William Upcott Correspondence: Finding Aid mssUP
Brooke M. Black
The Huntington Library
May 2022
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: William Upcott correspondence
Creator:
Upcott, William, 1779-1845
Identifier/Call Number: mssUP
Physical Description:
16.5 Linear Feet
(11 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1763-1845
Date (bulk): 1817-1845
Abstract: Papers belonging to William Upcott, English antiquary, autograph collector, and dealer.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more
information.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. William Upcott correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Zeitlin & VerBrugge, 1951.
Biographical / Historical
William Upcott (1779-1845) was an English antiquary, autograph collector, and dealer. He was employed by several London bookshops
and spent the period from 1806 to 1834 as a sub-librarian of the London Institution. Beyond collecting and selling manuscripts
and prints, Upcott wrote texts of his own, including A bibliographical account of the principal works relating to English
topography. After Upcott's death his collections were sold at auction; the British Library purchased the majority of his manuscripts.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains correspondence relating to Upcott's collections of books, manuscripts, and prints. Much of the correspondence
is between Upcott and various collectors with whom he engaged in business. Issues addressed within the correspondence include
the life and work of William Upcott and 19th century bookselling and collecting practices. Correspondents include Charles
Dickens, Sir William Fitzroy, Josiah Forshall, William Henry Hyett, Sir Thomas Phillipps, George Palmer Putnam, Markham E.
Sherwill, Charles Hampden Turner and Dawson Turner.
Processing Information
Processed by Huntington Library staff. In 2022, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
General
Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssUP 1-735.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Booksellers and bookselling -- England -- London -- Correspondence
Booksellers and bookselling -- England -- London -- History -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- Great Britain -- 19th century
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870
Fitzroy, William, Sir
Forshall, Josiah, 1795-1863
Hampden-Turner, Charles
Hyett, W. H. (William Henry), 1795-1877
Phillipps, Thomas, Sir, 1792-1872
Sherwill, Markham E.
Turner, Dawson, 1775-1858
Box 3
1819 October-1820 October
