Guide to the Oscar Wilde collection of
papers, [1880]-1932
Berg Coll MSS Wilde
The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature. New
York Public Library. Room 320.
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
New York, NY 10018-2788
(212) 930-0802
brgref@nypl.orghttp://nypl.org/research/chss/spe/brg/berg.html
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- Date Completed:
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Table of Contents
Descriptive Summary 
Title
Oscar Wilde collection of papers, [1880]-1932
Creator
Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900.
Call Number
Berg Coll MSS Wilde
Repository
The New York Public Library.
The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.New York, New York
Abstract
This is a synthetic collection consisting
of manuscripts, correspondence, and two undated notebooks.
Administration Information
Source
This is a synthetic collection, created from materials acquired through gift and
purchase from various sources.
Custodial History
The bulk of the materials was formerly owned by W. T. H. Howe, Owen D. Young, and
Henry W. and Albert A. Berg. Other materials were owned by Alfred S. Austrian, Frank
Fletcher, Richard Le Gallienne, John B. Stetson, Jr., and the American Play
Company.
Access
Collection is restricted to qualified scholars and researchers through the Office of
Special Collections, Room 316
Restrictions on Use
For permission to publish, contact the Curator, The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg
Collection of English and American Literature.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of the item]. The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English
and American Literature, The New York Public Library.
Biography
Oscar Wilde was a British poet, playwright, novelist, and critic.
Scope and Content Note
This is a synthetic collection consisting of manuscripts, correspondence, a portrait
photograph, and two undated notebooks. The manuscripts include holographs and holograph
drafts of poems, notes on travel in Greece, portions of "The Picture of Dorian Gray," an
emended manuscript of a play and other holograph materials. There is also an undated
manuscript forgery of "Salome," believed to be in the hand of Fabian Lloyd. The
manuscripts also include holographs by Max Beerbohm, one dated 1894, relating to the
author. The legal documents include agreements between the author and the American Play
Company. The correspondence includes letters, dating from 1880 to 1900, from the author
to George Webb Appleton, Frank Harris, Arthur Humphreys, James Stanley Little, Aimee
Lowther, E. W. Pratt, John Ruskin, James MacNeill Whistler, and others. There are also
letters relating to the author, dating from [1881] to 1932, between various
correspondents including Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas, Herman Finck, Theodore Watts-Dunton,
Bernard Shaw, Cynthia Stockley, the literary agency James B. Pinker and son, and others.
There are letters to Wilde from W. F. Morse, Marie Prescott, John Ruskin, and A. P. Watt
and son, dating from 1882 to 1891.
Container List
Manuscripts and Typescripts
Manuscripts and Typescripts written by Wilde
Manuscript box. Removed from: Wilde, Oscar. The dole of the king's
daughter. (Dublin university magazine. June, 1876. Vol. 87, no. 522, p.
682-683
[Dole of the king's daughter, The]. Holograph of earlier (?)
version of the last 4 stanzas
n.d.
ms.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box. Removed from his: The portrait of Mr. W. H.
Privately printed [1904?]
[Epigrams]. Holograph draft
n.d.
ms.
( 1 p. )
Cased
Impression Japonais. Rose et iuoire. Holograph poem
n.d.
ms.
( 1 p. )
Published with title: Le Panneau H.
Manuscript box
Impression du voyage. Holograph poem
n.d.
ms.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box
[Jardin des Tuileries, Le]. Proof no. 2. Holograph note on
corrections made in the proof
n.d.
ms.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box
Lotus land. Holograph poem
n.d.
ms.
( 1 p. )
Signed "O.F. O'F. W.W." Y.
Cased
Notes and epigrams, Holograph
n.d.
ms.
( 5 p. )
Cased
Notes on Fragments of Greek comic poets. Ed. by A. Meineke.
[Holograph notebook with Greek and Latin exercises, vocabulary, etc. at end]
n.d.
notebooks
( 1 v. )
Manuscript box
Notes on travel in Greece, Holograph
n.d.
ms.
( 2 p. )
Oversize (+)
On the decay of lying. Incomplete holograph
n.d.
ms.
( 20 p. )
Richard Le Gallienne bookplate; H.
Manuscript box
Pan. Double Villanelle. Holograph poem
n.d.
ms.
( 2 p. )
Oversize (+)
[Picture of Dorian Gray, The]. Chapter 14 [ie. 15]. Holograph
n.d.
ms.
( 17 p. )
Library label of John B. Stetson, Jr. ; H.
Manuscript box
Presentation inscription and signed note to Nellie Sichert.
Holograph. Written on fly leaves torn out (with frontispiece and title-page)
of a copy of "The Emerson birthday-book, Boston, 1882."
n.d.
ms.
( [1 item] )
Oversize (+)
Salome. [Forgery]. Believed to be in the hand of Fabian Lloyd,
nephew of Constance Lloyd Wilde
n.d.
ms.
( 65 p. )
Signed "Oscar Wilde" in the hand of the forger
Berg Coll MSS + Wilde 1890
The soul of man under socialism. Manuscript in the author's
holograph with his substantial textual emendations and deletions in ink and
pencil, throughout. Paginated by the author 1A and 1B-40, 42-50, 56-65.
Bound.
[1890]
ms. (emended)
( 59 p. (34 cm.) )
Originally owned by John B. Stetson, Jr. with his bookplate, and later by
Alfred S. Austrian with his bookplate.
Cased
[Vera; or, The nihilists]. Holograph corrections and additions to
the play, apparently made for the performance of Vera in New York in 1883
[1883]
ms. (emended)
( 31 p. )
Cased
Ye shall be gods. Holograph poem. Bound
n.d.
ms.
( 6 p. )
On p. [10-11, 14-17, 19-20]: Wilde, Jane Francesca (Elgee). Notes.
Holograph aphorisms and comments on her readings, undated. 8 p.
Manuscripts and Typescripts relating to Wilde
Manuscript box (Wilde)
American play company. Agreements, correspondence, forms,
statements from various theatrical agencies concerning Oscar Wilde
n.d.
ms.
( 14 )
From the files of the American play company
Manuscript box
Beerbohm, Max. "'Dorian Gray;' an examination paper." Holograph
1894
ms.
( 2 p. )
Cased
Beerbohm, Max. Holograph notebook. Consists of preliminary notes
for essays on the author's contemporaries. Includes Oscar Wilde and others
n.d.
notebooks
( 1 v. )
Oversize (+)
Beerbohm, Max. A peep into the past. Holograph
n.d.
ms.
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Douglas, Lord Alfred Bruce. To Olive [Stanzas I, II]. Holograph
sonnets
1906 May 4; [n.d.]
ms.
( 1 p. each )
Signed. On verso of Stanza II are manuscript quotations from O. Wilde's
Dorian Gray and other misc. authors in the hand of Lady Olive Eleanor
Custance Douglas
Correspondence
Outgoing Correspondence
Manuscript box
Appleton, George Webb. ALS to
[1884 Feb. 7] or [1884 Feb. 14]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Cased
Carte, [R. O. D'Oyly]. ALS to
[1882?]
corr. out
( 3 p. )
With: Wilde, Oscar. [Vera; or, The Nihilists] Holograph corrections and
additions to the play
Manuscript box
Harris, Frank. ALS to. Relates to the dedication copy of An ideal
husband
[1899 July]
corr. out
( 3 p. )
Inserted in: Wilde, O. Intentions. London, 1891. Copy 1
Heinemann, [William]. ALS to
[1892]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Inserted in: Wilde, O. A woman of no importance. London, 1894. Copy
1
Howe, Mrs. ALS to
[n.d.]
corr. out
( 7 p. )
Manuscript box
Humphreys, [Arthur]. ALS to
[1898
or 1899]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Inserted in: Wilde, O. Salome. London and Boston, 1894
Kains-Jackson, C. ANS to
[1893?
Nov. 10]
corr. out
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box
Lathbury, Mrs. ALS to
[n.d.]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Little, James Stanley. 5 ALS to
[1887 Apr. 29] - [1891 Mar. 21]
corr. out
( 5 letters in 5 folders )
Manuscript box
Lowther, Aimee. 4 ALS to
[1894
Feb. 1] - [1899 Aug.]
corr. out
( 2 leaves; 2 leaves; 2 leaves; 1 p. )
Cased
[Morris?], [Clara]. ALS to
[1881?]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Inserted in: Wilde, O. Wilde v Whistler. London, 1906
Morse, Colonel W. F. ALS to
[n.d.]
corr. out
( 3 p. )
Removed from: Wilde's The ballad of Reading gaol. London, 1898.
Copy 1
Nelson, Major J. O. ALS to
[1897
May]
corr. out
( 4 leaves )
Inserted in: Wilde, O. The picture of Dorian Gray. London, New York
& Melbourne [1891] Copy 2
Pratt, E. W. ALS to
[1892 Aug. 15]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Inserted in: Wilde, O. The happy prince. London, 1888. Copy 2
Ruskin, [John]. ALS to
[n.d.]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Scott, Clement William. ALS to
[1880]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Smithers, Leonard. ALS to
1898
Mar. 17
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Symons, [Arthur]. ALS to
[1890
Oct. 22]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
With accompanying envelope. H.
