The Mosher Press > Mosher Press Collections & Exhibitions > The Bishop Collection > Mosher Manuscripts > Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

    1. “Standard Diary and Daily Reminder–1901.” Includes Mosher’s notes on who was visited (publishers, bookstores, authors, etc.) in London, Oxford, and environs, while traveling in Great Britain during April 1901. Also includes some notes on books to publish.
    2. “Standard Diary and Daily Reminder–1906.” Mosher’s notes during a cross-country tour to California from March 15-June 10, 1906 with his son and wife. Of special interest notes recording his experience with the San Francisco Earthquake on April 18 (the Moshers were in San Jose at the time). Also sporadic notes including a proposed “Breviary Series,” books to be brought out within other series, and names and addresses of people to see in New York City. A few addresses also appear at the rear.
    3. “A Bibliography of Edward FitzGerald’s Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, 1859-1903.” Bound copy of a 40-page printer’s dummy with Mosher’s instructions, corrections, and annotations surrounding printed sheets from the bibliography of the Rubáiyát appearing in the Old World Series. This mock-up provided the basis for the privately printed bibliography Mosher was to print four years later in 1907.
    4. “Songs of Adieu: A Little Book of ‘Finalé and Farewell.’ ” (1893). Mock-up of Mosher’s first anthology and first book meant to be part of a series, completely in his holograph. Twenty-one manuscript leaves with a printed proof of the title page.
    5. Edward Clodd’s Concerning a Pilgrimage to the Grave of Edward FitzGerald (Mosher, 1902), copy # 11 of 50 on Japan vellum with presentation inscription to the author: “To Edward Clodd Esq: with the regards of his friend from the USA, Thomas B Mosher  November 12, 1902.” Enclosed with this author’s copy are several pieces of correspondence: an April 12, 1908 ANS card note from Dole(?) A Hudson to Clodd;  an April 16, 1908, 3 pp. ALS from the same Dole(?) A Hudson to Clodd mentioning that “Mosher may be, and is, a Pirate, but he is an Artist too. And you are a Poet!”;  a 2 1/2 page ALS dated “21-3-22″(?)  from G. H. Tansley to Clodd; an undated partial 2 pp ALS from John Glyde to Clodd; and a “DT June 27  28” otherwise undated newspaper clipping entitled “FitzGerald Land–A Little Pilgrimage to Suffolk.”
    6. (Sheean Manuscript of Mosher’s Library) This is the only known and nearly complete record of Mosher’s personal library at his Portland home. Probably recorded around 1930, there are five, undated legal-sized ledger volumes in Oliver Sheean’s hand totaling 132 pages with about forty-two book entries per page. Each multi-volume set of books is treated as one line entry, the same space allotted to each individual title. Sheean was a long-time assistant at The Mosher Press after Mosher died in 1923.
    7. (Research for Mosher bibliography) Three linear feet of files plus two large boxes containing all the the research notes and materials gathered relative to the Mosher bibliography: Thomas Bird Mosher–Pirate Prince of Publishers (Oak Knoll Press & The British Library, 1998).
    8. D. G. Rossetti’s Ballads & Sonnets (Portland, ME: Mosher, 1903–Quarto Series). One of 25 copies printed on Japan vellum, numbered and signed by the publisher. This is No. 10 ” followed by the signature of Thomas Mosher. A gift  inscription at the front reads “To Theodore Watts Dunton Esq with the regards and best wishes of Thomas Mosher   Oct 27, 1903.” Mosher’s presentation of this book to the poet, novelist, steady contributor to the British publications, The Examiner and The Athenaeum, and final guardian and close friend to both Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) and later to Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909), makes this copy speak volumes. The real excitement –an excitement only a ardent bibliophile or scholar can appreciate– comes with the fact that not only was this book reprinted by Mosher with numerous additions taking the Rossetti corpus up to the fullest extent when combined with Mosher’s companion volume reprint of Rossetti’s Poems just the year before and which contained Watt-Dunton’s poem on Rossetti, but also because (1) Mosher reprinted Rossetti’s original dedication “To Theodore Watts [later Watts-Dunton], the friend whom my verse won for me, these few more pages are affectionately inscribed” and (2) because Mosher used this presentation volume  as a Trojan Horse to deliver a critical message to Watts-Dunton himself !Mosher’s writes in his Preface to this book (bold emphasis and bracketed notes mine–PRB):

