Museum and library in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The
Rosenbach
is a
Philadelphia
museum and library located within two 19th-century townhouses. Established as a testamentary gift in 1954.
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The historic houses contain the donated collections of Philip Rosenbach and his younger brother
Dr. Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach
.
The brothers owned the Rosenbach Company, which was a prominent dealer of
rare books
,
manuscripts
and decorative arts during the first half of the 20th century. Dr. Rosenbach in particular was seminal in the rare book world, helping to build libraries such as the
Widener Library
at
Harvard
, The
Huntington Library
and the
Folger Shakespeare Library
. In 2013, the Rosenbach became a subsidiary of the
Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation
, but maintains its own board and operates independently of the public library system.
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State historical marker
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Rosenbach State Historical Marker
On April 2, 2008, the Rosenbach received an official State Historical Marker by the
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
in recognition of the lasting contributions of museum co-founder, Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach. The commission commemorated Dr. Rosenbach's legacy as one of America's greatest rare book dealers and his lasting contributions to Philadelphia and beyond with a marker in front of the museum, located at 2008-2010
Delancey Place
in the city's historic
Rittenhouse Square
neighborhood. The sign reads:
"Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach (1876?1952) Among America's most influential rare book dealers, he helped build many of the nation's great libraries. He and his brother Philip established the Rosenbach to share their personal collection with the public. They lived on this block from 1926 to 1952."
Decorative arts collections
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The greater part of the house is furnished much as the Rosenbach brothers lived in it. The furniture is mainly 18th-century English with notable examples of the work of
Chippendale
, Vile, Adam,
Hepplewhite
and
Sheraton
. Other important pieces include an olivewood box with bronze dore mounts made for
Charles II
, an American recamier sofa with carving attributed to
Samuel McIntire
and a major Philadelphia
highboy
. A comprehensive collection of English silver and gold from the 17th and mid-18th centuries includes masterworks by
Paul Storr
,
Hester Bateman
and a choice group of items made for the British royal family. Over one thousand portrait miniatures are included in the collection, including one by
Nicholas Hilliard
of
James I
. Choice collections of 18th century porcelain, glass, paintings, drawings and sculpture are drawn upon to complete the furnishings.
The adjacent building, 2008 Delancey Place, was purchased by the foundation in January 1993 and allowed the museum to expand its facilities and exhibition space.
Rare books and manuscripts from the Americana Collection
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The Americana collection begins with accounts of early voyages and tales of exploration, which includes a copy of
Antonio Pigafetta
's account of
Ferdinand Magellan
's circumnavigation of the globe and rare tracts relating to the settlement of
Virginia
. The books are complemented, as is every other aspect of the collection, by manuscript material. This includes letters of
Cortes
,
Pizarro
and
de Soto
, including the 1532 letters of Cortes to the Council of the Indies seeking permission to form an expedition to explore the coast of
California
. The period of colonial settlement is well represented by early accounts and important religious tracts, particularly those relating to the various missions of the Indians, as well as a collection of
Indian Captivity Tales
.
The first three extant books printed in the western hemisphere are present in the Rosenbach's collections?Mexico 1543?44, Lima 1584?85, and the legendary
Bay Psalm Book
, the first book printed in what is now the United States (
Cambridge, Massachusetts
1661).
The
American Revolution
is documented with over one hundred letters written by
George Washington
, the original manuscript resolution of the
Continental Congress
, a superb collection of documents by signers of the
Declaration of Independence
, Commodore Barry's ship papers, which outline the beginnings of the American navy, and a set of
Franklin
's
Poor Richard's Almanacks
, including the only known surviving copy of the 1733 first edition, first printing.
The period of western expansion is represented by early diaries and traveler's accounts, printed pocket guides and histories. Of particular importance is the material dealing with the Pacific Northwest, including diaries of the
Oregon
pioneers and the document signed by
Andrew Johnson
authorizing
Seward
to negotiate for the purchase of
Alaska
.
Material from the
Civil War
is extensive. It consists of more than two hundred letters of
Abraham Lincoln
, one hundred and fifty war letters of
Ulysses S. Grant
, two of
Robert E. Lee
's letters and the original Resolution signed by both houses of the
United States Congress
proposing the
Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution
, which abolished slavery.
