{"id":973,"date":"2019-05-13T19:00:12","date_gmt":"2019-05-13T14:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/create\/info\/?page_id=973"},"modified":"2026-04-13T11:52:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:52:06","slug":"poe","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/collections\/harris\/poe\/","title":{"rendered":"Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays \u2013 Edgar Allan Poe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#coll\" class=\"main\">The Collection<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#related\" class=\"main\">Related Internet Resources<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#other\" class=\"main\">Other Internet Resources<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#essential\" class=\"main\">Essential References<\/a><a name=\"coll\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"coll\">The Collection<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Harris Links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/collections\/harris\/index\/\">Back to the main page<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/collections\/harris\/history\/\">Harris Collection history<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/collections\/harris\/research\/\">Research Guide<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/collections\/harris\/internet-resources\/\">Internet Resources<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/poe.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"175\" height=\"209\" src=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/poe.jpg\" alt=\"Poe daguerrotype\" class=\"wp-image-985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/poe.jpg 175w, https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/poe-100x119.jpg 100w, https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/poe-150x179.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 175px) 100vw, 175px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The holdings in the Harris Collection of works by and relating to Edgar Allan Poe are some of the Library&#8217;s most distinguished. Over 1,100 titles are held, ranging from rare works published during Poe&#8217;s lifetime to modern editions of his letters, illustrated works, and comics based on his writings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the best-known and most frequently requested Poe title is the daguerreotype taken in Providence on November 13, 1848. Known as the Whitman or Hartshorn daguerrotype, it is one of only seven daguerreotypes of Poe taken during his lifetime. The image was given by Poe to the local poet Sarah Helen Whitman, whom Poe was courting at the time. The Masury and Hartshorn Daguerrotype Studio was in downtown Providence, just across the river from College Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah Helen Whitman&#8217;s papers, also in the John Hay Library, provide a fascinating window into the life of the poet, particularly in his last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Poe is an author whose writings particularly lend themselves to illustration, and the holdings of illustrated editions of Poe are exceptional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notable are: <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1771966\">Histoires Extraordinaires<\/a> (1927) and&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1771058\">Nouvelles Histoires Extraordinaires<\/a> (1928), both Baudelaire translations published in Paris by KRA, Editeur, and illustrated with velvety black &#8220;eaux-fortes \u00e0 la mani\u00e8re noire&#8221; by Carlo Farneti; <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1125871\">Le corbeau, The raven, poeme<\/a> (1875) translated into French by Stephane Mallarme, and with illustrations by Edouard Manet; <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b2703966\">The masque of the red death: a twentieth century version of Poe&#8217;s classic tale<\/a> (1996), text and images by Maureen Cummins; Robert Creeley&#8217;s libretto for <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b2581660\">Ligeia<\/a> (1996), designed and printed by Philip Gallo at the Hermetic Press; <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b3164782\">Al Aaraaf <\/a>(1995), an artist&#8217;s book by Joe D&#8217;Ambrosio, among many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Early editions of Poe&#8217;s works in the Collection include: <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1772272\">Poems<\/a> (Second Edition, 1831); first printings of &#8220;Manuscript Found in a Bottle,&#8221; &#8220;William Wilson,&#8221; and &#8220;The Pit and the Pendulum,&#8221; all published in <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1906067\">The Gift: a Christmas and New Year&#8217;s Present<\/a> between 1835 and 1842; the 1838 <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1770827\">New York<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1829868\">London<\/a> editions of The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym of Nantucket, the New York edition being S. Foster Damon&#8217;s copy; <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1783227\">The Conchologist&#8217;s First Book<\/a> (1839); and the two-volume <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1771077\">Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque<\/a> (1840), among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>See Also<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related Collections:<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b2497412\">Sarah Helen Whitman Papers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"related\" name=\"related\"><\/a>Related Internet Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Brown University Library Resources: Licensed Databases and Electronic Books: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/collections.chadwyck.com\/home\/home_ap.jsp?template=basic.htx&amp;content=frameset.htx\">American Poetry (1600-1900)<\/a><br>Over 40,000 poems by more than 200 American poets from the Colonial period to the late nineteenth century, including Edgar Allan Poe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/collections.chadwyck.com\/home\/home_bal.jsp\">Bibliography of American Literature<\/a><br>Nearly 400,000 records of the literary works of approximately 300 American writers from the period of the Revolution to 1930. Includes a bibliography of first printings of the works of Edgar Allan Poe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/search.library.brown.edu\/catalog\/b3251156\">The Cambridge companion to Edgar Allan Poe<\/a>&nbsp;\/ edited by Kevin J. Hayes 260 Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, c2002.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/search.library.brown.edu\/catalog\/b7181602\">A historical guide to Edgar Allan Poe<\/a> [electronic resource] Edited by J. Gerald Kennedy<br>Oxford, New York : Oxford University Press, 2001.