901. Holograph poem, “The Caravansary” (1 p.).

West, Andrew Fleming. Seven ALS: 21 March 1888; 10 Mary [1888]; 22 November 1888 (1 p.); 4 February 1889 (3 p.); 21 March 1888 (4 p.); 24 January 1889 (3 p.); undated (1 p.).

Widener, Harry Elkins. Four TLS: 14 December 1909; 7 May 1911 (2 p.); 14 May 1911 (1 p.); 10 October

1911 (2 p.).

Woodbury, George. Seven ALS: 20 May 1895?; June 1895; 1 July 1895; 27 October 1895; 25 July 1901; 7 September 1902; 4 November 1915.

Wrenn, John Henry. Three ALS: 24 March 1900 (1 p.); 30 July 1907 (3 p.); 21 August 1907 (1 p.). Three TLS: 8 March 1905 (2 p.); 19 Sept. 1907 (1 p.); 9 November 1909 (1 p.).

Miscellaneous correspondence (2 folders).

Other Correspondents

General Philip Sheridan to Mr. Bond. One ALS: 2 March 1878.

Correspondence between Ruth Shepherd Grannis (Grolier Club librarian) and Daniel Berkeley Updike re: printing of Chew’s Essays and Verses about Books published by the Grolier Club in 1926.

Letters of Frank E. Hopkins (proprietor of Marion Press in Jamaica, New York) re: printing of 18^th century poet Water Pope’s poem, The Wish, with introduction by Chew (1898). Ten ALS dated 1897-1898. Accompanied by copy of the book (no. 1 of limited ed. of 120 copies).

Box 2

Material Relating to Chew Bequest to the Grolier Club, 1925

Grolier Club Resolution on the death of Beverly Chew by Walter Gilliss.

Correspondence and other items from Estate of Beverly Chew regarding bequest to Grolier Club.

Miscellaneous correspondence relating to Chew bequest, 1924-1981.

Photographs

Retirement home at 159 St. Clair Street, Geneva, New York. Interior and exterior shots. (The house was later used as a dormitory by William Smith College.) Six 8x10” black and white photographs.

Unidentified portrait photograph ca. 1890 [Beverly Chew?].

Photograph of Edwin Davis French at his cabin.

Miscellaneous

Grannis, Ruth Chandler. “Beverly Chew Collection of Milton Portraits,” Bulletin of the New York Public Library (1926). Offprint.

List of exhibitions held at Grolier Club, ca. 1886-1900.

“On a Leaf from a Fourteenth Century Missal” [trial pages of poem]. Author not identified [Chew?]. 11 p. and unprinted signature. Accompanying note: “Bought at Swann’s [Auction Galleries] 15 September 1983. Lot 337.”