      With the completion of Ballads and Sonnets our editorial labours in connexion with the poetical works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti come to an end. The main object of giving the American reader an untampered text in Rossetti’s original order of publication and “in a format commensurate with his rank and dignity as a poet,” thus stands accomplished. A few additional poems brought together from various sources since 1881 by his brother and editor, Mr. W. M. Rossetti, are properly placed at the close of the present volume. (1) [and now for the rub]

      There are in existence, however, certain desiderata which might well have found place here had that been possible. “One of these is a grotesque ballad about a Dutchman, begun at a very early date, and finished in his last illness. The other is a brace of sonnets, interesting in subject and as being the last thing that he wrote. These works were presented as a gift of love and gratitude to a friend [guess who?], with whom it remains for publishing at his own discretion.” Further light is thrown upon the subject by Mr. Theodore Watts-Dunton in an article entitled Rossetti’s Unpublished Poems.(2) Therein a promise was made: “Time… is the suzerain before whom every king, even Sorrow himself, bows at last. The rights of Rossetti’s admirers can no longer be set at nought, and I am making arrangements to publish within the present year Jan Van Hunks and the ‘Sphinx Sonnets,’ the former of which will show a new and, I think, an unexpected side of Rossetti’s genius.” Seven years have elapsed since this was written but these “rights” unhappily remain unsatisfied!…

      [intervening paragraphs omitted–PRB]

      One would indeed rejoice to know that an authoritative biography of Rossetti was set down for publication in the immediate future. For this boon we may have some few years more to wait. Nevertheless it is tolerably certain that the friend to whom “he unlocked the most sacred secrets of his heart” will, when the time has arrived for him to speak, take the world into his confidence. In that day we shall possess a picture of the poet-painter as he appeared to one who loved him very dearly, limned in language enduring truth, for all time present and to come.

      (1) [footnote omitted here–PRB]
      (2) Contributed to The Athenaeum for May 23, 1896. See also a letter of great interest in The Spectator for April 25, 1896 upon which we base our closing paragraph.
      (3) [footnote omitted here–PRB]
      — from Ballads & Sonnets (Mosher, 1903), pp.xvii-xx

      As one can see from the above quotes, Mosher was criticizing Watts-Dunton for not following through with his seven year old promise, and exhorting him to reconsider and finally have these remaining poems published. One can sense Mosher’s exasperation in not having access to Rossetti’s final poetry, and that he should choose to send Watts-Dunton an inscribed with “best wishes” copy of the very book containing his critical remarks of Watts-Dunton is amazing. I have no further evidence as to what Watts-dunton thought of this presentation, especially after reading the Preface, but it certainly couldn’t have been too kindly. I have not further researched to know if the missing two Rossetti pieces were ever published in Theodore Watts-Dunton’s or Mosher’s lifetime. If any Rossetti scholar knows the answer to this, please do contact me at [email protected].

