Scope and arrangement
This collection of Virginia Woolf books, correspondence, photographs, and other material was assembled by collector William Beekman over the course of several decades. The highlights include: two books, Histoire de Ma Vie by George Sand and Familiar Studies of Men and Books by Robert Louis Stevenson, rebound by Virginia Woolf in colorful and decorative paper, with hand lettered spine titles; several imprints of the Woolf's Hogarth Press, including review copies, owned by the Woolfs; Virginia and Leonard Woolf's copies of books inscribed to friends and loved ones; extensive correspondence, including a letter written by Virginia Woolf to her sister signed with nicknames and dated February 6, 1907 on the eve of her wedding; a letter from Virginia Woolf to Clive Bell, signed "Eleanor Hadyng" and dated February 19, [1909] with a photograph of Woolf and Bell at Studland Beach; forty letters from Virginia Woolf to Julian Bell (her nephew); copies of the first editions of Woolf's books; 3 manuscript poems by Vita Sackville-West; Woolf's passport; and a set of eight letters from Leonard Woolf and Vanessa Bell to Vita Sackville-West, regarding Woolf's disappearance and death.
The William Beekman Collection of Virginia Woolf and Her Circle is arranged in five series:
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1731-194071 items
The majority of the books in this series are by Virginia Woolf, with most being published by The Hogarth Press. The remaining books include works co-authored with Leonard Woolf, works from Julian Bell's library, and works from Woolf's library.
Two titles were bound by Virginia Woolf -- a ten-volume set of George Sand's Histoire de Ma Vie and a copy of Stevenson's Familiar Studies of Men and Books. Many of the books are inscribed or signed by Virginia Woolf, primarily to close friends.
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ca. 1925-19413 items
Working drafts and handwritten versions of poems by Vita (Victoria) Sackville-West.
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1907-194125 items
The majority of letters found in this series are from Virginia Woolf to various correspondents, including her sister Vanessa Bell (1, on the eve of her marriage); her brother-in-law Clive Bell (3); her nephews Julian and Quentin Bell (44); as well as single letters to Duncan Grant, Florence Hardy, Vita Sackville-West, and other members of the Bloomsbury Group. Fewer in number are the letters from Leonard Woolf and Vanessa Bell, primarily to Vita Sackville-West and regarding Virginia Woolf's disappearance and death in 1941.
The broadsides, one from Hogarth Press and two for Virginia Woolf's books, as well as an extract from Virginia Woolf's passport (with photo), are also found in this series.
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1895-19353 photographic prints
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ca. 1930-19322 items
Designs for On Being Ill and The Second Common Reader created by Vanessa Bell. Designs are framed.