Coburn, Alvin Langdon: Finding Aid to the Papers and Ephemera of Alvin Langdon COBURN

From George Eastman House : Notes On Photographs

Finding Aid to the Papers and Ephemera of Alvin Langdon COBURN

Richard and Ronay Menschel Library George Eastman House: International Museum of Photography and Film

Funded by the 1995 Ridley Bookbinders/ASLS Student Scholarship (Academic & Special Libraries Section of the New York Library Association)

INTRODUCTION: The Coburn Collection

Alvin Langdon Coburn (1889-1966) is considered a major photographer of the early 20th century, known for fine portraits and pictorial cityscapes. He was a member of the Linked Ring, an exclusive fellowship of artistic photographers based in England, as well as the American Photo-Secession. His varied career took him from the United States, his birthplace, to Wales, where he spent the larger part of his life. He was a member of avant-garde art circles, exchanging ideas with other artists and creating work considered highly experimental at the time. He can also be considered an interesting and important minor figure in Anglo-American letters, music, and history, and his papers are an important tool for researchers in all these fields.

The entire Coburn collection came as a donation to the museum in 1967, bequeathed by the photographer. The Print Collection houses over 1700 negatives and 2000 prints of photographs taken by Coburn; cameras, lenses and associated equipment reside in the Technology Collection. The library contains copies of all Coburn's books. The collection described in this finding aid, also housed in the library, consists of 30 boxes (10 linear feet) of printed materials and ephemera divided as follows: Correspondence (Boxes 1-11), Written Works and Papers (12-17), Scrapbooks (18-24), and Personal Possessions and Ephemera: Games, Toys, Coins, Rings, etc. (25-30).

The collection mainly documents the years 1904 to 1917, the height of Coburn's photographic career. During this brief period, Coburn worked on several large projects, and came to be well-known in literary circles. Beyond material that relates directly to photographic history, the collection reveals new information about 20th-century theater, such as G.B. Shaw's life and work, about John Masefield as poet and playwright, and about Winston Churchill as Navy Secretary preparing for World War I. The collection also includes a unique bound ‚"book‚" created by Henry James, with a long autograph dedication commemorating their work together.

Many items have George Eastman House accession numbers: 67:121 through 67:139.

Organization of the Coburn Manuscript Collection

Boxes 1 - 11 Correspondence

Boxes 12 - 17 Papers

Boxes 18 - 24 Bound Book and Scrapbooks

Boxes 25 - 30 Personal Possessions and Ephemera - Games, Toys, Coins, Rings etc.

Coburn Correspondence (Boxes 1-11)

The most significant part of the manuscript collection is the correspondence, numbering over a thousand letters to and from two hundred correspondents, spanning the years 1904 to 1966. The collection includes letters to and from friends, photographic sitters or subjects, collaborators, and publishers. The dates of the correspondence divide the collection into two groups. The earliest letters, which make up the bulk of the collection, were written during the years Coburn was photographing. In this relatively short period he photographed luminaries from the literary and artistic world, later publishing some of these photographs in Men of Mark (1913) and More Men of Mark (1922). He also took a full set of photographs for a third book that was never published, to be titled Musicians of Mark. Most of the letters are an outcome of these projects, and document the meetings, reception of his work, and friendships that grew out of these encounters. He also published and collaborated on various books illustrated with his photographs, and these undertakings are also referred to in the letters.

Coburn was not only a major photographer but a belle-lettrist who corresponded with numerous major figures of early 20th century Anglo-American letters, music and history. His letters contain significant information on these historical figures of the pre- and post-World War I era, and notes and cross-references mark out important items in the collection.

After Coburn's retirement from the photographic world in the early twenties, his time was taken up increasingly with his burgeoning interest in mysticism. The collection contains no correspondence from this period, but begins again in the late nineteen-thirties when Beaumont Newhall contacted Coburn about one of his photographs. Again, this later correspondence principally turns on potential projects, exhibitions, and publications related to Coburn's photographic work, and the writing and production of his autobiography, published in 1966. An interesting group is a large bundle of Coburn's letters to Nancy and Beaumont Newhall, donated to the museum by Newhall. The correspondence follows their thirty-year relationship, which eventually led to the donation of his photographs, correspondence, personal memorabilia and papers to the George Eastman House.

The overall arrangement of letters (Boxes 1-12) is alphabetical by correspondent, then chronological within each set of correspondence. This exactly matches the order of the correspondence as housed. Each letter listed has been given a number that matches the actual item. Housing the letters for each individual, company or institution in chronological order lets the reader follow the correspondence as it unfolds.

Important items or figures, especially those not obvious from the correspondent's name heading the subset, are marked by "NB" (e.g., HOLBROOK, Jackson, letter of January 1914: NB: re: Churchill Winston, unable to sit for ALC photo, because of intense preparation of the Royal Navy for maneuvers that would prove to increase its readiness for World War I later that year.

The abbreviation ALC is used throughout the finding aid to refer to Alvin Langdon Coburn.

Box 1, with Contents list; A-Ben:

Abbey, Edwin Austin to Coburn

1: Aug. 16, 1904

Adcock, St. John to Coburn

2: Oct. 17, 1913

3: Jan. 5, 1914

Ade, George to Coburn

4: April 12, ?

5: April 9, 1906

Ainley, Henry to Coburn

6: Oct. 27, 1913

7: Oct. 30, 1913

8: Dec. 11, 1913

9: Dec. 29, 1913

10: Dec. 17, 1914

Alma-Tadema, Sir Lawrence to Coburn

11: Feb. 1, 1908

12: Aug. 3, 1909

Andrew, Fred to Coburn

13: March 10, 1954

Archer, William to Coburn

14: Aug. 5, 1909

15: Aug. 9, 1909

Asquith, Hon. H.[erbert] [Henry] (Prime Minister) to Coburn

16: Jan. 10, 1914

17: Feb. 12, 1914

Drummond, Fr., aide to PM; Carter, M. Donlan, aide to PM

18: March 17, 1914

Coburn to Asquith

19: Jan. 9, 1914

Barr, Robert to Coburn

20: Aug. 12, 1904

21: Sept. 8, 1904

22: May 24, 1905

23: April 12, 1906

Coburn to Barr

24: [no date]

25: [no date]

Barrie, J.[ames] M. to Coburn

26: March 26, 1906

27: Jan. 14, 1907

28: Jan. 21, 1907

Beerbohm, Max to Coburn

30: [no date] (Sunday)

Belloc, H.[ilaire] to Coburn

31: Nov. 16, 1907

32: Nov. 19, 1907

33: Nov. 25, 1907

34: Dec. 3, 1907

35: Dec. 9, 1907

36: Jan. 30, 1908

(re: ALC, Baron de Meyer exhibition) X-REF: ALC Scrapbook p. 67; Box 14

37: May 23, 1908

38: July 3, 1908

39: Aug. 18, 1909

40: Oct. 23, 1909

41: Dec. 4, 1909

(re: oath to King Edward VIII)

42: Feb. 13, 1910

43: April 9, 1910

(re:: death King Edward VII)

44: June 12, 1910

45: June 23, 1910

46: July 2, 1910

47: July 7, 1910

48: July 9, 1910

49: Aug. 14, 1910

50: Aug. 16, 1910

51: Aug. 21, 1910

52: Aug. 23, 1910

53: Sept. 3, 1910

54: Sept. 7, 1910

55: Sept. 8, 1910

55A: Sept. 8, 1910

56: Sept. 10, 1910

57: Sept. 14, 1910

58: Sept. 15, 1910

59: Sept. 17, 1910

60: Sept. 19, 1910

61: Sept. 22, 1910

62: No #62

63: Sept. 26, 1913

64: Nov. 15, 1913

65: Nov. 18, 1913

66: Nov. 20, 1913

67: Nov. 22, 1913

67A: Nov. 23, 1913

68: Nov. 28, 1913

69: Nov. 30, 1913

70: Dec. 21, 1913

71: Dec. 27, 1913

72: Jan. 19, 1914

Bennet, Arnold to Coburn

NB: contributed title: Men of Mark for ALC's book

73: Jan. 9, 1913

74: Jan. 20, 1913

75: Jan. 25, 1913

76: Feb. 3, 1913

77: Feb. 11, 1913

78: Feb. 24, 1913

79: Feb. 28, 1913

80: May 11, 1914

Box 2: Bin-C

Binyon, Laurence to Coburn

81: Feb. 26, 1913

82: June 10, 1913

83: Sept. 30, 1913

Boughton, George H. to Coburn

84: Aug. 19, 1904

85: Aug. 20, 1904

Coburn to Boughton

86: [no date]

Brangwyn, Frank to Coburn

87: Sept. 5, 1904

88: Sept. 17, 1904

89: Dec. 17, 1904

90: July 9, 1905

91: Nov. 5, 1905

92: Dec. 11, 1906

93: Nov. 24, 1913

Bridges, Robert to Coburn

94: Feb. 14, 1913

94A: [no date]

