Collection Guide
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Ellis Booksellers records, 1860-1928
425
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Title: Ellis Booksellers records
Collection number: 425
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
11.5 linear feet
(23 boxes and 38 oversize boxes)
Date: 1860-1928
Abstract: Frederick Startridge Ellis (1830-1901) was born in Richmond, Surrey, England. He opened a bookstore in Covent Garden in 1860
dealing in old books and manuscripts. He was the official buyer for the British Museum for many years and published works
by William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The collection consists of Ellis booksellers correspondence, mostly concerned
with the sale of rare books; 14 day books; and 39 letter books.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance through our electronic
paging system using the request button located on this page.
Creator:
Ellis (Firm).
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary 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.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in
advance through our electronic paging system using the request button located on this page.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of George Smith, 1951.
[Identification of item], Ellis Booksellers Records (Collection 425). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
1217959
Frederick Startridge Ellis was born on June 7, 1830 in Richmond, Surrey, England. He became assistant to bookseller C.J. Stewart
in the Strand and in 1860 set up his own bookstore in Covent Garden. In 1872 he took over the premises of bookseller T. &
W. Boone, and carried on a large business, mostly in old books and manuscripts. An official buyer for the British Museum for
many years, he also published works by William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. He retired in 1885 and was succeeded by
his nephew, Gilbert Ifold Ellis. From 1902-1928 the firm was run by J.J. Holdsworth, George Smith, and Frank Benger.
Collection consists of Ellis booksellers correspondence, mostly concerned with the sale of rare books; 14 day books; and 39
letter books. Correspondents include Dante Gabriel Rosseti, William Morris, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones,
Joseph Crawhall, John Maynard Keynes, and George Bernard Shaw.
Arranged in the following series:
- Correspondence (Boxes 1-11).
- Letter books (Boxes 12-50).
- Trade day books (Boxes 51-53).
- Day books (Boxes 53-61).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ellis (Firm)--Archives..
Ellis, Frederick Startridge, 1830-1901
Booksellers and bookselling--Great Britain--Archives.
Publishers and publishing--Great Britain--Archives.