Guide to the William P. Wreden Collection
Title:
William P. Wreden Collection
OCLC/RLIN No. (Unique ID):
861618390
Dates:
1942-1990
Extent:
1 linear foot
Abstract:
The William P. Wreden collection is a group of catalogs, keepsakes and ephemera reflecting the personal and professional rare book collection of William P. Wreden.
Access Restrictions:
Collection is open for research use. Copyright restrictions may apply; please contact repository for requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce the materials.
Preferred Citation:
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], William P. Wreden Collection, 1942-1990, The Grolier Club of New York.
About the Finding Aid:
This finding aid was prepared by Alison Lotto in Microsoft Word at the Grolier Club, October 2013.
Provenance:
The collection was donated to the Grolier Club by William P. Wreden’s son, William P. Wreden, Jr. in January 2011.
Access Points:
Names
Wreden, William P.
William P. Wreden Books & Manuscripts (firm)
Subjects
Booksellers and bookselling—California—20th century
Booksellers and bookselling—California—20th century—Catalogs.
Genres
Booksellers' catalogs—California—20th century
Greeting cards—20th century
Printed ephemera—20th century
Keepsakes—20th century
Biographical/Historical Note:
William P. Wreden was born in 1910 in Petaluma, California. After his graduation from Stanford, Wreden worked at the Anglo-California National Bank in San Francisco. He founded William P. Wreden Books & Manuscripts in 1937, located in Palo Alto California. As a bookseller, Wreden was best known for his work with Elizabethan Manuscripts and had an extensive personal collection alongside his inventory. William P. Wreden also owned a large ranch in California and worked at both businesses until his death in 1995.
Sources: Cal Poly Library Finding aid for the MacMillan-Wreden California Condor Collection
William P. Wreden Obituary, San Francisco Chronicle, February 9, 1995.
Scope and Content Note:
The William P. Wreden collection contains Wreden’s dealer catalogs, holiday cards, keepsakes and ephemera.
Arrangement Note:
The materials were rehoused, and an arrangement was created by Meghan Constantinou in 2011; the organization reflects the type of material and its size and shape.
Container List:
I. Catalogs, 1942 - 1990s
Note: Dealer began publishing catalogs in 1939 with no. 11. No catalogs issued under nos. 13 or 36 (See introduction in Checklist)
Checklist of Imprints, 1990
Nos. 11 (1938); 18 (1942)-24 (194-?), 26 (194-?)-30 (194-?), 32 (195-?)-35 [1952], 37 (1954), 39 (195-?)-80 (199-).
Occasional List no. 2 [after 1953]
Anniversary Catalogue of American and English First Editions, no. 14 (n.d.)
New Series List nos. 1-3, 5, 7, 11
Note: nos. 1-7 with address 442 Post St. (2nd Fl.) San Francisco; dealer was at that address between 1964 and 1970.
II. Christmas, Holiday, and New Year Cards, 1974-2000
15 dated cards
11 undated cards
III. Keepsakes, 1949-2000
Approximately 24 mixed items
IV. Ephemera, ca. 1953-ca. 1990
Approx. 24 Professional items (book announcements, stationary, etc.), ca. 1953-ca. 1990
4 Serials (1 journal, 3 newspapers)
2 Broadsides (rolled)