Finding Aid for the Will Donaldson Collection of Material by Theodore Dreiser and Dreiseriana LSC.0659
Finding aid prepared by Manuscripts Division staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2021 July 22.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Will Donaldson collection of material by Theodore Dreiser and Dreiseriana
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.0659
Physical Description:
3.5 Linear Feet
(6 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1922-1932
Abstract: Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (1871-1945) was an author whose publications include:
Sister Carrie (1990),
Jennie Gerhardt (1911),
The financier (1912),
The titan (1914),
Twelve Men (1919), and
An American Tragedy (1925). After 1925, he ventured into social commentary and political analysis. The collection contains letters, clippings,
photographs, films, manuscripts, and a scrapbook. There is a collection of Dreiser's printed work including first editions,
inscribed, and other significant editions.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mrs. Muriel Donaldson, 1955.
Biography
Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, on August 27, 1871; briefly attended the University of Indiana;
held a succession of newspaper and magazine jobs in Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and New York; awarded the Merit Medal
for fiction by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, 1944; publications include:
Sister Carrie (1900),
Jennie Gerhardt (1911),
The financier (1912),
The titan (1914),
Twelve men (1919), and
An American tragedy (1925); after 1925, he ventured into social commentary and political analysis, joining the Communist Party shortly before
his death; died in Hollywood, California, on December 28, 1945.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Will Donaldson Collection of Material by Theodore Dreiser and Dreiseriana (Collection 659). UCLA
Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Processing Information
Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user
interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides
a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive
processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.
Processed by Manuscripts Division staff.
Scope and Content
Collection contains material related to Dreiser's career as a writer. Includes letters, clippings, photographs, films, and
a scrapbook. Also contains manuscripts including his autobiography titled,
A book about myself. Additionally, there is a collection of Dreiser's printed work including first editions, inscribed, and other significant
editions. Also includes a small amount of material related to the career of Donaldson.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Authors, American -- 20th century -- Archives.
Dreiser, Theodore
box 1
A book about myself.
1
Creator: Dreiser, Theodore
General Physical Description note: 699 leaves. 28cm. Typescript (carbon) with holograph corrections and additions throughout.
Scope and Contents note
Original title, which is corrected, was A novel about myself. Together with a letter by Dreiser to Mr. Lange to whom Dreiser
sold the manuscript. What I am offering you is the only complete typewritten copy of the book with many marginal changes by
me--the copy from which the book was set up. This copy contains some chapters not in the book. They were struck out by me.
This letter is written from Los Angeles and dated September 22, 1922.
General note
Published by Boni & Liveright, 1922.
box 1
The lost-Phoebe.
2
Creator: Dreiser, Theodore
General Physical Description note: 52 leaves, 13 leaves irregularly numbered. 28cm. Holograph. In slip cover. Irregularly paginated, pp.1-12 are mounted, 12-21
not mounted, 22-34 mounted, 35-43 not mounted, 44-52 mounted. The irregular pages at end not mounted. The mounted pages have
many corrections, the unmounted pages none.
Scope and Contents note
With holograph note by Dreiser explaining that he recopied the mounted pages as the paper had begun to crumble. Published
The Century Magazine, 1916.
box 1
Letter to Philip Barry. 3
April 25, 1925.
Creator: Dreiser, Theodore
General Physical Description note: 27 cm. Holograph, signed.
box 1
Letter to Perriton Maxwell. 4
June 13, 1927.
Creator: Dreiser, Theodore
General Physical Description note: 27 cm. Holograph, signed.
Scope and Contents note
Answer to query What makes a perfect play?
box 2
The Dreiser Scrapbook, 5
1931-1943.
Scope and Contents note
Clippings relating to the life and literary career of Theodore Dreiser. 30 cm. The main bulk of the clippings are dated 1932.
General note
Assembled by Will Donaldson.
box 2
American tragedy. Motion picture version. Stills, publicity material.
