Click for accessible search Skip Navigation

Finding Aid for Thornton Wilder collection of papers, 1926-1975 bulk (1926-1967)

Guide to the Thornton Wilder collection of papers, 1926-1975 bulk (1926-1967)

Berg Coll MSS Wilder
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.org
http://nypl.org/research/chss/spe/brg/berg.html
Processed by:
Staff
Date Completed:
2006
Encoded By:
Lynn Lobash and Nina Schneider
Processed and encoded with the generous support of the Gladys Kreible Delmas Foundation.

©2006 The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Descriptive Summary Table of Contents

Title
Thornton Wilder collection of papers, 1926-1975 bulk (1926-1967)
Creator
Wilder, Thornton, 1897-1975.
Call Number
Berg Coll MSS Wilder
Size
84 items.
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 and typescripts, and correspondence.

Administration Information Table of Contents

Source

This is a synthetic collection, created from materials acquired through gift and purchase from various sources.

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 Table of Contents

Thornton Wilder was an American playwright, novelist, and essayist.

Scope and Content Note Table of Contents

This is a synthetic collection consisting of manuscripts and typescripts, and correspondence. The manuscript and typescripts include descriptive copy by the author, as well as drafts of Glenway Westcott's talks with the author. The correspondence, dating from 1926 to 1975, includes letters from the author to Lewis S. Baer, May Sarton, John Collings Squire, Frances Steloff, Glenway Wescott, and others. There are also letters related to the author, dating from 1927 to 1975, between various correspondents including Albert and Chalres Boni, Will Durant, Glenway Wescott, and others, as well as letters to the author from Herbert Mitgang. There are letters to Wilder from the James Joyce Society, Herbert Mitgang, Glenway Wescott, and Louis Untermeyer, dating from 1948 to 1975.

Container List Table of Contents

   
Manuscripts and Typescripts Table of Contents
   
Manuscripts and Typescripts written by Wilder Table of Contents
Cased     
Woman of Andros, The. Holograph comment for dust jacket (?)
n.d.
ms.
( 1 p. )
   
Manuscripts and Typescripts relating to Wilder Table of Contents
Manuscript box. Box 44     
Wescott, Glenway. [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Earlier holograph passages. Collated against chapter 8 of Images of truth. New York, Harper & Row [c. 1962]
1949 Apr. 26 - 1958 Mar. 6
ms.
( 557 p. )
Manuscript box. Box 45     
Wescott, Glenway. [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Later holograph passages. Collated against chapter 8 of Images of truth
1949 May 2 - 1962 Feb. 1
ms.
( 504 p. )

With additional holograph passages in an envelope inscribed by the author. 103 p.

Manuscript box. Boxes 46 & 47     
Wescott, Glenway. [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Holograph and typescript drafts of various passages with the author's ms. corrections.
1948 Apr. 16 - 1962 Jan.
typescripts (emended)
( 495 p. )

Includes 2 ringed binders and 1 v. in loose sheets

Manuscript box. Box 48     
Wescott, Glenway. [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Typescript drafts of various passages with the author's ms. corrections. Collated against chapter 8 of Images of truth
1951 Sept. 10 - 1962 Mar.
typescripts (emended)
( 362 p. )
Manuscript box. Box 49     
Wescott, Glenway. [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Later typescript (carbon, incomplete) with the author's ms. corrections
n.d.
typescripts (emended)
( 130 p. )
Manuscript box. Box 49     
Wescott, Glenway. [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Later typescript (carbon, incomplete) with the author's ms. corrections
n.d.
typescripts (emended)
( 128 p. )
   
Correspondence Table of Contents
   
Outgoing Correspondence Table of Contents
Manuscript box     
Baer, Lewis S. 12 ALS, 5 telegrams, Christmas card to
[n.d.] - 1930
corr. out
( 18 letters in 3 folders )
Manuscript box     
Baker, Ethel. ALS to
1941 Aug. 10
corr. out
( 1 p. )

Came with his letters to May Sarton

Manuscript box     
Ervine, St. John Greer. 2 ALS to
1929 Oct. 13; 1929 Oct. 15
corr. out
( 2 leaves; 1 p. )

With ALS from his sister Isabel Wilder, April 2, 1929. 1 l.

Manuscript box     
Hope, Emily (Blanchard). ALS to
1973 June 23
corr. out
( 1 p. )

With envelope

Manuscript box     
International magazine company. Postcard to Mildred Temple
1928 Oct. 24
corr. out
( 1 card )
Manuscript box     
Marsh, Sir Edward Howard. ALS to
[n.d.]
corr. out
( 2 leaves )
Manuscript box     
Monnier, Adrienne. 3 ALS to. Letter of 1931 addressed also to Sylvia Beach. Letter of 1951 in French
1931 Aug. 21 - [1951? Oct.]
corr. out
( 1 p. each )

With one envelope

Manuscript box     
Richardson, Frederick. ALS to. Mentions Henry Blake Fuller
1929 Dec. 4
corr. out
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box     
Sarton, May. 5 ALS to
1950 Nov. 14 - 1963 Dec. 12
corr. out
( 5 letters in 1 folder )
Manuscript box     
Sarton, May. 2 ALS, 1 ANS, 1 postcard to
1951 Mar. 24 - 1963 Feb. 19
corr. out
( 4 letters in 1 folder )
Manuscript box     
Squire, John Collings. ALS to
1926 Oct. 18
corr. out
( 1 leaf )
Manuscript box (Gotham)     
Steloff, Frances. 4 ALS, 1 telegram, 1 postcard to
1947 July 19 - 1961 Oct. 18
corr. out
( 6 letters in 2 folders )

With 2 TL (carbon) replies. With 4 ALS, 1 TLS from Isabel Wilder

Manuscript box     
Untermeyer, Louis. TL to. Written by Isabel Wilder
1963 Sept. 13
corr. out
( 1 leaf )

Also, TL (carbon) from Louis Untermeyer to Thornton Wilder, Sept. 5, 1962. 1 p.

Manuscript box     
Walpole, [Sir Hugh]. ALS to
1932 Mar. 30
corr. out
( 3 p. )

B.

Manuscript box     
Wescott, Glenway. 3 TL (copies) to. Copied by Glenway Wescott
1948 Apr. 7 - 1948 Sept. 14
corr. out
( 3 p.; 2 p.; 2 p. )

April 7 and May 23 letters removed from: Wescott's [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Holograph and typescript drafts. Vol. 1; Sept. 14 letter removed from the later holograph passages

Manuscript box     
Whitridge, Mrs. Arnold. ALS to
1967 July 5
corr. out
( 1 leaf )
   
Incoming Correspondence Table of Contents
Manuscript box (Gotham). In: Box 4 of James Joyce Society Records, 1947-1967     
James Joyce Society, New York. Letters to Wilder
1951 Dec. 27 - 1962 May 2
in. corr.
( 11 letters )
Manuscript box (Wilder)     
Mitgang, Herbert. Letters to Wilder
1967 - 1975
in. corr.
( 1 folder )

With replies and articles contributed to the New York Times

Manuscript box     
Untermeyer, Louis. TL (carbon) to Wilder
1962 Sept. 5
in. corr.
( 1 p. )

With Wilder, Thornton. TL to Louis Untermeyer. Sept. 13, 1963. 1 leaf

Manuscript box     
Wescott, Glenway. ALS, 4 AL (draft, incomplete), TL (draft, carbon) to Wilder
1948 Apr. 11 - 1954 Jan. 6
in. corr.
( 6 letters in 2 folders )
   
Related Correspondence Table of Contents
Manuscript box (Wilder)     
Durant, Will. TLS to Albert and Charles Boni. Relates to Thornton Wilder's The bridge of San Luis Rey
[1928] Mar. 16
related corr.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box (Wescott)     
Harper & Bros., New York. TL to Glenway Wescott
1957 Apr. 24
related corr.
( 1 p. )

Signed Simon Michael Bessie. Removed from Wescott's [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Typescript drafts of various passages

Manuscript box (Patchen)     
Kenneth Patchen Fund, New York. 1 TL (circular)
n.d.
related corr.
( 1 p. )

Signed W. H. Auden, T. S. Eliot, Archibald MacLeish, and Thornton Wilder

Manuscript box (Wilder)     
Mitgang, Herbert. Letters to Thornton Wilder
1967 - 1975
in. corr.
( 1 folder )

With replies and articles contributed to The New York Times

Manuscript box (Wilder)     
Parrish, Anne. TLS to Albert and Charles Boni. Relates to Thornton Wilder's The bridge of San Luis Rey
1928 Jan. 21
related corr.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box (Wilder)     
Phelps, William Lyon. TL (copy) to [Albert and Charles Boni] Relates to Thornton Wilder's The bridge of San Luis Rey
1927 Nov. 30
related corr.
( 1 p. )

With autograph pasted on

Manuscript box (Wilder)     
Strode, Hudson. TLS to Albert and Charles Boni. Relates to Thornton Wilder's The bridge of San Luis Rey
1928 Mar. 4
related corr.
( 1 p. )
Manuscript box     
Wescott, Glenway. TL (photostat) to Bernard Stone-Blossom
1949 Apr. 29
related corr.
( 3 p. )

Removed from his [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Holograph and typescript drafts. Vol. 1

Manuscript box     
Wescott, Glenway. TL (carbon) to Isobel [Wilder] Stone-Blossom
1957 Aug. 20
related corr.
( 1 p. )

Removed from his [Images of truth. Talks with Thornton Wilder]. Holograph and typescript drafts. Vol. 1

Chat with a librarian now