94B: Feb. 14, 1913

94C: Feb. 25, 1913

95: Feb. 18, 1913

96: Feb. 20, 1913

97: March 18, 1913

98: April 1, 1913

99: April 9, 1913

100: April 16, 1913

101: April 19, 1913

102: April 24, 1913

103: June 10, 1913

104: July 29, 1913

105: Sept. 24, 1913

106: Oct. 6, 1913

107: Oct. 11, 1913

108: Oct. 16, 1913

109: Nov. 5, 1913

110: Nov. 12, 1913

111: Nov. 24, 1913

Brinton, Christian to Coburn

112: Nov. 23, 1909

British Council to Coburn

113: April 8, 1965

(Mary Kelly) RE: Yeats negatives

114: April 13, 1965

115: April 20, 1965

116: May 5, 1965

Coburn to the British Council

117: April 11, 1965

118: April 14, 1965

119: May 6, 1965

Bryce, James to Coburn

120: May 23, 1905

Bunnell, Peter C. to Coburn

121: Sept. 30, 1966

Coburn to Bunnell

122: Feb. 27, 1962

Burne-Jones, Philip to Coburn

123: Feb. 27, 1906

124: March 7, 1906

125: May 24, 1906

126: May 31, 1906

Burroughs, John to Coburn

127: March 11, 1905

128: March 13, 1905

Campbell, Mrs. Patrick to Coburn

129: Oct. 29, 1906

[Stella]

130: Dec. 9, 1906

131: Feb. 5, 1907

Campbell, R.[obert] J., Rev. to Coburn

132: April 27, 1914

Campbell, Stella to Coburn

133: Dec. 13, 1906

[daughter of Mrs. Patrick]

134: Dec. 28, 1906

135: Jan. 10, 1907

Carpenter, Edward to Coburn

136: Oct. 30, 1905

137: Nov. 14, 1905

138: Nov. 16, 1905

139: Nov. 27, 1905

140: Jan. 17, 1906

141: March 29, 1906

142: April 11, 1906

143: Oct. 23, 1906

144: Oct. 26, 1906

145: Dec. 25, 1906

146: Nov. 29, l913

Carroll, Lewis: See Dodgson, Wilfred L.

See Macmillan & Co.

Century Co. (New York)

147: Nov. 5, 1913

(F.W. Crowninshield, re: photos of Shaw, Chesterton, H.G. Wells, Rodin, Sargent, Masefield, Moore, Arnold Bennett)

148: Dec. 17, 1913

149: Dec. 23, 1913

150: Jan. 2, 1914

151: Feb. 25, 1914

152: April 1, 1914

Coburn to Century Co.

153: Nov. 19, 1913

154: [no date]

Chappell, Walter, to Coburn

155: Aug. 29, 1960

Chesterton, Mrs. G.K. (Frances) to Coburn

156: July 27, 1904

157: Aug. 7,(1904?)

158: Nov. 10, 1904

159: [no date] (1904?)

Coburn to Chesterton

160: [no date] (1904?)

161: Aug. 1904

162: [no date] (1904?)

Collins, M.P. [P.M.?] to Coburn

163: Nov. 19, 1913

164: Nov. 27, 1913

165: [no date]

Conrad, Joseph to Coburn

166: May 31, 1916

167: June 10, 1916

Coomaraswamy, Ananda [Kentish] to Coburn

168: May 2, 1916

Craig, Mrs. Gordon (Elena) to Coburn

169: Dec. 9, 1913

Cunningham, Imogen to Coburn

170: Aug. 7, 1964

Coburn to Cunningham

171: [no date]

Cunninghame Graham, R.[obert] B.[ontine] to Coburn

172: March 30, 1914

Box 3: D-E

Davidson, Jo. to Coburn

173: Nov. 25, 1913

174: Jan. 6, 1914

Davies, W.[illiam] H.[enry] to Coburn

175: Nov. 16, 1913

176: Nov. 20, 1913

177: Nov. 26, 1913

178: Dec. 9, 1913

179: Dec. 18, 1913

Davison, George to Coburn

180: June 20, 1910

Day, Frederick Holland to Coburn

181: Dec. 25, 1906

DeMorgan, William to Coburn

182: Dec. 15, 1908

183: Oct. 27 1909

184: May 17, 1910

(and Envelope-1914)

Dobson, Austin to Coburn

185: Aug. 2, 1904

Coburn to Dobson

186: Aug. 3, 1904

Dodgson, Wilfred L. to Coburn

(re: photos of Lewis Carroll, his brother)

187: Jan. 13, 1914

188: Jan. 19, 1914

189: Feb. 7, 1914

Dow, Arthur Wesley to Coburn

190: Nov. 29, 1907

191: Jan. 31, 1910

Doyle, Arthur Conan to Coburn

192: July 19, 1904

Duckworth, Gerald & Co. Ltd. Coburn to

193: Jan. 11, 1963

Duckworth to Coburn

194: Nov. 4, 1963

Dulac, Edmund to Coburn

195: Oct. 7, 1914

196: March 24, 1916

197: June 13, 1916

Dunton, Theodore Watts to Coburn

198: Aug. 20, 1904

199: Sept. 30, 1904

Coburn to Dunton

200: [no date]

201: [no date]

Edel, Joseph Leon to Coburn

202: Sept. 30, 1963

(re: Henry James photograph)

203: Oct. 7, 1963

Coburn to Edel

204: [no date] (1963?)

205: Oct. 10, 1963

Edward VII, King of England to Coburn

(Both written by Secretaries)

206: Jan. 31, 1906

(re: "deep mourning" for King of Denmark Alexandra, Queen Consort) to Coburn

207: Jan. 6, 1910

Elliot, Arthur D. to Coburn

208: July 20, 1913

Ellis, Ainslee E. to Coburn

Produced B.B.C. radio program on photography titled: "Was Confucious Right When He Said a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words?" Coburn interview became part of the broadcast.

209: Jan. 15, 1964

210: Oct. 28, 1964

211: Nov. 1, 1964

212A: (Typescript and clipping included)

212B: (Notes mentioning Ellis)

212: (Christmas Card,Note, 12/23/65

Newby (re: Ellis) to Coburn

213: Jan. 20, 1964

214: No #214

Coburn to Ellis

215: [no date] and notes

216: Oct. 25, 1964

217: Oct. 30, 1964

218: Dec. 24, 1964

Coburn to Newby

219: [no date]

Epstein, Sir Jacob to Coburn

220: Jan. 21, 1914

221: Jan. 5, 1917

222: Jan. 13, 1917

Evans, Frederick H. to Coburn

223: Aug. 24, 1905

224: Aug. 1, 1907

Boxes 4-5: Faber & Faber I, Faber II-Ger

Faber and Faber Ltd.

(Concerning Coburn's autobiography.)

I. Montague Shaw to Coburn

225: May 22, 1963

227: May 30, 1963

229: June 5, 1963

231: June 18, 1963

233: June 21, 1963

235: July 2, 1963

239: July 8, 1963

241: July 23, 1963

251: Aug. 15, 1963

257: Sept. 3, 1963

258A: Sept. 5, 1963

262: Oct. 7, 1963

264: Oct. 10, 1963

267: Oct. 22, 1963

267A: Continued List Photographs

269: Oct. 28, 1963

271: Oct. 29, 1963

273: Jan. 8, 1964

276: Jan. 16, 1964

279: April 16, 1964

281: May 26, 1964

283: June 4, 1964

285: June 26, 1964

287: Aug. 20, l964

289: Sept. 9, l964

291: Sept. 28, l964

294: Nov. 9, l964

296: Nov. 30, l964

298: Jan. 11, l965

303: Feb. 22, l965

305: March 5, l965

308: March 30, l965

309: April 9, l965

313: May 6, 1965

314: May 18, 1965

315: July 2, 1965

321: July 5, 1965

322: July 23, 1965

325: Aug. 20, 1965

326: Aug. 25, 1965

329: Oct. 29, 1965

330: Nov. 4, 1965

334: Jan. 14, 1966

337: Jan. 25, 1966

Coburn to Shaw

226: May 28, 1963

228: June 4, 1963

230: June 6, 1963

232: June 13, 1963

234: June 19, 1963

234A: June 25, 1963

238: July 5, 1963

240: July 20, 1963

242: July 24, 1963

248A: Aug. 10, 1963

250: Aug. 14, 1963

256: Aug. 24, 1963

258: Sept. 4, 1963

259: Sept. 9, 1963

260: Sept. 27, 1963

261: Oct. 5, 1963

263: Oct. 9, 1963

265: Oct. 11, 1963

268: Oct. 24, 1963

270: Oct. 28, 1963

272: Oct. 29, 1963

274: Jan. 12, 1964

275: [no date]

277: April 1, 1964

278: April 14, 1964

280: April 17, 1964

282: [no date]

