John Fleming, Inc.: Records, 1952-1987

 

RLIN ID No.

NYGG02-A55

 

Creator  

John Fleming, Inc.

 

Title 

Records, 1952-1987.

 

Physical Description  

35 linear ft.

 

General Note 

Collection is unprocessed and housed in off-site storage.

 

General Note 

The records of the A.S.W. Rosenbach Company, which had been maintained by John Fleming, are now housed at the Rosenbach Foundation in Philadelphia.

 

Historical/Biographical Note 

John Francis Fleming was born in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in 1910. At the age of 15, he went to work as a clerk for the well-known antiquarian bookseller A.S.W. Rosenbach in New York City. His acuteness and love of books earned him promotions to salesman, manager, and eventually to vice-president of the Rosenbach Company. When Rosenbach died in 1952, Fleming continued to sell books under his own name at a magnificent apartment at 322 East 57th Street, where Rosenbach had maintained his business. In this time, Fleming was one of the most important antiquarian dealers in the United States and counted many major collectors among his clients. He died on December 27, 1987.         

 

Scope and Contents Note  

Correspondence, invoices, sales books, stock books and financial records documenting activities of antiquarian bookseller John Fleming, Inc.

 

Restrictions 

Collection closed for a period of ten years following death of John Fleming in 1987.

 

Names

Fleming, John Francis, 1910-1987.

 

Subjects

Antiquarian booksellers. New York (State). New York.

Antiquarian booksellers. New York (State). New York. Correspondence.

 

Genre

Account books.

 

Occupation (as reflected in collection)

Antiquarian booksellers. New York (State). New York.

 

Location 

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

 

 

Collection Inventory

 

[Note: Correspondence files contain letters received and retained copies of letters sent, accompanied in many cases by want lists, appraisals, bills, legal documents, and other non-letter material.]

 

 

Box 1                                                     Correspondence 1955

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    John Fleming bills

                                                                                                Invoices to Fleming (under “I”)

 

Box 2                                                     Correspondence 1956

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Beristayn, Jorge

                                                                                                John Fleming personal

                                                                                                Rosenbach Foundation

                                                                                                Invoices to Fleming (under “I”)

 

Box 3                                                     Correspondence 1957

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Beristayn, Jorge

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Furthman, Jules

                                                                                                Kelly, Austin

                                                                                                Knoedler’s

                                                                                                Library of Congress

                                                                                                Longwood Library

                                                                                                Newberry Library

                                                                                                Sotheby’s

                                                                                                Williams, John R.

 

                                                                Correspondence 1958

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Beristayn, Jorge

                                                                                                Bodmer, Martin

                                                                                                De Paul University

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Kelly, Austin

                                                                                                Knoedler’s

                                                                                                Library of Congress

                                                                                                Longwood Library

                                                                                                Newberry Library

                                                                                                Rosenbach Foundation

                                                                                                Sotheby’s

 

Box 4                                                     Correspondence 1959

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Beristayn, Jorge

                                                                                                Bodmer, Martin

                                                                                                De Paul University

                                                                                                English book catalogues

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Kelly, Austin

                                                                                                Knoedler’s

                                                                                                Longwood Library

                                                                                                Sotheby’s

                                                                                                Tice and Lynch

 

                                                                Correspondence 1960

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    American Philosophical Society

                                                                                                Beristayn, Jorge

                                                                                                Fleming personal

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Fordham project

                                                                                                Kelly, Austin

                                                                                                Library of Congress

                                                                                                Longwood Library

                                                                                                Rare books and manuscripts catalogues

                                                                                                Sotheby’s

 

Box 5                                                     Correspondence 1961

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Fleming personal

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Longwood Library

                                                                                                Sotheby’s

                                                                                                Williams, Wesley

 

Box 6                                                     Correspondence 1962

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    De Paul University

                                                                                                European trip                      

                                                                                                Fleming personal

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Furthman, Jules

                                                                                                Muehlstein collection

                                                                                                Newberry Library

                                                                                                Sotheby’s

 

                                                                Correspondence 1963

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    De Paul University

                                                                                                Europe

                                                                                                Fleming personal

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Inquiries

 

Box 7                                                     Correspondence 1964

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Customs

                                                                                                Fleming personal

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Hyde, Donald

                                                                                                Inquiries

                                                                                                Insurance

 

                                                                Correspondence 1965

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Fleming personal

                                                                                                Inquiries

                                                                                                Insurance

 

Box 8                                                     Correspondence 1966

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folder:      Bills

 

                                                                Correspondence 1967

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Bills

                                                                                                Tax

 

Box 9                                                     Correspondence 1968

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Customs

 

                                                                Correspondence 1969

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 10                                                   Correspondence 1970

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folder:      Trips to Europe   

 

                                                                Correspondence 1971

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 11                                                   Correspondence 1972

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

                                                                Correspondence 1973

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 12                                                   Correspondence 1974

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                               

                                                                Correspondence 1975

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 13                                                   Correspondence 1976

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

                                                                Correspondence 1977

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Auctions

                                                                                                Bills

 

Box 14                                                   Correspondence 1978

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                               

                                                                Correspondence 1979

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 15                                                   Correspondence 1980

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                               

                                                                Correspondence 1981

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 16                                                   Correspondence 1982

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                                                Special folders:    Fleming personal

                                                                                                Frenkel and Co.

 

                                                                Correspondence 1983

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 17                                                   Correspondence 1984

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

                                                                Correspondence 1985

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

                                                                Correspondence 1986

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

Box 18                                                   Correspondence 1987

                                                                Alphabetical files

 

                                                                Correspondence 1988

                                                                Alphabetical files

                                               

Box 19                                                   Customer and      Armour, Norman Jr.

                                                                subject files:         Auctions

                                                                                                Baldeschi Balleani, Count

                                                                                                Beck, L.C.

                                                                                                Bookbinders

                                                                                                Berland, Abel

                                                                                                Bessborough, Earl

                                                                                                Bills paid

                                                                                                Black Sun Books

                                                                                                Bolitho, Hector

                                                                                                California Grolier Club trip

                                                                                                Carton, Mervyn

                                                                                                Christie’s

                                                                                                Chrysler, Walter

                                                                                                Cleland, T.M.

                                                                                                Collection lists

                                                                                                Constitution, U.S. Frigate

                                                                                                Cuppy, Will

 

Box 20                                                   Customer and      Customs

                                                                subject files:         Davis, E. Stewart

                                                                                                De Bry, Theodore

                                                                                                Deshaies, Paul E.

                                                                                                Devonshire, Duke of

                                                                                                Douglas Gibbons

                                                                                                Drake, James F.

                                                                                                Dutch manuscript               

                                                                                                Eberstadt, Edward

                                                                                                Employees

                                                                                                Engelhard, Jane

                                                                                                European trips

 

Box 21                                                   Customer and      European trips

                                                                subject files:         Faulkner, William

                                                                                                Ferdinand and Isabella

                                                                                                Fleming personal

                                                                                                Folger Library

                                                                                                Frenkel Insurance Co.

                                                                                                Furthman, Jules

                                                                                                Gauguin, Paul

                                                                                                Gimelson, Bruce

                                                                                                Goodspeed’s Book Shop

                                                                                                Grolier Club

 

Box 22                                                   Customer and      Harte, Roy

                                                                subject files:         Harvard University

                                                                                                Haythe, Frances D.

                                                                                                Heartman, Charles

                                                                                                Heimann, Willy

                                                                                                Hofstra University

                                                                                                Houghton, Arthur F.

                                                                                                Houghton Library

                                                                                                House of El Dieff

                                                                                                Howell Books

                                                                                               

Box 23                                                   Customer and      Hudson, Mrs. W.J.

                                                                subject files:         Hudspeth, Frances

                                                                                                Huntington Library

                                                                                                Hyde, Mary C.

                                                                                                Indiana University

                                                                                                Inquiries

                               

Box 24                                                   Customer and      Inquiries

                                                                subject files:         Insurance

                                                                                                Internal Revenue Service

                                                                                                Johns, Ernest

                                                                                                Johnson, Lady Bird

                                                                                                Juvelis, Priscilla

 

Box 25                                                   Customer and      Kane, Elisha Kent

                                                                subject files:         Keisogloff, Peter

                                                                                                Kennedy, Edward

                                                                                                Knoedler’s

                                                                                                Koch, Frederick

                                                                                                Koester Poe Collection

                                                                                                Lafayette, Marquis de

                                                                                                Leslie, Lady Iris

                                                                                                Leslie, Shane

                                                                                                London 1965

                                                                                                Lorentz, Pare

                                                                                                Louisiana Purchase

                                                                                                Loyola Library

                                                                                                Mabbott, Thomas

                                                                                                Mansfield, Mike

 

Box 26                                                   Customer and      Mansfield, Mike

                                                                subject files:         Maugham, Robin

                                                                                                Maximilian, Prince

                                                                                                Mellon, Paul

                                                                                                Michelangelo

                                                                                                Monaghan, Frank

                                                                                                Morgan Library

 

Box 27                                                   Customer and      Morgan Library

                                                                subject files:         McHenry, James

                                                                                                Mount Vernon Deed

                                                                                                Muehlstein, Herman

                                                                                                Newton, Caroline

                                                                                                Nolan, J. Bennett

                                                                                                Northwest Ordinance

                                                                                                O’Connor, S.

                                                                                                O’More, Haven

                                                                                                Ostrom, John

                                                                                                Parke-Bernet

                                                                                                Pearson, Vic

                                                                                                Personal tax 1965

                                                                                                Personnel              

                                                                                                Phillips

                                                                                                Phoenix Mutual Insurance

                                                                                                Pinsof Collection

                                                                                                Pirie, Robert

 

Box 28                                                   Customer and      Poe, E.A.

                                                                subject files:         Pratt Library

                                                                                                Prete, Sesto

                                                                                                Quinn, Albert H.

                                                                                                Robb, Lynda Johnson

                                                                                                Robinson, Lionel and Philip

                                                                                                Rosenbach Foundation

                                                                                                Rosenbloom, Arthur

                                                                                                Ryrie, Charles C.

 

Box 29                                                   Customer and      Scharnberg, James F.

                                                                subject files:         Schiller, Henri

                                                                                                Schwarz, Erwin

                                                                                                Science

                                                                                                Scribner’s

                                                                                                Sessler’s

                                                                                                Seven Gables

                                                                                                Shakespeare Association

                                                                                                Silver, Laurent

                                                                                                Silverware

                                                                                                Solis-Cohen, Daniel

                                                                                                Sorenson, Theodore

                                                                                                Sotheby’s

               

Box 30                                                   Customer and      Sotheby’s

                                                                subject files:         Spannuth, George

                                                                                                Starling, K.L.

                                                                                                Steinbeck, John

                                                                                                Stralem, Donald

                                                                                                Surrey

                                                                                                Syracuse University

                                                                                                Taxes and gifts

                                                                                                Taylor, Henry C.

                                                                                                Texas University

                                                                                                Timm, Charles H.

                                                                                                Virginia catalogue

                                                                                                Wells, Gabriel

                                                                                                Werner, Arno

                                                                                                White, Mrs. Harold T.

                                                                                                Whitman, Sarah

                                                                                                Whitty, J.H.

                                                                                                Williams, Wesley

                                                                                                Yale University

 

Box 31                                                   Customer and      Yushodo Booksellers

                                                                subject files:         Zipkin, Jerome

                                                                                                Zucker, Harry T.

 

Box 32                                                   Financial:              Check books

 

Box 33                                                   Financial:              Check books

 

Box 34                                                   Financial:              Check books

 

Box 35                                                   Financial:              Bank statements

 

Box 36                                                   Financial:              Bank statements

 

Box 37                                                   Financial:              Bank statements

 

Box 38                                                   Financial:              Bank statements

 

Box 39                                                   Financial:              Bank statements

 

Box 40                                                   Financial:              Accountant’s reports

 

Box 41                                                   Financial:              Paid bills

 

Box 42                                                   Financial:              Order books

 

Box 43                                                   Miscellaneous:     Newspaper and magazine clippings

                                                                                                Printed materials

                                                                                                Photographs

                                                                                                Oversize appraisals

 

Box 44                                                   Miscellaneous:     Newspaper and magazine clippings

                                                                                                Legal documents

                                                                                                Oversized ledger: Cash books, 1955-1959

 

Box 45                                                   Miscellaneous:     Rosenbach Foundation records book/library

inventory, 1955

                                                                                                Rosenbach Foundation/Leslie Morris: Fleming

papers received, 13 Dec. 1989

                                                                                                John Fleming vs. Clarence A. Beutel: legal docs.

                                                                                                Payroll files/tax returns for 1955

 

Box 46                                                   Miscellaneous:     Oversized ledger [unidentified]

                                                                                                Oversized ledger: Cash books (?), 1963-1973

                                                                                                Oversized ledger: Employees’ earnings, 1959, and

general ledger, etc.

Loose pages from General Ledger, 1973-1974

 

 

Offsite Storage Box Numbers

 

 

Box 1                                                     GC302100000280

 

Box 2                                                     GC302100000281

 

Box 3                                                     GC302100000282

 

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Box 46                                                   GC302100000325