Wilberforce Eames papers

1850-1937 [bulk 1900-1937]

Wilberforce Eames, bibliographer, bibliophile and librarian was born in Newark, New Jersey on October 12, 1855. He was the son of Nelson Eames and Harriet Phoebe (Crane) Eames. In 1861 the family moved to Brooklyn where Eames lived for the remainder of his life.

Although his formal education ended before high school, Eames's love of books and learning led him to a life-long pursuit of scholarship. A self-taught scholar, Eames received honorary degrees from Harvard (1896), the University of Michigan; (1924) and Brown University (1924).

Eames gained first-hand experience of the printing process while working at the East New York Sentinel in 1870. He was so taken with the process that he set up a small scale press at home where the products; of his press included calling cards and catalogues.

While working as a postal clerk in Brooklyn Eames became acquainted with the book store of Edward R. Gillespie. Eames became a clerk there in 1873 and worked with Gillespie until 1879. Between 1879 and 1885 Eames was employed by N. Tibbals & Sons, Henry Miller and Charles L. Woodward, all book dealers. While gaining experience in the book trade Eames also began his own private collection and made the acquaintance of many of the bibliophiles with whom he was to work in later years. It was in 1885 that Eames, having already acquired a fine reputation among the bookmen of his day, went to work at the Lenox Library as personal assistant to Dr. George Henry Moore, who was then head of the Lenox Library. After Dr. Moore's death in 1892, Eames was made assistant Librarian and was later promoted to Librarian. When the Lenox Library was joined with the As tor Library and the Tilden Trust to form the New York Public Library Eames was named Lenox Librarian. He held this position until 1911 when the New York Public Library building opened and he was appointed Chief of the American History Division, including manuscripts, maps and rare books. In 1916 he was appointed Bibliographer of the New York Public Library, a position he held until his death. As Bibliographer, without administrative responsibility for the Division, Eames was able to concentrate his efforts on research and writing.

Among Eames's most important contributions was his work on Sabin's Dictionary of Books Relating to America. In addition to editorial responsibilities, Eames contributed bibliographies of the Bay Psalm Book, Ptolemy's Geography, Vespucci, Ptolemy's Geography, Sir Walter Raleigh, Capt. John Smith and Ramusio's Voyages. Other bibliographic studies by Eames included works on American Indian Languages, Benjamin Mecom and the Antigua Press and Early printing in New York.

As a private collector, Eames assembled more than one significant collection. In 1904 his library contained about 20,000 volumes consisting of works on Americana, History, Literature, the Book Arts, Oriental History and Languages, India, American Indian Books and Africana. A collection of over 12,000 pamphlets on printing in the United States was sold in 1924. Much of Eames's private library at the time of his death, including his collection of Babylonian tablets and seals, was bequeathed

In addition to his honorary degrees, Eames's scholarship was recognized by many organizations and individuals. He was awarded the gold medal of the Bibliographical Socieyt of London in 1929, and in 1931 he received honors from the New York Historical Society. In a tribue to Eames, Harry M. Lydenberg expressed his esteem: "He [Eames] knew more about books and more kinds of books than any of his contemporaries ever knew or expect, to know. His knowledge was comprehensive, accurate, final".

Wilberforce Eames died on December 6, 1937.