Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Pittsburgh
363 Hillman Library
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
(412) 648-8190
(412) 648-8192 fax
cea@pitt.edu
The Special Collections Department was established in 1966. It houses the rare books, general manuscripts, and special collections which belong to the University of Pittsburgh. The collections together now consist of over 52,000 physical volumes, 560 linear feet of manuscripts and archives, 13,000 photographs, 500,000 theatre programs, and various slides, microfilms, posters, recordings, ephemera, and memorabilia.
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General Rare Books and Manuscripts Collections
The Rare Books and General Manuscripts Collections include materials from both the humanities and social sciences, including the history of science and technology. These collections contain many unusual or unique items, such as first editions, early imprints, fine bindings, beautifully illustrated books, literary and historical manuscripts, modern small private press poetry from England and the United States, the "little" poetry magazines, alternative press publications from the U.S., etc. In addition to the above there are a number of separate special collections in the Department. Twenty-five of them are described in summary form below.
Other Collections
Ant's Forefoot Archive
This collection was purchased in 1978 by the University to strengthen its little magazine-modern poetry collection. The collection includes manuscripts, correspondence, graphics, and published issues of an important "little" poetry magazine published between 1967 and 1973 at the Coach House Press in Toronto. About 5 linear feet; a partial inventory exists on file in the Department.
Archive of Popular Culture
It began in 1974 and now includes over 2,000 paperback science fiction novels, 14 journal titles (1,000+ issues), and a collection of science fiction fanzines. Also included are over 12,000 inventoried comic books plus collections of fanzines and pulp magazines donated by the Pittsburgh Comix Club and individual donors. Inventories in the Department.
Archives of Scientific Philosophy in the Twentieth Century
Bernard S. Horne Memorial Collection - Izaak Walton's Compleat Angler
This collection of over 360 editions, issues, and states of Izaak Walton's Compleat Angler was given to the University of Pittsburgh in 1973 by Mrs. Horne as a memorial to her late husband. Mr. Horne assembled the collection during his lifetime and drew upon it to prepare his Compleat Angler, 1653-1967, a New Bibliography published in 1970. It is presumably the largest single collection of Angler editions in this country, and the span of years covered provide an unusual research opportunity for students of bibliographic history. Access to the editions is through Horne's Bibliography.
Bollingen Foundation Collection
This collection was donated by the A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust Foundation and Mr. Paul Mellon in 1980. It is comprised of approximately 300 volumes of the Bollingen Foundation imprints housed in a separate bookcase in Room 272 Hillman Library and maintained by the Special Collections Department. An inventory to the collection is on file in the Department.
Cooperative Movement Collection
This collection consists of over 680 rare monographs and pamphlets published between 1851-1979 on the Cooperative Movement around the world, with heavy emphasis on Great Britain. Includes publications on agricultural, dry goods, food, housing, manufacturing, and trade union co-ops, etc. Organized by country; inventory available in the Department.
Fidelis Zitterbart Collection
This collection was given to the University by the local composer's family in 1960. Zitterbart was a contemporary of Stephen Foster, and had wide-ranging musical interests. The collection includes nearly 1,500 manuscript compositions shelved in 75 boxes. Unorganized; for access see the Music Librarian (624-4130) or the Head, Special Collections.
Flora and Norman Winkler Collection
This collection was bequeathed to the University by Dr. Norman Winkler at the time of his death in 1961. It is a collection of over 300 volumes of Spanish, English, and Brazilian literature, including first editions and many fine bindings. There are also microfilm copies of Brazilian literary history and critical studies, many of which relate to the works of Jose Martiniano de Alecar. Cataloged in Pittcat.
Ford E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection
This collection consists of several thousand volumes of playscripts, acting editions, histories, and critical works of the theatre and drama, over 500,000 theatre programs, journals relating to drama, reference works, reviews, articles, posters, 20,000 photographs, misc. data on the contemporary theatre, material on broadway and Off-Broadway productions, archival records of theatre organizations (e.g. records of the old Pittsburgh Playhouse), and personal papers of show people (e.g. producer Michael Ellis). The collection was founded in 1960 by Dr. and Mrs. Ford E. Curtis. Emphasis is on New York and Pittsburgh from the Civil War to the present. Inventories and indexes in the Department provide access to these materials.
Hervey Allen Collection
This collection was purchased in 1952, and includes manuscripts, correspondence, memorabilia, and the personal library of Mr. Allen (1889-1949), author of Anthony Adverse, was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. A catalog of books and the manuscripts, as well as an index to correspondence, are maintained in the Special Collections Department. Arrangements for working with the manuscripts should be made by consulting the Head of Special Collections.