Manuscript box
[Whistler], [James MacNeill]. ALS to "Butterfly"
[1885 Feb.]
corr. out
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box
[--?]. ALS to
[1880?]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
[--?], Madam. ALS to. As editor of Woman's World, invites
contributors. Not in Hart-Davis' edition of Wilde letters
[1887]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Cased
unknown correspondent. ALS to an. Regarding "Lady Windemere's fan"
[1893 Feb.]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Incoming Correspondence
In: Wilde, Oscar. [Vera, or, The nihilists] Holograph corrections
and additions to the play
Morse, W[--?] F[--?]. ALS to Wilde
1882 Apr. 5
in. corr.
( 2 leaves )
In: Wilde, Oscar. [Vera, or, The nihilists] Holograph corrections
and additions to the play
Prescott, Marie. 5 ALS to Wilde
1882 Nov. 9 - 1883 May 1
in. corr.
( 5 letters )
Also 13 p. of incomplete letters to Wilde (2 dated Feb. 11 and Feb. 26,
1883), and copies of 3 additional letters relating to the copyright of Vera
Inserted in: Wilde, Oscar. The happy prince, and other tales.
London, 1888. Copy 1
Ruskin, John. ALS to Wilde
[n.d.]
in. corr.
( 1 p. )
Cased
Watt, A. P., and son. Letter books. Letters (copies) to various
authors and publishers, etc. Includes letters addressed to Oscar Wilde, etc.
Each. Volume indexed separately. Vols numbered on spines through XXV.
Lacking vols. I, V-VI, XII, XIV, XX-XXIV.
1879 Oct. - 1891 June
in. corr.
( 16 v. )
Partial description and list of correspondents laid in vol. [1]
Related Correspondence
Manuscript box
Douglas, Lord Alfred Bruce. 3 ALS to Herman Finck. Refers to The
life of Oscar Wilde by Frank Harris
1925
Aug. 4 - 1925 Sept. 2
related corr.
( 3 p.; 4 leaves; 1 leaf )
Manuscript box
Douglas, Lord Alfred Bruce. ALS to Violet Wyndham. Relates to Ada
Leverson and mentions Oscar Wilde
1932 Nov.
21
related corr.
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Fawcett, Edgar. ALS to [William Henry] Bishop relating to Oscar
Wilde
[1883?] Nov. 18
related corr.
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Harris, Frank. TLS to Vyvyan Beresford Holland. Correspondent is
the son of Oscar Wilde. Letter relates to Harris' Life of Oscar Wilde and
Lord A. B. Douglas
1926 Mar. 25
related corr.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box
Hichens, Robert Smythe. ALS to Martin Secker. Mentions Oscar Wilde
and Lord Alfred Douglas
1932 Sept. 29
related corr.
( 2 p. )
Manuscript box
Houghton, Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st baron. ALS to Theodore
Watts-Dunton. Relates to the meeting between Algernon Charles Swinburne and
Oscar Wilde
[1881 July 9]
related corr.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box (Pinker, J. B., firm)
James B. Pinker and son. Letters, ALS, telegrams, etc. from various
publishers to the firm of James B. Pinker and son as literary agents for
Oscar Wilde
n.d.
related corr.
( [2 letters] )
Laid in: Wilde, O. Children in prison, and other cruelties of
prison life. London [1898] Copy 1
Martin, Theodore. ALS to [Robert Ross]. Relates to Oscar Wilde
1909 Nov. 10
related corr.
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box
Shaw, Bernard. ALS to David J. O'Donoghue. Relates to Oscar Wilde
1889 May 9
related corr.
( 3 p. )
Manuscript box
Stockley, Cynthia. LS, ALS, etc. to James B. Pinker and son.
Relates to Oscar Wilde
1904 - 1932
related corr.
( 10 letters )
Manuscript box (Wilde, O.)
Wilde, Constance (?) Note, in the third person, to Mr. &
Mrs. Felix Moscheles. Invitation from the wife of Oscar Wilde
1887 Apr. 24
related corr.
( 1 p. )
Portraits
+++ (Wilde)
Sarony, Napoleon. Full-length portrait photograph of Oscar Wilde,
matted and framed
1882
portraits
( 1 item )