284: June 24, 1964

286: Aug. 11, 1964

288: Sept. 6, 1964

290: No date

292: Oct. 31, 1964

293: Nov. 3, 1964

295: Nov. 28, 1964

297: Dec. 28, 1964

299: No date

300: Feb. 7, 1965

306: March 11, 1965

307: March 29, 1965

310: April 11, 1965

311: April 27, 1965

312: May 4, 1965

314: May 7, 1965

317: June 22, 1965

318: July 1, 1965

320: July 3, 1965

323: July 24, 1965

324: Aug. 18, 1965

327: Aug. 26, 1965

328: Oct 15, 1965

333: Dec. 20, 1965

335: Jan. 18, l966

336: Jan. 21, 1966

338 : March 23, 1966

339: April 20, 1966

Kennerley, Morley to Coburn [no date]

229A: June 13, 1963

232AA No Date, Enclosure w/ book

236: July 3, 1963

239A: July 9, 1963

243: July 26, 1963

245: Aug. 1, 1963

247: Aug. 9, 1963 (Wood)

249: Aug. 12, l963

252: Aug. 16, 1963

253: Aug. 19, 1963

255: Aug. 22, 1963

259A: Sept. 12, 1963

265A: Oct. 15, 1963

Coburn to Kennerley

232A: June 15, 1963

232B: June 18, 1963

237: July 4, 1963

239B: July 11, 1963

239C: July 17, 1963

244: July 31, 1963

246: Aug. 7, 1963

248: Aug. 10, 1963 (Wood)

250A,B: Aug. 14, 1963

254: [No date]

266: Oct. 16, 1963

Wood, Stephanie to Coburn

247: Aug. 9, 1963

Coburn to Wood

248: Aug. 10, 1963

Coburn to Gernsheim

301: Feb. 9, 1965

302: Feb. 11, 1965

Faber & Faber to Coburn

316: June 1, 1965

Goad, Rosemary to Coburn

331: Nov. 10, 1965

Coburn to Goad

332: Nov. 11, 1965

Box 5 Faber II-Ga

II. Brian Rooney to Coburn

340: April 27, 1966

342: May 2, 1966 (Newman)

343: May 12, 1966

344: May 16, 1966

348: May 24, 1966

349: May 24, 1966

351: June 8, 1966

352: June 10, 1966

353: June 13, 1966 (Evans)

354: June 16, 1996

357: June 22, 1966

359: July 8, 1966

360: July 22, 1966 (Newman)

361: July 22, 1966

363: July 29, 1966

363A: July 29, 1966

364: Aug. 8, 1966

365: Aug. 12, 1966

368: Aug. 16, 1966

369: Aug. 17, 1966

372: Aug. 22, 1966

374: Aug. 22, 1966

376: Aug. 24, 1966

378: Aug. 26, 1966

380: Aug. 31, 1966

382: Sept. 1, 1966

386: Sept. 19, 1966

388: Sept. 22, 1966

390: Oct. 10, 1966

392: Oct. 12, 1966

394: Oct. 18, 1966

396: Oct. 21, 1966

398: Oct. 31, 1966

399: Nov. 2, l966

400: Nov. 7, 1966

Coburn to Rooney

341: April 29, 1966

347: May 23, 1966

350: May 31, 1966

355: [no date]

356: June 17, 1966

358: July 7, 1966

362: July 23, 1966 (to Newman)

363: July 28, 1966

366: Aug. 15, 1966

368: Aug. 16, 1966

370: Aug. 20, 1966

37l: Aug. 21, 1966

373: Aug. 22, 1966

375: Aug. 23, 1966

377: Aug. 25, 1966

379: Aug. 31, 1966

381: Aug. 31, 1966

383: Sept. 1, 1966

384: Sept. 3, 1966

387: Sept. 19, 1966

389: Sept. 22, 1966

391: Oct. 11, 1966

393: Oct. 15, 1966

395: Oct. 19, 1966

397: Oct. 27, 1966

Maidment to Rooney

(Newspaper Article)

385: Sept. 14, 1966

385A

Gernsheim to Coburn

345: May 20, 1966

Gernsheim to Rooney

346: May 20, 1966

III. Clarke & Sherwell

401: July 27, 1966

Printers to Coburn (Burrows, Turnball)

404: Aug. 26, 1966

405: Aug. 26, 1966

407: Sept. 1, 1966

Coburn to Clarke & Sherwell

402: July 28, 1966

403: Aug. 25, 1966

406: Aug. 31, 1966

Fifield, Arthur C. to Coburn

408: Jan. 1, 1914

Ford, Ford Madox: See Hueffer, Ford Madox

Foss, Kenelm to Coburn

409: Nov. 6, 1913

France, Anatole to Coburn only)

410: [no date] (envelope and photograph of signature

Frederick A. Praeger, Inc, Publishers to Coburn

412: Oct. 28, 1966 (Gilchrist)

Coburn to F.A.P., Inc.

411: Oct. 19, 1966

Fry, Roger Eliot to Coburn

413: Jan. 9, 1913

414: Feb. 11, 1913

415: Feb. 24, 1913

416: March 12, 1913

417: July 4, 1913

Furness, Horace Howard to Coburn

418: April 3, 1905

419: April 20, 1905

Galsworthy, John to Coburn

420: July 20, 1909

421: Sept. 20, 1909

422: Oct. 15, 1909

423: Dec. 29, 1909

424: Jan. 5, 1910

425: Feb. 1, 1910

426: May 11, 1910

427: Jan. 1, 1915

Gardiner, Derek to Coburn

428: Jan. 22, 1961

429: Jan. 26, 1961

Garvin, J.[ames] L.[ouis] to Coburn

430: Dec. 24, 1913

431: Dec. 31, 1913

432: Jan. 5, 1914

433: Jan. 6, 1914

434: Jan. 7, 1914

435: Jan. 9, 1914

436: Jan. 19, 1914

Box 6: Ge-Hal

Gernsheim, Helmut to Coburn

438: Oct. 15, 1963

440: Oct. 22, 1963

443: Nov. 22, 1963

446: Dec. 1, 1963

448: Jan. 19, 1964

449: April 13, 1964

451: April 22, 1964

452: Aug. 23, 1964

454: Aug. 27, 1964

458: Sept. 11, 1964

461: Nov. 2, 1964

463: Nov. 4, 1964

465: Nov. 25, 1964

467: Dec. 2, 1964

469: Dec. 3, 1964

471: Dec. 14, 1964

471: Jan. 18, 1965

473: Feb. 3, 1965

475: Feb. 9, 1965

476: Feb. 12, 1965

477: Feb. 19, 1965

478: Feb. 25, 1965

480: March 3, 1965

482: June 25, 1965

483: Dec. 15, 1965

485: Feb. 23, 1966

Coburn to Gernsheim

437: Oct. 11, 1963

439: Oct. 16, 1963

441: Oct. 28, 1963

442: Nov. 14, 1963

444: Nov. 25, 1963

445: Nov. 28, 1963

447: [no date]

450: April 17, 1964

453: [no date]

455: [no date]

456: Sept. 3, 1964

457: Sept. 6, 1964

468: Oct. 31, 1964

462: Nov. 3, 1964

464: (no date)

466: Nov. 28, 1964

468: Dec. 3, 1964

470: Dec. 10, 1964

472: Jan. 19, 1965

474: Feb. 7, 1965

479: March 2, 1965

481: March 5, 1965

484: Dec. 20, 1965

Coburn to Montague

Shaw (re: Gernsheim)

459: Sept. 24, 1964

Coburn to Mr. Hallet? (Secretary of R.P.S.)

(re: Gernsheim)

467: Nov. 28, 1964

Gilder, Richard Watson to Mrs. Edith Wharton

(re: Coburn)

486: Jan. 20, 1905

Gosse, Edmund to Coburn

487: Aug. 15, 1904

Coburn to Gosse

488: [no date]

Granville-Barker, Harley to Coburn

489: March 26, 1906

490: June 27, 1906

490A: June 10, 1909

491: Nov. 25, 1909

492: Jan. 7, 1910

493: June 28, 1911

494 J an. 28, 1913

495: June 12, 1913

496: Oct. 27, 1913

497: Dec. 31, 1913

498: Feb. 10, 1914

499: June 3, 1914

500: (no date)

Grierson, Francis to Coburn

501: Aug. 1, 1913

502: July 21, ?

Gwenn, Edmond to Coburn

503: March 12, 1910

Hall, Norman to Coburn

(Editor, Times London)

505: Aug. 26, 1960

506: [no date]

507: June 17, 1963

507A: (eight photos)

508: Aug. 28, 1963

509: Oct. 9, 1963

511: Nov. 18, 1963

511A: (photo)

513: Nov. 20, 1963

515: Jan. 15, 1964

518: Jan. 20, 1964

Coburn to Hall

504: Aug. 10, 1960

504 A,B,C,D (photos)

510: Nov. 14, 1960

512: Nov. 19, 1960

514: Nov. 21, 1960

516: [no date]

517: [no date]

Box 7: Han-Lai

Hande, Mayonne, to Coburn

519: March 9, 1965

Coburn to Hande

520: March 11, 1965

Hardy, Thomas to Coburn

521: Oct. 8, 1913 (envelope only)

522: Oct. 10, 1913

523: Nov. 10, 1913

Hawkins, Anthony Hope, Sir: See Anthony Hope

Heggie, O.[tto] P.[eter] to Coburn

524: Sept. 9, 1913

525: Sept. 15, 1913

526: Sept. 26, 1913

Hope, Anthony to Coburn

527: May 27, 1908

Hoppe, E.[mil] O.[tto] Coburn to

528: [no date]

Howells, W.[illiam] D.[ean] to Coburn

529: Nov. 17, 1910

530: July 4, 1913

Hueffer, Ford Madox to Coburn

(pseud. Ford Madox Ford)

531: Oct. 10, 1913

532: Jan. 17, 1914

Hutchins, Patricia to Coburn

(author of Ezra Pound's autobiography)

533: Feb. 13, 1965

533A,B (enclosures)

534: Feb. 21, 1965

535: April 15, 1965

Coburn to Hutchins

535A: (no date)

Minney, Primrose to Coburn

(Asst. Editor, Homes & Garden)

536: July 5, 1965

536A: (envelope only)

Coburn to Minney

536: July 6, 1965

Mendes, John to Coburn

537: Oct. 18, 1965

Hynes, Samuel Lynn to Coburn

(Professor, Swarthmore College)

538: Oct. 26, 1964

538A: (enclosure)

(re: Coburn's Collection)

540: Oct. 29, 1964

542: Nov. 2, 1964

No#: Envelope dated Feb. 27, 1965

545: March 23, 1965

546: April 28, 1965

548: May 26, 1965

548A: (Print List)

549: May 27, 1965

554: July 20, 1965

Coburn to Hynes

539: [no date]

541: Oct. 31, 1964

543: Nov. 6, 1964

544: [no date & clipping]

547: April 29, 1965

553: July 1, 1965

Mack, Maynard to Coburn

550: May 28, 1965

552: June 6, 1965

Coburn to Mack

551: [no date]

Iliffe & Sons Ltd. to Coburn

555: Nov. 4, 1954

(R.C. De Morgan)

Indian Art, Dramatic & Friendly Society to Coburn

555A: May 5, 1913

(K.N. Deisfuxter)

Jackson, Holbrook to Coburn

556: Oct. 7, 1913

557: Oct. 9, 1913

558: Oct. 13, 1913

559: Oct. 15, 1913

560: Oct. 16, 1913

561: Dec. 31, 1913

562: Dec. 31, 1913

563: Jan. 2, 1914

564: [no date]

565: Jan. 23, 1914

566: Jan. 30, 1914

NB: re: Churchill photo; Royal Navy Jan. 30, 1914

James, Henry (re) See: Edel, Leon

Jerome, Jerome K. to Coburn

567: Aug.5, 1904

569: [no date]

571: Oct. 25, 1904

572: Dec. 24, 1904

573: May 21, 1905

Coburn to Jerome

568: Aug. 6, 1904

570: [no date]

John, Augustus Edwin to Coburn

574: Jan. 21, 1914

575: March 26, 1914

Jones, ? (Member, Liverpool Amateur Photographic Society) to Coburn

576: June 25, 1966

Coburn to Jones

577: June 27, 1966

Kipling, Rudyard to Coburn

578: May 26, 1906

580: May 31, 1906

Kipling to Philip Burnes-Jones (re: Coburn)

579: May 28, 1906

Kraszna-Krauss, A.[ndor] (of Focal Press) to Coburn

581: Aug. 30, 1954

584: Sept. 2, 1954

585: Sept. 6, 1954

587: Sept. 9, 1954

589: Sept. 14, 1954

591: Oct. 13, 1954

Coburn to Messrs. Rupert Hart-Davis (re: Kraszna Krauss)

582: Aug. 31, 1954

Coburn to Kraszna-Krauss

583: Sept. 3, 1954

586: Sept. 8, 1954

588: Sept. 13, 1954

590: Sept. 15, 1954

Lai, T. C. to Coburn

592: Aug. 21, 1961

594: Nov. 22, 1961

596: April 7, 1962

598: April 12, 1962

600: April 26, 1962

Coburn to Lai

593: Sept. 27, 1961

595: Nov. 24, 1961

597: April 11, 1962

599: April 21, 1962

601: May 18, 1962

602: June 19, 1962

Box 8: Lan-Rod

Lane, Hy.? to Coburn

603: Nov. 3, 1913

604: Nov. 3, 1913

Lane, John to Coburn

605: Dec. 22, 1913

606: Dec. 28, 1913

Lang, Andrew to Coburn

607: Aug. 3, 1904

608: Jan. 26, 1906

609: July 26, 1906

610: Aug. 12, ?

Coburn to Lang

611: [no date]

612: [no date]

613: [no date]

Liverpool Amateur Photographic Society to Coburn See: Jones, [?]

Locke, W. J. to Coburn

614: Jan. 5, 1914

Lucas, E.[dward] V.[errall] to Coburn

615: June 21, 1908

616: July 13, 1908

617: July 17, 1908

618: July 21, 1908

Mackenzie, Sir Compton to Coburn

619: Nov. 18, 1914

Macmillan, Daniel to Coburn

(Macmillan & Co., re: Lewis Carroll photos)

620: Jan. 9, 1914

Maeterlinck, Maurice to Coburn

621: June 30, 1915

621A: Envelope

Sutro, Esther S. (Mrs. Alfred Sutro) to Coburn

622: July 1, 1915

(re: Maeterlinck)

XREF: Trench, Herbert RE: Maeterlinck's The Blue Bird

Masefield, John to Coburn

623: Jan. 9, 1913

624: Jan. 10, 1913

625: Jan. 14, 1913

626: Jan. 14, 1913

(Letter to "Ron" re Coburn)

627: Jan. 23, 1913

628: Feb. 27, 1913

629: Feb. 11, 1913

630: Feb. 22, 1913

631: Feb. 24, 1913

632: April 18, 1913

633: April 21, 1913

634: June 30, 1913

635: Dec. 22, 1913

636: Dec. 28, 1913

637: May 11, 1914

638: May 21, 1914

639: June 29, 1914

640: Dec. 27, 1914

Matisse, Henri to Coburn

641: June 17, 1913

Matthews, Elkin to Coburn

(Elkin Mathews Publisher)

642: Oct. 28, 1913

643: Nov. 1, 1913

Maxwell, Perriton to Coburn

(Managing editor, Metropolitan Magazine)

644: Feb. 16, 1906

645: Nov. 29, 1913

645A: Cable form

646: Dec. 11, 1913

Meredith, George to Coburn

647: Oct. 20, 1904

648: Oct. 22, 1904

649: Oct. 24, 1904

650: March 16, 1905

Meredith, Weir to Coburn

651: March 21, 1906

Mestrovic, Ivan to Coburn

652: July 18, 1915

653: Aug. 13, 1915

Meynell, Alix to Coburn

654: Dec. 22, 1909

Minto, Charles Sinclair to Coburn

(City Librarian & Curator, Edinburgh Corporation)

655: Feb. 1, 1965

657: Feb. 4, 1965

658: Feb. 10, 1965

660: [no date]

(From J.W.Cockburn)

663: Feb. 17, 1965

664: Feb. 24, 1965

665: March 4, 1965

667: March 10, 1965

670: Oct. 18, 1965

671: June 17, 1966

673: June 21, 1966

Coburn to Minto

656: [no date]

658: [no date]

661: [no date] (probably Feb. 13, 1965)

662: [no date] (To J.W.Cockburn)

663A: [no date] (probably Feb. 22, 1965)

666: March 5, 1965

668: [no date] (probably March 13, 1965)

669: March 16, 1965

672: June 20, 1966

Mitchell Kennerly Publishers: See: Nichols, H.S.

