Adrian Goldstone: An Inventory of His Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center

Adrian Homer Goldstone, 1897-1977, grew up in the area around Monterey, California. An avid book collector all of his life, he is particularly well know for his bibliographies of Arthur Machen and John Steinbeck, both of which were published through the University of Texas. While working on the Steinbeck bibliography with research librarians at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, he also worked out the sale and gift of part of his extensive Steinbeck library to the Center. The rest of his collection went to institutions in California.

Scope and Contents

The Adrian Goldstone Collection, 1922-1977, is composed primarily of correspondence, which often includes typescripts and revised copies of works in progress, much of it relating to his research on Edwin B. Hill and John Steinbeck, as well as his interest in Rockwell Kent. The collection is organized into four series: Series I. Personal Correspondence and Papers, 1950-1977 (.5 box); Series II. Materials re Edwin B. Hill, 1965-1973 (2 folders); Series III. Materials re John Steinbeck, 1966-1975 (1.5 boxes); and Series IV. Materials re Rockwell Kent, 1922-1975 (1 box). Most of the material in the third series was previously considered part of the John Steinbeck collection and all of the material in the fourth series was previously considered part of the Rockwell Kent collection. Incoming and outgoing correspondence is interfiled throughout the collection.

The Personal Correspondence and Papers series holds letters written between Goldstone and various friends and fellow book collectors. Correspondents include Nathan Bengis, J. Rives Childs, and others. Individual correspondents are listed in the Index of Correspondents at the end of this guide.

The Materials re Edwin B. Hill series contains letters and book lists that chronicle Goldstone's search for information on Hill. His correspondence with Carl Hertzog and Gertrude Muir was particularly productive. With the exception of the Hertzog letters, Goldstone's correspondence on this topic is arranged chronologically rather than alphabetically. Individual correspondents are listed in the Index of Correspondents at the end of this guide.

The Materials re John Steinbeck series contains a vast array of correspondents, demonstrating the lengths to which Goldstone went to complete his Steinbeck bibliography. Of particular note is his correspondence with the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center. This batch of letters provides the three-way correspondence which took place between Goldstone, John Payne, and Warren Roberts as they worked out details of his bibliography and the transfer of a portion of Goldstone's vast Steinbeck collection to the Center. Other correspondents on this topic include Herman Abromson, Preston Beyer, Lee Hayman, and others. Correspondence with Preston Beyer and John Payne contains a quantity of draft material and book lists related to Goldstone's Steinbeck bibliography. With the exception of institutions and people in the Various book collections and Various libraries and publishers folders, individual correspondents are listed in the Index of Correspondents at the end of this guide.

The Materials re Rockwell Kent series is composed of correspondence between Kent and Goldstone who admired each other's work, as well as letters between Goldstone and Dan Bourne Jones and various book collectors and sellers regarding Jones' bibliography of Kent's works. With the exception of institutions and people in the Various book sellers and Kent collectors folder, individual correspondents are listed in the Index of Correspondents at the end of this guide.

Restrictions

Access