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/galenet.galegroup.com\/servlet\/LitRC?locID=prov98893\">Literature Resource Center<\/a><br>Current; provides access to biographies, bibliographies, and critical analysis of authors from every age and literary discipline. The <em>LRC <\/em> covers more than 90,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, and other writers, and indexes publications such as <em>Contemporary Literary Criticism<\/em>, <em>Dictionary of Literary Biography <\/em>, and<br><em>Contemporary Authors<\/em>. Includes some basic information on Poe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bruknow.library.brown.edu\/discovery\/fulldisplay?docid=alma991010126959706966&amp;context=L&amp;vid=01BU_INST:BROWN\">MLA International Bibliography<\/a><br>1926-present; the <em>MLA International Bibliography <\/em> is a bibliography of journal articles, books, and dissertations. The electronic version of the bibliography contains over 1.5 million citations from more than 4,400 journals and series and 1,000 book publishers. Excellent source for citations to critical works on Poe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nineteenth Century Masterfile<br>1802-early 20th Century; provides online access to an enhanced version of the major Anglo-American subject index for periodicals of the 19th century, as well as a number of other general and publication-specific indexes for journals, newspapers, and books of the era. Includes many citations to Poe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/search.library.brown.edu\/catalog\/b2607440\">The Poe encyclopedia<\/a>. Frederick S. Frank and Anthony Magistrale<br>Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1997.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Walker, I. M. <a href=\"https:\/\/search.library.brown.edu\/catalog\/b7168744\">Edgar Allan Poe [electronic resource] : the critical heritage<\/a> \/ edited by Ian Walker<br>London ; New York : Routledge, 1997.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See also the Library&#8217;s Resource Guide for literature in <a href=\"http:\/\/library.brown.edu\/gateway\/lrg.php?id=21&amp;task=db\">English<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"other\" name=\"other\"><\/a>Other Internet Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bronxhistoricalsociety.org\/poe-cottage\/\">Edgar Allan Poe Cottage<\/a> (Bronx, New York)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.poemuseum.org\/\">Edgar Allan Poe Museum<\/a> (Richmond, Virginia)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eapoe.org\/index.htm\">Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nps.gov\/edal\/\">Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site<\/a> (Pennsylvania)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/nhprc\/projects\/catalog\/john-ingram-poe-collection\">John Henry Ingraham&#8217;s Poe Collection<\/a> (National Archives)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/browse\/authors\/p#a481\">Works by Edgar Allan Poe at Project Gutenberg<br><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"essential\" name=\"essential\"><\/a>Essential References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Blanck, Jacob, 1906-1974<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1159388\">Bibliography of American Literature<\/a>. Compiled by Jacob Blanck for the Bibliographical Society of America.<br>New Haven: Yale University Press, 1955-1991.<br>Vol. 7 includes a descriptive bibliography of first printings and other works by Poe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b2547508\">A companion to Poe studies.<\/a> Edited by Eric W. Carlson<br>Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b3082342\">The Edgar Allan Poe review<\/a><br>Fogelsville, Pa.: Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College<br>v.1:no.1- spring 2000-<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Heartman, Charles F. (Charles Frederick), 1883-1953<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1771622\">A bibliography of first printings of the writings of Edgar Allan Poe<\/a>; together with a record of first and contemporary later printings of his contributions to annuals, anthologies, periodicals, and newspapers issued during his lifetime, also some spurious Poeana and fakes. Compiled by Charles F. Heartman and James R. Canny.<br>Rev. ed<br>Hattiesburg, Miss., The Book farm, 1943<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1772058\"> John Henry Ingram&#8217;s Poe collection<\/a> [microform]. Paul P. Hoffman, editor; Mary F. Crouch, assistant editor; Richard S. Pride, editorial assistant<br>[Charlottesville, University of Virginia Library], 1967 [c1966]<br>9<br>microfilm reels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849 245 10<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1976503\">John Henry Ingram&#8217;s Poe collection<\/a>. Guide to the microfilm edition of John Henry Ingram&#8217;s Poe Collection<br>[Charlottesville: University of Virginia Library], 1967.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b2607440\">The Poe encyclopedia<\/a> [compiled by] Frederick S. Frank and Anthony Magistrale<br>Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1294062\">Poe studies<\/a><br>[Pullman, Wash., Washington State University Press]<br>v.4- 1971-<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pollin, Burton Ralph<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1434354\">Dictionary of names and titles in Poe&#8217;s collected works<\/a><br>New York: Da Capo Press, 1968.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pollin, Burton Ralph<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1855485\">Images of Poe&#8217;s works<\/a>: a comprehensive descriptive catalogue of illustrations.<br>New York : Greenwood Press, 1989.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pollin, Burton Ralph <a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1153541\"><br>Word index to Poe&#8217;s fiction<\/a><br>New York: Gordian Press, 1982.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robertson, John W.<a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1771638\"><br>Bibliography of the writings of Edgar A. Poe,&nbsp;<\/a>2 vols.<br>San Francisco, Russian Hill private press, Edwin &amp; Robert Grabhorn, 1934.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas, Dwight<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1385169\">The Poe log: a documentary life of Edgar Allan Poe, 1809 -1849<\/a>. Dwight Thomas and David K. Jackson<br>Boston, Mass.: G.K. Hall, c1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whitman, Sarah Helen, 1803-1878<br><a href=\"http:\/\/josiah.brown.edu\/record=b1126688\">Edgar Poe and his critics<\/a>.<br>Providence, R.I., Tibbitts and Preston, 1885.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"bodytextSmall\">Image: Edgar Allan Poe. Daguerreotype photograph by Samuel W. Hartshorn. Providence, 14 November, 1848. Gift of Hortense Webster. Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays, John Hay Library.<br><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Collection The holdings in the Harris Collection of works by and relating to Edgar Allan Poe are some of the Library&#8217;s most distinguished. Over 1,100 titles are held, ranging from rare works published during Poe&#8217;s lifetime to modern editions of his letters, illustrated works, and comics based on his writings. Perhaps the best-known and <a href=\"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/collections\/harris\/poe\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays \u2013 Edgar Allan Poe<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":889,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-full-width-no-menu.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-973","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=973"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11303,"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/973\/revisions\/11303"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.brown.edu\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}