Moore, George to Coburn

674: [envelope only, no date]

Mortimer, F.[rancis] J.[ames]

675: Nov. 29, 1909

Murray, David to Coburn

676: Jan. 31, 1908

Newby, Percy Howard to Coburn

677: Oct. 15, 1954

Nichols, H. S. to Coburn

(Mitchell Kennerley Publishers)

678: Nov. 8, 1912

Nicholson, Weir? to Coburn

679: Feb. 8, 1908

680: June 11, 1908

681: July 18, 1908

682: April 26, 1910

Norton, Charles Eliot to Philip Burne-Jones re: Coburn

683: April 26, 1905

Norton to Coburn

684: April 26, 1905

685: Sept. 8, 1905

Orpen, Sir William to Coburn

686: Jan. 9, 1908

687: Jan. 18, 1908

688: Oct. 3, 1909

689: Jan. 12, 1910

690: [no date]

691: [no date]

692: Feb. 3, 1913 (envelope only)

Parrish, Maxfield to Coburn

693: Aug. 10, 1912

Partridge, Bernard to Coburn

694: [no date]

Photoguide Magazine to Coburn

695: Oct. 7, 1954

Pollock, George F. to Coburn

696: Dec. 13, 1963

Coburn to Pollock

697: Dec. 14, 1963

697A: [no date]

Pound, Ezra to Coburn

698: Jan. 17, 1914

699: Jan. 17, 1914

(See also: Hutchins, Patricia)

Pratt, George (Curator George Eastman House)

699A: April 17, 1962

(re: ALC papers)

(from George Pratt Collection, 75:058:545-546)

699B: May 17, 1962

Pryde, James to Coburn

700: Feb. 3, 1914

Radio Eireann to Coburn

(James Purkett)

701: May 24, 1965

Richards, Grant to Coburn

702: Oct. 17, 1913

Rodin, Auguste to Coburn

703: July 3, 1906

704: Sept. 25, 1906

705: Oct. 5, 1906

Box 9: Roo-Sha

Roosevelt, Theodore to Coburn

706: Feb. 6, 1913 (envelope and card with signature only)

Rosetti, W. M. to Coburn

707: Feb. 24, 1913

708: Feb. 28, 1913

Rothenstein, W.[illiam] to Coburn

709: Dec. 15, 1909

Rupert Hart-Davis Limited Publishers to Coburn

710: Oct. 25, 1954

711: Feb. 25, 1964

713: Feb. 28, 1964

716: March 3, 1964

718: March 5, 1964

720: March 13, 1964

Coburn to Rupert Hart-Davis

712: [no date]

714: Feb. 29, 1954

717: March 4, 1954

719: March 11, 1954

Coburn to Newhall

re: potential book

715: March 1, 1954

Sargent, John to Coburn

721: Feb. 21, 1907

Scott, Dixon to Coburn

722: Sept. 24, 1914

Scott, Lady (Katherine or Kathleen?) to Coburn

723: Oct. 14, 1913

724: Oct. 21, 1913

725: Dec. 31, 1913

726: Jan. 9, 1914

Seamen, Owen to Coburn

727: March 18, 1914

728: March 29, 1914

Service, Robert W. to Coburn

729: Feb. 26, 1915

Shannon, Charles H.[azelwood] to Coburn

730: Feb. 21, 1907

731: Feb. 22, 1907

732: ? 30, 1907

733: March 3, 1913

Shaw, George Bernard to Coburn

734: July 26, 1904

735: July 28, 1904

736: A ug. 5, 1904 NB:"Curtain up on Candida revival"

737: Nov. 26, 1904 "the Superman this winter"

738: July 6, 1905

738A: Nov. 10, 1905

739: Nov. 1, 1905

740: Nov. 1, 1905

741: Dec. 28, 1905

742: Jan. 15, 1906

743: Jan. 23, 1906

744: Feb. 8, 1906

745: Feb. 20, 1906

746: March 22, 1906

747: April 11, 1906

748: April 17, 1906

749: April 23, 1906

750: April 24, 1906

751: May 30, 1906

752: June 1, 1906

753: June 12, 1906

754: June 14, 1906

755: July 17, 1906

756: Sept. 14, 1906

757: Oct. 7, 1906

758: Oct. 7, 1906

759: Oct. 18, 1906

760: Nov. 15, 1906

761: Nov. 16, 1906

762: Jan. 17, 1907

763: Jan. 18, 1907

764: Aug. 6, 1907

765: Sept. 18, 1907

766: Oct. 9, 1907

767: Nov. 5, 1908

768: Nov. 9, 1908 (env. only)

769: June 1, 1909

770: June 29, 1909

771: July 3, 1909

772: Oct. 15, 1909

773: Nov. 2, 1909

774: Jan. 11, 1910

775: Feb. 18, 1910

776: April 10, 1910

777: May 31, 1910

778: Aug. 10, 1910

779: Aug. 27, 1910 (env. only)

780: Oct. 19, 1910

781: Oct. 25, 1910

781A: Sept. 27, 1911

782: Jan. 29, 1913

782A: April 1, 1913

783: Aug. 29, 1913

784: Sept. 5, 1913

785: Nov. 15, 1913

786: Nov. 30, 1913

787: Feb. 9, 1915

788: Feb. 12, 1915

789: April 3, 1916

789A: No Date, no names

NB: All Shaw biographies say his 6 early novels were unpublished, but this letter shows his 2nd novel, "The Irrational Knot ... Brentano wants to revive, but [it] is at present inaccessible, a serial buried in the files of an extinct literary magazine": it was published in serial form, and might have appeared in book form if not for the copyright problem.

Coburn, Edith to Shaw

790: Nov. 26, 1944

791: April 22, 1945

791A: April 22, 1945

792: July 26, 1946

794: June 15, 1947

795: Aug. 5 and 8, 1947

796: Aug. 11, 1947

800: Sept. 9, 1947

802: Sept. 12, 1947

Shaw to Edith Coburn

793: June 6, 1947

797: Aug. 6, 1947

797A: Env. only

798: Aug. 7, 1947

801: Sept. 10, 1947

803: Sept. 13, 1947

804: Dec. 4, 1949

Coburn to Gernsheim (re: Shaw)

805: Dec. 10, 1964

Perriton Maxwell to Coburn (re: Shaw)

806: Oct. 28, 1913

Coburn to Perriton Maxwell

807: Nov. 14, 1913

Childrens Entertainment Films To Coburn

(concerning Fairy Gold)

799: Aug. 26, 1947

Box 10: Sin-Z, Unidentified

Sinclair, May to Coburn

808: ?, ?, 1908

809: April 11, 1908

810: April 28, 1908

811: Nov. 4, 1908

Solomon, Solomon J. to Coburn

813: Aug. 15, 1904

815: Oct. 3, 1904

817: Dec. 12, 1905

Coburn to Solomon

812: [no date]

814: Sept. 20, 1904

816: [no date]

Spare, Austin Osman to Coburn

818: Nov. 7, 1913

819: Nov. 10, 1913

820: Nov. 17, 1913

Starr, Nina Howell to Coburn

821: Aug. 20, 1964

Coburn to Starr

822: Aug. 27, 1964

822A [no date]

Envelope and photographs

Steer (Street?), ? to Coburn

823: March 16, 1914

824: March 17, 1914

Steir, Wilson to Coburn

825: Feb. 19, 1908

Stieglitz, Alfred

Coburn to Stieglitz

825A Photocopies of Letters 1904 - 1911

St. Denis, Ruth to Coburn

826: May 26, 1911

Strand, Paul to Coburn

827: Oct. 11, 1954

Swinburne, Algernon Charles: See Dunton, Theodore Watts

Symons, Arthur to Coburn

828: Sept. 11, 1906

829: Oct. 5, 1906

830: Oct. 24, 1906

831: Nov. 16, 1906

832: Dec. 3, 1906

833: Dec. 6, 1906

834: Dec. 15, 1906

835: Jan. 8, 1907

836: Jan. 27, 1907

837: Nov. 13, 1907

838: [no date]

839: [no date]

Taylor, Roger to Coburn

840: Feb. 25, 1964

841: April 3, ?

Coburn to Taylor

842: [no date]

843: [no date] (to "Norman")

844: March 13, 1964

Tennyson, Lord to Coburn

(Son of Lord Alfred Tennyson)

845: June 10, 1913

Traise, H.J. to Coburn

(of Jonathan Followfield Central Photographic Stores)

846: March 28, 1947

Trench, Herbert to Coburn

(of Haymarket Theatre)

846A Dec. 31, 1909

847: Jan. 5, 1910 (re: Maeterlinck's Blue Bird)

848: Jan. 7, 1910 (re: real "Tyltyl," Olive Walter)

849: Jan. 24, 1910 (re: pictures of The Blue Bird)

850: Feb. 10, 1910

851: March 6, 1910

852: May 21, 1910 (re: George Bain, New Theatre, USA)

853: May 30, 1910

854: Oct. 5, 1913

855: Sept. 27, 1915

856: Oct. 1, 1915

857: Nov. 25, 1915

858: Jan. 13, 1916

Tronbelzkoy, Princess to Coburn

859: ?, ? 1905

Tweed, John to Coburn

860: May 15, 1916

Van Noppen, Leonard to Coburn

861: July 28, 1913

862: [no date]

Vestal, David to Coburn

864: Oct. 26, 1963

Coburn to Vestal

863: Oct. 13, 1963

Wade, Allan to Coburn

865: Oct. 5, 1913

Wadsworth, Edward to Coburn

866: Oct. 10, 1915

867: Oct. 28, 1915

Walkley, A.[rthur] B.[ingham] to Coburn

868: Feb. 17, 1906

Ward, Mrs. Humphry to Coburn

869: Aug. 11, 1904

Coburn to Ward

870: [no date]

871: [no date]

Watson, A.? B. Marriott to Coburn

872: Aug. 11, 1904

873: Aug. 16, 1904

874: Sept. 8, 1904

Watson, Francis J.B.

(of The Wallace Collection)

875: Oct. 25, 1963

876: Oct. 29, 1963

877: Oct. 28, 1963

877A Oct. 3l, 1963 (envelope)

Coburn to Watson

878: Nov. 1, 1963

878A Photograph

Watts, Mrs. to Coburn

(Letter states that Julia Margaret Cameron photographed her in 1868, perhaps Ellen Terry, who was married to George Frederick Watts for a brief time? However, he remarried in 1886, to Mary Fraser Tytler, and it is unknown whether she was a friend of the Cameron‚Äôs in the 1860's)

879: June 30, 1913

Webster, George (Methuen & Co.)

