- Creator
- Johnson, Merle De Vore, 1874-1935
- Call number
- MssCol 1574
- Physical description
- 2.1 linear feet (5 boxes)
- Language
- Materials in English
- Preferred Citation
Merle De Vore Johnson papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library
- Repository
- Manuscripts and Archives Division
- Access to materials
- Request an in-person research appointment.
- Portions of this collection have been digitized and are available online.
Merle De Vore Johnson (1874-1935) was an American bibliographer and book collector, as well as a cartoonist and illustrator. He compiled bibliographies on Mark Twain, James Branch Cabell and American first editions, and collected books and pamphlets by and about Woodrow Wilson. His identification of first issues of works by American authors and his bibliographical research established him as the leading authority on American books from 1835 to 1935, especially those published after 1870. He also illustrated many books and contributed illustrations and cartoons to popular magazines. Collection consists of an autograph collection and Johnson's research papers and bibliographic reference files. Autograph collection, 1849-1935, contains letters, calling cards and photographs, chiefly from American writers and artists. Papers, 1923-1933, used in the preparation of the second edition of American First Editions (1932) include enumerative bibliographies and Johnson's correspondence with American authors, publishers and collectors. Bulk of the collection consists of papers used in the preparation of the revised edition of A Bibliography of Mark Twain (1935) and includes descriptive bibliographies and notes on Twain's works. Also, Johnson's bibliographic notes for an unpublished work on British poems and his reference files which contain correspondence, notes, bibliographies, and clippings.
Key terms
Names
- Abbey, Edwin Austin, 1852-1911
- Cabell, James Branch, 1879-1958
- Deland, Margaret, 1857-1945
- Garland, Hamlin, 1860-1940
- Janvier, Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone), 1849-1913
- Johnson, Merle De Vore, 1874-1935
- Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956
- Oakley, Thornton, 1881-1953
- Pyle, Howard, 1853-1911
- Twain, Mark, 1835-1910
- Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Subjects
Occupations
Material types
Using the collection
Location
Manuscripts and Archives DivisionStephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788
Brooke Russell Astor Reading Room, Third Floor, Room 328