A curated selection of historical documents that offers insight into the literature, culture, and politics of an age
The turn of the twentieth century ushered in enormous social and political change. In England, the Victorian era gave way to the Edwardian, and in the U.S., President McKinley’s assassination catapulted a more progressive Theodore Roosevelt into the presidency. Modernism emerged in art, literature, music, and film, and in the broader culture, the Roaring 20s were bookended by the Great War and the Great Depression.
This selection of historical documents focuses on the literary, cultural, and political landscape of that era. Chosen by Raab’s Rebecca Barry, whose most recent book is a biography of Carolyn Wells, an author and collector who rose to fame in the early 20th century, this curation reflects her scholarly interests. Below are some highlights.
“This 1903 letter is significant for a couple of reasons. One, it is one of the many letters Roosevelt wrote to his friend, the famous nature writer John Burroughs, so there’s a neat literary association. Two, it shows the president in the process of reflecting on important ecological subjects–in this case, wildlife–and reaching out to someone he felt might be able to offer insight. Roosevelt has long been regarded as the first ‘environmental president,’ and this letter demonstrates that interest.”
“For someone like me, with a deep interest in women’s history and literary history, this letter is appealing because it brings together both elements. Written by Susan B. Anthony, who played such a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement in the U.S. and who is writing here specifically about her books, the letter touches upon both important facets of her life and also reveals something about her personality in that wonderful phrase: ‘My skirts are clear.’”
“I have always found the stories about the famed camping trips of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, John Burroughs, and Harvey Firestone–aka the “Vagabonds”–to be particularly fascinating, even if they were part nature foray, part publicity stunt. This limited edition book published to commemorate their 1916 trip and signed by three of them, is an object that truly evokes that earlier, and, in some ways, gentler time in American history.”
“As a collector myself, I am always interested in letters that touch upon the collecting of books and autographs. In this case, even more so, considering this 1920 letter was written by the novelist and book collector Christopher Morley–whose novels, “Parnassus on Wheels” and “The Haunted Bookshop” are much beloved by bibliophiles everywhere, including me. Morley writes here to someone seeking his autograph with grace and humor.”
“What is so special about this document is not only that it is signed by the author and Nobel Prize in Literature winner John Steinbeck, but that it relates to his most famous and award-winning book, “The Grapes of Wrath,” and the equally famous and award-winning movie based on it. This contract is unique, but more to the point, it captures on paper a powerful moment in American history and culture.”
This specialist’s selection was created using Search & Curate, Raab’s refined search experience where collectors can filter their results by signer, date, price, category, and more, and then email the curation to themselves to peruse at a later date. Click here to learn more about Search & Curate.