879A January 3, 1910

XREF: Trench, re: Maeterlinck‚Äôs The Blue Bird

Wells, Herbert George to Coburn

880: April 30, ?

881: [no date]

881A [no date]

882: Sept. 18, 1906

883: Dec. 4, 1907

884: April 5, 1908

885: May 23, 1908

886: May 26, 1908

887: Aug. 26, 1912

888: June 6, 1913

889: June 20, 1913

890: Oct. 7, 1913

891: Nov. 29, 1913

892: Dec. 2, 1913

893: ? ?, 1914

894: Sept. 23, 1914

895: Sept. 26, 1914

896: Jan. 28, 1915

Coburn to Wells

897: [no date]

(Coburn letters to H.G. Wells published in Alvin Langdon Coburn and H.G. Wells: The Photographer and the Novelist, (Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Krannert Art Museum, 1997.)

Mrs. H.G. Wells to Shaw

re: Coburn photographing H.G.Wells

898: Feb. 20, 1905

Wendt, William to Coburn

899: Nov. 29, 1911

Wharton, Edith see: Gilder, Richard Watson

White, Clarence H. to Coburn

900: May 22, 1912

901: July 20, 1913

Whyte, Frederic to Coburn

902: Oct. 26, 1913

Wood, Henry Trueman, Sir to Coburn

903: Jan. 30, 1906

Yeats, William Butler to Coburn

904: March 9, 1908

Zangwill, I.[srael] to Coburn

905: Feb. 18, 1914

Unidentified

"Special letter for artists" by Coburn

906: [no date]

Hotel Terminus, Pergignan Coburn to

907: Dec. 2, 1950

[ ], Chris to Coburn

(Letterhead says Liverpool Cathedral, Found with Coburn Negative, Sleeve entitled - Liverpool Cathedral Portraits)

908: May 21, ?

[ ], Fred to Coburn

909: July 5, 1963

[ ] to Coburn: (from Florence)

910: Dec. 14, 1913

Edith to Mrs. Gibson

911: April 4, 1945

Edith to Dr. -

912: November 26, 1945

Edith to ?

913: July 6, 1947

No Letters # 914 - 926

Box 11: Newhall Correspondence

Newhall, Beaumont or Nancy to Coburn (Alvin or Edith)

927: May 10, 1938

929: Sept. 21, 1938

930A April 5, 1947

932: July 29, 1952

934: Aug. 8, 1952

936: Aug. 18, 1952

940: Nov. 24, 1952:

943A Feb. 15, 1953

945: Feb. 18, 1953

947: March 17, 1953

949: June 29, 1953

952: July 30, 1953

956: Sept. 30, 1953

959: Jan. 21, 1954

965: Dec. 12, 1960

968: Sept. 4, 1961

971: Oct. 20, 1961

972: Oct. 25, 1961

975: April 5, 1962

978: May 22, 1962

980: June 12, 1962

982: Aug. 31, 1962

984: Sept. 18, 1962

987: Oct. 18, 1962

988: Nov. 7, 1962

991: Nov. 17, 1962

993: Nov. 27, 1962

996: Dec. 12, 1962

999: Jan. 10, 1963

1000: Feb. 21, 1963

1004: March 7, 1963

1007: April 11, 1963

1011: May 9, 1963

1013: June 11, 1963

1020: Sept. 3, 1963

1023: Jan. 10, 1964

1026: March 11, 1964

1027: May 13, 1964

1028: July 9, 1964

1030: Jan. 26, 1965

1035: May 28, 1965

1036: July 14, 1966

Coburn (Alvin or Edith) to Newhall (Nancy or Beaumont)

928: May 17, 1938

930: Oct. 13, 1938

931: April 11, 1947

933: July 5, 1952

935: Aug. 13, 1952

937: Aug. 21, 1952

938: Oct. 2, 1952

939: Oct. 6, 1952

941: Dec. 6, 1952

942: Dec. 30, 1952

944: Feb. 14, 1953

946: March 9, 1953

948: [Spring, 1953]

950: July 9, 1953

951: July 17, 1953

953: Aug 22, 1953

954: Sept. 8, 1953

955: Sept. 14, 1953

957: Oct. 5, 1953

958: Jan. 15, 1954

960: May 23, 1954

961: July 27, 1954

962: Aug. 17, 1955

963: Sept. 20, 1955

964: May 21. 1956

969: Sept. 8, 1961

973: Oct. 31, 1961

974: April 1, 1962

976: April 25, 1962

977: May 17, 1962

979: June 3, 1962

981: June 16, 1962

983: Sept. 4, 1962

985: Sept. 25, 1962

986: Oct. 13, 1962

989: Nov. 7, 1962

990: Nov. 13, 1962

992: Nov. 24, 1962

994: Dec. 1, 1962

995: Dec. 5, 1962

997: Dec. 20, 1962

998: Jan. 7, 1963

1001: Feb. 23, 1963

1002: Feb. 25, 1963

1003: Feb. 26, 1963

1005: March 31, 1963

1006: April 9, 1963

1008: April 16, 1963

1009: April 18, 1963

1010: April 23, 1963

1012: May 14, 1963

1015: July 21, 1963

1016: Aug. 7, 1963

1017: Aug. 14, 1963

1018: Aug. 14, 1963

1019: Sept. 1, 1983

1021: Sept. 8, 1963

1022: Jan. 4, 1964

1024: Jan. 28, 1964

1025: March 1, 1964

1029: Jan. 20, 1965

1031: Jan. 30, 1965

1032: March 10, 1965

1033: March 16, 1965

1034: April 28, 1965

Newhall, Nancy to Jackie [Judge]

(re: Coburn and her essay about Coburn)

943: Feb. 13, 1953

Nancy to Thomas Hill (re: Coburn)

966: Dec. 12, 1960

Hill to Nancy

967: Dec. 15, 1960

Nancy to Hyatt (re: Coburn)

1014 June 25, 1963

Doty, Robert to the Newhalls (re: Coburn)

970: Oct. 3, 1961

Beaumont to Walter Praeger

1037 Nov. 30, 1966

Papers (Boxes 12 - 17)

This section of materials starts with notes and various drafts Coburn made for his autobiography published in 1966. The largest grouping contains published texts either written, illustrated by, or about Coburn, some of which exist in both manuscript and published form. Among his personal papers are materials related to radio broadcasts made in the late nineteen-fifties in which he discussed his life and work, as well as a few letters and notes related to his interest in mystic religions and freemasonry. The few remaining items seem to be scraps of miscellaneous papers (clippings, photographs, maps, tickets, etc.), some of which relate to his photographic career, while others seem to be truly miscellaneous. Also included in the papers are materials related to the transfer of the Coburn collection to the George Eastman House, publication of a portfolio of his work by the museum, and the exhibition of his work held here 1978.

Box 12

I. Autobiography and Notes

Papers generated by Coburn during the writing of his autobiography

Titles in quotes indicate a page with a heading written by Coburn

Manuscript of biographical essay, drafts (various), handwritten and typed [Folder 1-9]
Handwritten or typed lists of photographs to be published in the book [Folder 10-11]
Various lists - ‚"Portraits,‚" ‚"Largely Landscapes,‚" ‚"Appendices,‚" ‚"Date.‚" [Folder 12]
Textual descriptions of photographs, handwritten and typed [Folder 13-15]
‚"Autochromes,‚" handwritten manuscript [Folder 16]
‚"Musicians,‚" typewritten list [Folder 17]
Unidentified lists (sitters and dates of portrait?), handwritten [Folder 18]
List of photographs and dates, handwritten [Folder 19]
‚"Beyond the Image,‚" handwritten notes [Folder 20]
Miscellaneous notes, handwritten [Folder 21-22]
‚"Broadcasts by Alvin Langdon Coburn‚", typed list [Folder 23]
57 manilla cards listing exhibitions to which Coburn contributed photographs [Folder 24]
‚"Exhibitions Contributed to by Alvin Langdon Coburn,‚" typed list [Folder 25]
‚"Books Containing Illustrations by Alvin Langdon Coburn,‚" typed list [Folder 26]
‚"Coburns Photographs in Books,‚" typed list [Folder 27]
‚"List of Magazines in which the Prints of Alvin Langdon Coburn have been Reproduced,‚" typed list [Folder 28]

II. Materials Related to Coburn Collection at the George Eastman House

A. Acquisition of Coburn Collection by Eastman House

Correspondence concerning ALC estate, 1965-67 [Folder 29]
Correspondence concerning Coburn materials in possession of Hillelson Agency, 1976-77; copy of ALC will [Folder 30]

