]> BRGISHER Guide to the Christopher Isherwood collection of papers, 1926-1975 Processed by Staff; Machine-readable finding aid created by Lynn Lobash and Nina Schneider.

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

 Machine readable finding aid created 2006. Description is in English Berg Coll MSS IsherwoodGuide to the Christopher Isherwood collection of papers, 1926-1975 The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature. The New York Public LibraryNew York, New York Staff 2006 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.

 Descriptive Summary Christopher Isherwood collection of papers, 1926-1975 Isherwood, Christopher, 1904- Berg Coll MSS Isherwood75 items The New York Public Library. The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.
New York, New York
 This is a synthetic collection consisting of manuscripts and typescripts, correspondence, and portraits. Subjects Personal Names Auden, W. H. (Wystan Hugh), 1907-1973. Griffin, Howard, 1915-1975. Stern, James, 1904- Keynes, John Maynard, 1883-1946. Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976. Doone, Rupert, 1903-1966. Kazin, Alfred, 1915- Mangeot, Olive. Mayer, Elizabeth. Moffett, Judith, 1942- Wescott, Glenway, 1901- Mitgang, Herbert. Newton, Caroline, 1893- former owner. Organizations Group Theatre (U.S.), former owner. Subjects Isherwood, Christopher, 1904- Isherwood, Christopher, 1904- -- Portraits. Document Types Correspondence Administration Information Source

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

 Custodial History

Some material was previously owned by Caroline Newton and the Group Theatre Archive.

 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

Christopher Isherwood was a British expatriate who emigrated to America in 1939. He authored novels, plays, screenplays, expositions, and translations of the Vedanta.

 Scope and Content Note

This is a synthetic collection consisting of manuscripts and typescripts, correspondence, and portraits. The manuscripts and typescripts consist of plays written with W. H. Auden, articles by Howard Griffin and James Stern about Isherwood, and reviews by John Maynard Keynes. Also present is correspondence, dating from 1926 to 1975, from the author to Benjamin Britten, Rupert Doone, Howard Griffin, Alfred Kazin, Olive Mangeot, Elizabeth Mayer, Judith Moffett, and Glenway Wescott, as well as letters from Herbet Mitgang to Isherwood, dating from 1967 to 1975. There are letters to Isherwood from W. H. Auden, Chester Kallman, Herbert Mitgang, D. A. Parry, and Glenway Wescott, dating from 1939 to 1975.

 Container List Manuscripts and Typescripts Manuscripts and Typescripts with contributions by Isherwood Cased Auden, W. H. and Christopher Isherwood. The ascent of F6. A tragedy in two acts. Typescript revisions with ms. correction by Auden. Dated "Marshall's typing and translation service, April 28, 1936" 1936 Apr. 28 typescripts (emended) 29 p.

With 1 TLS (photocopy) from Edward Mendelson to P. G. Phillips, April 13, 1985. 1 p.

Cased Auden, W. H. and Christopher Isherwood. The ascent of F6. A tragedy in two acts. Typescript with Isherwood's ms. corrections n.d. typescripts (emended) 85 p.

With Robert Medley's ms. note: "Presumably pre publication copy found amongst Rupert Doone's papers."; Published, London: Faber, 1936. Came with the Group theatre archive

Cased Auden, W. H. The chase: a play in three acts. Holograph n.d. ms. 121 p.

Signed. With 4 pages in Isherwood's hand and part of manila cover

Oversize (+) Auden, W. H. and Christopher Isherwood. The dog beneath the skin or Where is Francis? A play in three acts. Typescript with ms. corrections and stage directions in unidentified hands. Prompt copy n.d. typescripts (emended) 108 p.

Published, London: Faber, 1935. Came with the Group theatre archive

Oversize (+) Auden, W. H. and Christopher Isherwood. The dog beneath the skin or Where is Francis? A play in three acts. Holograph insertions and re-writes by Auden n.d. ms. 36 p.

Came with the Group theatre archive

Manuscript box Auden, W. H. and Christopher Isherwood. The enemies of a bishop, or, Die when I say when: a morality in four acts. Typescript (carbon) with Christopher Isherwood's ms. corrections n.d. typescripts (emended) 79 p.

With original wrapper

Cased Auden, W. H. Poems [1928] Typescript (carbon) of 10 poems with the author's, Christopher Isherwood's, and Stephen Spender's ms. corrections n.d. typescripts (emended) 7 p.

Caroline Newton bookplate

In his: Poems [1928] Auden, W. H. ["We saw in spring."] Holograph transcript by Christopher Isherwood of poem n.d. ms. 1 p. Manuscripts and Typescripts relating to Isherwood Manuscript box (Isherwood) Griffin, Howard. [A portrait of a novelist] Holograph and typescript drafts (incomplete) of article with the author's ms. corrections. A conversation with C. Isherwood 1957 Oct. 11 ms. (emended) 29 p. Manuscript box (Isherwood) Griffin, Howard. [A portrait of a novelist] Typescript draft of article with the author's ms. corrections n.d. typescripts (emended) 15 p.

Signed

Oversize (+) Spender, Stephen. [Fable and reportage] Left review article. Holograph draft. Review of The ascent of F6 by W. H. Auden and C. Isherwood, and Auden's Look, stranger! n.d. ms. 7 p.

In volume with his: [The destructive element. TS Eliot in his criticism] Holograph draft. Pages [2-8] at end. Published in The Left Review, v. 2, no. 14, Nov. 1936, p. [779]-782

Manuscript box (Gotham) In: Gotham book mart, New York. We moderns. Folder 68 Stern, James. [Christopher Isherwood] Typescript of contribution to We Moderns. Included in his TLS to Frances Steloff, Oct. 10, 1939 n.d. typescripts 1 p.

Published in Gotham Book Mart catalog no. 42, New York, 1940

Correspondence Outgoing Correspondence Manuscript box Britten, Benjamin. 2 TLS (photocopy), 1 postcard to [1940] Mar. 18 - [1942] Feb. 18 corr. out 3 letters Manuscript box Doone, Rupert, 2 ALS to. Letter of Sept. 1 [ca. 1937] mentions W. H. Auden, Rosamund Lehmann, John Maynard Keynes and Stephen Spender [ca. 1937]; [1950] corr. out 1 leaf; 1 p.

Came with the Group theatre archive

Manuscript box Griffin, Howard. 2 ALS, 1 TLS, 3 postcards to [1952] Jan. 6 - [1957] Jan. 26 corr. out 6 letters Manuscript box Griffin, Howard. TLS to [n.y.] Sept. 14 corr. out 1 p. Manuscript box Kazin, Alfred. ALS to [1946] Feb. 21 corr. out 1 p. Manuscript box Mangeot, Olive ("Mop"). 4 ALS, 5 TLS, 9 postcards to 1926 Aug. 11 - [1945] Dec. 29 corr. out 18 letters Manuscript box Mayer, Elizabeth. 1 ALS, 1 TLS, 1 telegram to [1941] Dec. 31 - [1942] Apr. 23 corr. out 1 p. each Manuscript box Moffett, Judith. ALS to. Relates to James Merrill 1975 Jan. 14 corr. out 1 leaf Manuscript box. In: Wescott, Glenway. 37 ALS, 4 ANS, 7 TLS to William Maxwell. May 1, 1957-Sept. 24, 1976. Folders 9 and 10 Wescott, Glenway. 1 TLS (copy), 1 ALS (copy) to 1970 Nov. 19; 1971 Mar. 2 corr. out 2 letters Incoming Correspondence Manuscript box Auden, Wystan Hugh. AL (incomplete) to Christopher [Isherwood] 1944 Aug. 30 in. corr. 1 p. In Auden's: Poems [1928] Auden, Wystan Hugh. ALS to Stephen Spender, Christopher Isherwood, and Walter [n.d.] in. corr. 1 p. Manuscript box Kallman, Chester. ALS to Christopher [Isherwood] 1939 May 5 in. corr. 1 p. Manuscript box (Isherwood) Mitgang, Herbert. Letters to Christopher Isherwood 1967 - 1975 in. corr. 1 folder

With replies and articles contributed to the New York Times

Manuscript box. In: Wescott, Glenway. 37 ALS, 4 ANS, 7 TLS to William Maxwell. May 1, 1957-Sept. 24, 1976. Folder 10 Parry, D. A. ALS (copy), TLS to Isherwood 1971 Feb.1; 1971 Feb. 28 in. corr. 2 p.; 1 p. Manuscript box. In: Wescott, Glenway. 37 ALS, 4 ANS, 7 TLS to William Maxwell. May 1, 1957-Sept. 24, 1976. Folder 10 Wescott, Glenway. ALS (copy) to Isherwood 1971 Mar. 9 in. corr. 5 p. Related Correspondence Manuscript box [On the frontier] Keynes, John Maynard. 2 TLS to Rupert Doone. Relate to On the frontier by W. H. Auden and C. Isherwood 1937 Nov. 14; 1938 July 30 related corr. 2 p. each

Letter of Nov. 14, 1937 encloses: On the frontier. Memorandum of agreement. Typescript (carbon), undated. 3 p.; Came with Group theatre archive

Portraits Manuscript box Photograph of Christopher Isherwood. 20 x 13 cm. n.d. portraits 1 item Cased Auden, W. H. Album of photographs. Contains photographs of Auden, Louis MacNeice, C. Isherwood, George Augustus Auden, Constance R. Auden, Erika Mann, John Mapson, etc. 1933 Mar. - 1936 June 9 portraits 1 v. Manuscript box. Folder 11 Auden, W. H. Photograph of W. H. Auden, Stephen Spender, and C. Isherwood on Fire Island, 1947. 12 x 15 cm. 1947 portraits 1 item Manuscript box Auden, W. H. Photographs (11) of W. H. Auden, Chester Kallman, C. Isherwood, and Caroline Newton. Six inscribed on verso by Caroline Newton and dated 1940 1940 portraits 11 items

Inscribed photographs came with Auden's 36 ALS, etc. to Caroline Newton

Manuscript box (Auden) Bramall, Eric. Photograph of W. H. Auden and C. Isherwood at Bryanston School. 12 x 16 cm. [ca. 1937] portraits 1 item