Gordon Norton Ray letters collection, 1661-1976

Summary Information

At a Glance

Call No.:
MS#1054
Bib ID:
4079255 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
Ray, Gordon N (Gordon Norton), 1915-1986
Repository:
Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Physical Description:
9 boxes (9 boxes)
Language(s):
English .
Access:
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.

Description

Summary

Letters written to Frank Topham, ca. 1879; letters from various 19th century artists including Wyke Bayliss, G. Bowers Edwards, and Carl Haag; letters to Jerome Milkman, 1925-1958; letters to Howes Norris, 1908-1930; letters from various 20th century artists including Sir D.Y. Cameron, Sir John Collier, and Sir Gerald Kelley; and letters and a few manuscripts and documents of various American and British authors. Also, a group of French documents and letters from immediately following the French Revolution, 1793-1812, mostly dealing with military and governmental matters. Correspondents and signers include Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot, Jean Jacques Regis Cambacérès, Jean Etienne Championnet, and Jean Baptiste Michel Saladin. Letters, 1814-1832, written to United States ministers to France including William Harris Crawford, Albert Gallatin, William Cabell River, and Nathaniel Niles. The correspondents include Elie Decazes, Antoine René Charles Mathurin, comte de La Forest, and Armand Emmanuel du Plesis, duc de Richelieu. The letters deal with a variety of diplomatic matters such as the exchange of war prisoners and refuge for the ship DECATUR.

Also, letters and other autographed items of English artists including Sir William Boxall, Thomas Sidney Cooper, George Cruikshank, Richard Doyle, Copley Fielding, Sir John Gilbert, B.R. Haydon, H. Stacy Marks, Val Prinsep, David Roberts, Thomas Uwins, George Frederic Watts, Thomas Webster, and Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey. Letters and documents of English writers including Edwin Arnold, Alfred Austin, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Rider Haggard, W.J. Locke, Captain Marryat, Myles Birket-Foster, Frank Swinnerton, Israel Zangwill, and John Gibson. Letters and documents of English historical figures including A.J. Balfour, Lord Castlereagh, Joseph Chamberlain, Marquis of Queensberry, Philip Snowden, and Friedrich Max Muller. American letters and documents of Julian Green, Alice Longfellow, Christopher Morley, and Dewitt Clinton. French letters and documents of Georges Boulanger, Jean Casimir-Périer, Georges Clemenceau, Paul Doumer, Jean Jusserand, Jacques Lauriston, Raymond Poincaré, and Talleyrand. Letters and documents of 19th and 20th century English literary and historical figures, and letters and manuscripts of various American and British literary figures including a 17th century letter from Archbishop Jeremy Taylor, concerning church business.

  • Series I: Cataloged Correspondence

    This series includes several separate gifts (1973-1986). Correspondence from these gifts has been arranged alphabetically and cataloged in one series. Manuscripts and documents may be filed in Series II: Manuscripts, Documents, Miscellaneous (Box 6).

    1973 Gift - 157 letters and a few manuscripts and documents of various American and British authors. Manuscripts and documents may be filed in Series II: Manuscripts, Documents, Miscellaneous (Box 6).

    1977 Gift - 1) Letters and other autographed items of English artists including Sir William Boxall, Thomas Sidney Cooper, George Cruikshank, Richard Doyle, Copley Fielding, Sir John Gilbert, B.R. Haydon, H. Stacy Marks, Val Prinsep, David Roberts, Thomas Uwins, George Frederic Watts, Thomas Webster, and Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey. 72 items. 2) Letters and documents of English writers including Edwin Arnold, Alfred Austin, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Rider Haggard, W.J. Locke, Captain Marryat, Myles Birket-Foster, Frank Swinnerton, Israel Zangwill, and John Gibson. 32 items. 3) Letters and documents of English historical figures including A.J. Balfour, Lord Castlereagh, Joseph Chamberlain, Marquis of Queensberry, Philip Snowden, and Friedrich Max Muller. 29 items. 4) American letters and documents of Julian Green, Alice Longfellow, Christopher Morley, and Dewitt Clinton. 5 items. 5) French letters and documents of Georges Boulanger, Jean Casimir-Périer, Georges Clemenceau, Paul Doumer, Jean Jusserand, Jacques Lauriston, Raymond Poincaré, and Talleyrand. 8 items.

    1980 Gift - Letters and documents of 19th and 20th century English literary and historical figures. 262 items.

    1986 Gift - In addition to 105 letters and 6 manuscripts of various American and British literary figures, there is one 17th century letter, from Archbishop Jeremy Taylor, concerning church business. Manuscripts and documents may be filed in Series II: Manuscripts, Documents, Miscellaneous (Box 6).