B. Publication of A.L. Coburn A Portfolio of 16 photographs, 1962

Coburn-Newhall correspondence concerning introduction to A Portfolio of 16 Photographs [Folder 31]
MSS. of Nancy Newhall's Introduction to A.L. Coburn, A Portfolio of 16 Photographs (2 versions) [Folder 32-33]

C. Coburn Exhibition at George Eastman House (October 14, 1977 - January 29, 1978)

Bill Jenkins correspondence [Folder 34]
JoAnn Verburg Correspondence [Folder 35]
Handwritten list of ALC negatives, probably by Verburg [Folder 36]

Box 13

III. Writings by Coburn

A. Manuscript

‚"Appreciation,‚" by Alvin Langdon Coburn (typewritten manuscript)
‚"Frederick H. Evans‚" by Alvin Langdon Coburn (typewritten manuscript)
‚"Photography Through the Years,‚" by Alvin Langdon Coburn (typewritten manuscript)
‚"Fairy Gold: A Play for Children, and Grow-ups Who Have Not Grown Up,‚" with music by Granville Bantock (typewritten manuscript)
‚"Retrospect,‚" speech Oct. 22, 1957

B. Published

‚"The Question of Diffusion: A Tribute to the P. & S. Semi-Achromatic Lenses,‚" in Semi-Achromatic Lenses, Manufactured by Pinkham and Smith Company, (Boston, Mass: Pinkham & Smith Company.
‚"Photography and the Quest for Beauty,‚" Photographic Journal, 1924. (offprint)
‚"Bernard Shaw, Photographer,‚" Photoguide Magazine, vol.1, no.9 (Dec. 1950).
‚"Retrospect,‚" Photographic Journal, (Feb. 1958). (offprint)
‚"Photographing George Meredith (Alvin Langdon Coburn),‚" The Listener, vol.59, no.1518 (May 1, 1958).
‚"Photographic Adventures,‚" Photographic Journal, (May 1962). (offprint)
‚"Men of Mark.‚" (pages torn from a magazine?)

IV. Writings Illustrated with Coburn Photographs

Manchester & the Sea. [Manchester, England]: n.p., n.d.
Edinburgh, Text by Archibald Henderson, With Illustrations from Photographs by Alvin Langdon Coburn. (typewritten manuscript)
‚"From the Preface to The Golden Bowl, by Henry James. New York Edition of Novels and Tales‚" (typewritten manuscript)
Archibald Henderson, ‚"Mark Twain,‚" Harper‚Äôs Magazine, May 1909. (reprint)
Archibald Henderson, ‚"Old Edinburgh,‚" Harper‚Äôs Magazine, October 1909. (reprint; 2 copies)
John Masefield, ‚"Ships, A Poem,‚" Harper‚Äôs Magazine, no.775, December 1914.
Photograms of the Year, 1916. (single page torn from issue with Coburn photograph)

V. BBC Broadcasts 1953-1964

‚"Illustrating Henry James,‚" text of broadcast (typewritten manuscript)
Correspondence concerning the broadcasts
Letters of congratulations from listeners and friends after the broadcast ‚"Coburn the Photographer, ‚" TONIGHT Television, Jan. 29, 1964.

Box 14

VI. Writings About Coburn

A. Manuscript

William Howe Downes, ‚"Alvin Langdon Coburn, Artist-Photographer‚" (2 typewritten manuscripts, one with handwritten corrections, and a later, clean copy)
H.G. Wells, ‚"Preface to New York by Alvin Langdon Coburn‚" (typewritten manuscript)
No author, ‚"Alvin Langdon Coburn‚" (2 versions in different handwriting) A note with them says they were both taken from Coburn‚Äôs copy of L. Fritz Gruber‚Äôs Fame.
Excerpts from the Max Weber transcript concerning Coburn - copied from original at Columbia University

B. Published

George Bernard Shaw, ‚"A Pen Portrait of George Bernard Shaw,‚" The Amateur Photographer, vol.48, no.1,114 (Feb.6, 1906).
Hopp√©, E.O. ‚"Alvin Langdon Coburn‚" Photographische Rundschau und Photographisches Centralblatt, vol. 20, no.15 (1906).
‚"A New Aspect of London: The City through an American Camera,‚" The Pall Mall Magazine, vol. 37, no.156, (April 1906).
F.J. Mortimer, ‚"Is a Photographer the Best Judge of His Own Work?‚" Photographic News, vol.51, no.579 (Feb. 1, 1907).
Giles Edgerton, ‚"Photography as One of the Fine Arts,‚" The Craftsman, vol.12, no.4 (July 1907).
A.H. Blake, ‚"A Man and his Aims,‚" Photographic News, vol.52, no.624 (Dec. 13, 1907).
Studies in Artistic Photography (Gei Jutsu Shashin Kenkya), Special Issue on Coburn.
Amber Reeves, ‚"The Finding of Pictures,‚" The Lady‚Äôs Realm, vol.125, no.148 (Feb. 1909).
Joseph A. Firebaugh, ‚"Coburn: Henry James Photographer,‚" American Quarterly, vol.7. no.3 (Fall 1955).
‚"Alvin Langdon Coburn, Portfolio,‚" Photography, vol. 16, no. 10 (Oct. 1961).
‚"Alvin Langdon Coburn,‚" Foto Magazin, (April 1962).
‚"Alvin Langdon Coburn‚Äôs Portfolio,‚" Image, vol. 12, no.1 (1963).
‚"The Camera in the Hands of a Master,‚" The Times, Monday April 22, 1963.
‚"A Great Photographer in Retirement,‚" The Times, Monday, April 29, 1963.
‚"Artist with the Camera,‚" North Wales Weekly News, Thurs. May 16, 1963.
Review of Coburn‚Äôs autobiography, Times Literary Supplement, no. 3,384 (Thurs. Jan. 5, 1967).

Box 15

VII. Exhibition Catalogs and Related Materials

Catalogue of an Exhibition of the Work of Alvin Langdon Coburn. Royal Photographic Society, London, Feb. 5 - March 31, 1906.
Catalogue of an Exhibition of the work of Alvin Langdon Coburn. Liverpool Amateur Photographic Association, London?, April 30 - May 14, 1906.
An Exhibition of Photographs Arranged by the Photo-Secession. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, April 30 - May 27, 1906.
Catalogue of an Exhibition of the Work of Alvin Langdon Coburn. City Art Gallery, Leeds, Dec. 6 - Dec. 31, 1906.
An Exhibition of Modern Photography at the Galleries of the New English Art Club. London?, Jan. 28 - Feb. 9, 1907.
Catalogue, International Exhibition Pictorial Photography, National Arts Club, New York City, Feb. 2 - Feb. 20, 1909.
Camera Pictures, by Alvin Langdon Coburn. Goupil Gallery, London?, October 1913.
Catalogue of an Exhibition of the Old Masters of Photography, Arranged by Alvin Langdon Coburn. Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, Jan. 30 - Feb. 28, 1915.
Catalogue of the International Circle of Pictorial Photographers, First Annual Exhibition. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, April 4 - April 18, 1925.
Vorticism and Its Allies, Arts Council of Great Britain, Hayward Gallery, London?, March 1 - 8, 19?? (Exhibition announcement only)
University of Reading, Jan. 24 - Feb. 9, 1962 - announcements, correspondence, installation shots (in folder)

VIII. ALC/Freemasonry/Mystic Religions

Theosophy: ALC membership, 1919
Masonic Order: lectures, pamphlets, correspondence, 1951-1964
August Order of Light/Universal Order: correspondence, ALC lectures on astrological and Druidic themes, 1954-64: The Autumnal Equinox, The Vernal Equinox, Inspiration: the Great Beyond, Mystic Musings (poem) , The Songs of the Immortals.

Box 16

IX. Miscellaneous Items

Book announcements

Announcement and order form for Men of Mark

Announcement and order form for The Door in the Wall (housed in oversize box)

Autograph album of ALC, some cut out; dated 6/9/1909-11/27/1919; and 8/3/1947
Photograph of Clarence White, by Coburn, modern print (1972) from original negative
Program for ‚"First Performance of Fairy Gold,‚" by Coburn
Note from G.F. Sims to Coburn and two catalogs from his bookshop
Mailing Label - addressed to Coburn
Samples - Coburn‚Äôs writing paper embossed with address
Clipping and photograph of cromlechs. A note says ‚"found in a portfolio on pre-historic monuments 67:108"
Advertising brochure for Coburn‚Äôs studio at 827 Boylston Street, Boston. A note on the back says this was Coburn‚Äôs first studio, 1897-1898
ALC Membership certificate in Royal Society of Photography (Housed in Oversize Box 17)
9 x 12 brown envelope addressed to Coburn, from Max Weber (empty)
6 x 9 brown envelope, addressed to Coburn, labeled ‚"Ezra Pound‚" in Coburn‚Äôs handwriting
Miscellaneous Items collected by Coburn:
1. Newspaper and magazine clippings, magazine issues, exhibition catalogs, publishers‚Äô catalogs, brochures, pamphlets, subscription announcements, etc. (Some housed in Oversize Box 17)
2. Map of Madeira (Housed in oversize box)
3. partial cover from pamphlet ‚"Photo-Secession‚"
4. Announcement of a course on creative photography to be taught by Helmut Gernsheim Oct. 9, 1964
5. YMCA award to ALC for ‚"Pictures from the Home Front‚" for boosting HM Forces‚Äô Morale in the Great War (Housed in Oversize Box 17)
6. Excerpt, typed mss from Book of John (Housed in Oversize Box 17)

Box 17: Oversize Miscellaneous Items

(See description Box 16)

Bound Book, Album of Yosemite Photographs & Scrapbooks (Boxes 18 - 24)

The six scrapbooks are arranged chronologically and seem to have been assembled at the same time as they all resemble each other in style and materials. .

Box 18

1. Book, Bound & Boxed (24 Photogravures, Acc. # 67:149:1-24)

Illustrating Henry James, the sole copy of a unique book James had bound, for the 24 photogravures Coburn took to illustrate the Scribner 1906-09 set of The Complete Novels & Tales of Henry James. The only text is James‚Äô handwritten front-page dedication:

"For remembrance of all our/

pleasant pursuit and capture of the/

charming and interesting impressions here/

recorded, as well as of others not/

gathered in,/

Henry James to A.L. Coburn/

Lamb's House/

December 27, 1909"

The 24 photogravures here do not perfectly match the canonical LIST of the 24 photos published as volume frontispieces. Still-legible pencil erasures indicate some change of mind (by Henry James or ALC) over which went with which bound volume. Thus the first photogravure here is the Coburn portrait of the mature James. But Scribner‚Äôs Volume I, Roderick Hudson, uses an old photo of the author as a boy beside his father, Henry James, Senior.

2. Book, Bound and Boxed (Acc. #67:0157:001)

Small bound book containing 20 mounted photos taken by Coburn of Yosemite Valley.

Box 19: ALC Scrapbook, 1901-1904

ALC Scrapbook, 1901-1904 (Acc. # 67:129:1): reviews, notices of ALC: (London) Times, NY Times; other papers.

Box 20: ALC Scrapbook, 1905-1906

ALC Scrapbook, 1905-1906 (Acc. # 67:129:2): reviews, notices of ALC: (London) Times, NY Times; Buffalo, Boston papers.

Box 21: ALC Scrapbook, 1906-1908

ALC Scrapbook, 1906-1908 (Acc. # 67:129:3): reviews, notices of ALC: (London) Times, NY Times; Buffalo, Boston papers.

Box 22: ALC Scrapbook, 1908-1910

ALC Scrapbook, 1908-1910 (Acc. # 67:129:4): reviews, notices of ALC: (London) Times, NY Times; other papers.

Box 23: ALC Scrapbook, 1911-1915

ALC Scrapbook, 1911-1915 (Acc. # 67.129:5): illustrations, reviews, notices of ALC: (London) Times, NY Times, The Illustrated London News; photos of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Taft

Box 24: ALC Scrapbook, Oversize, 1908-1915

ALC Scrapbook, Oversize, 1908-1915 (Acc. # 67. 129:6); many theater illustrations; reviews, notices of ALC: (London) Times, NY Times, The Illustrated London News, The Sphere

Personal Possessions And Ephemera (Boxes 25-30)

These boxes contain games, toys, jewelry, coins, souvenirs, and personal items, many related to Coburn‚Äôs interest in mysticism and Eastern religions and culture.

Box 25 Games, Coins, Rings, Beads, Miniatures

1. Top layer:

Coin Collection, Acc. # 67:133:1-2

Druid rings, Acc. # 67:136:1-3

Miniature toys, animals, dwarves, Acc. # 67:137:1-17

Two paper game boards 67:131:13-14

2. Second layer:

Seals (7) & sealing wax (3), Acc. # 67:135:1

Oriental religious beads (2 strings), Acc. # 67:134:1-2

Eastern game pieces & boxes, Acc. # 67:131:20-24

Box with four sets of small cards with oriental writing, 67:131:10

Personal Items in a tin box, 67:141:1

3. Third layer:

Tarot card games (6), Accession #67:131:26-31

4. Fourth layer:

Shogi chess pieces in gold bags (2), Acc. # 67:131:18-19

Wood box with shogi chess pieces (2), Acc. # 67:131:15-16

Box 26: Games

Western Chess sets (5), Acc. #67:131:5-6,8-9,33

Eastern backgammon, Chess (Sho-gi) (3) Acc. #67:131:11-12,17

Box 27: Games, Miscellaneous Items

4 wooden game-piece stands, Acc. # 67:131:32

Egyptian games, wood box; tokens, cup (4), Acc. # 67:131:7

Boxed scroll, Acc. # 67:131:1

Box 28: Miscellaneous Items

Opium pipes and paraphernalia, Acc. # 67:138:1-10

Scale, weights, balance, Acc. # 67:132:1

40‚Äô faux Japanese scroll, Acc.. #67.131:2

Box 29: Personal Items

Three nested boxes, collar tabs & buttons, grooming aids, stickpin, studs, sketch book, pitchpipe, etc. Acc. # 67:139-140

Box 30: Games and Miscellaneous items

Wooden jars with Oriental game tokens (2), Acc. # 67:131:3-4

Black & white paper fan with writing, Acc. # 67:131:34

Ephemera listed numerically by accession numbers with item descriptions:

67:131:1 Rectangular wooden box containing scroll

Rectangular wooden box containing scroll (Japanese) 16 ¬Ω x 3 3/8 x 3 3/4" Imitation scroll to go round 4 walls of room, some quality sections, some poorly rendered, signed in rakkun, 6-7th century script

67:131:2 Rectangular wooden box containing scroll (Japanese) 10 3/16 x 3 ¬Ω x 3"

67:131:3 cracked wooden jar, game tokens, white

67:131:4 wooden jar, game tokens, gray slate

67:131:5 chess set, hinged wood box, black & natural pieces

67:131:6 chess set, hinged wood box, red & white pieces

67:131:7 4 Egyptian games, wood box; tokens, cup

67:131:8 Travel chess set, miniature red and white pieces

67:131:9 chess set wood box, R & W, pieces √† la Alice in Wonderland

67:131:10 Small box with four sets of small cards with oriental writing (approx. 3 1/4 x 1")

67:131:11 Oriental paper round game tokens, red and blue in metal box

67:131:12 Oriental paper round game tokens, orange, yellow, green in metal box

67:131:13 Oriental "backgammon" rice paper board

67:131:14 Oriental "backgammon" rice paper board

67:131:15 wood box with Shogi ("chess") pieces

67:131:16 wood box with Shogi ("chess") pieces

67:131:17 lacquer wood box with Shogi ("chess") pieces

67:131:18 bag of Shogi ("chess") pieces

67:131:19 bag of Shogi ("chess") pieces

67:131:20 metal box with "backgammon" game

67:131:21 metal box with "backgammon" game

67:131:22 rusted box with "backgammon" game

67:131:23 metal box with "backgammon" game

67:131:24 rusted box (wrapped in original paper wrap) with "backgammon" game

67:131:25 Tarot cards; ‚"Le Grand Jeu de L‚ÄôOracle des Dames,‚" 78 card set

67:131:26 Tarot cards; ‚"Grand Jeu de Mlle Normand,‚" 54 card set

67:131:27 Tarot cards; ‚"Le Grand Etteilla,‚" 78 card set

67:131:28 Tarot cards (with booklet); ‚"Nouveau Jeu de la Main,‚" 56 card set

67:131:29 Tarot cards (in green box); not labeled, 78 card set

67:131:30 Tarot cards (in green box); not labeled, 78 card set

67:131:31 Deck of ordinary playing cards

67:131:32 6 black wooden racks, to hold game pieces

67:131:33 Traveling chess set, wooden box with slide-out board

67:131:34 Japanese papyrus slats making a fan with coded writing

67:132:1 Wooden box with brass scales

67:133:1 Various Coins: Greek, Roman, South African, French, ‚"Free half-liter‚" and ‚"Free liter Bier‚"

67:133:2 US coins (15)

a. 1828 US Liberty ¬Ω cent

b. 7 Lincoln cents 1909-1916

c. 7 Indian head cents 1181, 1884, 1904, 1907

67:134:1-2 Two strings oriental religious beads

67:135:1 Seals (7) and sealing wax (3 pieces)

67:136: 1-3 Three Druidic Rings

a. Bulge-Nose mustached god

b. Smooth, flat head ring

c. skull & Xbones

67: 137:1-17 Miniatures of animals & elves (metal, carved ivory and wood)

67:138:1-10 Opium pipes and flasks

a. Two long thin pipes

b. Death's head long pipe short pipe

c. wolf's head, lion's head to fit on pipes

d. green glass & silver opium flask

e. silver & Brown opium flask with residue

67:139:1 ALC Personal Items: grooming aids, brush, comb, mustache clipper, etc.

67:140:1 ALC Personal Items: three nested boxes, collar tabs & buttons, grooming aids, stickpin, studs, sketch book, miniature tea set, etc.

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