Scope and arrangement
Note On The Dreiser-Holly Correspondence.
Theodore Dreiser's correspondence with Flora May Holly is available to researchers in the Manuscripts & Archives Division on a microfilm copy acquired through the courtesy of the Special Collections Department, Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania (3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6206) which has custody of the original microfilm. (The whereabouts of the original correspondence from which the microfilm was made is not known). Permission to reproduce or publish this correspondence should be obtained from the Van Pelt Library.
The Flora May Holly papers are arranged in three series:
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The bulk of the papers consist of correspondence of Ms Holly with authors, writers, editors, publishers, and literary agents relative to the placing of her clients' manuscripts with publishers of books and magazines, her evaluations of manuscripts submitted to her, royalties received, and related matters. The files are arranged alphabetically and are mainly in the period 1920s-1940s. Some of the correspondence contains collateral papers including authors' scripts, agreements, and royalty statements. There is also a file of authors' manuscript control cards (arranged alphabetically) which record the title and date of manuscripts received by Holly and the actions taken to place them with publishers. Correspondents include Gertrude Atherton, Faith Baldwin, Whitman Chambers, Robert Hobart Davis, Dodd, Mead & Co., Lucille Selk Edgerton, Edna Ferber, Temple H. Fielding, Philip M. Fisher, Jay Garon, Guy Gilpatric, Fannie Hurst, Mary W. King, Margaret Larson, Richard Le Gallienne, Sinclair Lewis, Travis Mason, Arthur Mizener, Ann Ritner, Edith S. Stebbins, Toni Strassman, Ida M. Tarbell, and Philip Wylie. The correspondence with Edith S. Stebbins, who managed Ms Holly's office, provides a detailed account of the methods employed by Ms Holly in marketing her clients' manuscripts.
As noted above the Theodore Dreiser correspondence is available to researchers on microfilm acquired through the courtesy of the Van Pelt Library at the University of Pennsylvania which has custody of the original microfilm. The microfilm (which is shelved separately in the Division's microfilm collection) contains five letters from Dreiser to Holly; a photograph of Dreiser with two unidentified men; and two letters to Holly from Ripley Hitchcock.
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The papers consist of miscellaneous correspondence received by Maurice arranged chronologically; miscellaneous legal papers; personal miscellany including passport photos, documents relating to Maurice's service as member of the Commission for Relief in Belgium during World War I.; a few typescript drafts of writings; and two literary notebooks. Some of the correspondence received is from readers of The Bookman and from readers of Maurice's books. Correspondents include Arthur St. John Adcock (4/18/22); George P. Brett (2/17/21); Marion Thompson Davies (7/3/16); Arthur Guiterman (2/11/16); Arthur Stringer (6/30/15); and Charles Hanson Towne (9/14/34). The literary notebooks contain notes and drafts of articles for issues (1909-10) of The Bookman.