A collection of British and American literary manuscripts and correspondence primarily from the latter half of the nineteenth century.
James O'Neill Collection, 1841 - 1955 (MSS 141)
Extent: 4.8 Linear feet (12 archive boxes)
The collection was purchased from James O'Neill in 1964. O'Neill was an industrial consultant and book dealer residing in Boston. The manuscript materials formed a small part of a larger purchase of O'Neill's 14,000 volume library, which represents a lifetime of book collecting by O'Neill. O'Neill's interest in American and English literature of the late nineteenth century is evident in both his library and in the materials contained in the manuscript collection.
The materials in the James O'Neill Collection formed part of a large book collection purchased from O'Neill by the UCSD Library. O'Neill was a book dealer and collector. This collection documents his interest in late nineteenth century serial fiction and short stories. While the bulk of the collection is comprised of manuscripts, there is also ample correspondence from the period. Of special interest is the correspondence included in the Amos R. Wells papers, which offers examples of the relationships between writers, editors, and publishers during the period.
Arranged in five series: 1) MANUSCRIPTS, 2) COLLECTED LETTERS, 3) MISCELLANEOUS, 4) AMOS R. WELLS PAPERS, and 5) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES.