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Bliss, Carey S. and Leslie E. Bliss papers
HIA 34.35
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Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Carey S. Bliss and Leslie E. Bliss papers
Creator:
Bliss, Carey S.
Identifier/Call Number: HIA 34.35
Physical Description:
4.63 Linear Feet
(10 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1893-1986
Date (bulk): 1903-1986
Abstract: The collection contains the papers of
Leslie and Carey Bliss.
Language of Material: The records are in English and
German.
Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader
Services Department. For more information, please go to following
web site .
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item], Carey S. Bliss and Leslie E. Bliss papers, The Huntington
Library, San Marino, California.
Leslie Bliss was born in 1889 and died in 1977. He was a graduate of Colgate University and
the New York State Library School and began working for the Huntington Library as an
assistant in 1915. In 1926, he was appointed head librarian of the Huntington Library which
he held until his retirement in 1958, although he remained with the Huntington Library as a
consultant. He earned an honorary degree from Colgate University in 1961. While serving as
librarian and continuing during his retirement, Leslie Bliss worked with Juanita Brooks to
expand the Huntington Library's collection of early Mormon books and manuscripts.
Carey Bliss, the son of Leslie Bliss, was born in 1914 and died in 1994. He earned a
degree from Pomona College in 1936 and began working as an assistant curator under Robert O.
Schad in 1937. Carey Bliss served as the curator of rare books at the Huntington Library
until his retirement in 1982. He was an expert on the history of printing and had an
interest in camellia cultivation. Carey Bliss was a longstanding member of the Rounce and
Coffin Club, beginning in the 1940s, and served as the librarian for the Zamorano Club.
The Carey Bliss files comprise the bulk of the collection. The articles and research files
contain work created by Carey Bliss while he was a student at Pomona College and while he
was a curator at the Huntington library. The correspondence covers his work as a curator,
including a single thank you letter from Richard Nixon for the repair of the Nixon's family
bible. The lecture files contain notes for a course that Carey Bliss taught at the
University of Southern California on the history of books and printing. These notes include
a sheet of papyrus in the folder for lectures three and four. The Rounce & Coffin Club
files pertain to Carey Bliss's longstanding membership. The files contain meeting
invitations and information on exhibitions prepared by the club, including the annual
Western Books Exhibition.
The majority of the Leslie Bliss files are correspondence written while Leslie Bliss
served as the librarian of the Huntington Library. The Zamorano files contain correspondence
to and from Leslie Bliss about books and exhibitions at the Huntington library that were
considered relevant to the bibliophilic club's interest. These correspondences also contain
information about Leslie Bliss's membership to the club, including letters about his
election as an honorary member of the Zamorano's board of governors in 1953.
The miscellaneous files contain items that possess uncertain attribution, are attributed
other people, or are equally related to Carey and Leslie Bliss. These files contain
correspondence from Jacob Bliss who is presumed to be a relative of Leslie and Carey Bliss.
The correspondence between Robert O. Schad and Joseph D. Cone is dated during the time
Robert O. Schad was the curator of rare books and Carey Bliss was the assistant curator. The
correspondence from Will Bradley contains autobiographical information that is related to an
exhibition of his work at the Huntington Library in the 1950s. This exhibition was prepared
by Carey Bliss. Amelia Baker's nametag dates to when she worked at Caltech's GALCIT wind
tunnel and before her marriage to Carey Bliss.
The Leslie E. Bliss and Upton Sinclair material deals primarily with the possible
acquisition of the Sinclair library and archive by the Huntington Library. The material
includes correspondence with Upton Sinclair, his wife Mary Craig Sinclair, Huntington
Library Staff, and other Librarians; it also includes essays and printed material by Upton
Sinclair. The Upton Sinclair library and archive were ultimately acquired by the Lilly
Library, Indiana University.
The collection is divided into three series. The first contains the papers of Carey S.
Bliss, the second the papers of Leslie E. Bliss, and the last is miscellaneous files.
Former call number: HIA 34.35.1-10.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Camellias.
Fine books.
Library science.
Printing -- History
Rare books.
Articles
Business cards
Invitations
Lecture notes
Letters (correspondence)
Manuscripts
Offprints
Postcards
Printed ephemera
Scrapbooks
Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955
Sterling, George, 1869-1926