Lawrence Lee Collection
This collection was donated by Professor Lee's family in 1978, the year of his death. Lee was a short story writer and a published poet. At the time of his death he was a contributing columnist to the Pittsburgh Press, and he had been a member of the Pitt English Department for 31 years. The collection includes poetry manuscripts and personal correspondence, published books and magazine articles by Lee, autographed editions by other contemporary authors, and association copies. Preliminary inventory in the Department.
Mary Roberts Rinehart Collection
This collection was donated by the sons of the author in 1959. It consists of books, manuscripts and correspondence drafted by this modern author; interviews with Mrs. Rinehart; newspaper clippings, pictures, and biographical material and memorabilia about her. Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876-1958) is a noted Gothic mystery writer, and was a native Pittsburgher. Books are listed in the departmental catalog; other material may be worked with by consulting the Coordinator of Special Collections.
Nietz Old Textbook Collection
This collection provides a valuable addition to the Main Library's already extensive collection of educational materials. Nearly 16,000 volumes are in the collection and consist of two principal types of publication: (1) old primary and secondary school texts, some of which date back to the 16th Century, most of which were published before 1900; and (2) books on the history and theory of education and writings of the key figures in the field of education. Access to this collection is through Pittcat. The collection was established via gift by Dr. John A. Nietz in 1957.
Selected titles are available in the online 19th Century Schoolbooks Collection.
Pavlova-Heinrich Dance Collection
This collection was acquired in 1967; consists of the "Mlle. Anna Pavlova Memorial Ballet Library", formed by Mr. Carl Heinrich in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Civic Ballet - also, printed books on dance, scrapbooks, original sketches, posters, and choreographic notes. Books are cataloged; a partial inventory to the manuscripts is in the Department.
Ramon Gomez de la Serna Collection
This collection was purchased by the University in 1967, and consists of annotated first editions, clippings, and 60,000 manuscripts by the twentieth Century Spanish author. Gomez de la Serna (1888-1963) was a prolific poet, novelist, and essayist. His works, particularly his "Gregueaias", have been widely translated. This collection represents an important resource for the study of modern Spanish literature. Partial inventory in the Department.
Ripon England Documents
This collection consists of 23 English manuscript documents, mostly from the town of Ripon, England, which were donated by the English Nationality Room Committee in 1961. Mostly indentures, the manuscripts include mortgages, deeds, bargain and sale transactions, and marriage settlements from 1636 through 1770, with at least one from the reign of each English monarch during that period. All but one is written on parchment. Inventory list in the Department.
Robert Watson Collection - Founder's Collection
This collection comprises the remaining books (those volumes not lost in an early fire or through the ravages of time), in the original Watson Collection given to the Western University of Pennsylvania in the 19th Century.
Servicio de Monitoring de Colegio Nacional de Taquigrafos
"Miami Radio Monitoring Service:--Miramos" is a complete, 20 year, collection of transcripts of monitoring reports of Radio Havana, Cuba, beginning March 30, 1963 through June 30, 1982 when the monitoring reports ceased. Quite unique. 27 linear feet.
Thomas G. Masaryk Papers
These papers are unpublished draft manuscripts by Thomas Garrique Masaryk (1850-1937), first President of Czechoslovakia, given to the University by the Czechoslovak Nationality Room Committee in 1983. The manuscripts were either written personally by Masaryk or drafted according to his specific instructions during 1918 and 1919. They include letters, memoranda, and messages later published in finished form, either in English or Czech, and addressed to American and European statesmen during the final phase of World War I and the early period of Czechoslovak independence. Inventory in the Department.
Walter and Martha Leuba Collection
This is a private library of 20th Century fine press books, first editions, autograph letters, wood block prints and wood engravings that was bequeathed to the University of Pittsburgh by the late Martha Leuba in 1988. Collection in process.
Jack B. Yeats Broadsheet Collection
Digitized collection of broadsheets (woodblock prints containing hand colored prints with accompanying texts by various authors). Walter Leuba, following his intense interest in the realization of wood block printing combined with fine printing, acquired the first twelve of the prints, one for each month of 1902.
William Steinberg Collection
This collection is comprised of rare and fine books from the library of the late former conductor of Pittsburgh Symphony (1952-1976). Includes music scores, memorabilia, and photographs. Part of the collection is in the music library.
World War II Picture Collection
"The Bombing of London." Donated in 1966, it consists of 143 b&w photos from the Associated Press, London, and Graphic Photo Union, London, covering the bombing of London in the early 1940s. Some photos are dated, some are not. Inventory in the Department.