    9. Bishop / Strouse correspondence from May 19, 1988 to December 1992, including Bishop to Monihan letter of Jan. 24, 1993.
    10. Bishop to Srouse family, and to Pat Beresford (Norman Strouse’s daughter), January 24-August 1993 & January 1999.
    11. Correspondence surrounding Strouse’s 1967 Mosher exhibition at The Free Library of Philadelphia, and other Strouse correspondence.
    12. Norman Strouse publications (small items): “How to Build a Poor Man’s Morgan Library,” Mosher Press Exhibition Checklist, “Apologia for Collecting,” and “A Collector’s Decabiblon.”
    13. Miscellaneous biographical articles on Norman H. Strouse.
    14. Booklets, Programs, Keepsakes, etc., including: “C. H. O. Daniel vs. Thomas Bird Mosher— A Letter from F. Madan to R. W. Rogers;” invitation to Temple Exhibit of Mosher Press, 1992; invitation to Pittsburgh Bibliophiles talk of March 17, 1994; “B.R. on T.B.M.” – Philobiblon Club keepsake, May 9, 2000; Typophiles luncheon announcement; “B.R. on T.B.M.” – Typophiles keepsake, May 24, 2000; A BR Quartet—Letters from BR to TBM at the Houghton Library (regular); A BR Quartet—Letters from BR to TBM at the Houghton Library (deluxe); prospectus on New Mosher Bibliography; offprint of The Book Collector review with card from Robin de Beaumont, the reviewer.
    15. Booklets, Programs, Keepsakes, etc., including:  Arts & Crafts Press anchor & dolphin card stationery; “W. Irving Way—An Autobiographical Fragment;” University of San Francisco postcard announcement of Mosher exhibit; Kalamazoo College exhibition announcement; “Distinguished Reading” booklet; “Adventures into Realms of Distinguished Reading” booklet; Maine Library Bulletin, January 1927, with article on Mosher; My Journal, January 1908 with Mosher ad; “Few, But Roses” exhibition checklist, Trinity College; “The Private Press” exhibition booklet of Trovillion Press; September 13, 1999 AB Bookman review of new Mosher bibliography; “Silvia Rennie – Designer Bindings” booklet; “Gift Books” catalogue from Edmund D. Brooks in Minneapolis; four Omar Khayyám Club of America signed Menus showing Mosher in attendance.
    16. Mosher Ads / Articles in Contemporaneous Publications:  The Philistine, July 1895; The Philistine, September 1896; Mosher catalogue printed under name of “The White House” in San Francisco; Bibelot ad in The Lotus, January 15, 1896; Bibelot ad in The Honey Jar, January 15, 1900; Mosher ad from The Cornhill Booklet; Mosher ad in The Caxton, March 1910; Loring & Mussey ad announcing trade distribution rights for the Mosher Books; Mosher’s bookplate described in The Honey Jar, Nov. 15, 1899; notice of Mosher’s death in The Biblio, October 1923; notice of Mosher’s death in The Publisher’s Weekly, Sept 8, 1923; Mosher ad in The Sketch Book, June 1904.
    17. Miscellaneous Booklets & Other Material, including: “Printed on Vellum” catalogue from Thomas G. Boss; prospectus for the Hatch Check Listand notice of Benton Hatch’s death; Bishop article on Mosher in BIBLIO, July 1997.
    18. Binder on William F. Gable, Francis O’Brien, and E.S. Willard, including:  “The Tale of a Friendship” [with Wm. F. Gable] by H. Luther Frees ; “Collecting Books and Autographs” by Gable; original printed etching of Gable’s portrait appearing in the aforementioned; original printed etching of Gable’s handwriting appearing in the aforementioned; picture of Francis O’Brien and his note on his envelope; two letters from Francis O’Brien to Bishop; book entitled F.M. O’Brien—Antiquarian Bookseller; miscellaneous research on E. S. Willard who owned various Mosher books on vellum, some now in the Bishop Collection; pictures of the unveiling of the commemorative Mosher plaque at Exchange Street in Portland, Maine.
    19. Miscellaneous Primary Material:  write-ups for a Mosher Book catalogue in Mosher’s handwriting; John Emerson & wife photos (Mosher’s tutor in Boston); classmate Mary Gould note on Ellie Dresser (Mosher’s first wife); Biddeford graduation account; Leopold Lobsitz Memorial (Mosher’s early, close friend prior to his publishing days); June 30, 1871 Biddeford High School program listing Ellie S. Dresser as member of the graduating class and as presenter of the essay “Woman’s Mission”; copy of David Turner’s slide show talk on Mosher given to the Baxter Society of Portland, Maine.