  • Series II: Manuscripts, Documents, Miscellaneous

    This series includes manuscripts, documents, and other items from several separate gifts (1973-1986) that are not filed with Series I: Cataloged Correspondence.

  • Series III: French Historical Letters and Documents, 1793-1832

    Includes French documents and letters from immediately following the French Revolution, 1793-1812, mostly dealing with military and governmental matter, and letters, 1814-1832, written to United States ministers to France. The letters deal with a variety of diplomatic matters.

  • Series IV: 19th and 20th Century British Artists

    Includes 36 letters written to Frank Topham, circa 1879; 84 letters from various 19th century artists including Wyke Bayliss, G. Bowers Edwards, and Carl Haag; 35 letters to Jerome Milkman, 1925-1958; 115 letters to Howes Norris, 1908-1930; 123 letters from various 20th century artists including Martin Alexander, Sir D.Y. Cameron, Sir John Collier, and Sir Gerald Kelley.

Arrangement

Selected materials cataloged remainder arranged.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access

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.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

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.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Gordon Norton Ray letters collection; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Ray, Gordon N. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1969. Accession number--M-69.

Source of acquisition--Ray, Gordon N. Method of acquisition--Gift; Dates of acquisition--1973, 1977, 1980, 1986.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 08/--/89.

Revision Description

2021-03-02 EAD document created by CCR.

Biographical / Historical

Gordon Norton Ray was an American author, Professor of English, and collector of English and French illustrated books, as well as autographed letters from the Victorian era.

Subject Headings

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.

All links open new windows.

Name
Anna Decatur (Ship) CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Arnold, Edwin, Sir, 1832-1904 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Austin, Alfred, 1835-1913 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Balfour, Arthur James, 1848-1930 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Bayliss, Wyke, Sir, 1835-1906 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Boulanger, Georges-Ernest-Jean-Marie, 1837-1891 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Boxall, William, Sir, 1800-1879 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Cambacérès, Jean Jacques Régis de, 1753-1824 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Cameron, David Young, Sir, 1865-1945 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Carnot, Lazare, 1753-1823 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Casimir-Périer, Jean Paul Pierre, 1847-1907 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Chamberlain, Joseph, 1836-1914 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Championnet, Jean Etienne, 1762-1800 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Clinton, DeWitt, 1769-1828 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Collier, John, 1850-1934 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Cooper, Thomas Sidney, 1803-1902 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Crawford, William Harris, 1772-1834 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Decazes, Elie, duc, 1780-1860 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Doumer, Paul, 1857-1932 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Doyle, Richard, 1824-1883 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Edwards, G. Bowers CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Fielding, Copley, 1787-1855 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Foster, Myles Birket, 1825-1899 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Gallatin, Albert, 1761-1849 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Gibson, John CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Gilbert, John, 1817-1897 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Green, Julien, 1900-1998 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Haag, Carl CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider), 1856-1925 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Haydon, Benjamin Robert, 1786-1846 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Jeffrey, Francis Jeffrey, Lord, 1773-1850 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Jusserand, J. J (Jean Jules), 1855-1932 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Kelley, Gerald, Sir CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Lauriston, Jacques Alexandre Bernard Law, marquis de, 1768-1828 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Locke, William John, 1863-1930 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Longfellow, Alice M (Alice Mary), 1850-1928 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron, 1803-1873 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Marks, Henry Stacy, 1829-1898 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Marryat, Frederick, 1792-1848 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Mathurin, Antoine René Charles, comte de La Forest CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Milkman, Jerome CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Morley, Christopher, 1890-1957 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max), 1823-1900 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Niles, Nathaniel, 1741-1828 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Norris, Howes CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Poincaré, Raymond, 1860-1934 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Prinsep, Val C (Val Cameron), 1838-1904 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Queensberry, John Sholto Douglas, Marquis of, 1844-1900 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Richelieu, Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis, duc de, 1766-1822 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Rives, William C (William Cabell), 1793-1868 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Roberts, David, 1796-1864 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Saladin, Jean-Baptiste-Michel, 1752-1812 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Swinnerton, Frank, 1884-1982 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Talleyrand-Périgord, Charles Maurice de, prince de Bénévent, 1754-1838 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Taylor, Jeremy, 1613-1667 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Topham, Frank CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Uwins, Thomas, 1782-1857 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Watts, George Frederick, 1817-1904 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Webster, Thomas, 1800-1886 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Zangwill, Israel, 1864-1926 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Place
France -- History -- 1789-1900 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Great Britain -- History CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Prisoners and prisons CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
United States -- History, Military CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
United States -- Politics and government -- 1789-1815 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Subject
Artists CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Artists -- England CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Authors, American CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Authors, English CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Diplomatic and consular service, American -- France CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Diplomats -- United States CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Statesmen -- England CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID