Daniel B. Fearing: Collection of Japanese and Chinese Imprints

OCLC No.: 
122592404 

Title
Collection of Japanese and Chinese imprints, [ca. 1800-1900]. 

Main Entry
Fearing, Daniel B. (Daniel Butler), 1859-1918, collector.

Physical Description
8 boxes (3 linear ft.)

Finding Aid Note
In the fall of 2016, Megumi Hill (Japanese imprints) and Nancy Tomasko (Chinese imprints) completed a description of this collection, which they had begun researching around 2014. Their description includes an itemized container list of the contents of the seven boxes and OCLC print-outs of identical or similar editions. This description supersedes the original notes compiled at the end of this document, and can be found as a separate file. The books have not been individually cataloged in OCLC or VIRTUA as of December 2016, but researchers may refer to the OCLC print-outs in the repository. 

In December 2016, the Librarian updated this finding aid (excluding the notes below) with the new information compiled by Megumi Hill and Nancy Tomasko.

Provenance Note
In 1907 Fearing gave the Club a collection of books, primarily in Japanese with a few in Chinese. The next year Fearing gave the Club permission to sell duplicates and other volumes for the benefit of the organization. An unidentified book dealer selected volumes which, according to the minutes of the Council (governing body) of the Club for October 6, 1908, “seemed most suitable to the Library.” The remainder was later sold. Some of the volumes retained for the Club have inserted notes, possibly supplied by this unidentified dealer.

The set of Su Shi’s poetry in boxes 1 and 2 have bookplates indicating they were a gift of Grolier Club member Oscar Morgner.

Historical/Biographical Note
Daniel B. Fearing  was a non-resident member of the Grolier Club from 1887 until his death in 1918.

Scope and Contents Note
Collection of twenty-eight titles, some in multiple volumes. Most of the titles are in Japanese with a few in Chinese; most are heavily illustrated.

Arrangement Note
Collection was originally comprised of six boxes. In the fall of 2016, the librarian discovered another box of Fearing Japanese imprints and added it to the collection as box 7. Box 8 was created at the same time as a container for the OCLC print-outs and a hard copy of Hill’s and Tomasko’s description

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

Original and updated Tomasko/Hill descriptions and container list available in repository.