Contents and Arrangement
Online

Series 6: Sylvia Beach's Circle and Collections, 1874-1999

32 boxes
SOME ONLINE CONTENT

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Sylvia Beach's Circle and Collections consists of items collected by Sylvia Beach, documenting two overlapping collecting activities: Sylvia Beach's incidental files on artists in her circle (not directly relating to her publication activities, which are documented in the Shakespeare & Company series), and her more formal literary and art collections. The boundary between the two collection activities is fluid, and there are several documented cases in which Beach later formalized collections that were originally created out of personal interest or for reference or business purposes (most notably, her collection of Joyce material, which she largely sold to the University of Buffalo, and her collection of Whitman manuscripts, originally keepsakes she inherited from her aunt and which she later exhibited and offered for sale). The series further contains information on exhibitions of Beach's collections and on the sale of collection items to various cultural institutions.

Due to some overlap between Beach's collecting activities and the publications and exhibitions conducted at Shakespeare & Company, researchers are advised that the Shakespeare & Company series may contain additional material Beach would have considered a part of her collection.

While a number of James Joyce items are represented here, researchers may be interested to know that Sylvia Beach sold the better part of her Joyce collection, including manuscripts and correspondence, to the University of Buffalo Library in 1959, where it is available for research.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name or topic.

Collection History

Appraisal

Individual items that were originally acquired as part of the Sylvia Beach Papers are now curated by the Graphic Arts division, including the Shakespeare & Company shop sign painted by Marie Monnier-Bécat; a portrait of Sylvia Beach in oil by Paul-Émile Bécat, signed, Paris, 1923; and a full-length portrait of Adrienne Monnier in oil by Paul-Émile Bécat, Paris 1921;

In addition, two items that remain part of the Sylvia Beach Papers are: an oak cabinet and a bust of William Shakespeare executed in colored Staffordshireware.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Enid Adelson, Paul Koepp and Karla J. Vecchia in 2004.

Reprocessed by Regine Heberlein and Valerie Addonizio (photographs series) in 2012.

During 2012 processing, the collection (except for the photographs series) was re-arranged on the folder level. The existing distribution of materials in folders and their labels were largely preserved except where found to be wrong.

Folder inventory prepared by Nicholas Williams '2015 and Allyse Terrell '2014 in 2012. During 2022, restrictions on original items, including Ernest Hemingway materials, were lifted as part of a restrictions review project.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Series 6: Sylvia Beach's Circle and Collections; Sylvia Beach Papers, C0108, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Boxes 122-148; 153-155; 158

Find More

Existence and Location of Copies

Some materials, including letters from Ernest Hemingway to Sylvia Beach, are available on microfilm.

Related Materials

Other major collections of Sylvia Beach material are housed at the University of Buffalo and the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, Austin.

Bibliography

"The Sylvia Beach Collection" by Howard C. Rice, Jr., The Princeton University Library Chronicle , Vol. XXVI, No. 1 (Autumn, 1964). pp. 7-15.

Names:
Shakespeare and Company (Paris, France)
Joyce, James (1882-1941)
Joyce, James (1882-1941)