6
General Physical Description note: 23 items.
box 2
Pictures. Photographs and films. 7
General Physical Description note: 18 pictures, 13 films. In envelope.
Scope and Contents note
Envelope marked Dreiseriana. Terre Haute views 1932-- pictures of the Dreiser homes and localities visited by him and described
in Hoosier Holiday taken by Will Donaldson. Photo of portrait of Dreiser owned by Mencken.
General note
Gift of Donald S. Friede.
box 2
Loose leaf notebook. 8
[about 1932].
General Physical Description note: 22cm. Typewritten and holograph.
Scope and Contents note
4 typescript pages with bibliographical information. At end some anecdotes regarding Dreiser's life.
box 2
Book reviews, publicity, dealer's catalogues referring to Theodore Dreiser. 9
General Physical Description note: 1 folder.
box 2
Scottsboro case. 10
General Physical Description note: 6 items.
Scope and Contents note
Publicity material relating to the Scottsboro case. Theodore Dreiser's speech on the Scottsboro case at Town Hall, Friday
Evening June 5, 1931.
box 3
Correspondence with Will Donaldson, 11
1931.
General Physical Description note: 3 items.
Scope and Contents note
Various people to Mr. Donaldson
re collecting material on Dreiser.
Contempo. 12
January 10 and February 1, 1933.
Scope and Contents note
American Spectator, vol.1 no.1-11. 1932-33.
box 5
Wax-statuette of Theodore Dreiser. 13
Creator: Hidalgo, Luis
General Physical Description note: 25cm; with wooden stand 28cm.
box 3
Caricature of Dreiser. 14
Creator: Cotton, William H. (William Henry)
General note
Removed from frame, March 1, 1958.
box 3
Clippings and printed material relating to the career of Wil Donaldson, collector of Dreiser. 15
box 3
Dreiser, Theodore. Letters to Kelly James E., 16
March 3, 1925-October 1926.
General Physical Description note: 4 items.
box 3
Portrait of Dreiser. 17
Creator: White, Margaret C.
General Physical Description note: Pencil sketch, 27.5 × 14.5.
box 3
Letter to Frank Graham Moorhead. New York. 18
April 26, 1909.
Creator: Dreiser, Theodore
General Physical Description note: Typescript, signed.
Scope and Contents note
Letterhead Delineator, stating he would be interested in articles on certain subjects.
General note
Gift of Jo and Flo Swerling.
box 3
Letter to Sam Slingsby. New York, 19
May 8, 1934.
Creator: Dreiser, Theodore
General Physical Description note: Typescript, signed.
Scope and Contents note
Referring Mr. Slingsby to passages from his autogiographical works. Gift of Jo and Flo Swerling.
box 3
Letters to Carlyle West. New York, 20
1933.
Creator: Dreiser, Theodore
General Physical Description note: 2 items. Typescript, signed.
General note
Mr. West lived in Toronto, Canada.
box 3
In the matter of Commonwealth vs. Donald S. Friede, ... [a case regarding obscenity in Dreiser's
An American Tragedy].
21
April 16-18, 1929
Creator: Massachusetts. Superior Court
General Physical Description note: 174 leaves. Typescript (carbon).
General note
Gift of Donald S. Friede.
box 3
Commonwealth vs. Donald S. Friede. Brief for the defendant... no.13 of 1930. With this is bound: Commonwealth vs. Donald S.
Friede. Suffolk,
22
May 27, 1930.
Creator: Supreme Judicial Court ...
General Physical Description note: 15pp. Printed and 5 leaves. Typescript (carbon).
Scope and Contents note
Both these relate to the case involving
An American Tragedy.
General note
Gift of Donald S. Friede.
box 4
Plaster cast of hand from sculpture by Edgardo Simone of Theodore Dreiser. 23
Creator: Simone, Edgardo, 1890-
General Physical Description note: 24cm.
General note
Gift of Dr. Vera Dreiser.
