This collection is located on-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
Correspondence, manuscripts, a Civil War notebook, commemorative postage stamps, an etching, photographs, book reviews and other clippings by and about Holmes. Many of the letters are written to Charles Henry Butler, 1859-1940, Reporter of Decisions at the United States Supreme Court from 1902 until 1916, and contain suggestions for the published reports of Holmes' decisions. There are also many manuscript memoranda of Holmes' suggestions to Butler. There is a letter written to P.E. Mason dated March 1, 1899, giving advice to a young lawyer on what books to read and how to conduct himself; and also Holmes' autograph manuscript of an essay on the legal vocation"Just the Boy That's Wanted in Law.".
Selected materials cataloged; remainder arranged.
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection is located on-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Stuart B. Schimmel - Oliver Wendell Holmes letters and documents; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Holmes Letters and Documents: Source of acquisition--Schimmel, Stuart B. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1985.
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Holmes Letters and Documents Processed HR 01/--/86.
Four boxes of related books were cataloged in early 2025 into the general RBML LC collection, and are findable via the gift note.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., 1841-1935 was Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902 until 1935. His father, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., 1809-1894, essayist, poet, and physician, is also represented in the collection.
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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