Irish, British and American literature
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Chronologically this collection begins with a fine group of English literary manuscripts from the 15th century including
Thomas Hoccleve
's poems (1410) which contain a celebrated portrait of
Chaucer
. There is a major manuscript of the
Canterbury Tales
and a noble fragment of another illustrated version. A small and equally choice collection of books of the pre-Elizabethan and Elizabethan period is complemented by a collection of
commonplace books
. There is an extremely rare first edition of
Pilgrim's Progress
which was first owned by one of Bunyan's acquaintances from debtors' prison.
The majority of major British authors from the 18th century are represented by first editions of their more important works, and many of them by manuscript material as well. Some highlights are;
Tonson
's assignment copy of
Milton's
Paradise Lost
, a group of
Thomas Gray
's letters, five leaves of the manuscript of
James Boswell
's
Life of Johnson
and the most extensive collection of
Robert Burns
manuscripts in existence.
As you enter into the 19th and 20th centuries the collection strengthens. There are manuscripts of
Walter Scott
,
William Wordsworth
,
Charles Lamb
,
Shelley
and
Keats
(including a celebrated love letter to Fanny Brawne) and the only surviving fragment of Fitzgerald's
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
. The Rosenbach also has a supreme
Dickens
collection extending from the earliest extant manuscript to a carte-de-viste photo signed on the day before his death. The collection also includes Dickens' manuscripts of
Nicholas Nickleby
and the
Pickwick Papers
.
Lewis Carroll
is represented by over six hundred letters, early drawings, presentation books, photographs and his own first-edition copy of
Alice in Wonderland
. Other manuscripts include the work of
Oscar Wilde
,
Aubrey Beardsley
,
Arthur Conan Doyle
,
Joseph Conrad
and
Dylan Thomas
.
Recreation of Marianne Moore's living room at Rosenbach.
One of the museum's most valuable items is the handwritten
manuscript
of
James Joyce
's
Ulysses
.
In honor of the work, the museum hosts a
Bloomsday
celebration every year, including readings from excerpts of the book.
Also included at the Rosenbach is recreation of
Marianne Moore
's living room just as she lived in it. It was in this room that she lived and worked for more than forty years. Moore's complete library, with many personally inscribed and annotated books from her friends and contemporaries including Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot and Elizabeth Bishop, is part of the Rosenbach collections as well as all of her correspondence and drafts of her poetry and unpublished memoirs.
Maurice Sendak Collection
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Famed author and illustrator
Maurice Sendak
chose the Rosenbach to be the repository for his work in 1968-2014 thanks to shared literary and collecting interests. Sendak is the author and illustrator of
Where the Wild Things Are
and 108 other books. His collection of nearly 10,000 works of art, manuscripts, books and ephemera, has been the subject of many exhibitions at the Rosenbach and has been enjoyed by visitors of all ages. One of the most famous creators of contemporary children's books, Sendak's work has challenged the norms of children's literature over time and continues to entrance both children and adults to this day. His innovative techniques and honest portrayal of childhood emotion are celebrated worldwide and have earned him several prestigious honors, including the Caldecott Book Medal (1964), the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal (1970), the National Medal of Arts (1996), a Library of Congress "Living Legend" medal (2000), and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature (2003). The Rosenbach presented
There's a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak
from May 6, 2008 through May 3, 2009. This major retrospective of over 130 pieces pulled from the museum's vast Sendak collection ? the biggest collection of "Sendakiana" in the world ? was the largest and most ambitious exhibition of Sendak's work ever created and featured original artwork, rare sketches, never-before-seen working materials and exclusive interview footage. The exhibition drew on a total of over 300 objects, with new works on display every four months, providing a unique experience with each set of illustrations.
His personal works were returned to his estate in 2014 and are now in the care of the Sendak Foundation. The Rosenbach is home to his rare book collection, which includes rare books by Herman Melville, Beatrix Potter, William Blake, and pop-up books by Lothar Meggendorfer.
Book illustration
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The archive of book illustration contains many fine medieval illuminations and drawings by the great 18th-century French masters such as
Francois Boucher
,
Jean-Honore Fragonard
,
Jean-Baptiste Le Prince
and
Hubert Gravelot
.
See also
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References
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External links
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39°56′51″N
75°10′30″W
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39.9474°N 75.1751°W
/
39.9474; -75.1751
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